High School Story Book 2

The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian In Sherman Alexie’s National Book Award winner, Arnold Spirit Jr. Is a teenager growing up on the Spokane Reservation. The school he attends is poor—when Junior opens his geometry book he finds his mother’s name among the previous owners.

High School Story is a mobile device video game developed and published by Pixelberry Studios in September 2013. It is currently available on iPhone and iPod formats, and it can be purchased through the App Store or the Google Store on Android. The game serves as a sister story to Surviving High School, as some recognizable characters from the latter (Autumn, Wes, Owen, Kimi) are either included into or simply make appearances in the former. On June 4, 2018, Pixelberry Studios announced that it would be ending support for the game in the following weeks.^[1]

Gameplay[edit]

High School Story is a choice-based simulation game. The player is a student attempting to build their own high school, with no given name. In order to build up his/her school, the player must complete quests to progress through the story, obtain Classmates (who are categorized by their cliques), Hangouts (where Students can..well, 'hangout'), and Land Plots (to put Hangouts and other various Decorations). The player is able to not only customize his/her appearance, but also the appearances of all other students in the school, excluding main characters created by the game (Autumn, Payton, Julian, etc.). In order to get Hangouts and Land Plots, the player needs to acquire Coins and Rings. The player receives coins and rings from finishing quests, though they can also purchase coins and rings with real money in the Store. Coins can also be collected from Hangouts, as each student produces a certain amount of coins per hour depending on their type and level. In the beginning of the game, the player is able to choose their gender and type, though they are only able to choose from three particular cliques: Nerd, Prep, or Jock. There are various types in High School Story which range from basic types such as a Jock, Nerd or Prep to 'combined' classmates like Cheerleader, Gamer or Student Government, and the player can gain other students through two different methods: They can either buy students from Admissions using Coins or Rings, or they can try 'Partying' to get the type of student they want. Partying is a game mechanic which allows players to gain special classmates without having to pay directly for them in Admissions. All parties take place in Party Central, which can be found in the Buildings tab for 1000 coins and is unlocked after a certain quest is completed. You may only have one Party Central and therefore can only send two classmates to party at a time.

Plot[edit]

The game begins with the MC (Main Character) in an empty lot and is first introduced to the character Autumn Brooks. After a basic tutorial on the game, Autumn confides in the MC that she is miserable at a future rival school called Hearst High and wishes to attend the MC's school. They immediately receive a text from the main enemy, Max Warren, son of the principal of Hearst (or Kara Sinclair, head cheerleader, depending on the gender of the MC) and are threatened stating that unless their school contains fifteen students, it will be closed down.

After an introduction to Autumn's friend, Julian, the two characters try to convince him to transfer to the MC's school from Hearst due to him not being able to play because his coach benches him for Max. To their dismay, he turns them down because his being at the school is the only opportunity to be recognized by football scouts, as he is not entirely good in school or other activities. But when the MC and Autumn show up at a Hearst football game, Julian is banned from playing the game for the remaining season as a result of fighting Max.

Seeing the capability of the MC's school, Julian joins the school because he sees there is teamwork, a quality that Hearst now woefully lacks. To celebrate, they throw a party to get other students to come to their school with the help of Hearst student, Payton. The party is a success, but Payton forgets about throwing a party for Mia, Max's sister, and she and Kara swear to make her life awful in Hearst. Payton, feeling terrible, is convinced by Autumn to join the MC's school. She is initially sad because she is dumped by her boyfriend, but is happy again as she is able to date again.

Hearst challenges the MC and their school to a homecoming game. If they win, Autumn will be able to transfer to the MC's school. They are warned by an anonymous text messenger that Hearst has a plan to steal their playbook plans. Unfortunately, the text message comes to pass - Hearst uses a quadrocopter with a camera to view their plan and steal it. Julian manages to take it down in time but Max tells him that the footage has been streaming live and they have all that they need. They are able to create a new playbook, but as they practice it, Julian kicks the football to the direction of Payton's float and they have an argument with each other, leaving the MC to solve it. They work their differences out and Julian and the football team win the homecoming game.

