Language Arts 8
Name ___________________________ Date ______________ Period _____
Memoir Reading & Writing Unit
The Basics:

During the remaining weeks of school, we will be studying the memoir genre; in fact,
you will be writing your own short memoir.

Additionally, you will select a memoir to read as part of your independent reading
requirement this month.

To review a list of some options that are available in the classroom library, visit my
website, click on the “Resources” link, and then click on the “Independent Reading
Resources” hyperlink.

If you do not like any of the selections available in the classroom library, visit the TMS
library or the Closter Public Library.
The major requirements for this unit of study:

If the book is not on on my recommended list (or borrowed from the TMS library), you
must obtain my approval.

Your final book selection is due in writing no later than Monday, May 7th.

You must finish this book by the due date of Wednesday, May 30th

You will also be writing a short memoir, which will be explained to you in detail at a
later date. The due date for this assignment will be announced later.
Memoirs/Autobiographies in Mrs. Levy’s Classroom Library
1. Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (multiple copies)
http://www.amazon.com/Know-Why-Caged-BirdSings/dp/0345514408/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304551705&sr=1-1
2. Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods (1 copy)
http://www.amazon.com/Walk-Woods-Rediscovering-AmericaAppalachian/dp/0307279464/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304551126&sr=1-1
3. Firoozeh Dumas, Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America (1 copy)
http://www.amazon.com/Funny-Farsi-Growing-IranianAmerica/dp/0812968379/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304551183&sr=1-1
4. John Howard Griffin, Black Like Me (2 copies)
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Like-Me-50thAnniversary/dp/0451234219/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304551228&sr=1-1
5. Ekaterina Gordeeva, My Sergei: A Love Story (1 copy)
http://www.amazon.com/My-Sergei-Story-EkaterinaGordeeva/dp/044652087X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304551263&sr=1-1
6. Jack Kerouac, On the Road (1 copy)
http://www.amazon.com/Road-Penguin-Classics-JackKerouac/dp/0142437255/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304551292&sr=1-2
7. Helen Keller, The Story of My Life (1 copy)
http://www.amazon.com/Story-My-Life-EnrichedClassics/dp/1416500324/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304551322&sr=1-3
8. Anne Frank, Diary of a Young Girl (1 copy)
http://www.amazon.com/Anne-Frank-Diary-YoungGirl/dp/067182449X/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304551360&sr=1-3
9. James McBride, The Color of Water (1 copy)
http://www.amazon.com/Color-Water-10thAnniversary/dp/159448192X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304551394&sr=1-1
10. Frank McCourt, Angela’s Ashes (2 copies)
http://www.amazon.com/Angelas-Ashes-FrankMcCourt/dp/0780747550/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304551843&sr=1-1
11. Colin Powell, My American Journey (2 copies)
http://www.amazon.com/My-American-Journey-ColinPowell/dp/0345466411/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304551420&sr=1-1
12. Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar (1 copy)
http://www.amazon.com/Bell-Jar-SylviaPlath/dp/0061148512/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304551466&sr=1-1
13. Cal Ripken, Jr. The Only Way I Know (1 copy)
http://www.amazon.com/Only-Way-IKnow/dp/0140266267/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1304551585&sr=1-1
14. Gary Soto, A Summer Life (1 copy)
http://www.amazon.com/Summer-Life-GarySoto/dp/0440210240/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304551621&sr=1-1
16. Booker T. Washington, Up From Slavery (6 copies)
http://www.amazon.com/Up-Slavery-Autobiography-BookerWashington/dp/1461036461/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304551660&sr=1-1
17. Elie Wiesel, Night (1 copy)
http://www.amazon.com/Night-Oprahs-Book-ClubWiesel/dp/0374500010/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304551973&sr=1-1
18. Sarah L. Delany and A. Elizabeth Delany, Having Our Say (1 copy)
http://www.amazon.com/Having-Our-Say-DelanySisters/dp/0385312520/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335902882&sr=1-1
19. Archie and Peyton Manning, Manning (3 copies)
http://www.amazon.com/ManningPeyton/dp/0061020249/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335903089&sr=1-3
20. Arthur Ashe, Days of Grace (2 copies)
http://www.amazon.com/Days-Grace-ArthurAshe/dp/0345386817/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335903158&sr=1-1
21. Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James P. Houston, Farewell to Manzanar (1 copy)
http://www.amazon.com/Farewell-Manzanar-JeanneHouston/dp/0307976076/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335903217&sr=1-1
22. Farley Mowat, Never Cry Wolf (1 copy)
http://www.amazon.com/Never-Cry-Wolf-FarleyMowat/dp/B001G60FWK/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335903349&sr=1-1
23. John Grogan, Marley and Me (1 copy)
http://www.amazon.com/Marley-Me-Life-WorldsWorst/dp/0060817097/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335903373&sr=1-2
24. Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie (2 copies)
http://www.amazon.com/Tuesdays-Morrie-Young-GreatestLesson/dp/076790592X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335903450&sr=1-2
25. Frank McCourt, ‘Tis (1 copy)
http://www.amazon.com/Tis-A-Memoir-FrankMcCourt/dp/B000CC49IK/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335903471&sr=1-1
26. Walter Dean Myers, Bad Boy: A Memoir (1 copy)
http://www.amazon.com/Bad-Boy-Walter-DeanMyers/dp/0064472884/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335903494&sr=1-1
27. Jacob Boas, We Are Witnesses: Five Diaries of Teenagers Who Died During the Holocaust
(1 copy)
http://www.amazon.com/We-Are-Witnesses-TeenagersHolocaust/dp/059084475X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335903518&sr=1-1
28. Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis (this is a graphic novel) [1 copy]
http://www.amazon.com/Persepolis-Story-Childhood-MarjaneSatrapi/dp/037571457X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304551775&sr=1-1
Other memoirs and autobiographies Mrs. Levy has read and enjoyed (but which are not in
her library):
George W. Bush, Decision Points
http://www.amazon.com/Decision-Points-George-WBush/dp/0307590615/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304552042&sr=1-1
Katharine Hepburn, Me
http://www.amazon.com/Me-Stories-Life-KatharineHepburn/dp/0345410092/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304552084&sr=1-1
Barack Obama, Dreams of My Father
http://www.amazon.com/Dreams-My-Father-StoryInheritance/dp/B0029LHWFO/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304552110&sr=1-1
Art Spiegelman, Maus (this is a graphic novel)
http://www.amazon.com/Maus-Survivors-Father-BleedsHistory/dp/0394747232/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304552165&sr=1-1
Jeanette Walls, The Glass Castle
http://www.amazon.com/Glass-Castle-Memoir-JeannetteWalls/dp/074324754X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304552140&sr=1-1
Memoirs and autobiographies Mrs. Levy has heard about and hasn’t read but wants desperately
to read (once she finishes the three books she’s currently reading):
Ishmael Beah, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier (last year’s summer reading for
incoming frosh at NV-D)
http://www.amazon.com/Long-Way-Gone-MemoirsSoldier/dp/B004MKLRQA/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304552530&sr=1-1
Greg Mortenson, Three Cups of Tea
http://www.amazon.com/Three-Cups-Tea-MissionPromote/dp/0143038257/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304552512&sr=1-1
Rebecca Skloot, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
http://www.amazon.com/Immortal-Life-Henrietta-Lacks/dp/1400052181/ref=pd_sim_b_7