{"id":615,"date":"2007-05-16T19:06:57","date_gmt":"2007-05-17T02:06:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nicksenger.com\/onecatholiclife\/?p=615"},"modified":"2016-10-11T23:23:34","modified_gmt":"2016-10-12T06:23:34","slug":"literary-testosterone-30-must-read-classics-for-teenage-boys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nicksenger.com\/onecatholiclife\/literary-testosterone-30-must-read-classics-for-teenage-boys","title":{"rendered":"Literary Testosterone &#8211; 30 Must-Read Classics for Teenage Boys"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nicksenger.com\/onecatholiclife\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/the_three_musketeers33699.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-616\" title=\"the_three_musketeers\" src=\"http:\/\/www.nicksenger.com\/onecatholiclife\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/the_three_musketeers33699.jpg\" alt=\"The Three Musketeers\" width=\"277\" height=\"320\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nicksenger.com\/onecatholiclife\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/the_three_musketeers33699.jpg 277w, https:\/\/nicksenger.com\/onecatholiclife\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/the_three_musketeers33699-259x300.jpg 259w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 277px) 100vw, 277px\" \/><\/a>This is a follow-up to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nicksenger.com\/onecatholiclife\/don-quixote-for-young-readers\">Maureen&#8217;s question<\/a> about recommendations for 12 and 13 year-old boys. Without getting into a big discussion about gender stereotyping, let me just say that in general boys at this age tend to read books that are more action and adventure oriented, while girls enjoy reading more about relationships.<\/p>\n<p>Case in point: I teach <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">The Hobbit<\/span> and <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Les Miserables<\/span> to my eighth graders each year. Both boys and girls love these books. But when I look at the few students who didn&#8217;t like them, I have more girls who didn&#8217;t like <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">The Hobbit<\/span>, and more boys who didn&#8217;t like <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Les Miserables<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>The books I&#8217;m about to recommend for boys are also great for girls to read, and there are many books not listed here that boys would like. I think boys should read Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte and Louisa May Alcott, but I don&#8217;t think most boys would pick these books up on their own. The following books are titles and authors that I think most boys would enjoy, and that contain themes that are valuable for teen and pre-teen boys to think about.<\/p>\n<p>Fantasy\/Horror<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Anything by Ray Bradbury: I think of Ray Bradbury as a modern-day Edgar Allen Poe, and his books are perfect for teenage boys. There&#8217;s always something to talk about after reading Ray Bradbury.\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0380729407\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Something Wicked This Way Comes<\/span><\/a> &#8211; Every boy should read this book, and every father, too. It can be frightening, but it is well worth reading.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0553277537\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Dandelion Wine<\/span><\/a> &#8211; Scary, funny and tender.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0553278223\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">The Martian Chronicles<\/span><\/a> &#8211; Great sci-fi.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0345342968\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Fahrenheit 451<\/span><\/a> &#8211; Perfect for talking about the value of books and reading.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/055327449X\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">The Illustrated Man<\/span><\/a> &#8211; Thought-provoking stories.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0451524233\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Tarzan of the Apes<\/span><\/a> by Edgar Rice Burroughs &#8211; Along with <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Treasure Island<\/span>, probably the perfect action\/adventure story.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0345456327\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">The Belgariad<\/span><\/a> by David Eddings &#8211; <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Lord of the Rings<\/span> lite; lots of fairly innocent fun; not much depth, but a good read.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0451526341\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Animal Farm<\/span><\/a> by George Orwell &#8211; An excellent introduction to talking about political systems.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0441627404\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">The Once and Future King<\/span><\/a> by T.H. White &#8211; Classic story of King Arthur.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0060574607\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">The Book of the Dun Cow<\/span><\/a> by Walter Wangerin, Jr. &#8211; This book is a hidden gem&#8211;important spiritual themes, connections to Chaucer and the middle ages. I once had the opportunity to interview the author with my eighth graders after we finished studying it &#8211; they loved the interview and the book. Don&#8217;t miss it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Science Fiction<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/048627263X\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Flatland<\/span> <\/a>by Edwin Abbott &#8211; A brief fairytale-ish book that explores mathematical concepts like the fourth dimension. Fun and educational.<\/li>\n<li>The Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov &#8211; A sort of <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire <\/span>set in space; great plot twists. A true classic of the genre and very accessible to teens. The first book in the series is <a style=\"font-style: italic;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0553293354\/nickslists-20\">Foundation<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0553293400\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">The Caves of Steel<\/span><\/a> by Isaac Asimov &#8211; A great murder mystery set in the future. Combines elements of science fiction and classic mystery stories into one.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0812550706\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Ender&#8217;s Game<\/span><\/a> by Orson Scott Card &#8211; I hesitated to put this on the list because it contains some profanity and a few disturbing elements, but every single student of mine who has read this has loved it. Without exception. Read this with your kids so you can talk about it with them.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0812972139\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">The Lost World<\/span><\/a> by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle &#8211; Before Michael Crichton&#8217;s version, the author of Sherlock Holmes had already written about a lost island of dinosaurs.