The Importance of Good Reading - February 2, 2016

Lit Up: One Reporter.  Three Schools.  Twenty-Four Books That Can Change Lives by David Denby
Pub. Date - February 2, 2016
4.5 stars



A big proponent of reading the classics, David Denby wrote the appropriately titled Great Books which examines college level curricula. For this books, he decided to sit in on a tenth grade English class in order to observe how the classics were taught and how teachers motivated students distracted by all forms of technology.  It mostly follows one class in a good New York magnet school but also examines two other schools of differing perspectives and socioeconomic status.  For a lifelong book-lover, this was a glorious examination of kid's lives today and how hard it is to encourage a love of literature.  At times, Denby's intolerant view of what constitutes real literature annoyed me for I mostly believe in the method taught at one of the high schools which introduces easier, more enjoyable reading with the hope that it lead to classics of the higher brow.  However, I think this is an important book for educators that offers hope that literature still belongs as an important part of the high school curriculum.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.