Reading Lists

[peanut]

Anyone got some good links to reading lists of classic books. DD#1 and I are embarking on our own adult ed program of reading classic books and discussing them via email. We have a lot of fiction books, but little non-fiction. Any ideas?

[greekislandgirl]

I don't know of any lists, but some of my favorite non-fiction books that you could check out:

Wind, Sand, and Stars by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (the author of the children's book The Little Prince, this book is some true stories from when he was a mail pilot before WW2 in Europe, Africa, and South America - truly one of my favorite books of all time). [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Wind-Sand-Stars-Antoine-Saint-Exupery/dp/0156027496/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1306176295&sr=8-1"]Amazon.com: Wind, Sand and Stars (9780156027496): Antoine de Saint-Exupery: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41k%2BVzCSWCL.@@AMEPARAM@@41k%2BVzCSWCL[/ame]

A Lover's Discourse by Roland Barthes - this book compiles a bunch of excerpts from literary masterpieces dealing with the topic of love. It's a wonderful book. [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Lovers-Discourse-Fragments-Roland-Barthes/dp/0374532311/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1306176385&sr=8-1"]Amazon.com: A Lover's Discourse: Fragments (9780374532314): Roland Barthes, Richard Howard, Wayne Koestenbaum: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41zXao3k3KL.@@AMEPARAM@@41zXao3k3KL[/ame]

Not a literary masterpiece, but something that will get you talking is The Mole People by Jennifer Toth - it's a journalistic narrative about a young student's attempt to understand the world of the underground abandoned subway tunnels in NYC and the people who live there. [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Mole-People-Life-Tunnels-Beneath/dp/155652241X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1306177122&sr=8-1"]Amazon.com: The Mole People: Life in the Tunnels Beneath New York City (9781556522413): Jennifer Toth: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51419q%2BfUVL.@@AMEPARAM@@51419q%2BfUVL[/ame]

Well, it's only 3, but maybe I'll think of some more - for some reason, all I can think of are fiction!

[greekislandgirl]

Right... so after I posted that, I remembered the Random House list, wasn't sure if it existed for non fiction and ti turns out it does! 100 Best Nonfiction Modern Library

I haven't read pretty much any of those and they don't look that appetizing. I like my suggestions better!!

[bonnotsm9]

You could try some selections from the high school level reading lists on this site:

AO New Users AmblesideOnline.org

[YankeeMom]

There are some nice lists on Goodreads.com, here are a just a couple:

Must Read Non-Fiction

Favorite memoirs/autobiographies

non-fiction book lists

[peanut]

Thanks everyone. I found Mortimer Adler's great books list on Wikipedia and am going to work off that for now. We've read some of them already when we homeschooled. We didn't want to do any 20th century and newer stuff...yet.

[dinah]

can you be my mom?

[peanut]

Dinah you have no idea how many people have said this to me since last year. I don't know what gives with people. I guess the scrapbooks make our homeschool look so much *fun*. Well some days it was. Other days it was like any other home, with me pulling my hair out over perceived inactivity by the girls. They learned, just not the way I thought they should.

Or perhaps you just don't want to read modern literature at the moment?

[lisaflex]

our library system has lists onliine of new and upcoming good reads and the past yrs top books in all categories. that is how i sometimes pick my newest reads