Doug Estell | Michele L. Satchwell | Patricia S. Wright
1 For ALL Book-Lovers, Not Just Aspiring College Students
Many different universities and colleges provided the author with the names of works they recommend or use in first-year English classes. I remember seeing the first edition of this book when I was in high school and falling madly in love with it. Unfortunately, it was at the public library and someone lost it a month after I checked it out. I am an obsessive list-maker and this adds fuel to the fire of my two passions, lists and literature. Not all the books listed in here are predictable, canonical works, either. I'm surprised how many are out-of-print, making the search for great reading material even more fun. One gripe: no comprehensive index. I may just make my own.
2 A great source for finding something worthwhile to read
This book was written by my high school english teachers. It was published and I purchased it years after I graduated from college. I'm using the book as a means to measure how "well read" I am. Whenever, I'm at a loss of what more to read, I pick up this gem and find numerous suggestions. Thank you Doug, Michelle, and Patty.
3 Effective teaching tool
As soon as my college prep and Advanced Placement English students start complaining about "ALL" the reading we have in my class, I break out this little gem and read a couple examples from among the 103 representative college and university lists contained within its pages. The book also offers the high school student a reading program with the goal of reading 100 books from among the lists by the time they enter college. It is a sensible plan with a simple form to chart one's progress. This book has a place in every college prep classroom and on every college hopeful's bookshelf.
