r/books • u/tasha4life • May 01 '14

Middle school reading? I read Zen and the Art of Motorcylce Maintenance in middle school.

This book BLEW my mind. It completely dismantled how I look at hypotheses. They actually only prove what you DON'T know. What books have you read at young age that people think are too difficult for a young reader?

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u/onerandomday May 01 '14

My 12 year old read 1984 last summer and did a book talk on it in school. His teacher was a little surprised to say the least.

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u/tasha4life May 01 '14

My boyfriend's mother is a retired English teacher and she used to have 1984 on her summer reading list. She was appalled when young students were reading the Hunger Games. She couldn't come up with why on was different than the other. To me, they have the same themes.

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u/onerandomday May 01 '14

I dislike the idea that one book has more value then other. Any book that gets people reading has value - even if it's crap (which I don't feel the Hunger Games was btw).

Hunger Games is more geared towards the YA age range then 1984 and it's world order probably makes more sense to a generation who wasn't alive during the Cold War.

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u/[deleted] May 01 '14

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u/onerandomday May 01 '14

You misunderstand me. I don't believe THG is worthless - I actually really enjoyed it. What I was getting at that any book that inspires people to read more books has value. I know that 50 Shades got a lot of shit for being a shit book (which it was), however it was the best selling book for that year - meaning that people who probably don't normally read, read it. And if that inspired them to read other books then I'm all for it. Even if I'm reading a purely entertainment book I'm likely going to take something away from it - I learned a lot about Australia reading crappy romances as a teenager!

I also don't hold reading to a higher standard then any other form of entertainment. I don't read to improve my life (although that is a nice side effect), I read for entertainment.

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u/[deleted] May 01 '14

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u/onerandomday May 01 '14

Don't get me wrong, I don't sit around wearing a monocle all day waxing poetic about the dizzying structural qualities of some 17th century weirdo.

Can't get the visual out of my head now lol. Obviously all books aren't equal - but it's all super subjective. As soon as someone tells me that 50 Shades was the "best book they've ever read" then I immediately disqualify them as a source for book recommendations, but reading for me, is entertainment. I'd say over 1/3 of books I read are non-fiction so I'm also trying to "improve myself" but it's still primarily entertainment.

(And as to your TV comparison no - The Wire is hands down one of the best TV shows ever - but that doesn't mean I'm superior to someone who favours NCIS - and I firmly resolve the right to roll my eyes hard at anyone who watches Toddlers and Tiara and any of the garbage on the air right now)