The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, Richler - made a lifelong Richler booster of me.

Surfacing, Atwood. For me, 186 pages of culture shock. Didn't understand it, too new to Canada. Too sentimental/romantic to handle the realism. Still, reading that book in 11th meant I picked up The Edible Woman a few years later and became a big Atwood fan.

Breaking Smith's Quarter Horse:. Same as Surfacing. Couldn't really process it but it told me Paul St Pierre existed so that paid off later.

Romeo and Juliet? Bleh. I checked out once Mercutio died.