Revised 4/7/2010
Cypress –Fairbanks Independent School District
Suggested Summer Reading List 2010
English III
(for students entering 11th grade)
It is strongly suggested that each student choose and begin the independent reading of at least one selection
from the list below to prepare for the assignment/assessment that will occur during the first six weeks of the
2010-2011 school year.
All the Pretty Horses - Cormac McCarthy
This most accessible of McCarthy’s novels tells the story of young John Grady Cole, the last of a long line
of Texas ranchers. At the turn of the twentieth century, with two companions, he sets off on an idyllic,
sometimes comic adventure to Mexico, a place where dreams are paid for in blood. Mature readers will
enjoy this modern classic.
At Home in Mitford – Jan Karon
This novel is the first of Karon’s beloved and popular “Mitford Series.” The series chronicle the life of
Episcopal priest, Father Tim Kavanaugh, and the charming and quirky townspeople of Mitford, North
Carolina. In At Home in Mitford, Father Tim, in his sixties and still single, meets and courts a lovely lady.
In addition to themes of love, humor, and mystery, the book presents a spiritual message. An easy, fast
read!
Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne, from Normandy to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest – Stephen E. Ambrose
This non-fiction selection tells about the Easy Company, 506th Airborne Division, U.S. Army, as good a
rifle company as any in the world, that kept getting the tough assignments—responsible for everything
from parachuting into France early D-Day morning to the capture of Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest at
Berchtesgaden. In Band of Brothers, Ambrose tells of the men in this brave unit who fought, went hungry,
froze, and died, a company that took 150 percent casualties and considered the Purple Heart a badge of
office. Drawing on hours of interviews with survivors as well as the soldiers’ journals and letters, Stephen
Ambrose recounts the stories, often in the men’s own words, of these American heroes.
Black Boy - Richard Wright
This autobiographical novel tells with unforgettable fury and eloquence what the protagonist thinks and
feels as a “black boy” living within the violence and racial prejudice of the Jim Crow South. His story is an
inspirational account of the way one boy’s determination and endurance allow him to prevail over poverty,
hunger, fear, and hatred to become one of America’s great writers. The overtones of violence and racism
permeate the text. Strong language.
Caramelo – Sandra Cisneros
In this novel, a young girl tells the story of her multi-generational, Mexican-American family ─ its travels,
its secrets, its dreams. Cisneros provides a colorful, humorous, and poignant portrayal of Latin culture.
Although the novel contains adult language and situations, it will appeal to all audiences.
The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger
This classic, modern novel centers on a depressed teenage boy who runs away from his prep school and all
of his problems. His odyssey takes him finally to New York City. The story contains sensitive material
and strong language, but the message of the book is powerful.
Cold Mountain – Charles Frazier
This National Book Award winning fiction selection is an enjoyable read for a number of reasons. Set in
the Carolinas during the Civil War, the classic plotline of a man’s odyssey and the stories he encounters
along the way lend structure to a diversity of narratives. The parallel story of his sweetheart’s odyssey into
true adulthood also provides structure. The power of love and the destruction created in its absence is
another sub-theme in a novel simple in design but complex in its many messages.
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The Color of Water -- James McBride
In this memoir, the author tells of growing up poor in predominantly black neighborhoods where his
independent, eccentric, white mother stood out like a sore thumb, a source of constant embarrassment to
him. Though sheer force or will and despite a lifetime of obstacles, she stressed education and provided
her children with the will to succeed. This story is told from alternating points of view of mother and son
and flows back and forth between time periods and generations. This is a story about the power of love,
and it is a tribute to the author’s mother. Contains some mature content and language.
Dance Hall of the Dead – Tony Hillerman
This mystery novel begins with the disappearance of two young boys. Lt. Joe Leaphorn of the Navajo
Tribal Police seeks to solve the mystery. Three things complicate the search: an archaeological dig, a steel
hypodermic needle, and the laws of the Zuni. Compelling, terrifying, and highly suspenseful, Dance Hall
of the Dead never relents from the first page until the last. This gripping story is accessible to all readers.
Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance – Barack Obama
In 1995, as a Harvard law student—and long before he considered running for President—Barack Obama
wrote this memoir that traces his unusual family history and his struggle to sort out his biracial identity.
His white mother from Kansas met his black father from Kenya at the University of Hawaii. They
separated when he was two; his father returned to Kenya and saw young Barack only once for one month—
before dying in a car accident in 1982. His father’s sudden death inspired this emotional journey, first to a
small town in Kansas, then to Kenya where he met the African side of his family. Mr. Obama perceptively
shares moments of self-discovery, pain, and gratitude as he recounts learning to reconcile his father’s
absence and finding his place in two different worlds.
