A WatertownHigh SchoolTeacher Book List
During the summer of 2003, English staff members were asked to consider what things might increase reading and enjoyment of books by students.
We decided to compile a list of some of the books we enjoyed most. Most are novels – Some are short story collections – A few are non-fiction – Some are plays. Many are considered “classics” and all have entertained us and enriched our lives. We consider these books to be worthwhile, of varying levels of challenge, and generally clean for young people to enjoy.
Mrs. Hanson:
A Lost Lady -The House of Mirth -
The Four ZoasColdMountain-
Empire Grill -Green Eggs and Ham – Dr. Seuss
Winesburg, Ohio– Sherwood AndersonThe Old Man and the Sea–John Steinbeck
A Boy's Will -The Scarlet Letter – Nathaniel Hawthorne
Mr. Hillesland:
Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, The Hideous Strength, Mere Christianity,The Screwtape Letters and The Chronicles of Narnia series, by C.S. Lewis
The HobbitThe Lord of the Rings trilogy,by J.R.R. Tolkien
Anna Karenina,War and Peaceby Leo Tolstoy
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch by Alexander Solzhenitsyn
All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
Night by Elie Wiesel
The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
A Thurber Carnival by James Thurber
Ogden Nash's poetry
The Bible
Mr. Holmquest:
Catch 22 – Joseph HellerCyrano DeBergerac– Edmond Rostand
Dune – Frank HerbertThe HobbittLord of the Rings – J.R.R. Tolkein
The Hatchet Gary PaulsenA River Runs Through It – Norman MacLean
Night – Elie WeiselA Wrinkle in Time(series) - Madeline L’Engele
The Tipping Point – Malcolm GladwellSelling the Invisible – Harry Beckwith
Short Stories – Irwin ShawThe Fifth Discipline – Peter Senge
Don Quixote Miguel DeCervantesThe Discoverers – Daniel Boorstein
Crazy Horse – Mari Sandoz“The Book of Mark” – The Bible
1984Animal Farm – George OrwellTo Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee
The Natural – Bernard Malamud Welcome To the Monkey House, Kurt Vonnegut
Doctor Zhivago – Boris PasternakThe Pearl, Of Mice & Men – John Steinbeck
The Thurber Carnival – James Thurber The Heart is A Lonely Hunter, Carson McCullers
Short Stories - Ernest HemmingwayFlowers for Algernon (novella) – Daniel Keyes
& all of the C.S. Lewis books that Cal Hillesland recommended above.
Mrs. Johnson:
Fox in Socks - Dr. SuessAn American Tragedy- Theodore Drieser
East of Eden- John SteinbeckEthan Frome- Edith Wharton
The Great Gatsby- F. Scott FitzgeraldHuck Finn- Mark Twain
Autobiography- Alice WalkerDeath of a Salesman (play)-- Arthur Miller
The Importance of Being Earnest (play)- Oscar Wilde
Native Son- Richard Wright
Mrs. Kludt:
Tom ClancyStephen Coonts
Patrick RobinsonJohn Grisham
Richard MarcinkoW.E.B. Griffin
Steve PieczenikIan Fleming
John GarderMargaret Truman
Nicholas SparksDavid Hagberg
Vince Flynn
Mrs. Manley:
The Bluest Eyes - Toni MorrisonCatcher in the Rye -J.D. Salinger
East of Eden - John SteinbeckSee Jane Date - Melissa Senate
The BibleFish
My Sergei - Ekaterina GordeevaThe Education of Little Tree - Forest Carter
A Child Called It, The Lost BoyA Man Named David - David Pelzer
Mr. Mittelstedt:
The Shining, - Stephen KingThe Reason Why, - Cecil Woodham-Smith
Hiroshima - John Hersey2001: A Space Odyssey(series) - Art Clarke.
Travels With Charley - John Steinbeck A Brief History of Time - Stephen Hawking.
Dakota: A Spiritual Geography, - Kathleen Norris.
