Tuesday, October 15, 2013




Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the awesome ladies at The Broke and the Bookish.  Apparently, they are overly fond of list-making and love to share their bookish lists with the rest of us book nerds.  =)  I'm game.







This week's list features the Top Ten Books I Was "Forced" to Read (either by teachers, friends, other bloggers, book club) -- doesn't necessarily have to be a BAD thing. Could be required reading, yes, but also book club, or just super enthusiastic friends "making" you read something!

Maybe I'm weird, but I liked most of the books that I had to read in school...there were exceptions, of course, but for the most part, I enjoyed reading anything I was given, whether it was an assignment or not.  I guess it has a lot to do with the teacher teaching the material, too, and what kind of lessons they teach along with the required reading.  Anyway, here are my top ten favorites out of those I was "forced" to read:

To Kill a Mockingbird1984The Odyssey Tess of the d'UrbervillesWuthering HeightsFahrenheit 451MacbethSlaughterhouse-FiveJulius CaesarA Tale of Two Cities (Signet Classics)


And honorable mention goes to Edith Hamilton's Mythology...even though I hated it when it was assigned in school, it's been an invaluable source through the years.  I still refer to it when I can't remember something about the gods and their offspring.

As for books I read because friends and fellow bloggers were ready to force feed the books to me, here's a smaller list -- it takes a lot for me to cave to peer pressure.  =)

The Sky Is EverywhereJellicoe RoadStolenIf I Stay (If I Stay, #1)The Fault in Our Stars


After much prompting and prodding from others, I finally gave all of these a chance and loved them...like INFINITE STARS loved them.  I wish I could unread them so I could experience them all over again for the first time.  *sigh*  Guess now it's my turn to push them on others.  :D

What books were you forced or coerced into reading that you absolutely ended up loving?  Or hating?  I have some of those, too.  :0)


17 comments:

  1. Yes I had to read Macbeth and To Kill a Mockingbird at school too...My list from the bloggers would be so much longer lol! Great list!

    Jeann @ Happy Indulgence

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  2. The Sky Is Everywhere is such a good book! I really liked To Kill A Mockingbird. I didn't read it at school, but I've read and re-read it since. Great list! :-)

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  3. I still need to read all those listed on your blogger 'forced' list. People really love them and talk about them so much. Maybe one day when I find more time. Great list :-)

    My Friends Are Fiction

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  4. Loved The Fault in our Stars. Great list.

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  5. The Fault in our Stars is still on my TBR list. I have been wanting to read it, but for some reason it hasn't made it to the top of the pile yet. I really need to make it a priority.

    Here is my TTT: http://jacquesbooknook.blogspot.com/2013/10/top-ten-tuesday-books-i-was-forced-to.html

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  6. Oh boy. To Kill a Mockingbird is an all-time favorite for me. Great list, Jen!

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  7. The Odyssey is just fantastic. It's on my list too.

    Here's mine!!

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  8. I only read Stolen because of all the gushing too :) But it was amazing so I should trust bloggers more often LOL!

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  9. I notice a theme in the second list... just sayin'. :-P

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  10. TFiOS *le sigh* what a fantastic book. Great list! :)

    Here is our list.

    By the way, we are giving away a signed ARC of Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles on the blog. Make sure to stop by and enter! :)

    Andy @ Owl Always Be Reading

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  11. The Sky is Everywhere and If I Stay are some of my favorite books. I love them both so much! I love Wuthering Heights too. Just so many good titles on your list. I'm still able to quote Julius Caesar a little bit, because I was forced to memorize it in high school.

    Aly @ My Heart Hearts Books
    My TTT

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  12. I've got If I Stay on my list too! I really didn't think I'd enjoy it as much as I did.
    Tess is another one we have in common, though unfortunately that one wasn't for me. I love Fahrenheit 451 and Macbeth though! And I really want to read Slaughterhouse Five and A Tale of Two Cities at some point.

    My TTT

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  13. I kept putting down The Sky is Everywhere and finally hunkered down and read. Man it was a great book. I loved it. 1984 was a book I was forced to read in school too and I really loved it.

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  14. Love If I Stay and The Fault in Our Stars. I've heard AMAZING things about Jellicoe Road but haven't read it yet! Great list :)

    Christy @ Christy's Book Addiction

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  15. Umm, you were forced to read some pretty awesome books!

    Here's my TTT.

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  16. I loved all my school assigned reading except maybe The Federalist Papers. That one I tolerated. A big surprise for me was when my sister in law insisted I read the Mortal Instruments series when I wasn't big on paranormal stuff. I loved them and I am now very interested in paranormal elements in books.

    I haven't read any on your second list.

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  17. I absolutely loved The Fault In Our Stars, The Sky Is Everywhere (such an amazing book!!) and If I Stay. Still need to read Jellicoe Road - have heard some amazing things! I also really need to read Stolen, recently purchased The Killing Woods by the same author. My TTT

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