Owing to the success of the homecoming game, Autumn finally gets to transfer to the MC's school. The MC is still curious about the quadrocopter that Max used to spy on them. Autumn tells her the only person who seems to know how to create one but to talk to him, the MC is required to go undercover. The MC is almost caught but barely escapes. Upon arrival, they meet Nishan, nerdy inventor and scientist. The Mc tries to convince him to transfer schools but he declines stating that Hearst has a better academic program and a robotics club.

Main Characters[edit]

• Your Character - Your Character is the main protagonist who is a main part in building the school. After being harassed by Max and Kara, Your Character dreams of making their new school a place where everyone is accepting of everyone. It is unknown what Your Character's life was like outside of school, but the player is allowed to make choices on what Your Character says to others, determining their personality. Your Character's looks and gender are customizable, and the player can also choose whether Your Character is a nerd, prep, or a jock.
• Autumn Brooks - Autumn is Your Character's best friend and is very loyal to the new school. Although her dad wouldn't allow her to switch schools in the beginning, the school beating Hearst High at football ultimately made him change his mind, and Autumn ended up attending the school. Autumn's mom, who Autumn was very close to, died three years prior to the game, when Autumn was only twelve. Autumn's father eventually remarries a woman named Charlotte. Autumn wasn't fond at the idea of a new step-mom at first, but after spending time with Charlotte, Autumn accepts her into the family. Autumn had her first kiss with Wes in the previous game, Surviving High School, and the pair still care for each other from time to time. It has been strongly hinted that Autumn harbors feelings for Julian and that he also has feelings for her too. It is up to the player to decide whether Autumn dates him or not. Autumn is an artist type.
• Payton - Payton is a cheerful girl who attends the new school after she forgets to throw a party for Mia, causing her to be a social outcast at Hearst High until Your Character invites her to the school. Payton is shown to love partying and shopping. Payton was revealed to be adopted and due to this, she once adopted a bunch of animals so that they could have a home like her. When she first transferred to the new school, she appeared to have a crush on Julian and was jealous of him and Autumn's relationship, but she moves on unless the player puts Payton and Julian in a relationship. Later, Payton is hinted to have a crush on Ezra. Payton is a prep type.
• Julian - Julian formerly was a student at Heart High until Autumn and Your Character convinced him to attend the new school. Julian decided to transfer because the football coach at Heart High would always put him on the bench and never let him play and he wanted somewhere where he would actually be given a fair chance. Julian has anger issues and has admitted that he used to be a bully when he was at Hearst High, but is now reformed. Julian has mentioned that his father would always tell him that he's only a 'dumb jock' and that's sports is the only thing he'd ever be good at, hinting that Julian possibly has an abusive home life. Julian used to have trouble maintaining good grades due to the words of his father, but after receiving support from his friends, he was able to get good grades. Julian appears to be quite the heartthrob and has been crushed on by Payton, Kallie, and Autumn, however, it is only hinted that he returns feelings for Autumn. It is up to the player to decide who he actually dates. Julian has a younger sister named Hope who he always makes sure to defend. Julian is a jock type.
• Nishan - Nishan is a nerd type who eventually attends Your Character's school. At Hearst High, Nishan originally would do favors for Max, which prevented him from getting bullied. Nishan eventually realizes that he should be going to a school where people accept him for who he is and not for what he does for others. Nishan is best friends with Sakura and is hinted to have feelings for her, but it is up to the player on whether they get together. Nishan is shown to be very interested in science and robotics.
• Mia Warren - Mia originally attended Hearst High and is the sister of one of the football players there, Max. Mia was best friends with Kara at first, but ends up betraying her and Max by sending Your Character anonymous texts that reveal all of the pranks that Max and Kara were going to pull on the new school. When this is revealed, Mia plans on attending the new school despite her father's wishes. It is revealed that Mia's mother had remarried and Mia currently lives with her dad, who is implied to be very controlling and abusive. Mia formerly had an eating disorder before she attended the new school, but it developed again after taking her cheerleading photos for the yearbook and Julian absentmindedly called her 'heavy'. Mia ended up in the hospital for this and begins to see a psychotherapist to help her keep her eating disorder in control, even though she still struggles with it. Mia reveals later on that her controlling home life was a factor in her eating disorder because her food intake was the only thing she could control. Mia is revealed to like girls (although the player can pair her with boys too) and it is hinted that she has feelings for her best friend, Katherine. Mia is a cheerleader type.
