English Department  
Hamden Hall Country Day School
1108 Whitney Ave. , Hamden , CT. 06517


2009 SUMMER READING

Middle and Upper School

“He who binds to himself a joy
Does the wingéd life destroy,
             But he who kisses the joy as it flies…

                      Lives in eternity’s sun rise.”  --Wm. Blake

[NB:  This list is now updated for Summer 2009.]

Introduction.

Hamden Hall expects each student to read at least four books (gaining four credits) during the summer months. If students have already read the selections listed for a particular favorite author, they may select another book written by that author. Occasionally, books of notable length will be noted as "counts twice"; these texts gain students two credits. In September, students will write about the books that they have read as a normative part of the curriculum.

The best way to choose summer books is to travel to a major book outlet in the area. Then, students should browse promising titles and choose those which begin to speak to them. Style, after all, is inextricably linked with plot and should be its best vehicle, and a tangible source of appeal to the reader.  Happy Reading!

NB:  ALL SCHOOL TEXT!  
(All students Grades 7-12 are reading the following text (required):

Mortenson, Relin, Three Cups of Tea

After a failed effort to scale K2, American mountaineer Greg Mortenson wandered into a remote Pakistani village. In an effort to repay the kindness of the villagers, he promised to build them a school. This beginning led Mortenson to a passion for educating the young, particularly girls, because their schooling is often ignored or even opposed in traditional Pakistani culture. By building good relationships with local people in the remote mountainous areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan, Mortenson has achieved a remarkable degree of success. This is an inspirational account that  features vital discussion of the nature of educational methods in relation to cultural beliefs and the betterment of others.

Grades 9-12, please order: Penguin (Paper) ISBN 978-0-14-303825-2 (complete text)

Grades 7-8, please order:  Penguin Young Reader’s Edition ISBSN 978-0-14-241412-5

NB:   The Following Courses Also Have Required Summer Reading Texts (please see next page): English 7, English 8, Chemistry, A.P. English Literature, A.P. U.S. History, A.P. European History, A.P. Biology

Also:  There is a required text for Academic Decathlon team members.

NB:  There are Recommended Summer Text for These Courses: 9th Grade History, Physics, Astronomy.  

Also, there Is a Recommended Classics Section for Highly Dedicated Readers (see page 3).

NB:  Foreign Language Department Notes:

1. French students should consider a recommended title from the Departmental List at their particular grade level.

2. Spanish, Latin:  Titles suitable for learning more about foreign cultures (especially in the area of students' foreign language study) are included in the general list of recommended texts at grade levels.

LISTINGS OVERVIEW

Sections:

 1.  Required Texts (for particular classes)—Below!

 1A.  World Classics for Dedicated Readers

 General Elective Lists:   

  2.   Entering Grades 7 and 8

  3.   Entering Grades 9 and 10

  4.   Entering Grades 11 and 12

  5.   Departmental Listings A-G (Fine Arts- Alternative Lifestyles)

1.  Required Texts 
(for particular classes)
(See Section 2-5 for Descriptions)

English Seven:  Keyes, Flowers for Algernon

English Eight:  Christie, Murder on the Orient Express

AP English Literature:  Ondaatje, Anil’s Ghost

AP European History:  Kennedy, Rise & Fall of the Great Powers

AP U.S. History: Ellis, The Founding Brothers, The Revolutionary Generation

AP Biology:  Watson, The Double Helix

Chemistry:  Sacks, Uncle Tungsten

1A.  Recommended World Classics for Dedicated Readers

Entering 7/8

Alcott Little Women
The classic tale of Jo March, middle sister who doesn't want to fit into a woman's conventional role in 1880's New England . Jo's heroic personal determination to become an acclaimed writer forms the spine of this multifaceted study of family life.

Bronte Jane Eyre                                                                             
The classic story of an orphan abused by a cruel aunt who must fuel her own willpower and  hew her own way, occasionally through obdurate resistance, to a life of independence and promise.

Poe Selected Stories 
For those who don’t mind a few chills amid summer sun, Poe’s stories are unequaled for the narration of a sane and lucid horror in a fully attentive (and on edge, naturally) heart and mind.  All-time favorites include Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Tell-Tale Heart, and The Black Cat.

Entering 9/10

Conrad The Secret Agent 
One of this great writer’s indisputable masterpieces, this is the somewhat sordid tale of an “agent of a European Power” who is told to stir up trouble in England by blowing up the Greenwich Observatory.  Many plot points devolve as Verloc’s family is inextricably drawn into his scheme. 

Dickens Great Expectations (counts twice)                                                                 
In this classic account of Pip, well-meaning orphan who seems to have “great expectations” indeed thanks to the seeming generosity of a certain Miss Havisham, Dickens has created perhaps his most memorable character—and plot, with many colorful characters and surprising developments. 

Hardy Jude the Obscure 
Young Jude, trusting in the goodness of others and the possible tidiness of his future, finds out that  life has some disillusioning, but necessary, lessons for him to learn.  A true classic of character and circumstance, with many unforgettable scenes.   

Entering 11/12

Conrad Nostromo   
Set in South America , this adventure novel features the quest of an idealistic man for an untold fortune in silver.  That Nostromo must endure much, and strive mightily to keep his dream untainted by the lesser dreams of less audacious men, makes the plot of this highly praised novel operate on both literal and symbolic levels.  A thrill to read, often!