Ms. Moulton:
Tom Jones – FieldingBridget Jones Diary
The Lord of the Rings – J.R.R. TolkienThe Count of Monte Cristo – Alexander Dumas
Winston Churchill – William ManchesterCharles II - Frasier
Western Art - Sister Wendy How to Read and WhyGenius - Bloom
Diary of Samuel PepysOutlaw Bible of American Poetry
Dracula - Bram StokerI, Claudius - Graves
The Art of Acting – Mortimer J. Alderany Geo. Will, Wm Buckley, P.J. O'Rourke
How to Read Literature Like an English Professor -Foster
Mrs. O’Brien:
Dune- Frank HerbertThe Hiding Place- Corrie Ten Boom
Dibs In Search of Self –Virginia AxlineEnder’s Game series - Orson Scott Card
Poisonwood Bible – Barbara KingsolverThe Foundation Series - Isaac Asimov
Lord of the Flies – Stephan GoldingThe Catcher In the Rye – J.D. Salinger
1984 – George OrwellBrave New World – Aldous Huxley
The Broken Cord – Michael DorrisOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – Ken Kesey
Angela’s Ashes – Frank McCourt
Mr. O’Brien:
A Prayer for Owen Meany,The Cider House Rules - John Irving
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay - Michael Chabon
American Pastoral - Philip RothMother Night - Kurt Vonnegut
Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates - Tom Robbins
Foundation Series - Isaac AsimovBright Lights, Big City - Jay McInerney
Native Son – Richard WrightSearching for Bobby Fischer - Fred Waitzkin
Ender’s Game series – Orson S. CardKingdom Come - Mark Waid Alex Ross
Ms. Overmoe:
Wuthering Heights, Emily BronteCold Mountain, Charles Frazier
The Diary of Anne Frank, Anne FrankKiller Angels
She Stoops to ConquerSophie's Choice, William Tryon
The BibleLong Days Journey Into Night
Hedda Gabler, A Doll's House, Henrik IbsenBeowulf
Any ShakespeareAny Tennessee Williams
The Stand, Stephan King
Mr. Shephard:
Catcher in the Rye- JD SalingerOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest- Ken Kesey
Huckleberry Finn- Mark Twain A Separate Reality- Carlos Castenada
Macbeth-Shakespeare The Count of Monte Cristo- Alexander Dumas
The Magus- John FowlesThe Life of Pi
American Caesar: A Biography of Douglas MacArthur- William Manchester
Sophie's Choice- William Styron
Mr. Walker:
Ender’s Game– Orson Scott CardCatcher In the Rye – J.D. Salinger
A Brief History of Time – Stephan HawkingSlaughterhouse Five – Kurt Vonnegut
Searching for Bobby Fischer - Fred WaitzkinThe Wind In the Willows, Ken Grahame
A Prayer for Owen Meany - John IrvingUncle Tom’s Cabin – Hariett B. Stowe
Chaos – James Gleick
Bobby Fischer: Profile of a Prodigy – Frank Brady
Do you have a list of favorites? If so, please send your list to Mr. Holmquest, and we’ll add your picks to the next list.
Enjoy!
In addition, we asked teacher friends from other departments and other schools for their “favorite” book nominees. We also welcomed favorites of our students. These are typed below:
Mr. Sherrill (Watertown Social Studies):
Without Remorse – Tom ClancyThe Sinister Pig (series) – Tony Hillerman
(Any) - Stephan AmbroseLovejoy (series) – Jonathon Gash
Garrett (series) – Glen CookThe Demon Princes (series) – Jack Vance
(Any) - Clive Cussler(Any) - Dave Weber
Allen Lewrie (series) Dewey LampdinIron Gate – Richard Herman
(Any) - Allen Dean FosterWW 2 series – Ian Slater
Basil Brokentail (series) – Chris Rowley
Mrs. Moeller (BrookingsHigh School, Jr. English teacher and interp coach):
Into the Wild – Jon JrakauerBlessings, One True Thing – Anna Quindlen
Breaking Free – Judy BluntThe Poisonwood Bible – Barbara Kingsolver
Tuesdays With Morrie – Mitch AlbomWitness of Combines – Kent Meyers
The Secret Life of Bees – Sue MonkThe Ecology of a Cracker Childhood
The Teacup & the UniverseThe Things They Carried – Tim O’Brien
Friday Nigh Lights – BissingerThe Good Earth – Pearl S. Buck
Peace Like A River – Leif ErgerTo Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee
Skinwalker – Tony HillermanSnow Falling on Cedar – Peter Guterson
Mr. Roberts (WHS retired debate/English teacher, author, and mystery fan):
The Great Gatsby – F. Scott FitzgeraldThe Black Echo – Michael Connelly
The Handmaid’s Tale Margaret AtwoodTime’s Witness – Michael Malone
Harry Potter (series) J.K. RowlingEnder’s Games (series) – Orson Scott Card
Farenheit 451 – Ray BradburyThe Best & The Brightest – David Halberstam
Them– Joyce Carol OatesSchindler’s List – Thomas Keneally
Enemy Women– Paulette JilesSister Carrie – Theodore Drieser
Native Son – Richard Wright
The Incident of the Dog in The Nightime – Mark Hadden