Honors Project—Post World War II
This assignment is due: April 1, 2014
If you signed up for Post World War II honors, this is a required assignment. If you do not do it,
you will receive a zero. It is worth 2 test grades (200 points).
Assignment:
1. Choose a memoir, autobiography, or biography of someone who lived OUTSIDE the
United States during some important event AFTER 1945.
-the book must be AT LEAST 200 pages
-it must be for adults
-you must bring it in for me to approve BEFORE you read it
-no 2 students may read the same book
2. Read and Enjoy the book
3. Write a book review that is AT LEAST 3 typed pages and includes:
-summary of the book’s plot
-background on the historical event or events the person lived
through
-critique of the writing, story, and book in general
Grading:
Did the student read the book?
Summary
Background on Event
Critique of Writing
Grammar/Spelling
Effort
Points Earned
75
25
25
25
25
25
Points Possible
Books All the People Should Read
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
Three Cups of Tea is the story of an American man trying to build schools in Pakistan after
September 11th while dealing with customs and anti-American attitudes.
First They Killed My Father by Loung Ung
First They Killed My Father is a story of how someone survived the genocide in Cambodia.
Defy the Darkness by Joe Rosenblum
Defy the Darkness is one man’s story of survival during the Holocaust.
Honor Lost by Norma Khouri
Honor Lost is the story of love and loss in modern day Jordan.
The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad
The Bookseller of Kabul is about a woman who lives with a bookstore owner in Kabul, Afghanistan when the
Taliban ruled.
The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan
The Lemon Tree is about an Arab family and a Jewish family in Israel/Palestine.
Forever War by Dexter Filkins
Forever War is an up close view of the United States’ wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Guests of the Ayatollah by Mark Bowden
Guests of the Ayatollah is about the Islamic Revolution and the Iranian Hostage Crisis.
And a Hard Rain Fell by John Ketwig
And a Hard Rain Fell is about the author’s experiences in the Vietnam War.
Outcasts United by Warren St. John
Outcasts United is the story of a soccer team made up of players who are refugees from all over the world.
Dancing Under the Red Star by Karl Tobien
Dancing Under the Red Star is the true story of an American who survived one of Stalin’s prison camps.
How Soccer Explains the World by Franklin Foer
How Soccer Explains the World uses international soccer to explain conflicts all over the world.
What is the What by Dave Eggers
What is the What is a book about child soldiers and conflict in Darfur.
Living With War: A Belfast Diary by Sally Belfrage
Living with War is an account of people living on both sides of the conflict in Belfast, Northern Ireland in the
1980s.
Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracey Kidder
Mountains Beyond Mountains is the story of a doctor trying to cure disease and help the poor in Haiti.
Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenston
Stones into Schools is about the struggle to bring education to war torn Afghanistan.
In the Land of Invisible Women by Qanta Ahmed
In the Land of Invisible Women tells the story of a female doctor in Saudi Arabia.
Somewhere Inside by Lisa and Laura Ling
The story of one sister’s captivity in North Korea, and other sister’s fight to bring her home.
Did the student read the
book?
Summary
Background on Event
Critique of Writing
Grammar/Spelling
Effort
Did the student read the
book?
Summary
Background on Event
Critique of Writing
Grammar/Spelling
Effort
Did the student read the
book?
Summary
Background on Event
Critique of Writing
Grammar/Spelling
Effort
Points Earned
75
Points Possible
25
25
25
25
25
Points Earned
75
Points Possible
25
25
25
25
25
Points Earned
75
25
25
25
25
25
Points Possible