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Required Reading: Fiction Vs. Non-Fiction

We invited Nick Ripatrazone and Natasha Vargas-Cooper onto theprogram to discuss their difference of opinions on the traditional High School English reading list. Here in the Word of Mouth pod we have our own take on what those reading lists meant to us, and what we think the future public radio hosts and producers of tomorrow should be exposed to while sitting in High School English.

We all agreed that a good teacher can help create lasting memories of books often thought of as staid and not accessible to the average High School student. It also became apparent that required reading lists vary depending on where you went to High School. Zach, Logan & Virginia wish Catcher in the Rye had been required, and Taylor listed it as one of his favorites.

Virginia Prescott - Host Extraordinaire

Concord High - New Hampshire

Maureen McMurray - Senior Producer and lover of fiction

Leominster High - Massachusetts

Taylor Quimby - Producer and Recovering Ne'er do well

Keene High School  - New Hampshire

Zach Nugent - Arts & Culture Producer

Sacopee Valley High - Maine

[Sheesh! No wonder Zach and Taylor are such good pals.]

Logan Shannon - Producer and former Sweet Valley High addict

Theodore Roosevelt High School - Iowa

Sarah Thomas - Top Notch Intern and recent English Major

Merrimack High School & The Arlington School - New Hampshire & Massachusetts

Where do you stand on the issue? Would you have preferred a steady diet of Non-Fiction over Fiction? What were your favorites and what book do you now think should have been assigned to you? We've started our own debate over at our Facebook page.

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