Dreiser Sister Carrie (counts twice)   
When Sister Carrie leaves a snowy Wisconsin town for the big city of Chicago , temptation in many forms soon colors her emotional landscape—especially considering the cinderblock life of her older sister, whose husband toils in a factory. Gritty realism at its best, as Carrie must find her own way in the modern world.

Hamden Hall Summer Reading 2009

1. Entering Grades 7 and 8

2. Entering Grades 9 and 10

3. Entering Grades 11 and 12

4. Departmental Listings A & B

Entering Grades 7 and 8

Both Grades Must Read the All-School Book (Young Reader’s Edition, see p. 1), and:

Entering Seventh Graders must read:  Flowers for Algernon by Allen Keyes

Entering Eighth Graders must read:  Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

Aiken, Marriott The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (series)
Bonnie Green's wealthy life at Willoughby Chase is threatened when her parents leave, and relatives begin tampering with legal documents. Bonnie is further threatened by her relatives, and must stand up to them before it is too late.

Alexander The Book of Three (series)
"Taran, assistant pig keeper, grumbles with frustration at home in the hamlet Caer Dallben; he yearns to go into battle like his hero, Prince Gwydion. Before the story is over, he has met his hero and fought the evil leader who threatens the peace of Prydain: the Horned King.” [amazon]

Alvarez Before We Were Free
This novel’s twelve-year-old Dominican narrator tells of her experiences living in hiding under a brutal dictatorship and then emigrating to the U.S.

Asimov The Fantastic Voyage
A science fiction story about travel inside the body; a thriller of a ride!

Ayer Parallel Journeys
A young Jewish girl and a member of the Hitler youth, growing up several miles from each other, travel parallel paths during World War II. A prize-winning recent publication.

Beals Warriors Don't Cry
An account of the historic integrating of Little Rock 's Central High written by one of the nine African-Americans who formed the first wave.

Bradbury Something Wicked This Way Comes
A now classic sci-fi thriller featuring a palpable atmosphere of foreboding and suspense. 

Chobosky  The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Charlie, a high-school freshman,  displays the pressure-points of adolescence in  a collection of letters he sends to an unknown recipient.

Colfer Artemis Fowl
A fantasy world in which the fairies are real, and so are the trolls and gnomes-- they're armed with modern electronic weapons, and dangerous. Newly published and well received by Independent Booksellers.

Christie  Murder on the Orient Express (required for Eighth Graders)                                                            
In this classic novel of murder and sleuthing in the grand style, Christie’s Hercule Poirot is sure to track down his man—or woman.

Curtis  Elijah of Buxton

“Inexperienced and prone to mistakes, yet kindhearted and courageous, Elijah is the first child born in the Buxton Settlement, which was founded in Ontario in 1849 as a haven for former slaves. Narrator Elijah tells an episodic story that builds a broad picture of Buxton's residents before plunging into the dramatic events that take him out of Buxton and, quite possibly, out of his depth. A suspenseful story about the impact one small boy can have on the world.” [amazon]

Fisher Snow-Walker
"Long ago, the evil sorceress Gudrun the Snow-Walker banished her powerful son, Kari, to a distant castle, then seized control of the Jarl's people. Now the Jarl's subjects, Jessa and Thorkil, seek to restore the kingdom to its rightful ruler." [amazon.com]

Gunther Death Be Not Proud
A father's memoir of a dying son, haunting in its emotions, recounts the author's attempts to rescue meaning from the chaos of death.  A classic narrative of a parent’s abiding love for his child. 

Herriot All Things Bright and Beautiful (series)
A set of humorous animal stories, set in the English countryside, told by one of the greatest literary vets of all time; read the sequels, too.

Hersey Hiroshima
The moving stories of Japanese lives that were decimated by the atomic blast of 1945.

Hickam Rocket Boys (series)
After seeing Sputnik in 1957, Homer dreams of building rockets for the newly formed NASA. He lives in Coalwood, where only a few boys leave town on football scholarships. A touching true story of fighting for your dreams.

Hinton The Outsiders
A story about the clash of gangs, the importance of brotherhood, and the bonds of friendship.

Horowitz Point Blank (series)
"Sixteen boys in a boarding school suddenly turn into model students. It's up to 14-year-old Alex Rider to find out why someone has engineered it all in a bid to take over the world of Point Blank." [amazon. com]

Houston Farewell to Manzanar 
In 1942, seven year old Jeanne Wakatsuki and her family are relocated to the Japanese internment camp of Manzanar. Their experience there contains elements of both tragedy and comedy, and gives a vivid picture of what life was like for those whose lives were dislocated.

Keyes  Flowers for Algernon (required for all Seventh Graders)

This mid-1960’s classic tells the tale of Charlie Gordon, a mentally handicapped man who becomes the subject of an experiment to create dramatic increases in IQ in mice, first, and then humans. The results are both heartfelt and riveting as Charlie embarks on a whole new life.  

L'Engle A Wrinkle in Time
Two siblings take a perilous journey in search of their missing father through a universe threatened by a dark power. A classic tale, winner of many literary awards.

p. 6, Hamden Hall Summer Reading 2009

London The Call of the Wild
Jack London's most famous outdoor adventure, as man and dog fight to survive the savage difficulties of a Canadian winter.

Lowry Number the Stars
This novel describing the severe daily struggles involved in surviving the Holocaust has received very favorable reviews.

Meyer Gideon's People                                        
When Isaac Litvak, an Orthodox Jew, finds himself stranded in the home of an Amish family, things begin to get complicated. Will the two boys survive the clash of cultures?

Mikaelsen Touching Spirit Bear
Cole Matthews, a violent juvenile delinquent, is sent to Alaska instead of to jail. A story about courage, and the power within us all to change our ways.

Mohr, El Bronx Remembered

Classic short stories about the Puerto Rican immigrant experience set in the Bronx during the 1950’s.

Myers Scorpions
A strong friendship that bridges their cultures holds Jamal and Tito together as they struggle to survive on the harsh streets of New York .

Paolini  Eragon (series)
"Eragon, a young farm boy, finds a marvelous blue stone in a mystical mountain place. Before he can trade it for food, it hatches into a beautiful sapphire-blue dragon, of a race thought to be extinct.  Eragon bonds with the dragon and they set out to find their magical roles as they endure perilous travels and  battles.” [amazon] A highly regarded epic saga.

Paulsen Canyons
Meet Brennan Coles, a boy who has few interests besides running-- until he comes upon the skull of an Apache warrior, and destinies intertwine.

Peck A Day No Pigs Would Die
The son of a Vermont pig slaughterer faces the day of doom for his pet pig, which is sterile and of no further use to the farm, or his father. A modem classic with a strong following indeed.

Ransome Swallows and Amazons
This is a classic summer tale of friendship and adventure, as a group of children enjoys camping out on their own on Wildcat Island, fighting battles with pirates and investigating the habits of the natives on the mainland.  A must as well for those who love stories about sailing!

Rowling Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (series)
When Harry gets entered in the Triwizard tournament at Hogwart's school, he faces many trials and challenges along the way. Read the earlier and later titles in this series, as well.

Sachar Holes
A boy who is innocent of stealing a famous ballplayer's shoes is sent to Camp Green Lake in Texas . Fun there consists of digging 6' x 6' holes in 100-degree heat.  A new classic.

Tolkein The Lord of the Rings (trilogy-- each text counts once)
If you liked The Hobbit, you'll want to continue reading about Tolkein's bumptious hobbits and other creatures, larger and occasionally more fearsome. (If you haven't read The Hobbit, read this first.)

Townsend The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole
This is an amusing first-person account of a thirteen-year-old’s acerbic attitude towards the English society that he is about to join.  A good light-hearted read.

Twain The Adventures of Tom Sawyer                                                                                                       
In this classic American novel of growing up in the heartland, Tom Sawyer lives the adventurous life of a young man whose friends and imaginative life mix freely, with vivid results.

Voight Homecoming
"Abandoned in the middle of Connecticut, four children have to find their way to their great-aunt's house in Bridgeport. This is harder than it sounds, and their journey continues to an unexpected conclusion -- and some surprising discoveries about their history." [amazon]

White The Sword and The Stone
The story of King Arthur, his adventures and preparations to be king.

Entering Grades 9 and 10

All Students Must Read the All-School Book (see p. 1), complete text

Achebe Things Fall Apart 
 In this celebrated novel, an African tribe struggles to maintain its identity in the face of the arrival of colonizing Europeans.

Achebe The Arrow of God                                                                         
 African tribal life is rendered here with vibrant detail and sympathetic depth. A sequel to Things Fall Apart.

Adams The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
"Arthur Dent is grabbed from Earth moments before a cosmic construction team obliterates the planet to build a freeway. You'll never read funnier science fiction; Adams is a master of intelligent satire, barbed wit, and comedic dialogue." [amazon.com]

Boyle Tortilla Curtain
A witty writer, Boyle loves to depict the vivid insanities of our culture in colorful parodies that both support and mock his characters.  In this tale of the towns along the Mexican Border, Boyle illuminates both the chaos and comedy of this clash of cultures.

Brown Crossing Over Jordan
From the end of the Civil War to the early twenty-first century, this novel describes a haunting drama that slavery has set in motion. Truly a panoramic novel.

Butler  Parable of the Talents
Science Fiction by this much-lauded African American writer, of whom Vibe magazine says, “Butler has given black people an imaginable future” in a scientific age.”

Clarke Childhood's End
Science fiction with a big surprise in its midst about past visitors to Earth; a very well-imagined tale.

Crane The Red Badge of Courage
Henry Fleming, a young man, feels it is necessary to join the Union army during the Civil War to see if he can face his fears, and become a hero. A classic American novel.

Dostoevsky The Adolescent
Arkady Dolgoruky becomes involved in a scandal involving blackmail, and a very important letter. This is a lot for an adolescent to handle, but Arkady  sees no way out.  A landmark work by one of the greatest novelists the world has ever known. 

DuMaurier Rebecca
A windswept romance of a young woman who marries her employer, a rich gentlemanly widower-- then the intrigue begins.  Written in 1938, this has become a classic still prized for its characters and epic suspense. 

Earley Jim the Boy
A Southern boy is brought up by three bachelor uncles and experiences a new route through adolescence to manhood. Recently published and well-received.

Enger  Peace Like a River 
In the 1960s, a man who has found spirituality sets out from his Minnesota home with two of his children to find his elder son after he has fled from jail on the day that he was to be sentenced for murder.

Fuentes The Good Conscience
A prominent family in Guanajuato struggles with questions of conscience and personal integrity.  An interesting novel of modern Mexico by a world-famous author! 

Gaines A Lesson Before Dying
The story of an elderly African-American man accused of a crime who finds himself in court facing prejudice and stereotypes one final time. A highly praised recent novel.

Gies Anne Frank Remembered  
An account of the Frank family, told by a woman who helped to keep their lives secret during their years of hiding from the Nazis.

