Reading for school has the worst reputation in the minds of many students. Even for prolific readers, having to read in the context of school leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Though this can be because of rigid reading schedules or poor teaching, most attribute their distaste to the selection of novels themselves. My experience has been especially different; in fact, I’ve found some of my favorite books in an academic setting. I have curated a list of three books that have made it to my list of favorites in spite of being ones that I have read for class. In these instances, reading them with a group of students enriched the experience and helped me engage with the novels on a deeper level.
- Beloved by Toni Morrison
Toni Morrison, in my opinion, is one of the best writers I have ever read. Her most popular novel, Beloved, was the subject of my senior year AP Literature class. The story follows an escaped slave woman, Sethe, as she navigates her newfound freedom, motherhood, and the sacrifice necessary to be a parent. The story, bordering on gothic, is tragic and will hold the reader’s attention from start to finish. The prose can often be difficult to understand and for this reason, the support of a teacher and academic resources are the best way to read this novel.
- The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner is one that anyone can and should read, with or without a classroom setting. Amir, a wealthy boy from Kabul, makes friends with his family servant’s son, Hassan in childhood. Their friendship transcends class and racial differences until one day when a betrayal changes the course of their relationship forever. Thematically, Hosseini covers much ground, discussing a variety of social issues from immigration to death. Many topics are triggering, though they are handled with grace and respect for the characters as well as anyone who may have gone through such traumas in real life.
- Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
James Joyce is an author I would not recommend reading without academic support, whether that be in the form of a class or online journals. His prose can be confusing and it’s easy to miss important details if you are not treating the language as an academic form. If the reader takes the time to truly understand the prose, reading Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man will be one of the best reading experiences of your life. The novel follows Stephen Dedalus (a reference to the Greek myth of Icarus and Daedalus) and his growth from youth to early adulthood. He faces the typical challenges of coming-of-age as well as the unique mindset of an aspiring artist. His monologues are thoughtful, desperate, and beautifully written. Joyce chooses every word with purpose and if this novel were written with a pen, your margins will be full and every sentence underlined.
This list should inspire you to not dismiss novels solely because of their academic contexts. The next time you see a list of the literary canon, add a few books to your reading list and even consider taking a class that may enhance your understanding of these masterpieces.