Amusing ourselves

Another book to add to my Only 40 bookshelf would be:

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee.
Set in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Depression, it follows three years in the life of 8-year-old Scout Finch, her brother, Jem, and their father, Atticus--three years punctuated by the arrest and eventual trial of a young black man accused of raping a white woman. Though her story explores big themes, Harper Lee chooses to tell it through the eyes of a child. The result is a tough and tender novel of race, class, justice, and the pain of growing up.

I have been looking at the book sales for a copy of it for the past couple years but have had no luck. I was trying to remember when I first read this. I think it was 9th grade, Mr. Matlock's English class at Lewis and Clark Junior High. Then I was trying to stretch my memory to think of the other things we read in that year. I can only come up with: TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, WHEN THE LEGENDS DIE, ROMEO AND JULIET, and THE ODYSSEY.  Did we do THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST? I remember the first four because we watched the movies too. I also remember Mr Matlock giving up on us when he tried to teach us about gerunds. ( I get them now).

The only book I remember right now for 10th grade in Mrs. Rice's class at West High is THE LORD OF THE FLIES. Did we read A SEPARATE PEACE? The title is familiar (and not just as a classic) but I don't remember the storyline as I now look at it. Maybe that was part of the blank in my memory of 10th grade. What year did we do THE CRUCIBLE, OF MICE AND MEN, THE GRAPES OF WRATH, THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA, and THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN? Maybe those were 10th grade.... ??? And I for sure remember absolutely loathing THE CATCHER IN THE RYE in 11th.

Hunh. My memory is the worst, I tell you. How frustrating.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster