Job Discussion Forums

DirtGuy · Joined: 28 Dec 2004 Posts: 529

I have a student who could easily score 7 on the IELTS and probably an 8. Why she wants to study with me is a mystery but she does. She has asked me to recommend a book that is typically American. I suggested "Of Mice and Men" but then found out she doesn't like sad endings. I gave her the first Harry Potter book (because I had nothing else available) and she brought it back, finished, the next day. This young lady is in her late 20s and has some sort of teaching job.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks.

DirtGuy

LarssonCrew · Joined: 06 Jun 2009 Posts: 1308

Catcher in the Rye?

Sashadroogie · Posted: Sat Jun 08, 2013 1:51 pm Post subject:

Confederacy of Dunces? The sad ending is outside of the book...

johntpartee · Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 3258

To Kill A Mockingbird

DirtGuy · Joined: 28 Dec 2004 Posts: 529

"To Kill..." Ooooohh. Good idea. I had forgotten all about that book. Maybe I'll talk her into loaning it to me so that I can re-read it.

Thanks.

DG

Mr. Leafy · Joined: 24 Apr 2012 Posts: 246 Location: North of the Wall

'Typically American' doesn't have to mean classic. A lot of books published this year would qualify as typically American.

This list has a mix of old and new;
http://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/americana

It has Mockingbird and Mice and Men but also American Gods by Neil Gaiman and The Help by Katherine Stockett.

Also, for new and upcoming releases look at Book Browse.
http://www.bookbrowse.com/

And for books that are good to talk about try Reading Group Guide.
http://www.readinggroupguides.com/content/index.asp

But you might end up spending more money on books than you meant to.

roadwalker · Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 1750 Location: Ch

Cannery Row, same author as Mice and Men but thicker. Funny too. Never read The Grapes of Wrath, but it just looks sad. Sorry don't read much. If she really reads fast, the Swedish trilogy (in English) that begins with "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is great reading although limited in its American-ness by not being American. But it's a great thriller, the good guys basically win and it's about 2000 pages if she reads all 3 volumes.

DirtGuy · Joined: 28 Dec 2004 Posts: 529

I totally forgot about "Cannery Row". Jeez, I also need to read more.

"Grapes of Wrath" would be my hands down first choice but not until I had determined her abilities. The ending is not sad and the message is one I like, but that is not an easy read.

She specified "American" and she is paying me so American she gets.

DG

haleynicole14 · Joined: 20 Feb 2012 Posts: 178 Location: US

Classic books:
The Great Gatsby (sad parts)
The Hobbit
Lord of the Rings
Animal Farm (sad parts)
Lord of the Flies (sad parts)
Alice in Wonderland
The Outsiders
The Chronicles of Narnia
1984

Modern popular books:
The Hunger Games
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time (this is in the U.K. if I remember right, but good book, and many similarities between US culture)
The DaVinci Code
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
John Grisham mysteries
The Nanny Diaries

Oh gosh... trying to compose a list is harder than I expected it would be. I haven't read all of these but have read most, and was trying to think of books that most people in the U.S. have read. If she read through Harry Potter in a night then most of these will probably be quick reads too...

This page has Amazon's popular fiction. But it's hard to know if a book has a sad ending without reading it.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=lp_283155_nr_n_16?rh=n%3A283155%2Cn%3A%211000%2Cn%3A17&bbn=1000&ie=UTF8&qid=1370705620&rnid=1000

Also, if she wants classic books, a lot of them are available for free online or with an eReader.

Mr. Leafy · Joined: 24 Apr 2012 Posts: 246 Location: North of the Wall

Some books in the Tales of the City series by Armistead Maupin.
(Some of the books in the middle of the series get a bit silly but first few and last are ok.) There will be lots of cultural references she will need to ask about so they are 'teachable'.

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

There are 6 more Harry Potter books you know.

JamesD · Posted: Sat Jun 08, 2013 11:29 pm Post subject:

Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead.
Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin.

DirtGuy · Joined: 28 Dec 2004 Posts: 529

I am leaning towards "To Kill..." and then, if she can handle it, "Grapes of Wrath". The books are so classic and the themes so good that it is hard to resist using them. The embarrassing part, which I won't tell her, is that I will have to buy study guides so that I can look like a I know something.

There is always Hemingway but, honestly, I really don't like him. Teaching a book I don't like sounds difficult.

Oh, just thought of something as I wrote the above. Ken Kesey could be interesting. A little bit of sad ending but the in-your-face defiance of the characters more than offsets this. I'm thinking "Sometimes a Great Notion" vs. "Cuckoo's Nest".

DG

Javelin of Radiance · Joined: 01 Jul 2009 Posts: 1187 Location: The West

cps82856 · Joined: 12 Oct 2008 Posts: 45

Excellent question and have to agree with most of the previous posts, except for Rand (shudder).

Typically American and not a sad ending? Hmmm.

Pre-20th Century, can't go wrong with Twain and Hawthorne. I'm partial to Melville, too, but others may disagree.

Post turn of the century, Fitzgerald and Hemingway of course. (The new Gatsby movie is out/coming out, but getting mixed reviews). The USA trilogy by Dos Passos. Faulkner only if you think she can handle it.

Post WWII, Bellow and Updike. The Rabbit series will keep her busy for more than a week. Mailer is hit or miss, but very American.

I'm a fan of John Irving's stuff myself. Very American, not super happy, more bittersweet endings at times. Surprisingly available here.

If you think she might like a history, I can't recommend Doris Kearns Goodwin's Team of Rivals enough. Very American, but has a sad ending. Very readable. Was the basis for the movie Lincoln.

I'd also recommend short story collections, especially for a high-level student like this one. Easy for you to cover one story in a single session, too.

There's probably more that I will remember as soon as I hit "Submit."

Thanks for the post. Enjoyed pondering the question.