Reading List

One of the reasons I blog - one of the major reasons, actually - is so that I can share in the insight and experience of my readers. If I know nothing else, I know that I have a limited range of vision and experience and that I am better - a better wife, mother, friend, teacher, and all-around human being - for being able to learn from others. I really value the input that people give to me. I'm just not a go-it-alone kind of gal; I seek out cooperation and collaboration, and blogging is just one of the ways I do that.

Now, having said that, I'm putting out a call for help.

I'm thinking about my composition classes coming up in January, and one of the things I'm thinking is that I'm going to make them READ. I'm thinking that most of the material I give them will be short pieces - articles, essays, short stories, poems - though there may be one extended reading assignment in the mix somewhere. I want these to be on a really wide range of topics - as broad as I can get, actually - I don't want to limit it to writing about writing. Fiction and non-fiction. Historical accounts of events, letters, memoir. Poems. Hell, I will likely throw in some art, too, just to keep things fresh.

I'm pretty well-read. I've got a good range of reading experience, and a good bit of material stashed away in my bookshelves and teaching folders. What I'm looking to do here, though, is to broaden the scope of my thinking in terms of what my students should read for a writing class. Part of this is born out of a wish to expand my own reading experience - I've never had any problems teaching material I haven't worked with before - I really enjoy the process of learning it along with my students and am hoping to be able to bring some new literary experiences into my own practice as I teach these writing classes. The rest of it is an effort to learn from others' experiences as I go forward.

What I'm asking is this: what are your favorite pieces of writing? Short stories. Plays. Blog entries (yes, even those!). Poems. Articles. Speeches. Essays. Songs. Think about the writing that's moved or inspired you. Think about different styles of writing that you've struggled with or admired. Send me bits of your own writing that you feel you really nailed. Let my request swirl around in your brain for a little while, then come back to me in the comments with suggestions and ideas (and so much the better if you tell me WHY you suggest the pieces that you do).

In short, I want your help to compile a really kick-ass reading list. You're all part of my community, and I'm looking forward to seeing what you bring.