Comments on: Moving Beyond ‘Catcher’ On School Reading Lists : NPR http://www.notesinthemargin.org/weblog/2008/09/07/moving-beyond-catcher-on-school-reading-lists-npr/ Literary News and Notes Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:42:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: admin http://www.notesinthemargin.org/weblog/2008/09/07/moving-beyond-catcher-on-school-reading-lists-npr/#comment-84 admin Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:07:37 +0000 http://www.notesinthemargin.org/weblog/?p=110#comment-84 Hey, Kate, thanks for responding! Do you think your teenage angst was majorly differently from mine? Hey, Kate, thanks for responding! Do you think your teenage angst was majorly differently from mine?

]]> By: Kate http://www.notesinthemargin.org/weblog/2008/09/07/moving-beyond-catcher-on-school-reading-lists-npr/#comment-80 Kate Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:36:23 +0000 http://www.notesinthemargin.org/weblog/?p=110#comment-80 Hi, Mom! I'll have to listen to the audio when I get home tonight, but my inclination is to leave Catcher on the reading list. As you pointed out, I am 30 myself, so my perspective is a bit skewed. From what I remember of reading Catcher back in high school, I didn't have trouble understanding Holden, and while I didn't really like him, I did like getting a glimpse of a different time. I like that there is room for discussion about required reading lists and that they're being updated to expose students to different perspectives, cultures, and writing styles, but there's also something to be said for leaving a book like Catcher in. It's a tie back to the past and a common experience that parents can share and discuss with their children. Or that strangers can share. I've had interesting discussions on the bus and with my coworkers about books we have in common, largely through our high school reading lists. Hi, Mom! I’ll have to listen to the audio when I get home tonight, but my inclination is to leave Catcher on the reading list. As you pointed out, I am 30 myself, so my perspective is a bit skewed. From what I remember of reading Catcher back in high school, I didn’t have trouble understanding Holden, and while I didn’t really like him, I did like getting a glimpse of a different time.

I like that there is room for discussion about required reading lists and that they’re being updated to expose students to different perspectives, cultures, and writing styles, but there’s also something to be said for leaving a book like Catcher in. It’s a tie back to the past and a common experience that parents can share and discuss with their children. Or that strangers can share. I’ve had interesting discussions on the bus and with my coworkers about books we have in common, largely through our high school reading lists.

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