AP English LITERATURE Blood Meridian – Cormac McCarthy Catch-22 – Joseph Heller Invisible Man – Ralph Ellison Midnight’s Children – Salman Rushdie Poetry for the Spirit – compiled by Alan Jacobs Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man – James Joyce The Iceman Cometh – Eugene O’Neal Typical American – Gish Jen AP English LITERATURE All But My Life – Gerda Weissman Klein The Devil in the White City – Eric Larson The Federalist Papers – Alexander Hamilton, James Maidson & John Jay The Greatest Generation – Tom Browkaw Profiles in Courage – John Fitzgerald Kennedy Things They Carried – Tim O’Brien Up From Slavery – Booker T. Washington Walden – Henry David Thoreas 12th Grade Ophelia – Lisa Klein “Klein retells Hamlet, expanding on the romance between its hero and Ophelia, who narrates this version. Keeping true to the framework of the play, the heroine, now 16, reports the tragic events in the troubled Elsinore castle. When she first speaks to Hamlet, Ophelia is a 10-year-old ragged tomboy tagging along after her brother, Laertes. A year later, Ophelia is accepted into Queen Gertrude's court ("Becoming a lady, I learned, was not easy"), and she grows into a beautiful, rather outspoken young woman with an interest in herbs. Her quick wit attracts the prince's attention, and their Shakespearean-style banter will delight readers” (Publisher’s Weekly). Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen This effervescent tale of rural romance is transformed by Jane Austen's art into a witty, shrewdly observed satire of English country life. The Tempest – William Shakespeare This play introduces Shakespeare's romance genre. It contains elements of the supernatural, love, chance encounters and a happy ending. It shows Shakespeare's lighter side. Clancy, Tom. -- Debt of honor Jack Ryan must prepare the President to meet the challenge of new enemies striking not only U.S. territory but, also the heart of the U.S. economy. Conrad, Joseph -- Lord Jim A man who has been branded a coward earns the respect of the Malay people. Kipling, Rudyard, 1865-1936 -- Kim Kim's early years as an orphaned beggar in India lead to an exciting career in the British Secret Service. Conway, Jill K. -- The road from Coorain The memoirs of Jill Conway and her journey into adulthood from a 30,000 acre sheep ranch in Coorain, Australia, to America where she became the first woman president of Smith College. Herriot, James -- All creatures great and small An English veterinarian reminisces about his life, career, and animal patients in a small village. Boylan, James -- Getting in : a novel Four high-school seniors try to decide where they want to go to college and what they want to do with their lives. Camus, Albert -- The first man Autobiographical novel tells the story of Jacques Cormery, an Algerian boy whose poverty-stricken, fatherless life is offset by the beauty of his country and his loving relationship with his deaf-mute mother. Hardy, Thomas, 1840-1928 -- Tess of the d'Urbervilles A young woman finds herself the victim of fate and of forces beyond her control in nineteenth-century England. 11th Grade The Bell Jar – Sylvia Plath Poet Sylvia Plath's autobiographical novel chronicles 19-year old Esther Greenwood's gradual emergence from a mental breakdown. The Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck This is the epic chronicle of families forced off their land during the Dustbowl era, focusing on the trials of the Joad family. Ironman – Chris Crutcher Bo Brewster is forced to attend group anger management classes. The group helps him understand his lifelong anger at his father and becomes his greatest support in training to be a tri-athlete. Never Die Easy – Dan Yeager This is a book with many lessons about life and death. Walter Payton and others tell the story of his life as an NFL champion, his philosophy for living as a winner, and his dealing with his own mortality. The Pilot's Wife – Anita Shreve When her husband dies in a plane crash, a woman tries to find out why it happened. The Realm of Possibility – David Levithan “Most readers will find someone they can relate to in this enchanting collection of linked poems that delve deep and go far beyond the original stereotypes. Twenty teenagers–sensitive outsiders, cruel popular girls, body-obsessed jocks, gay teens in the throes of first love–take turns pouring their hearts onto the pages, detailing their loneliness, heartaches, hopes, and joys. All attend the same high school, and as the book progresses their stories slowly weave together” (School Library Journal). The Red Badge of Courage – Stephen Crane In this Civil War story, Stephen Crane probes the thoughts and actions of men fighting the destructive forces in nature, in other human beings, and in themselves. Tomorrow, When the War Began – John Marsden This is a story of seven young people who have to deal with a sudden change in their world. They exhibit human nobility, compassion and understanding under difficult conditions. A Walk to Remember – Nicholas Sparks Landon Carter learns that in spite of his bad behavior he really is a good person who can help others. He learns about love, people's "inner" goodness, death and losing those who are closest to us. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin One of the most popular works of American literature, this charming self-portrait has been translated into nearly every language. It covers Franklin's life up to his prewar stay in London as representative of the Pennsylvania Assembly, including his boyhood years, work as a printer, experiments with electricity, political career, much more. The Autobiography of Malcolm X From hustling, drug addiction and armed violence in America's black ghettos Malcolm X turned, in a dramatic prison conversion, to the puritanical fervour of the Black Muslims. As their spokesman he became identified in the white press as a terrifying teacher of race hatred; but to his direct audience, the oppressed American blacks, he brought hope and self-respect. This autobiography (written with Alex Haley) reveals his quick-witted integrity, usually obscured by batteries of frenzied headlines, and the fierce idealism which led him to reject both liberal hypocrisies and black racialism. Never Die Easy – Dan Yeager Never Die Easy is Walter Payton's autobiography, told from the heart. Growing up poor in Mississippi, he took up football to get girls' attention, and went on to become a Black College All-American at tiny Jackson State (during which time he was also a finalist in a Soul Train dance contest). Drafted by the Bears in 1975, he predicted that he would last only five years but went on to play thirteen extraordinary seasons, a career earning him regular acknowledgment as one of the greatest players in the history of professional football. And when his playing days were over, he approached business and charity endeavors with the same determination and success he had brought to the football field, always putting first his devotion to friends and family. His ultimate battle with illness truly proved him the champion he always had been and prompted a staggering outpouring of love and support from hundreds of thousands of friends and admirers. Written with veteran journalist and author Don Yaeger in the last weeks of Walter Payton's life, Never Die Easy presents Walter's singular voice—warm, plainspoken, funny, self-aware—along with the voices of the friends, family, teammates, and business associates who knew him best at all stages of his life, including his wife, Connie, and their children, Brittney and Jarrett; his teammate and friend Matt Suhey; former Bears head coach Mike Ditka; and many, many others. Walter made Don Yaeger promise that his book would be "inspirational and leave people with some kind of lesson . . . and make sure you spell all the words right." Never Die Easy keeps all those promises. The Autobiography of a Face – Lucy Greely At age nine, Lucy Grealy was diagnosed with a potentially terminal cancer. When she returned to school with a third of her jaw removed, she faced the cruel taunts of classmates. In this strikingly candid memoir, Grealy tells her story of great suffering and remarkable strength without sentimentality and with considerable wit. Vividly portraying the pain of peer rejection and the guilty pleasures of wanting to be special, Grealy captures with unique insight what it is like as a child and young adult to be torn between two warring impulses: to feel that more than anything else we want to be loved for who we are, while wishing desperately and secretly to be perfect. 10th Grade Title: Red Sox Rule: Terry Francona and Boston’s Rise to Dominance Author: Michael Holley Description: “Red Sox Rule is an inside look at the ascendancy of a bold new baseball dynasty and the men who built it.” (Book jacket/cover) Read how Theo Epstein and John Henry brought in the right manager and only manager who could lead this team to the World Series. Title: This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women Author: Jay Ellison & Dan Gediman, Editors Description: “Based on the NPR series of the same name, the bestselling This I Believe features eighty essayists – from the famous to the previously unknown – completing the thought that begins the book’s title. Each piece compels us to rethink not only how we have arrived at our own personal beliefs but also to the extent to which we share them with others.” “…the American spirit at its best.” (Taken from the back of the paperback edition of the book) Over 80 contributors wrote 1 - 3-page entries with titles ranging from “Disrupting My Comfort Zone” to “Be Cool to the Pizza Delivery Dude”. This book is sure to bring laughter and tears. Title: Three Cups of Tea Author: Greg Mortenson. Style: Memoir A true story of one man’s mission to promote peace (and counteract the terrorism of the Taliban) by building one school at a time. Title: A Thousand Splendid Suns Author: Khaled Hosseini This second novel by Hosseini, in my opinion, is even better than his first novel, The Kite Runner. It is set against the tumultuous backdrop of contemporary Afghanistan, a country that has undergone decades of civil war and tyranny. In reality, many Afghan women have experienced arranged marriage, abuse, poverty, abandonment, and a basic lack of human rights. This is a moving story of two remarkable Afghan women who endure persecution and violence from the 1960′s to present day. A Thousand Splendid Suns is a heartbreaking