Goldberg Bee Season
This recent fictional study of a family that fractionates as each member pursues his/her own separate goals.

Griffith Black Like Me
The now classic account of a Southern white journalist who colors his skin and records the stresses and trials of racial discrimination firsthand.

Hamill Snow in August
Lessons pass both ways in this contemporary story of a young American baseball fan who trades youthful joy for the friendship and teachings of a newly arrived Rabbi from the Old World .

Herbert Dune (counts twice)
One of the true sci-fi classics; a story of survival, and political intrigue on a remote planet.

p. 9, Hamden Hall Summer Reading 2009

Hesse Journey to the East
This simple, compact, profound novel provides an unmatched introduction to some of the essential tenets of Zen Buddism and Eastern religions.

Hesse Siddhartha
This classic “coming of age” tale traces the spiritual journey of a young Buddhist man in India who has to choose among a life of asceticism, a life of physical pleasures, or an uncharted middle path.

Hoffman Second Coming
A man raised by wolves is forced to join a human community and ultimately decide how he wants to live his life.

Huxley Brave New World (required of all entering Tenth Graders)
In many ways an eerily accurate work of early twentieth century science fiction in which a chilling vision of a totally gene-engineered future is brought fully to life.

Junger The Perfect Storm
"The book weaves the history of the fishing industry and the science of predicting storms into the everyday lives of those aboard the Andrea Gail and of others who would soon find themselves in the fury of one of the biggest storms of the last fifty years." [amazon.com]

Kingsolver The Bean Trees
An adolescent girl travels out West adventurously, acting as mother to an Indian child and caregiver to refugees.  A moving tale.

Kingsolver Pigs in Heaven
The sequel to Bean Trees, as the heroine forges on in her new life as mature mother and voice for change in her community.

Kinsella Shoeless Joe
The dream of an Iowa farmer yields a mystical crop:  past baseball greats return from "the beyond" to play again.  A novel for baseball lovers and all believers in the power of dreams.

Klein All But My Life
A gripping story of the friendship of two girls set against the inhumanity of the Holocaust.

LeGuin A Wizard of Earthsea (series)
This classic work of science fiction features the art of wizardry and the quest of Ged, a young man who aspires to such mastery. LeGuin's world is vivid, imagistic, and unforgettable. (If you like this title, read the other two novels in this trilogy.)

McBride The Color of Water
The autobiography of a black man's childhood with his white mother in Harlem , NYC, and his coming to terms with his own identity and the predicament of race. A highly acclaimed recent publication.

Morgan Mutant Message Down Under
The tale of an authority on Aborigines who gets abducted by her subjects and taken on a three-month walkabout of the Australian Outback. Quite a story!

Opdyke Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer                             
This inspirational memoir of a young Catholic girl illustrates acts of love and courage that cast light into the darkness of the Holocaust.

Paul Catapult: Harry and I Build a Siege Wagon
Jim Paul decides one day that he has to build a catapult to shoot rocks into the Pacific Ocean. Soon he comes to look for better ammunition inside his own head.

Potok My Name is Asher Lev
A very true-to-life story of an artistic boy whose talents and aspirations clash with the old-world values of his Hasidic father.  A much-honored coming-of-age tale.

Renault The King Must Die
Recommended for all Ninth Grade History students. The Theseus myth-- labyrinth, minotaur, and rise to power-- comes to life in this modern retelling.

Sacks Uncle Tungsten (required for Chemistry students)
Sack's London boyhood, full of chemistry in the shape of an uncle who ran a tungsten filament manufacturing plant, is the subject of this autobiography.  London in the 1930's and wartime 1940’s is lovingly sketched in this story of a family that unites scientific discovery with full personal lives.

Selvadurai Cinnamon Gardens  
Set in the beautiful garden that is Sri Lanka, this novel details the life of an indigenous family during the struggle for independence in the early part of the twentieth century.

Shute On The Beach
This now-classic novel of the 1950’s is about the world after a nuclear war, and how each of the protagonists deals with the arrival of the radioactive air that will eventually kill them. 

Sittenfeld  Prep 
"Lee Fiora is an Indiana teenager who wins a scholarship to the prestigious Ault school. As we follow Lee through boarding school, we witness the episodes that shape our heroine's coming-of-age." [amazon]

Steinbeck Cannery Row
This is a classic fictional account of "a blue-collar community of people who lead simple lives. It is a book about the risks of trying to fulfill one's dreams, and the heartaches and pleasures that this crazy life has to offer. A wonderful book." [amazon.com]

Spark  The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
At the Marcia Blaine School in Edinburgh, a much admired teachers breaks the rules and inspires great loyalty from her students.

Vonnegut Slaughterhouse-Five
A shell-shocked veteran of World War II time-travels to the distant planet of Trafalmador in this classic sci-fi novel about the burdens of war and the eventual blessings of survival. 

Walker The Color Purple
The triumphant, poetic story of a young black woman's transformation amid the poverty and abuse of a cruel Southern environment.

Wolff This Boy's Life
The gripping tale of a young boy's struggle to attain manhood in the face of a demanding, abusive stepfather.

Wouk Marjorie Momingstar
A classic account of a young girl who tries to balance her emerging feelings and thoughts on love with the modem realities of life. A truly engaging read that has endured the test of time.

Entering Grades 11 and 12

All Students Must Read the All-School Book (see p. 1), complete text

Allende The Stories of Eva Luna  
The author of the acclaimed House of the Spirits weaves more of her reality-based magic in these stories involving the complexities of Chilean culture.