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0684801051\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Time and Again<\/span><\/a> by Jack Finney &#8211; A terrific time travel story; the amount of historical detail in this book is mind-boggling. Part mystery, part romance, part sci-fi, it really defies categories.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Historical<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0345348109\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">The Killer Angels<\/span><\/a> by Michael Shaara &#8211; Pulitzer winning novel of the battle of Gettysburg; would be great to read in conjunction with an American History class. After they finish, show them the movie <span style=\"font-style: italic;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/B00003CXA6\/nickslists-20\">Gettysburg<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0375756744\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">The Three Musketeers<\/span><\/a> by Alexandre Dumas &#8211; Look up swashbuckle in the dictionary and you&#8217;ll find this book. Young readers may need help understanding church politics.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/1426449615\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Mr. Midshipman Easy<\/span><\/a> by Captain Frederick Marryat &#8211; a great precursor to Forester&#8217;s Hornblower series or Patrick O&#8217;Brian&#8217;s Master and Commander series. Fun and <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">easy<\/span> to read.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0451527992\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Ivanhoe<\/span><\/a> by Sir Walter Scott &#8211; Classic medieval adventure.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Mysteries<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/014009766X\/nickslists-20\">The Father Brown stories<\/a> by G. K. Chesterton &#8211; The gentle, intelligent Father Brown makes a great role model for boys, and gives them a healthy portrayal of a priest.<\/li>\n<li>Anything by Agatha Christie &#8211; Her books are continual favorites of my students, especially the novels featuring Hercule Poirot. Make sure they read <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0425173747\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Curtain<\/span><\/a> (but only after reading four or five other Hercule Poirot mysteries first).<\/li>\n<li>The Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters &#8211; Brother Cadfael is a monk in the thirteenth century who always seems to end up in the middle of murder investigations. The first book is <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0446400157\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">A Morbid Taste for Bones<\/span><\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Assorted other titles:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0553211900\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Captains Courageous<\/span><\/a> by Rudyard Kipling &#8211; Terrific coming of age story set at sea.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0446310786\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">To Kill a Mockingbird<\/span><\/a> by Harper Lee &#8211; Explores many issues, but one key issue is the definition of courage.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0812972589\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">The Ox-bow Incident<\/span><\/a> by Walter Van Tilburg Clark &#8211; Not only a great Western, but an insightful exploration of justice and vigilantism. Perfect for discussing over the dinner table.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0553802992\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Hondo<\/span><\/a> &#8211; Every boy should read at least one Louis L&#8217;Amour novel in his life, and <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Hondo<\/span> is one of the best.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0553271105\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Shane<\/span><\/a> by Jack Schaefer- The all-time greatest Western ever written (in my humble opinion). Another must-read for pre-teen or teenage boys.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0679721037\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Hiroshima<\/span><\/a> by John Hersey &#8211; A nonfiction account of survivors of the atom bomb dropped on Hiroshima. This can be a frightening book for young readers, so use your own judgement.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0312965788\/nickslists-20\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">All Creatures Great and Small<\/span><\/a> by James Herriot &#8211; Nonfiction account of a rural veterinarian; another perfect book for boys.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For more titles for both boys and girls download my\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nicksenger.com\/onecatholiclife\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Books-to-Be-Tasted.pdf\">Books to Be Tasted Junior High Reading List<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This is a follow-up to Maureen&#8217;s question about recommendations for 12 and 13 year-old boys. Without getting into a big discussion about gender stereotyping, let me just say that in general boys at this age tend to read books that are more action and adventure oriented, while girls enjoy reading more about relationships. Case in point: I teach The Hobbit and Les Miserables to my eighth graders each year. Both boys and girls love these books. But when I look at the few students who didn&#8217;t like them,&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":616,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[5,7],"tags":[36,220,47,31,131],"class_list":["post-615","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-books","category-family","tag-book-recommendations","tag-boys","tag-classics","tag-literature","tag-teens"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/nicksenger.com\/onecatholiclife\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/the_three_musketeers33699.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pOucj-9V","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nicksenger.com\/onecatholiclife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/615","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nicksenger.com\/onecatholiclife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nicksenger.com\/onecatholiclife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nicksenger.com\/onecatholiclife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nicksenger.com\/onecatholiclife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=615"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/nicksenger.com\/onecatholiclife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/615\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3335,"href":"https:\/\/nicksenger.com\/onecatholiclife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/615\/revisions\/3335"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nicksenger.com\/onecatholiclife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/616"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nicksenger.com\/onecatholiclife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=615"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nicksenger.com\/onecatholiclife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=615"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nicksenger.com\/onecatholiclife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=615"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}