piece of historical fiction that is not for the faint at heart. Title: The Life of Pi Author: Yann Martel Style: Description: A boy, a zebra, a tiger, a hyena, and an orangutan are all on a life boat … No, this is not the opening line of a joke. It is actually the story of a teenage boy name Pi who is travelling from India to Canada, by ship, with his family and the animals from his father’s zoo when their boat sinks. This is where Pi’s true tale begins as he must explore his own abilities, and faith, in order to survive. Title: Shattered: Stories of Children and War Author: Jennifer Armstrong Description: This book is a collection of the voices of 12 children who are witnesses to war or the children of veterans. From the Civil War to Pearl Harbor, Vietnam to Iraq, these 12 authors share their personal experiences about war which may make readers cry and will definitely make them angry. Title: Clapton: the Autobiography Author: Eric Clapton Description: This autobiography reveals the personal life and stories of Clapton’s monumental musical career. He has performed with such groups as The Yardbirds and Cream and is called “one of rock’s most influential and revered guitarists” (Alan Light). He also shows personal challenges with substance abuse, as well as the tragic death of his son. Title: Wildfire Author: Nelson DeMille Description: Set one year post 9/11, DeMille’s thriller involves an American right-wing plot to suitcase-nuke two U.S. cities. The idea is to provoke an existing government plan called Wild Fire that automatically responds to nuclear terrorism in the homeland with a nuclear attack that will wipe out most of the Middle East. This tour de force of relentless narrative power neither stops nor slows for twists or turns, but charges straight ahead in the face of danger. Title: The Hunger Games Author: Suzanne Collins Description: N.Y. Times Bestseller. Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone fighting against you? Twenty four teenagers are forced to enter. Only the winner survives. In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Each year, the districts are forced by the capitol to send one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to participate in the Hunger Games, a brutal and terrifying fight to the death – televised for all to see. Highly recommended! (from: www.scholastic.com/thehungergames/about-the-book.com) Title: The House on Mango Street Author: Sandra Cisneros The House on Mango Street is an extraordinary story of a girl, Esperanza Cordero who grew up in an inner city neighborhood in Chicago. Esperanza vividly tells us of her many experiences, all filled with a wide array of emotions and inner feelings. Though life may be difficult, happy, sad or joyful, Esperanza lives with hope, just as her name signifies. 9th Grade Black Like Me – John Howard Griffin This is the startling, penetrating, firsthand account of a white man who learns what it is like to live as a black man in the South. Graceling - Kristin Cashore ”This novel takes readers inside the world of Katsa, a warrior-girl in her late teens with one blue eye and one green eye. This gives her haunting beauty, but also marks her as a Graceling. Gracelings are beings with special talents—swimming, storytelling, dancing. Katsa's Grace is considered more useful: her ability to fight is unequaled in the seven kingdoms. Forced to act as a henchman for a manipulative king, Katsa channels her guilt by forming a secret council of likeminded citizens who carry out secret missions to promote justice over cruelty and abuses of power” (Amazon.com Review). Hoops – Walter Dean Meyers Seventeen-year old Lonnie Jackson hopes that basketball will be his ticket out of Harlem, until the savage underworld of sports and big money forces him to make a choice. The Pigman's Legacy – Paul Zindel In this second round of zany experiences with an old man, John and Lorraine discover that they are in love and discover that they have received a legacy of life, not of death, from the Pigman. Remember Me – Mary Higgins Clark A young couple retreats to tranquil Cape Cod to escape from the horrors of their past -only to become trapped in a nightmare beyond their understanding, and out of their control. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry – Mildred Taylor The vivid story of a black family, whose warm ties to each other and their land give them strength to defy rural Southern racism during the Depression, showing the rich inner rewards of black pride. Summer of My German Soldier – Bette Greene This is a poignant, tragic story of a mistreated Jewish girl who befriends an escaped German prisoner of war because he is kind to her. Things Not Seen – Andrew Clement ”Teens, especially those not in the über-popular set, know all about feeling invisible. But what would happen if you actually did wake up invisible one day? Fifteen-year-old Bobby is faced with this curious predicament in Andrew Clements's compelling novel Things Not Seen” (Amazon.com Review). Treasure Island – Robert Louis Stevenson This is a classic adventure story of a perilous sea journey, a mutiny led by the infamous Long John Silver and a lethal scramble for buried treasure seen through the eyes of a cabin boy, Jim Hawkins.