I took a number of literature courses through high school and college, both as a... reas of study and electives. Some of my favorites were African American literature, post-WWII literature, mystery fiction, Shakespeare, and Southern literature. I've been reading from a very early age, and my personal tastes are varied. A few of my favorite authors are Jane Austen, J. R. R. Tolkien, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Fulton Sheen – in the sense where I have read and enjoyed multiple of their works, instead of just one or two. I love talking about literature, and I wish it was enjoyable for more students than it seems to be. Nothing seems to suck the fun out of a good book faster than reading it with one eye focused on your grade, rather than both on the story. I try to engage students with the work, because a truly good book can have a lasting impact on a person, and I'd like all my students to have a chance at finding whatever that book is for them. Literature is meant to be enjoyed, or at least engaged with, and my hope for all my students is that they leave their studies with something worth remembering.read more