• Wes - Wes is a sketchy character who originally attends Hearst High. Most people do not trust Wes, except for Autumn, who had shared a kiss with him in the former game, Surviving High School. Wes was being raised by his older brother, Matt, until Matt stole money from his boss to support him and Wes, which led to Matt being arrested. Wes visits his brother every week and plans on going to college for his brother. Wes is shown to always know everyone's secrets. Due to Wes's past, he is usually suspicious of everyone he meets and believes that everyone has a dark side. Koh is shown to be flirting with Wes occasionally, even kissing him once, and it is hinted that Wes and Sakura have feelings for each other sometimes. Wes is a slacker type.
• Sakura - Sakura is the best friend of Nishan. After Nishan leaves Hearst High without her, as well as a lot of unfinished projects they were working on together, Sakura is upset and doesn't talk to him for a long time. Your Character eventually helps them make up and Sakura transfers to Hearst High. It is strongly hinted that Nishan and Sakura have feelings for each other, and it is also hinted that she may have feelings for Wes as well, but the player chooses who she ends up with. Sakura is the gamer type and it is shown that gaming helps her heavily in real life, like finding games to help her with school subjects. Sakura is revealed to hate art because it is the only things that she can't use gaming to help her with. Sakura is shown to be very competitive towards others.
• Koh - Koh is a troublemaker who joins the new school because she ended up getting expelled from all of her other ones. It is revealed that her ex-boyfriend, Razor, has been trying to get her to quit school to join his company by doing things such as vandalizing, which is the reason why she's been getting expelled. Nishan and Sakura end up helping her by tricking him into hacking the school website, which was protected by an upgraded antivirus software that allowed them to hack into his computer and get all the evidence of his crimes and an antivirus from the file-deletion virus he created. Koh's mother left her when she was younger and she currently lives with her grandmother. Koh is shown to be very similar to Wes and flirts with him sometimes, even ending up kissing him once. Koh is a slacker type.
• Ezra - Ezra is a musician type who is also quite the ladies man. Ezra is revealed to have major trust issues after his ex-girlfriend, Lena, cheated on him with his ex-best friend, Jack Carver. Ezra eventually joins Your Character's school and starts a band with Your Character, Payton and Julian. Although Ezra flirts with just about every girl he meets, he appears to flirt with Payton the most, hinting that he has romantic feelings for her.
• Katherine - Katherine originally attended Athena Academy, but eventually ended up joining the new school. Katherine is best friends with Brigette, Mia's cousin, but ended up kissing her boyfriend, Zero, while he was dating Brigette. Brigette never found out, but 'Pandora' knew and used this to blackmail Katherine into attempting to lure Nishan and Sakura away from the school so that the school's chances of getting funds in the academic tests would be ruined. When 'Pandora' was revealed to be Katherine's best friend, Lacey, Katherine begins to dislike Lacey and Lacey begins to pick on her daily, leading to Katherine switching to Your Character's school. Katherine is now best friends with Mia and it is hinted that Katherine likes girls, specifically Mia. Katherine is an emo type.
• Kallie - Kallie was homeschooled by her mother since she was a child, but ends up going to Your Character's school to attend the English class only. Kallie makes friends with some of her classmates, including Your Character, Payton and Julian, who encouraged her to enroll in the new school. Kallie is shown to be very good at vocabulary. Due to being homeschooled for so long, she has a harder time fitting in and making friends. Kallie has a sister named Melissa, but it appears to be a touchy subject for Kallie for unknown reasons. Kallie is introduced in the Extra Credit quests and is shown to have feelings for Julian. Julian doesn't notice her feelings and views her more as a little sister and is very protective over her. Kallie had a best friend named Connor when she was younger, but he moved away. He eventually visits her again and Julian is immediately protective over her, but soon realizes that Connor only has good intentions with Kallie and isn't a bad person. Kallie is a writer type.

