Even When You Lie to Me Read Online Free PDF Page A

couldn’t think of anything. “Um…
The Brothers Karamazov
?” I blurted it out. I’d never read it. I knew it was famous, and I’d always had a hazy idea it was about acrobats in turn-of-the-century Russia. I’d only ever seen it on my parents’ bookshelf, its spine cracked like the bark of an old tree, looking foreign and imposing.
    “Really?” Mr. Drummond said. He looked unconvinced. “That’s a tough one.”
    “Mm,” I said vaguely.
    “Did you read it for class or for…pleasure?”
    “Uh, over the summer. I thought we might cover it in class, so I wanted to be prepared.”
    “I admire your initiative.” He paused and I prayed he would move on. Instead he crossed his arms and tilted his head at me. “Which part was your favorite?”
    I cleared my throat. “The part in…Russia.”
    He tried not to laugh; he brought his fist to his mouth and pretended to cough, but he was smiling underneath his fingers. I’d embarrassed myself already. If he hadn’t thought I was dumb before, he certainly did now. I looked down at my notebook.
    “I can’t argue with that,” he said finally. “Okay, guys, I guess at this point I have to reveal my favorite book. It’s the one we’re going to be reading first this year. I realize that’s not very democratic of me, but it’s one of the only benefits of being a teacher besides the incredible pay: I can force you to read stuff I like.”
    He held up the book—
Catch-22.
The class was quiet. “No takers?” he said. “Silence. All right. Well, let me tell you why this is my favorite book and why I’ve forced you to admit that you’ve never read anything better than
The Cat in the Hat
—or maybe just that your reading skills haven’t improved since you did.”
    Lila’s mouth dropped open and she slapped her hands on the table in indignation. I winced; this was exactly the kind of attention she wanted. Mr. Drummond glanced at her sideways as the class started to vibrate with shocked laughter, but fortunately he continued before she could say anything.
    “I first read this book when I was a senior in high school like you guys, back when people marked time by pointing at the sun and grunting. Before that I’d enjoyed books, but I’d never felt understood the way I did when I read this one. It was like someone I’d never met knew me and was saying something about the world I thought only I had noticed. I hope you connect with it too, but if you don’t, don’t worry, because I also want you each to choose one of the books that someone else mentioned as a favorite. Yes, including
Superfudge
”—he frowned at Frank—“and
The Brothers Karamazov
”—he shook his head at me—“and even, God help me,
The Da Vinci Code.
” He looked at Sean, who shrugged.
    “Two books at once?” Katie said incredulously.
    “You can read someone else’s favorite book at any point during the semester. I hope that’ll encourage you to read some of the longer books, but if you all want to read
The Cat in the Hat
and write an excellent ten-page paper on it”—he waited a beat as we groaned—“then I won’t stop you.”
    He put the book down on his desk and folded his arms. “Every book is an argument. What I’m asking you guys to do is to respond to that argument. Liking a book or disliking it is a good starting point, but it’s not enough. I want you to learn how to make your own arguments. I want to hear your voice. I want you to tell your own stories.” He looked at me. “So good luck with Dostoyevsky, everyone.”

“His name’s Tom,” Lila said when I answered my phone that night.
    I paused. “Who is this?”
    “Charlie! That joke does not get funnier on the thirtieth outing.”
    I scratched the spot between Frida’s eyes that she loved the most. “You do know comedy,” I said. “Is it just Weird Al’s greatest hits that you’ve paid actual money for, or his complete works?”
    “ ‘Eat It’ is a classic—you know what, I’m not even