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One thing I noticed in Literature classes is that textbooks contained the most boring possible short stories. The only story I actually liked, through the years of Lit class was "The Most Dangerous Game." The morons that wrote these textbooks actually managed to find a dull, un-funny James Thurber story.
Want to motivate young male readers? Assign Dracula. Or Beau Geste. Or Blind Corner. Or the Scarlett Pimpernel. Or Kim. Or Prester John. Or any Sherlock Holmes story.
It will never happen. God forbid the boy should actually ENJOY what he reads.