Reception[edit]

Google Play and the iOS App Store both gave it a 4.5 out of 5.

Termination of Support[edit]

On June 4, 2018, Pixelberry Studios announced on the High School Story Facebook page that it would release the 'finale' quest for High School Story on June 18, and that it would release a 'final update in the following weeks.'^[2]

Sequel[edit]

A set of visual novels set in the High School Story world are included in Pixelberry Studios' app Choices. Split into three 'Books' composed of fifteen chapters each, the story focuses on a new character created by the player who transfers to Berry High. Alongside original characters, Julian, Payton, Mia, Autumn, Koh, Sakura, Ezra, Nishan, Kara, Max and Wes appear in these Books, as does Hearst High as the rival school.

The series also spawned a reboot, High School Story: Class Act, that follows a new set of characters, with old and original characters making very rare appearances.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^'Facebook post by Pixelberry Studios of June 4, 2018'. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
2. ^'Facebook post by Pixelberry Studios of June 4, 2018'. Retrieved June 8, 2018.

• Oxford, Nadia (August 11, 2013). 'High School Story Review'. Gamezebo.
• Lien, Tracey (June 12, 2014). 'After bullying, High School Story tackles body image and eating disorders'. Polygon.
• Makuch, Eddie (December 12, 2013). 'Former EA devs take a stand against cyberbullying with iOS game'. GameSpot.
• Weber, Rachel (April 16, 2014). 'The game that saved a life'. GamesIndustry.
• Corriea, Alexa Ray (March 28, 2014). 'Social sim High School Story is now on Kindle'. Polygon.
• Lien, Tracey (May 7, 2014). 'A game that makes teens feel less alone, preventing suicides'. Polygon. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
• Cook, Dave (April 24, 2014). 'High School Story: promoting friendship and support in the age of cyberbullying'. VG247.
• Miao, Oliver (March 28, 2014). 'Interview: High School Story Tackles Bullying Epidemic, Saves Lives'. GameRevolution (Interview). Interviewed by Daniel Bischoff.
• Berthelson, Talor (August 13, 2013). 'High School Story Walkthrough'. Gamezebo.
• Makuch, Eddie (December 4, 2014). 'After Tackling Eating Disorders And Bullying, This Mobile Game Wants to Help You Study'. GameSpot.
• Bischoff, Daniel (June 16, 2014). 'High School Story Updates to Fight Body Image Stress, Could Address Starting Discussions With Parents Next'. GameRevolution.
• Makuch, Eddie (June 12, 2014). 'Mobile Game From Former EA Devs Taking On Teenage Eating Disorders'. GameSpot.
• Thomas, Lucas M. (October 29, 2015). 'App Store Update: October 29'. IGN.

External links[edit]

• Official website

A huge number of books exist out there, ready and waiting for you to read them. Whether you prefer manga or ancient, epic poems, reading is great for all sorts of reasons.

What follows is a list of highly beneficial books to read in high school (or after!). These are remarkable books—books that made history, books that challenge societal perceptions of the world, and books that are quite simply interesting and moving. The books are presented in alphabetical order, and a short description is given for each book, as well an explanation of why it is worth reading.

Why Is Reading Important?

