Top 5 Wednesday: Top 5 Required Reads

Hey, readers! This Top 5 Wednesday is your top 5 favorite required reads from school. This was a great top 5 topic because I always loved reading for school, and I have plenty of books to choose from. Let’s get started!Th

1. The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay 

This was a book I read my sophomore year of high school. This was such an influential book and was one of the first books that sparked my interest in historical fiction. With references to racial divisions in South Africa, it followed a young boy Peekay in his journey to becoming the welterweight champion of the world. However, he may find that learning self-preservation and survival in society will be harder than his physical training. I recommend this book to people of all ages and is definitely a classic.

     2.  To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

This  book is a definite favorite of a lot of people from high school. I read this book my freshman year of high school and I  instantly fell in love with the story and the meaning behind it. This is another book that dealt with the racial division within society. Taking place in Alabama in 1936, racism boils between the white and black citizens. This story deals with the loss of innocence and the introduction to cruelty and prejudice.

     3.  A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

This I read in 7th grade and was the first book that got me excited about analyzing pieces of literature. This is the first book that I tore apart and studied closely. I had to write page summaries and annotate the pages of the text. My teacher saw that I had a gift for understanding literature, and sparked my love for analyzing and consuming everything I read. It taught me to be a critical reader.

     4.  Auschwitz and After by Charlotte Delbo

This was one of the most hauntingly beautiful pieces of literature about the Holocaust that I have ever read. I read this book my freshman year of college, and it has impacted me in ways I never imagined. It was so raw and emotional that it was hard to read at times. The imagery and the writing style was so unique and gave Delbo’s retelling of her experiences a new take on the Holocaust. She was a French woman taken into a camp for her political affiliation, which also was something I never read about. It is to this day one of my favorite books I have ever read. Read it, please.

     5. Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt 

Another memoir has made it onto this list. I read this book my junior year of high school and loved it dearly. This is my favorite book of all time, and  it was miraculous. McCourt talks about his childhood and how he lived with nothing in Ireland during the famine. He lived in filth and with his mother who has lost three children. She is a hollow shell of herself, and McCourt and his brother have to grow up too fast. Their father is an alcoholic and treats them terribly. It is a difficult read, but the life lessons and the humor that he brings to his darkest times were incredible. This another must read.

What were your top 5 favorite required reads from school? Comment below!

Read ya later!

Mads