Allende Daughter of Fortune
A young Chilean woman raised in an upper-class British household heads for California during the gold-rush era to find her lover, who is pursuing his fortune.

Arenas  The Doorman
Juan, a Cuban refugee and overzealous doorman at a Manhattan luxury building, wants to help each tenant open the "door to true happiness."  The tenants resist enlightenment, while their surreal pets plan for their own liberation. A surreal allegory for strong readers.

Alvarez In the Time of the Butterflies
Four sisters narrate their lives and political awakening during the time of Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. Based on a true story.

Altamirano El Zarco-- La Navidad en las Montanas
A classic Mexican "charro" novel from which Zorro's popular character and mission can be traced.

Ansary West of Kabul, East of New York
This autobiography of a young Afghani living in New York describes in detail the author’s attempts to bridge two very different cultures. An appropriate read for students who like to give a human face to our world’s political struggles, and wars.

Atwood Cat's Eve
A contemporary woman returns to her Canadian hometown and remembers being an adolescent girl amid the competitive meanness of her peers.

Atwood The Robber Bride
An intricate, mysterious tale of an old friend who pops sporadically into the lives of her three best friends, causing chaotic difficulties wherever she goes.

Baldwin Another Country
This novel of the 1960’s treats of New Yorkers who cross ethnic and racial boundaries in search of a new culture, a new world.  A vivid novel by the great American author.

Barker Border Crossing  
"Can people change?" The young man who asks this is Danny Miller, convicted killer out on parole. The man he asks this of helped to convict him. A gripping recent work of fiction about the recent Irish Troubles by the prize-winning author of Regeneration.

Boll The Lost Honor of Katarina Blum
In postwar Germany, a women accused of terrorist sympathies fights to prove her innocence.  A recent, politically relevant publication.

Borges  Ficciones
First published in 1945, these short stories remain influential today.  Philosophy, labyrinths, mirrors, imaginary encyclopedias, detective stories, and scholarly commentaries on nonexistent books-- Borges brings them all together with stunning plot twists and surprises.

Boyle The Road to Wellville
A crazy cast of schemers, fanatics and cynics populate the Kellogg sanitarium at its inception in 1907, eating corn flakes to grow healthy and found a new therapeutic movement.  Quite amusing satire!

Brown Manchild in the Promised Land
A young man's struggle to maintain his humanity amidst the trials of ghetto life. A classic account!

Brown The Da Vinci Code
When a murder takes place in the Louvre, a cryptographer and a symbologist must piece together the clues left behind. The clues take them all over the world in the search of the Holy Grail. This novel has enjoyed a truly phenomenal sales supremacy.

Brownrigg Ten Women Who Shook the World
This new collection of delightful and imaginative short stories is both inventive and quick-witted, and may become this your favorite summer read!

Capote In Cold Blood
An unforgettable "real life novel" of two murderers: their crime, their wild flight, their being brought to justice. A classic of investigative writing, source of the recent hit movie, Capote.  Not for the squeamish.  

Cather My Ántonia
A lyrical account of life on the prairie in the nineteenth century as immigrants arrive to pursue new dreams, and to add to the rich fabric of American life.

Chevalier Girl with a Pearl Earring
In 17-century Delft, a girl gains entrance to the Vermeer house as a servant and witnesses intrigues and artistic creation in the great painter's life.

Danticat  Breath, Eyes, Memory
The most influential novel of this young Haitian prodigy, this tale traces the life of a Haitian girl who must adjust from isolated island life to the joys and hardships of New York City.  A vivid depiction, full of strong dialogue.

Doyle Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha
The Booker Prize winning first-person account of a young Dublin boy, told in view of his will to live and find joy even in the midst of a troubled family.

Erdrich The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse
A compelling account of Native American life by this great contemporary writer. This novel is for ambitious readers who value complex, magical prose.

Fink Journey
Two sisters flee the Holocaust by entering Germany in disguise. A splendidly constructed tale of survival.

Frazier Cold Mountain                                                                                                        A wounded Southern soldier makes an epic trek home toward the end of the Civil War. A recent much-acclaimed bestseller.

Gates Colored People: A Memoir
A rich and varied depiction of African-American community life in a small West Virginia town on the eve of desegregation.

Garcia-Marquez Love in the Time of Cholera (counts twice)
A magical, intense tale of true love by the great South American Nobel Prize winner. For the avid reader!

Garcia-Marquez One Hundred Years of Solitude (counts twice)
The NY Times calls this the best novel of the '70's and '80's; the roots of South American history receive magical, mythical treatment. A rewarding read for strong readers.

Gibbons Charms for the Easy Life
Three strong women prevail through crushing difficulties by relying on folk wisdom and solutions handed down from generation to generation.

Glitlin The Sixties: Years of Hope. Days of Rage
The definitive book on the 1960’s. Covers everything from civil rights to Vietnam to the counter-culture.

Hegi Stones from the River
Trudi Montag is a dwarf in a German town who learns to draw strength and wisdom from her inability to fit into a conformist and repressive society. Soon Trudi becomes the town's conscience, leading it in unexpected directions.

Heller Catch-22 (counts twice)
The biggest bestseller of the 1960's, a blackly comic, very funny look at World War II through absurdist anti-war eyes.

Herr Dispatches (non-fiction)
A reporter's vivid account of his time covering the Vietnam War. Considered one of the best Vietnam texts. 