Why should you read these books? Why should you read at all for that matter? Reading is essential to communication, especially in an era of emails and texting. Beyond even that, though, reading has an array of crucial purposes. It will help improve your grades and test scores. You'll learn about other places, other times, and other cultures. You'll encounter issues you can relate to—issues that speak to you and challenge you to think and feel in new ways. You will grow, empathetically and intellectually. Plus, you'll understand more of the references that crop up all the time in pop culture.

Below are 31 books to read in high school that will help you prepare for college and beyond.

1984 (George Orwell)

This dystopian novel by George Orwell was written 35 years before the date referenced by the title. In this book, Orwell tells a story that warns readers about the possible consequences of complacency in the face of rising dictators (think Hitler and Stalin) and burgeoning technology ripe for misuse. He describes a world where everything is monitored, right down to citizens’ thoughts, and where any opposition to the ruling class is punishable by extreme measures. The oft-encountered quote, 'Big Brother is watching,' finds its origin in this novel.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Mark Twain)

This sequel to Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is much graver in nature than its predecessor. There are still plenty of good antics worthy of a laugh, but it concerns itself largely with a young boy’s attempt to escape severe family dysfunction and the moral implications of his taking an escaped slave as a companion on his adventure down the Mississippi River. Readers should be warned that the 'n-word' is used liberally throughout the novel, which tends to be jarring to many a modern ear.

Mark Twain wants you to read his novel(s).

The Awakening (Kate Chopin)

Set in the Creole culture of the late 1800s, this novel by Kate Chopin details one woman’s process of becoming aware of herself. At the time, women were essentially property, and they were expected to act in demure and socially acceptable ways. As the protagonist 'awakens' to her emotional and sexual needs, as well as the ultimate truth of her own independence, all sorts of problems ensue. The novel examines the balance between self-respect and selfishness.

The Bell Jar (Sylvia Plath)

This autobiographical novel by poet Sylvia Plath explores the deep, dark reality of mental illness. The protagonist, Esther, a stand-in for Plath herself, is a college student exploring her talents, interests, and sexuality as she descends into an unsettling spiral of mental instability. It is essential for students to understand the seriousness of mental illness as it is so earnestly portrayed in this book.

Black Rain (Masuji Ibuse)

Black Rain, by Masuji Ibuse, is about the very immediate, human consequences of the atom bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It follows a small family of survivors, detailing what happened to them during the days of the bombing and what the effects are some years later. The book adopts a gentle, subtle tone, and yet it is not afraid to delve into very explicit and challenging topics related to the bombings.

Bless Me, Ultima (Rudolfo Anaya)

This semi-autobiographical novel by Rudolfo Anaya contains a healthy dose of magical realism and is considered a staple of Chicano literature. It combines Spanish, Mexican, and Native American influences, showing openly the ways in which these forces within the protagonist’s life come into conflict. Young Antonio is growing up in a world that leaves him with more questions than answers: major questions about life and death, good and evil, and so on. These issues seem too big for his six-year-old mind, and yet he grapples with them valiantly through the end of the novel.

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Antonio has lots of questions surrounding his faith traditions.

Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)

In Brave New World, Aldous Huxley explores themes similar to those found in Orwell’s 1984. Huxley wrote this novel earlier than Orwell wrote his, and yet both deal with dystopian concepts. In particular, Huxley balances utopian and dystopian interpretations of a world that is highly controlled, easily manipulated, and extremely dysfunctional, ready to fall apart at any provocation. There are insiders of and outsiders to this world, and each character views and interacts with the society in a different light.

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (Dee Brown)

Dee Brown covers a lot of historical ground in this book. In it, Brown describes the history of European Americans as they interact with (and slaughter) the Native Americans who already inhabit what they claim as their country. It’s an infuriating and accurate tale of mistreatments and abuses, as well as the unfortunate decline of a noble people trying to defend their established way of life. It’s essential for students to understand this part of United States history.

