Talk about a classic and definitely one of the best classic high school novels you should read again as an adult! Reading this in high school seems like a real snoozefest – there’s lots of drinking, partying, killing, and some lady freaking out over some shirts. Read it again as an adult and you really get a deeper appreciation for Fitzgerald’s underlying themes: social and socioeconomic classes coupled with a harsh criticism of the possibly unobtainable American Dream. With more adult eyes, you can really appreciate the struggles of all the characters (even the ridiculous Daisy who is a victim of her circumstances). Buy at: amazon.com

Not really a book, but still worth a read. To the high schooler, this story is all star-crossed lovers, dramatic family situations, and sword fights. To the adult reader, the story is ridiculous. Talk about “roll-your-eyes-heave-a-sigh” teenage angst! You want to kill yourself because you can’t have the boy or girl you love?! Get over it. Use your adult perspective to spend some time examining the adult characters in the show: the Capulets, the Nurse, and the Priest. They’re far more interesting than all the hormone-driven teens. Also, once you get past the language barrier, Shakespeare is pretty hilarious! Buy at: amazon.com

Ah, the dystopian novel. Chances are, you read either “Brave New World,” “Fahrenheit 451,” “1984,” or “Animal Farm” in high school. Chances are you thought they were really weird but you were kind of picking up on those dystopian themes. A re-read is well worth the effort because your cultural, social, and political knowledge will truly change the way you look at these novels. Be aware, however, that the themes in these novels might make them seem more like horror stories in the context of our current society. Buy at: amazon.com