An odd and controversial book that our daughter has to read for 11th grade English...

[DreamGypsy]

50. I suspect the book is The Traveler's Gift ...

by Andy Andrews.

From Wikipedia:

The Traveler's Gift - Seven Decisions That Determine Personal Success, a book released in 2002 by author Andy Andrews and featured book selection of ABC's Good Morning America, weaves a fictional tale about a man who loses his job and money, but finds his way after he is magically transported into seven key points in history.

I haven't read it and won't. Seems like a typical offering from the "self-improvement" shelf.

Rich guys encounters problems, travels back in time, meets seven historical figures each of whom teaches him an important lesson about success and the meaning of life by highlighting a decision to be made. Ah, so sweet.

For example, the first decision is:

The Responsible Decision
The Buck Stops Here.

I will not let history control my destiny. Harry S. Truman

From this moment forward,I will accept responsibility for my past. I understand that the beginning of wisdom is to accept the responsibility for my own problems and that by accepting responsibility for my past, I free myself to move into a bigger, brighter future of my own choosing.

If you want to find out about the other six decisions, here's a blog by "Serenely Rapt" on the 7th decision; you can follow links backward until you get to 1.

I don't detect a vicious Christian undertow in the discussion of the book, maybe that's just your daughter's teacher's contribution, though one of the instructive figures is the Archangel Gabriel or some dude like that.

However, the subject is definitely not as intriguing and open as "Hotel California". Good luck to your daughter.