The Catcher in the Rye (J. D. Salinger)

This bold and controversial novel by J. D. Salinger centers around ideas including adolescent sexuality and relationships. The protagonist is constantly bouncing around from person to person, place to place, activity to activity. Critics were greatly offended by Salinger’s frank discussions of sexual matters and his generally very casual style. This book is an important read in part because of its direct relevance to struggling adolescents and the issues they face.

The Crucible (Arthur Miller)

Arthur Miller wrote this tragic play in the early 1950s. While it is somewhat loosely based on the Salem witch trials of 1692, and while it is likely intended as an allegory to McCarthy’s rooting out of suspected Communists at the time of the play’s writing, the issues it touches on are much more broadly applicable. This is an important dramatic work on how hysteria, cruelty, and ignorant gullibility destroy communities.

Bonus: Studying The Crucible for school and struggling? Check out ourThe Crucible study guides here!

There are lots of accusations of creepy stuff in The Crucible.

The Diary of a Young Girl (Anne Frank)

Anne Frank’s published diary is different from a typical literary work. It’s a true account of the life of one Jewish girl during the Holocaust, and, while Anne Frank wrote some passages with publication in mind, others she did not. When the book was first published, many passages that her father, Otto Frank, found too long, unflattering, or inappropriate were excluded. Today, the book is available with all material included. Gaining some understanding of this horrific genocide is crucial to students.

Fahrenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury)

Books are on trial in this astounding work by Ray Bradbury. Set in yet another dystopian future where firemen are employed to burn books and the houses that contain them, Fahrenheit 451 tells the story of a fireman who begins to wonder what books have to offer. This novel is an ode to literacy, and, while it has its tragic moments, it ultimately leaves readers with a message of hope.

Flowers for Algernon (Daniel Keyes)

Daniel Keyes writes a very warm and human form of science fiction in Flowers for Algernon. The novel tells the story of a man considered mentally retarded who is selected for an intelligence-enhancing surgery. The book follows the effects, both positive and negative, that come from the sudden change in his I.Q. This is a moving read for students who wish to understand how intelligence plays into our humanity.

For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf (Ntozake Shange)

In For Colored Girls…, Ntozake Shange creates choreopoetry (poetry meant to be performed with movement and dance) that covers important themes of race, gender, abuse, and perseverance. It’s largely a deep and dark poem, but it contains a message of hope. This is an awesome opportunity for readers to get exposure to poetry in a very relevant and theatrical form.

The rainbow contains all sorts of symbolism.

Frankenstein (Mary Shelley)

First off, let’s all be clear: as some will already know, Frankenstein is not a monster. Rather, the very human Victor Frankenstein is responsible for creating what we recognize as the monster from the story; the creature itself is nameless. Mary Shelley wrote this Gothic thriller in the early 1800s, and yet we remain fascinated by this tale of playing God and facing the consequences. It’s an eerie tale with themes that run deep.

The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)

John Steinbeck’s masterful The Grapes of Wrath centers around the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl in American history. It’s a story of hope and despair, moving from one to the other and back again seamlessly throughout the novel. While loaded with biblical allusions, it is not heavy-handed with them, and the writing is often praised as realistic and beautiful.

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Great Expectations (Charles Dickens)

Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens, is a staple of English literature. It’s one of his most autobiographical works; it tells the story of a young boy, orphaned and poor, who ultimately experiences a drastic change in his fortunes. In addition, he learns much about love, trust, and relationships in this coming-of-age novel. As the title suggests, the novel also contains discussions of hope, disappointment, and expectations.

The Great Gatbsy (F. Scott Fitzgerald)

F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote in The Great Gatsby a novel that in many ways closely reflected his own experience. The decadence of the Jazz Age was, as is revealed in the novel, both enticing for many and revolting for some. The Great Gatsby follows the quest of a wealthy young man to win back the love of his life by extravagant displays of riches and social connections. As the plot builds to its climax, readers, along with Gatsby's simpler, humbler friend and neighbor, are left to ponder the passing of an era in American history.

