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Lists like these always makes me think about the effects of forced reading. The books I've enjoyed most I've chosen to read. Being forced to read some books, even great books, have ruined them for me.

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Just getting people to read in general is an accomplishment. I saw some statistics once that are pretty much summed up by this page: http://www.humorwriters.org/startlingstats.html

I generally agree that voluntary reading is better for the reader than assigned reading. And yet I must give my tenth grade English teacher in Wisconsin credit for assigning me to read The Chosen by Chaim Potok,

http://www.amazon.com/Chosen-Chaim-Potok/dp/0449213447

a wonderful book that acquainted me with the author, whose subsequent books are also well worth reading.

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