East of Eden – John Steinbeck
A John Steinbeck classic novel that every student of American literature should read. Steinbeck grapples
with the age-old conflicts of good vs. evil in a modern Eden, the Salinas Valley of California.
Faith of My Fathers: A Family Memoir—John McCain (with Mark Salter)
In this memoir, Senator John McCain writes with tender admiration about his grandfather,
John McCain Sr.,and his father, John McCain Jr., both of whom were four-star admirals in the United
States Navy. He candidly and humorously tells of his own rebellious teen years when he balked at the idea
of following the family martial tradition and managed to graduate fifth from the bottom of his class at the
Naval Academy. His book focuses on his seven years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam and how those years
changed him and taught him the values of honor and patriotism. His description of what he and his fellow
prisoners endured at the “Hanoi Hilton” is gritty and moving. With humility about his own suffering, he
tells of the inspiration provided by his father and grandfather and the amazing spirit of resistance
demonstrated by his fellow prisoners.
A Gathering of Old Men – Ernest Gaines
Set on a Louisiana plantation in the 1970s, the novel provides a powerful depiction of racial tensions
arising from the death of a Cajun farmer at the hands of a black man. Because the events are related
through the eyes of each old man in the story, the reader has the opportunity to gain insight from many
perspectives. This novel appeals to both average and avid readers.
The Glass Castle – Jeanette Walls
This bestselling personal memoir chronicles the nomadic childhood of the author and her siblings who
overcome their traumatic childhood within a dysfunctional family to become successful adults. When
sober, Jeanette’s brilliant and charismatic father captured the imaginations of his children, teaching them
physics, geology, and how to embrace life fearlessly. But when he drank, he was dishonest and destructive.
Their mother was a free spirit who didn’t want the responsibility of raising a family. The Walls children
learned to take care of themselves – feeding, clothing, and protecting one another. Without self-pity,
Jeanette tells of the poverty, hunger, jokes, and bullying she and her siblings endured. Accessible to all
readers. Contains strong language.
The Good Earth – Pearl S. Buck
This novel by a Nobel Prize winner presents a graphic view of the China that “was” ─ before vast political
and social upheavals transformed an essentially agrarian country into the world power it is today. Through
the main character of Wang Lung, the reader traces the whole cycle of life with its terrors, its passions, its
ambitions, and its rewards.
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In Cold Blood -- Truman Capote
Dubbed the best documentary account of an American crime, this non-fiction novel reveals the shocking
story of a Kansas family murdered in cold blood during the 1950's followed by the capture, trial, and
execution of their two murderers. This story contains sensitive material such as violence, strong language,
and graphic detail; however, it is accessible to all readers.
Isaac’s Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History – Erik Larson
In this non-fiction selection, the author blends science and history to tell the story of the massive hurricane
that slammed into Galveston, Texas, on September 8, 1900. Destroying thousands of buildings and leaving
up to 10,000 dead, this was the worst natural disaster in America’s history. Larson’s story is drawn from
hundreds of personal accounts, following individuals through the storm and its aftermath. Larson focuses
on Isaac Cline, a Weather Bureau employee, but the book’s true protagonist is the storm itself. An
engaging selection accessible to all readers.
The Joy Luck Club – Amy Tan
In this delightful novel, vignettes alternate back and forth among the lives of four Chinese women in pre1949 China and the lives of their American-born daughters in California. This is a heart-wrenching tale
about sacrifice and a significant lesson in what storytelling has to do with memory and inheritance.
Contains mature content.
The Junction Boys: How Ten Days in Hell with Bear Bryant Forged a Champion Team at Texas A&M – Jim Dent
This work of non-fiction tells the story of Paul “Bear” Bryant . When he left the University of Kentucky to
take the reins of the Texas A&M football program in 1954, his legend was already approaching Texas-size
proportions (almost 30 years later, Bryant became the winningest Division I coach of all time, with most of
his victories coming at the University of Alabama). The problem: he knew he had inherited an awful team.
Texas sportswriter Dent (King of the Cowboys) tells how Bryant turned the A&M program around.
The Last Juror – John Grisham
This novel is at its best when evoking the past—Mississippi in the early 1970s. When Danny Padgitt, part
of a family of bootleggers who are effectively a large criminal conspiracy, is convicted of rape and murder,
the jury cannot agree on the death penalty—and life sentences in this time and place are likely to be as little
as nine years. In this novel, Grisham argues that justice has to be done in any situation. The story is vintage
Grisham. Accessible to all readers, this novel contains mature content.
The Negotiator – Dee Henderson
Full of surprises, this novel is a walk on the wild side, and readers will love every thrilling minute! This is
the first book in the O’Malley series. Veteran hostage negotiator Kate O’Malley has seen humankind at its
worst. In fact, she has become something of a legend for her ability to parlay a successful outcome from
even the most desperate situations. Kate meets FBI special agent Dave Richman: can he relinquish his
need to protect Kate when it is her job to place herself in danger?
Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America – Barbara Ehrenreich
The author of this non-fiction selection has written numerous books regarding social and political issues.
In this selection, she seeks to learn whether or not anyone in America can make ends meet on minimum
wage earnings. As part of her investigation, she leaves her middle class life as a journalist behind and
becomes a low-skilled, minimum-wage worker for a month at a time. She works as a waitress, a Wal-Mart
worker, a cleaning woman, and a nursing home aide in varied parts of the country and finds that, despite
her hard work, her income is inadequate to keep her above the level of poverty. Ehrenreich’s account of
her experiences among the working poor is sobering. Contains strong language. Accessible to all readers.
One Dead in Attic: After Katrina – Chris Rose
In this non-fiction selection, the physical and emotional devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina is told
through a collection of newspaper columns by award-winning New Orleans Times-Picayune columnist
Chris Rose. Together, these columns recount the first harrowing year and a half of life in New Orleans
after the storm. The author provides observation, commentary, emotion, tragedy, and even humor in a
devastated wasteland. He tells of the living and the dead, survivors and believers, hope and despair.
Readers learn of his descent into and recovery from his own inner storm, the darkness of depression. The
book’s title comes from an epitaph found spray-painted on one New Orleans home.
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102 Minutes:The Untold Story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers-Jim Dwyer & Kevin Flynn
In this non-fiction selection, New York Times writers Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn recreate the 102-minute
span between the moment Flight 11 hit the first Twin Tower on the morning of September 11, 2001, and
the moment the second tower collapsed, all from the perspective of those inside the buildings. Their
account is drawn from actual interviews with rescuers and survivors, pages of oral histories, and phone,
e-mail, and emergency radio transcripts. From the words and deeds of ordinary men and women, the
authors weave a factual account of struggle, determination, and grace. The selection is complete with
photos, diagrams, and maps. This account moves quickly back and forth between floors and towers; some
may find this makes for challenging reading.
The Poisonwood Bible – Barbara Kingsolver
In this novel, Nathan Price’s wife and daughters tell their stories in alternating chapters, a format which
reveals Kingsolver’s excellence at differentiating the voices of women. Kingsolver’s fully-realized, threedimensional characters make The Poisonwood Bible compelling. In her treatment of Africa and the
Africans, she is at her best, exhibiting the acute perceptions, moral engagement, and lyrical prose that have
made her previous novels so successful.
A Prayer for Owen Meany – John Irving
In this intriguing novel, an orphaned boy searches for meaning in a skewed modern world. His association
with a unique friend makes a fascinating story for the mature reader.
The Privilege of Youth: A Teenager’s Story of Longing for Acceptance and Friendship – Dave Pelzer
Author of the acclaimed book, A Child Called “It,” Dave Pelzer revisits his teenage years in the foster care
system in this deeply moving memoir. Though no longer suffering from the physical and mental abuse of
his mother, the adolescent Dave faces a lonely world as an outcast and an outsider until his foster family
moves to a neighborhood that becomes his salvation. Accessible to all readers.
Skinwalkers – Tony Hillerman
The fictitious Officer Jim Chee of the Navajo Tribal Police joins partner Lt. Joe Leaphorn in a frightening
investigation that takes them into a dark world of ritual, witchcraft, and blood ─ all tied to the elusive and
evil “skinwalker” (a Navajo witch). Brimming with Navajo lore and sizzling suspense, Skinwalkers is a
compelling novel for all ages. The contrasting approaches of Chee and Leaphorn, which combine the
traditional Navajo worldview with the outlook of a modern policeman, make the book a provocative,
multicultural study.
Standing in the Rainbow- Fannie Flagg
This novel is set in Elmwood Springs, Missouri, and spans sixty years of Americana from 1940 to 2000.
The author makes the reader privy to the hopes and secrets of the townspeople. There’s a new character on
every page and a laugh in every line! The book is fast, easy reading, but length may be a problem for
some.
The Testament – John Grisham
Not just another tale of the underdog and his woes, this Grisham novel involves a lawyer and his journey
into South America to find a female missionary who is heir to the fortune of one of his clients. The novel
combines legal suspense with adventures in the jungles of Brazil where the startling secret of the testament
is revealed. Grisham also illustrates the concept that God can change the life of any individual who is
willing to repent. This novel is suitable for all readers.
Where the Heart Is – Billie Letts
In this novel, pregnant teenager Novalee Nation is abandoned by her boyfriend in a small-town Wal-Mart.
The way she pulls her life together, finds love and acceptance, and seeks to educate herself makes an
engaging story. Contains strong language. This book is for readers of all ages.
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