# Books that should have been read in high school

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-have-been-read-in-high-school/1022741>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** books-writing-myths\
**Created:** [September 4, 2025, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-have-been-read-in-high-school/1022741 "2025-09-04T11:06:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 23

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**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2025, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-that-should-have-been-read-in-high-school/1022741/23 "2025-09-04T17:10:33Z")

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> [@Spoons](#):
>
> ’d like to see _The Long Walk_ taught.

No horror.

> [@Spoons](#):
>
> _The Handmaid’s Tale_ by Margaret Atwood.

Bah.

> [@Crane](#):
>
> “The Brave Cowboy”, Edward Abbey.

Nothing by a terrorist, please.

> [@DCnDC](#):
>
> _Mediaspeak: How Television Makes Up Your Mind_ by Donna W. Cross.

Good choice, or something like it. A class on how to watch the news with cynicism/

> [@CalMeacham](#):
>
> **Life on the Mississippi**

Good choice.

> [@CalMeacham](#):
>
> **A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court**.

Way too dark and violent at the end.

> [@Velocity](#):
>
> Books about personal finance, especially investing and credit card debt

. Yes, a basic econ class- how to balance a checking account, credit cards, basic scams, and how to do a basic tax return. Explain about inflation at least a little.

> [@suranyi](#):
>
> So no fiction at all?

Huckleberry Finn for older kids- high school. Steinbeck.

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