James Children of Men
In England in the year 2025, a child is a treasured possession, as rare as a precious jewel.  A  gripping suspense novel of survival in a low-fertility future.

Kingsolver Animal Dreams
Returning to her hometown, a young woman resumes her relationships with her father and sister in an effort to remake herself and to find happiness.

Kingsolver The Poisonwood Bible
Told by the daughter of a religious zealot in the African bush, this prize-winning novel depicts a missionary family caught in struggles both religious and familial.

Klein Woody Guthrie: A Life
A graphic, even exciting account of the ragtag beginnings of the father of modern American folk music. All the American heartland of the 1920's seems to be included in Guthrie's young life.

Krakauer Into Thin Air (non-fiction)
As 1996 dawned, it seemed that modem climbing equipment and derring-do had made Mount Everest a humbled, mortal peak. Here, in gripping language, the mountain exacts its revenge on three climbing parties.

Lamb I Know This Much Is True (counts twice)
Recent bestseller told by a troubled man who is burdened with the care and tending of a schizophrenic, deeply needy fraternal twin. Truly original, gripping fiction.

Malamud The Natural
A mythic, now classic account of Roy Hobbs, baseball natural whose varied luck is baffling and thrilling.

Martel Life of Pi
After an accident at sea, Piscine must survive on a small boat with a menagerie of animals, most notably a tiger. A tale at once picaresque and realistic, this is a justly well-received recent title (2002).

Miller Family Pictures
The narrator's family gathers around the handicapped child in their midst. This is a moving novel, full of the highs and lows of everyday life.

Min Red Azalea
The story of a young girl in the time of Mao’s “continuing revolution” who is lifted out of her agrarian commune and sent to Shanghai to be an actress because of her proletarian face.  What ensues is hardly predictable, and in the telling, the mood of China under Mao is revealed.

Mistry A Fine Balance  
A wonderful tale of India under its 1970’s ruler Indira Gandhi, daughter of the great architect of Indian independence, Mohatma Gandhi.  The lives of common people, of four different castes, are depicted in this true panorama of modern Indian life.

Munro Lives of Girls and Women
Compellingly rendered sketches of contemporary women by this Canadian master stylist. These are rich, well-crafted short stories indeed!

Naylor Women of Brewster Place
A poignant story of black women, their friendships, their struggles, and their pain. A now-classic novel that is truly treasured by those who admire it.

Neruda Selected Poems
Vivid poems from South America 's Nobel laureate; imagery both realistic and visionary abounds.

Ondaatje  Anil’s Ghost (required for AP English Literature)
When a young Sri Lankan woman returns to her native country to work for a human rights group investigating state terrorism, her life takes both illuminating and dangerous turns.                          

Parenti  The Terrorism Trap
This short primer details the roots of our involvement in Iraq from an historical perspective, and discusses our national policy towards terrorism as well. A good informative read in these difficult times.

Pham Catfish and Mandala
A 4,000 mile journey across Asia and America recorded through the shadows of the war in Vietnam. Visions of what that long war has meant to both countries are tellingly depicted.

Pirsig Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
A man and his son take a journey of truth-telling and self-discovery through the American West on a vintage motorcycle. A now classic philosophic tale for the dedicated reader.

Rosenbaum Explaining Hitler
This nonfiction work roams the intellectual gamut in search of Hitler's authentic identity, polling a cast of analyzers of Hitler who have markedly different ideas about the nature of his evil.

Shilts, Greider And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic
The definitive history of the early Aids crisis from the early 70s to the late 80s chronicles the medical community’s slow reaction to the problem, and the Regan Administration’s refusal to respond. The best study of the onset of AIDS in America.

Solzhenitsyn One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
A prisoner struggles to maintain his dignity in a Russian work camp. A classic tale of privation and suffering by the great Russian Nobel prize-winner.

Styron Sophie's Choice
A woman survives the concentration camps and plunges into a hellish world of guilt and memory after gaining her freedom and coming to America.

Suskind A Hope in the Unseen
An African-American teenager travels from the ghetto to Brown University.  A story of courage and determination in the face of great odds.

Tam The Bonesetter's Daughter
The great contemporary Chinese American novelist writes a biographical account of her mother and the secrets that she and her family kept amidst the turmoil of the 20th century.

Wells Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
Sidda is having problems with her mother, Vivi. Vivi's friends encourage her to send her daughter a scrapbook. The story jumps around in history as we see Vivi and her friends as adults and children. A very popular story of mothers and daughters as antagonists and friends.

Wolff In Pharaoh’s Army (non-fiction)
Small, finely crafted tales of the author's life during a year's tour of duty in the Vietnam war.

Wolff Old School (non-fiction)
"Tobias Wolff's Old School is at once a celebration of literature and delicate hymn to a lost innocence of American life and art. Set in a New England prep school in the early 1960s, the novel imagines a final, pastoral moment before the explosion of the Civil Rights movement, the Vietnam War, the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and the suicide of Ernest Hemingway." (Amazon)

Wolff This Boy’s Life (non-fiction)
"Seeking a better life in the Northwestern U.S. with his divorced mother, whose ‘strange docility, almost paralysis, with men of the tyrant breed’ taught Wolff the virtue of rebellion, he considered himself in hiding, and moved to invent a private, better version of himself in order to rise above his troubles... [Yet] Wolff the writer never pities Wolff the boy” (Publishers Weekly), making for an interesting, involving study of a traumatic childhood of struggle and challenge.

