The Books That Stay at the Top of the List

It seems one cannot pick up a newspaper, browse through a national newsmagazine or turn on the television without hearing how students are slipping and standards are falling. The same phrases, over and over: “In 1957, students were . . . “ “Before video games and the Internet . . . “ and always, “When I was in school . . . “

There can be no question that the environment that kids inhabit in 2000 is very different than in 1980, let alone 1900. There are many new ways to spend free time, and hence more distractions. But as I have pointed out before, the college-bound students of today are every bit as involved and serious as their predecessors. Perhaps nowhere is this more obvious than in the area of reading.

Advanced Placement English classes and many at the college prep level include an impressive selection of fiction in their course outlines. In fact, most schools combine a healthy dose of the classics with contemporary works of quality. English teachers are always on the lookout for books that will “work” with their classes. Half the fun of a literature conference is the book ideas we inevitably come home with. We all know a likely candidate when we see one: a book that is very well written, has the potential to engage students, and deals with meaningful issues.

I think books that fit this description are often those we loved when we were in high school. Looking at all the required books on my own campus, do they still have the lasting impact on my students that they had on me?

Curious about this, I asked all four of the senior AP English classes at my school to complete a survey of the top books (not to exceed 12) they had read in high school, either assigned as part of a class or on their own. I made it very clear that they should not include any book because they felt they “should,” even if it meant their list might be shorter. To qualify for the list, each choice had to have had a profound effect on them, made them think, and expanded their knowledge of what it means to be human. A tall order.

An early indicator that these books had made an impression was the lively discussion that surrounded this activity. Students dipped way into the past--”Don’t forget ‘Beowulf’!” They argued about each other’s choices--”You can’t say Hesse is better than Faulkner.” They expressed frustration at having limits--”If I put ‘Enemy of the People’ on, I’ll have to take another play off.” The students came up with 178 books. Twelve of them were clearly the top choices. As might be expected, required books garnered the most votes, because these were the ones more students had in common.

Here is the list my students came up with:

In first place was Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness,” an extremely challenging novel that probes the impact of imperialism and the nature of evil. Next came John Steinbeck’s “East of Eden,” which, despite its 800-plus pages, had an amazing impact on many young people. The No. 3 spot went to Alexandre Dumas’ “The Count of Monte Cristo,” another sprawling epic with a ton of characters to keep track of. Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter” came in at No. 4, perhaps because of its timely story of adultery’s effect on a man’s reputation.

Next came Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman.” “To Kill a Mockingbird” was No. 6, still beloved 40 years after its publication. No. 7 was Zora Neale Hurston’s “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” a wonderful tale of an African American woman’s journey of self-discovery.

The eighth spot was held by “Saint Maybe” by Anne Tyler, by far the most modern author on the list. Miller appears again at No. 9 with “The Crucible,” the haunting play about the Salem witch trials. Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” a timeless tale of ambition and greed, was in 10th place. Eleventh was the German writer Herman Hesse’s “Siddhartha.” And last, but far from least, “Hamlet,” though written around 1601, still continues to enthrall students in the year 2000.

Equally interesting were the runners-up. There was a surprising number of ancient works (“The Iliad,” “Lysistrata” and “Oedipus the King”) as well as works by Austen, Dickens, Hugo and Hemingway. A wide range of literature that reflected various cultural and ethnic perspectives also filled the lists: “Farewell to Manzanar,” “Black Like Me,” “Zlata’s Diary” and “One Hundred Years of Solitude.”

Current writers like Barbara Kingsolver, Michael Ondaatje and Frank McCourt were well represented. And students are still captivated by Jack Kerouac, J.D. Salinger and Joseph Heller.

Despite the seductions of popular culture, it is clear that countless teachers are continuing to get kids excited about literature. Movies have not replaced Shakespeare. And the feel of real paper pages apparently still competes with electronic images on a screen.

I remember falling in love with Caleb Trask, the protagonist of “East of Eden,” when I was 16. From the looks of this survey, he’s still breaking hearts.