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Grex Books Item 62: The Literate Citizens Booklist
Entered by mta on Thu Sep 18 00:25:24 UTC 1997:

Back when I was in jr. high and hs, it was popular for teachers to 
develop a "literate citizens" booklist of a hundred or so books that a 
citizen should have read in order to consider him or her self literate.

I have, of course, lost all those lists.  Does anyone here remember that 
trend?  Still have one or more of those lists?

It might be fun to develop a Literate GREXer Book List...

3 responses total.

#1 of 3 by omni on Thu Sep 18 15:09:42 1997:

 I'll start. 

  Elmer Gantry by Sinclair Lewis.
  The Winter of our discontent by Steinbeck
  The Novel by James A. Michener
  Babbit by Sinclair Lewis
  

  I have more, but I cannot think of them at this moment. I'll make a list
and post it.

#2 of 3 by md on Fri Sep 19 03:02:55 1997:

The word "citizen" in there sounds like you want citizen stuff, of
which there exist some excellent examples.  

The Writings of Thomas Jefferson
Common Sense
Walden
Emerson's Essays, 1st & 2nd Series
Lincoln's Writings
Leaves of Grass
Dos Passos's USA

#3 of 3 by mta on Sat Sep 20 19:14:42 1997:

Actually, not necessarily, Michael.  Those are great additions, but my
teachers (being military school teachers) stressed "citizenship" in all
things.  As I remember, Tolkein's Ring Trilogy was on most lists as was
Angelou's "I know why the Caged Bird Sings". 

I think the idea was that a well read, well rounded person makes better
decisions in the voter's booth because of a broader perspective.

C.S. Lewis's Narnia series were popular, too.

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