DEPARTMENTAL LISTINGS

5A.  Texts Required for A.P. Classes/ Academic Decathlon

A. P. English Literature

Ondaatje Anil's Ghost
This novel of a young Sri Lankan woman's return to her politically chaotic homeland features her efforts to attest forensically to the identity of one of the "lost" in the war between guerillas and loyalists. A gripping story which features elements of both realism and surrealism as Anil's quest unfolds.

A.P. US History

Ellis  The Founding Brothers, The Revolutionary Generation
Ellis's examination of the men who created the United States and how they interacted will form the foundation for much of what we study this year.  In order to move through all of our nation's history by early May, it is vital that you cover this piece in depth over the summer.

A.P. European History

Kennedy The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers
Kennedy, a Yale Professor of Political Science, brings historical and predictive models to bear on our current historical cycle, foreseeing both grave problems and heartening possibilities ahead for our world

A.P. Biology

Watson The Double Helix
A fascinating autobiographical account of how the structure of DNA was discovered.

Academic Decathlon

Dickens  Tale of Two Cities          
The classic tale of Charles Darnay, a French nobleman who flees to England on the eve of the French revolution, and of his love for Lucie Manette, daughter of a doctor locked up for years in the Bastille. 

5B.  Recommended Fine Arts Department Titles

Theater Titles

Berry Voice and the Actor
This is a new, ground-breaking text on voice production training for aspiring actors.

Brook Shifting Point
Eclectic essays about theater, art, Shakespeare, life-- insightful!

Chekhov On the Technique of Acting
Essential techniques for those interested in acting. One of the best books ever written on the subject.

Johnstone Improv
An excellent book on the techniques of good improvisation.

Shurtleff Audition
Good suggestions and advice to help aspiring actors get the roles they want in audition. This features many insights and anecdotes collected from modern professional theater.

Sweet Something Wonderful Right Away
An account of the origins of seminal improv groups like Compass Theater and Second City which gave birth to SNL and Comedy Central. Full of rich anecdotes.

Sculpture Title

Lin  Boundaries
This engrossing, amply illustrated book details the thinking and experimentation behind myriad projects including elemental sculptures, interiors, and furniture designed with an unusual degree of consideration for the user's needs. Boundaries reflects the same blend of analysis and intuition that marks Lin's projects.

Painting Titles

Albers Interaction of Color
This masterwork of one of the most influential artists of the 20th century is a brilliant explanation of the characteristics of color and the conditions under which certain optical phenomena occur.

Henri The Art Spirit
This book details the essential beliefs and theories of a great teacher and American artist, Robert Henri. While this text embodies the entire system of his teaching, it also contains inspiration for those who are less consumed by art but consider the happiness to be found through the arts to be important.

Music Titles

Nelson Hip Hop America
Hip Hop America contains an overview of the history of hip-hop from its early days in the South Bronx.

Garland and Kahn  Math and Music: Harmonious Connections
Fibbonnaci, fractals and more; Neat facts that show the relationship between math and music.

Reeves Creative Jazz Improvisation
For those who are interested in improvisation, this text offers a step-by-step introduction to the basics of improvisation and the associated scales and forms, and offers transcribed scales of masters of the Jazz idiom to help you to become a great improviser.

Piston Harmony    
A technical book that details the basic fundamentals of Harmony.

Bernstein The Unanswered Question- Six Talks at Harvard
A classic study by Leonard Bernstein, late great composer and conductor, in which he discusses the philosophy of music of all types ranging from Hindu ragas to Beethoven.

5C.  Recommended History Department Titles        

[citations from amazon.com]

AP European History

Dostoevsky The Brothers Karamazov (counts twice)
"[Dostoevsky is] at once the most literary and compulsively readable of novelists we continue to regard as great. This great novel stands as the culmination of his art-- his last, longest, richest and most capacious book."

Manchester A World Lit Only By Fire
"Manchester 's marvelously vivid popular history humanizes the tumultuous span from the Dark Ages to the Renaissance."

Remarque All Quiet on the Western Front
This text "explores the horrors of World War I through the eyes of a German soldier named Paul.  Remarque attempts to teach the reader to understand the horror of war, the value of friendship and the absurdity of traditional values."

Turgenev Fathers and Sons
"When a young graduate returns home he is accompanied, much to his father and uncle's discomfort, by a strange friend who doesn't acknowledge any authorities or accept a single principle on faith. Turgenev's masterpiece of generational conflict continues to seem as fresh and outspoken today as it did to those in 1862 who first encountered its nihilistic hero."

Entering Grade 11

Appy Working Class War
This is an assessment of selective service (the draft) during the Vietnam War. This work of nonfiction is recommended for students taking the Vietnam seminar.

Morrison Jazz
"Jazz embraces the vibrant music and lifestyle of 1920s Harlem, an urban renaissance of opportunity and glamour. A novel of murder, hard lives, and broken dreams, Jazz sways with a lyric medley of voices and human consciousness."

Shaara The Killer Angels
"This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel (1974) concerns the battle of Gettysburg and was the basis for the 1993 film Gettysburg.  The events immediately before and during the battle are seen through the eyes of Confederate Generals Lee, Longstreet, Armistead, and Northern Colonel Joshua L. Chamberlain, and a host of others."

Sinclair The Jungle
"Originally published in 1906, The Jungle sent shock waves throughout the United States resulting in cries for labor and agricultural reforms. Sinclair was a devout Socialist who traveled to Chicago to document the working conditions of the world-famous stockyards. It is indeed rare that a book should have such a political impact, but it is apparent that his words form a political agenda of their own.”