BONUS: Reading The Great Gatsby for school but finding it hard to keep track of all the characters? We have several study guides that might be able to help, including our guide to all the characters in The Great Gatsby.

The Joy LuckClub (Amy Tan)

Amy Tan’s novel, The Joy Luck Club, deals with intergenerational and intercultural questions. Tan seeks to represent the Chinese-American experience while also representing issues of mother-daughter relationships and the passage of time. The book focuses on four mother and four daughters across four sections of the novel for a total of sixteen stories that come together to complete this total work.

Lord of the Flies (William Golding)

William Golding’s Lord of the Flies speaks to the evil and degenerate potential that lurks within each human. It can be interpreted religiously, politically, psychoanalytically, or any number of other ways, but the basic premise is that a group of schoolboys stranded on an island descend into grotesque savagery. It’s a disturbing story, to be sure, but one that is important to be familiar with in a world where savage instinct too often presents itself today.

The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit (J. R. R. Tolkien)

As with any work, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are not everyone’s cup of tea, but they’re hugely rewarding pleasure reading for too many fans to count. Tolkien’s masterpieces are more than just pleasure reading, though; the trilogy covers major themes of the epic struggle between good and evil, the necessity of persevering through immensely difficult ordeals, and how to apply mercy. Tolkien asks major questions about those who are evil versus those who are misguided and what we should do when our paths intertwine with any such individuals. The Hobbit is lighter and more kid-focused, but still addresses important themes.

The Odyssey (Homer)

The Odyssey is an epic poem nearly three thousand years old that’s attributed to the blind poet Homer. It tells the story of a war hero’s ten-year quest to return to his home, wife, and son. He encounters a number of varied setbacks along the way, and the trouble isn’t over when he gets home.The Odyssey deals with human interactions with the gods, bringing up questions of righteousness, wrongdoing, and pride as well as ideas of faithfulness and patience.

Odysseus was a fan of the ladies.

Oedipus Rex (Sophocles)

This play by Greek dramatist Sophocles is about a man who inadvertently kills his father and marries his mother. It’s dark subject matter, and nothing good comes of it, as you may well suspect. This another example, as in The Odyssey, of the divine tinkering with human lives and the great sin of pride.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Ken Kesey)

Ken Kesey documents in this work the darkest side of mental health care as it existed in the 1960s. While certainly not all mental health care was like what’s described in the book, nor is it all like that today, audiences of the novel are aghast that any care might even vaguely resemble the horrors discussed. Despite how disturbing the storyline is, it’s important for readers to recognize the vulnerability of this too often overlooked segment of society.

Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice follows a family with five daughters, all unwed, and all, due to English customs of the late 1700s and early 1800s, in need of wedding. Of the five daughters, Elizabeth is the focus of the novel, though the others are discussed aplenty. While marriage is one of the central ideas in the novel, there are plenty of other themes to be picked apart, including ones that touch on pride, prejudice, first impressions, love, misunderstanding, and manipulation. This is, all around, a classic piece of literature, and one with which to be familiar.

Next up: one of my favorites, William Shakespeare.

Romeo and Juliet or Hamlet (William Shakespeare)

William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is familiar to most people on some level: two teenagers from feuding families fall in love and ultimately sacrifice their lives to their passion. Of all of Shakespeare’s works, it's a particularly popular one to read in high school for a variety of reasons. For one thing, it deals explicitly with teenaged love, and, for another, it’s a relatively simple plot that’s nonetheless action-packed. It also opens with a shameless series of very witty dirty jokes, and such humor is scattered throughout the rest of the show. Then there’s the thematic material, which includes obedience, fate, and rash decisions, among others.

