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A Clockwork Orange Revisited!

Date Posted: 09.23.07

Just in case I forget to write this down later ...

I vividly remember reading A Clockwork Orange when I was in the tenth grade. I remember sitting in my English class with a copy of the book. It wasn't the same book I have now but it was probably the same edition since the cover art was identical. I am positive about that part.

I am also positive that my World History teacher asked me if my mother knew I was reading that book.

I could have sworn I selected it from a list of novels provided by my English teacher for book reports. I can see the list in my mind's eye. I even remember selecting it because a boy in one of my other classes was obsessed with it and I was curious.

I started rereading the book this week. My high school is doing something called TTR (Time to Read). Everyone in the school except one secretary who answers phones, has to stop what they are ding and read for 20 - 30 Minutes. The announcements came on and announced TTR and I plopped down in my chair, propped my feet on a desk and started reading A Clockwork Orange.

About 5 pages into the book I began to seriously question the wisdom of even having the book in the classroom with me as well as my memory of reading it in high school.

I don't question that I read it. I am certain of that since I know the story and I recognize enough words and phrases to be sure that I know the story from the book not some other source. The events didn't shock me, the graphic depictions of the events did.

I am absolutely positive I would be tarred and feathered if I so much as hinted at suggesting that book to a student so how the holy hell did I get it off of a high school reading list when I was in school. Things may have changed in 15 years or so, but they haven't changed that much!

Graphic or not, I still like the book.

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