Reader's Road Map

One of the gifts of a good education is a love of reading, and those who love reading can’t help inviting others to share their favorite books. Teachers, especially those in the English department, are certainly among those who love reading and often prepare a yearly list of titles for their students’ use, whether for course work or outside reading.

And so we began. We invited teachers and graduating students to share their lists – the replies poured in, numerous and enthusiastic. As the lists came together and were shared, many other favorites sprang to mind, too good not to include as well. Books for the Journey came to include almost 1500 tempting titles. In the end, although our list has never stopped growing, we simply declared that it was time to go to press – but with a promise to ourselves that there will be future editions that will include even more books.

We have annotated these books with short descriptions intended as invitations that help you decide where to begin your exploration, where to go next.

FINDING YOUR WAY

In each of the five sections you will find titles listed alphabetically, followed by author, editor, and in some cases, suggested translator. All entries include the year of earliest publication and suggested grade levels.

We begin with Drama, Mythology, Poetry, and Sacred Writing because that is how literature itself began. All entries in this section include country of origin or the birth country of the author. Fiction also includes the birthplace of the author.

Titles in Biography and History do not include countries of origin but sometimes have additional category information. Nonfiction is categorized according to type, such as Exploration, Philosophy, or Ecology. Seniors Look Back is a gathering of well-loved books, chosen by Grade 12 students, not teachers, and includes a little something for everyone.

We like to think that our list will entice you into unexplored terrain. Although it was originally intended for high school students, we have come to recognize that it is a reference list that can be carried through life. Many adults who have had a chance to be part of the list’s development have commented that they’d like to start reading or read again some of the books they left behind, the ones they didn’t finish because they were so busy writing papers and studying in high school or college. Now that they have a little more leisure time, they’d like to pick up some of them again, often with the plaintive cry, “How many years do I have left to read all these?”

As author Edith Wharton reminds us, “Books have souls, like people.” Books for the Journey invites you to meet many new ones, some to simply nod to as you pass, some to spend a little time with, and some to remain cherished lifelong companions. Happy Traveling!

Anne J. Greer, English Teacher
Educational Consultant, Lifelong Reader

$19.95

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