For those who don’t wish to read about teenagers mooning for each other to the point of suicide, there’s always Hamlet. This story follows a Danish prince whose father has died and whose mother has almost instantly married the father’s brother. When Hamlet discovers, via an appearance of his father’s ghost, that his uncle murdered his father, all sorts of interesting events ensue. There’s madness (real and feigned), murder, suicide, treason, and a lot of waffling over the right course of action.

As an added bonus, those who read Hamlet may wish to read Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. It follows the events of Hamlet from the perspective of two minor and typically much-maligned characters. It’s also hilarious, if absolutely weird.

Slaughterhouse-Five (Kurt Vonnegut)

Slaughterhouse-Five is a fictional account of events in some ways very similar to what the author himself experienced as a prisoner of war in WWII. He writes about the atrocities humans commit upon each other, and he also mixes in a number of other concerns, some heavy, some light, such as death, aliens, and the ability to see other points in time, past or future.

Their Eyes Were WatchingGod (Zora Neale Hurston)

The novel Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston has been much criticized over the course of its history, and yet it stands as one of the great classics of American literature. It tells the story of a black woman who is full of zest and passion and who is passed from man to man as she goes through life. With her first husband, she is absolutely miserable; with her second husband, it’s more bearable, for a time; and with her third man, she finds happiness. The trials and tribulations she undergoes with all three make for an interesting examination of what it takes for Janie to free the strong, confident woman within.

(Not an actual representation of Janie. Same approach to life, though.)

Things Fall Apart (Chinua Achebe)

In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, readers encounter a complex and beautifully rendered examination of life with the Igbo tribe in Africa, both before and after the white man’s interference. Okonkwo is the protagonist, and he goes through a number of difficulties that put him in the position of making distasteful decisions. Readers are left to wonder whether things are falling apart because that’s simply the way of the world or whether different decisions could have kept them together. The inevitability of change is neatly demonstrated.

To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)

Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird deals with elements of racism, courage, sympathy, understanding, and hope. It tells the story of a small town where a black man has been falsely accused of raping a white woman. The daughter of the lawyer defending the accused is the main protagonist, and another aspect of the story is her journey from bemused mockery to gentle understanding with regard to an eccentric man in the town. To Kill a Mockingbird rose to prominence during the Civil Rights Movement and remains as potent today as it ever was.

The Ugly American (Eugene Burdick and William Lederer)

The Ugly American by Burdick and Lederer is a denouncement of the American practice of sending insensitive diplomatic figures into foreign countries. Through a series of vignettes, it demonstrates American inefficiency overseas. It so impressed John F. Kennedy while he was a Democratic senator that he sent a copy to each and every one of his Senate colleagues. It can be an uncomfortable read, but a worthwhile one.

Conclusion

If you can read through these 30-odd books before you graduate high school, you'll be in a good shape, from a literary perspective.

Even if you can't read all of them, picking a few would not be a bad place to start. You might start with those that simply sound the most interesting to you, or you could look for themes in the books that relate to what you're learning in school. If you're studying McCarthyism, for instance, maybe try The Crucible; if you're studying the Holocaust, maybe try The Diary of a Young Girl.

These stories are immensely powerful. Some are newer, having instantly won their place in the pantheon of classics, while others have proven themselves by withstanding the test of time.

Readers will find that they resonate with some books more than others, and that's fine; the point is that all of these books have important messages to communicate, and I encourage readers to be open to finding out what those messages are.

Open a book, and you'll find all sorts of messages! Usually not in bottles, though.

What's Next?

A lot of these books may be read or referenced in AP English Lit classes. Check out our guide to AP Literature for tips on preparing for the exam. If you're not sure whether to take AP English Language or AP English Literature, allow us to provide you with some thoughts on the topic.

While we're on the topic of literature, why don't you take a moment to read some recommendations on which English classes you should take during your high school career?

Are you both a reader and interested in becoming a doctor? Then you should definitely take a look at our list of books to read as a pre-med student.

And as a reminder, if you decide to read The Great Gatsby or The Crucible, you can check out our analyses of each to help you along the way!

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