I kind of wish they wouldn't force you to read great books in high school. There's so much else going on in a teenager's mind, and nine times out of ten - kids that age won't remember and/or appreciate whatever they're told to read. Am I wrong?

This is the only book I remember actually enjoying. And to be honest, I watched the movie first because of course I did. You don't earn a 62 in grade nine English by reading the book. My point here? I really liked the story, which made me want to re-read it now. Here are the best parts.

"We cannot tell the precise moment when friendship is formed. As in filling a vessel drop by drop, there is at last a drop which makes it run over; so in a series of kindnesses there is at least one which makes the heart run over."
"Time has fallen asleep in the afternoon sunshine."
"In the morning he would not have needed sleep, for all the warm odors and sights of a complete country night would have rested and slept him while his eyes were wide and his mouth, when he thought to test it, was half a smile."
"Don't ask for guarantees. And don't look to be saved in any one thing, person, machine, or library. Do your own bit of saving, and if you drown, at least die knowing that you were headed for shore."
And this drawing, good god look at this beautiful drawing.

Okay, maybe I take it back. It's good to force this kind of stuff on kids. How else would they want to re-discover it later and enjoy it even more? I wish I could remember if I liked it as much back then as I do now. I also wish I understood One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest better. People in my class seemed to love that book so much and I just sat there like a moron thinking, "What the fuck is going on?"