Entering Grade 10

Solzhenitsyn One Day in the life of Ivan Denisovich
"Solzhenitsyn's first book, this relentless novel is one of the most forceful artistic indictments of political oppression in the Stalin-era Soviet Union . The simply told story of a typical, grueling day of the title character's life in a labor camp in Siberia is a modem classic of literature and cemented Solzhenitsyn's international reputation upon publication in 1962.”

Entering Grade 9

Mary Renault The King Must Die 
"One of the most enduringly popular historical novels of our time, the story of young Theseus is a spellbinding blend of myth and imagination set in ancient Greece ."

Mary Stewart The Crystal Cave
"Born the illegitimate son of a Welsh princess, Merlin leads a perilous childhood, haunted by portents and visions. But destiny has great plans for this no-man's-son, taking him from prophesying before the High King to the crowning of Uther Pendragon, and the Round Table of Arthur -- king for once and always.”

5D.  Recommended Foreign Language Department Titles

Spanish and Latin students should browse the general list for appropriate titles for their language study.

All French students should consider reading the following titles at the appropriate grade level:

-for students entering French 4

Ayme Les Contes Rouges du Chat Perche (in French)
Seven tales taking place on a farm in the 1930s where two little French girls, Delphine and Marinette, live "ordinary" lives between harsh parents and talking farm animals.

-for students entering French 3

Pagnol Manon of the Spring  
Jean's daughter, Manon, now all grown up, seeks revenge from the neighbors who ruined her parents. (English translation by W.E. van Heyningen)

-for students entering French 2

Pagnol Jean de Florette
A marvelous tale of greed and intolerance about a disabled city dweller who inherits a valuable piece of property in rural France.  (English translation by W.E. van Heyningen)

-for students entering French 1

Verne Journey to the Center of the Earth
An intrepid band of scientists sets out to discover the secrets of the earth's core. What they depict is fantasy writing of the very first order!  (This was written in the 1880's, before scientists knew that the center of the earth was molten ore.)

5E.  Recommended Mathematics Department Titles

The following titles are recommended for the mathematically curious student.

Abbott Flatland
A romance in two dimensions. A now classic work of mathematical fiction.

Berlinski A Tour of the Calculus
An odd and tantalizing book by a writer who takes immense pleasure in this great mathematics tool, and strives to create this feeling in others.

Bronowski The Ascent of Man                                                          
A very readable history of mankind from the perspective of mathematics and science.

Mathematics Department, cont’d. 

Burger Sphereland
A sequel to Flatland which provides a good beginning to understanding our Einsteinian Universe.

Kanibel The Man Who Knew lnfinity
The life and achievements of a mathematical genius. What Mozart is to music, Ramanujan is to the development of mathematics.

Kline Mathematics in Western Culture
An interesting perspective on the history of mathematics.

Kline Mathematics and the Search for Progress
One of the first questions in this book is. "Is there a physical world independent of humanity?"

__________, editor, The Paradoxican
A collection of contradictory challenges, problematical puzzles, and impossible illustrations.

Peter Playing with Infinity
This book explains some important mathematical ideas using little algebra and no formulas.

Shushan, ed. Games Magazine: The Book of Sense and Nonsense Puzzles
As described.

Stokes Stretch, Bend and Boggle
A collection of logical problems for those who relish stimulation and challenge.

5F.  Recommended Science Department Titles

Chemistry (Required for Next Year )

Sacks Uncle Tungsten
Sack's London boyhood, full of science in the shape of an uncle who did extensive electrical experiments, is the subject of this autobiography.  London in the 1930's is lovingly sketched in this story of a family that successfully unites scientific discovery with living full personal lives.

Recommended  for Physics, Advanced Physics, and Astronomy

Born Restless Universe
The most readable account of modern physics ever written.

General Interest

Darwin Voyage of the Beagle
A fascinating journal of Darwin 's travels around the world and of his natural history observations, leading to his theory of Natural Selection.

Lorenze King Solomon's Ring
A delightful anecdotal book about animal behavior.

Mawer Mendel's Dwarf
The compelling tale of a distant relative of Gregor Mendel, who is born with achondroplastic dwarfism. For those with an abiding interest in genetics.

Preston The Hot Zone
'The dramatic story of an ebola virus outbreak in a suburban Washington, D.C. laboratory, with descriptions of historical epidemics of rare and lethal viruses. More hair-raising than anything Hollywood could think of, because it's all true." [Amazon.com]

Sacks The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat
These case studies of neurologic patients with cognitive afflictions are fascinating, alarming, even humorous sometimes.  The world is indeed what we make it, as these patient profiles of a learned neurologist give proof of.

Sayre Rosalind Franklin and DNA
This account presents an entirely different viewpoint on the discovery of DNA than Watson's. A true companion work to The Double Helix.

5G.   Recommended Alternative Lifestyle Titles

Boykin One More River to Cross
The personal reflections of President Clinton ’s advisor on Gay issues. Boykin’s identity as an African-American also figures into this lively history.

Eugenides  Middlesex
Winner of the 2003 Pulitzer Prize, this is a family history of an intersexed individual.

Sanchez Rainbow Boys
               Rainbow High
               Rainbow Road
These books are a trilogy about three gay teens during their last year in High School and the summer before college.

Selvadurai Funny Boy
This novel, set in lush Sri Lanka, details the coming of age of a gay youth in vivid language which brings both the beautiful locale and the coming-to-awareness of this young man to life.

                                            Enjoy Your Summer Reading!