|
Sophomore Summer Reading List |
| Please choose one of the
books from this list as your summer reading book. When you return to
school in September, you will be expected to demonstrate your reading in
the first assignment of the year. Assignments may include written and/or
oral reports, projects, presentations, and so on. Since one of our goals is to encourage the habit of life-long reading, we also assign independent reading during the school year. This summer reading assignment is the first of the books you will read on your own this year. Some of these books have been recommended by previous sophomores; others fit the general reading focus of the sophomore curriculum -- Western literature. Select wisely; choose a book which appeals to you and which you have not read before. You can pick up a copy of your book from any of the area libraries, or if you want a personal copy, purchase one so you can highlight or underline passages. As you read, pay attention to how the story is written – to how the writer delivers the story to you. Make note of at least three passages from the book that you find to be especially interesting or important. You will need to bring these passages to school with you in September, so photocopy and/or type the passages if you are not able to bring the book itself with you in September. Additionally, if a film version of your book exists, make every effort to see the film. The experiences of reading a book and of watching a film are vastly different, and we’d like you to be able to discuss some of the differences between them. Do not, under any conditions, try to substitute the viewing of a film for the actual reading of a book. Note: Students in HONORS SOPHOMORE HUMANITIES: You are required to read two books. Choose one book from the following list. In addition, upon your return to school in the fall, you will be assessed on Robert Fagles’ translation of The Odyssey. In order to keep some of the details of your reading fresh for your September assessments, which may take the form of presentations and/or written assignments, please take notes on the following elements: Evil in The Odyssey The role of women and children in The Odyssey The idea of a hero in The Odyssey The role of the gods in The Odyssey The values of the society in The Odyssey Comparisons with modern life (customs, culture, attitudes, etc.) Writing style and language |
| Austen, Jane -
Pride and Prejudice Binchy, Maeve - Circle of Friends Brinkley, David - Autobiography Bronte, Charlotte - Jane Eyre Bronte, Emily - Wuthering Heights Carr, Jonathan - A Civil Action Clancy, Tom - Patriot Games Conroy, Pat - The Great Santini; My Losing Season Dickens, Charles - David Copperfield; Tale of Two Cities Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan - The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Dumas, Alexandre - The Count of Monte Cristo DuMaurier, Daphne - Rebecca Evans, Nicholas - The Horse Whisperer Fowles, John - The Magus Frey, Darcy - The Last Shot Guest, Judith - Ordinary People Guterson, David - Snow Falling on Cedars Hardy, Thomas - Tess of the D’Urbervilles; Return of the Native Hossieni, Khaled - Kite Runner Huxley,Aldous - Brave New World Kingsolver, Barbara - The Bean Trees Joravsky, Ben - Hoop Dreams Kaysen, Susanna - Girl, Interrupted Kidd, Sue Monk - The Secret Life of Bees Lamb, Wally - She’s Come Undone; I Know this Much is True LeGuin, Ursula - The Earthsea Trilogy Martell, Yann - Life of Pi McBride, James - The Color of Water McCourt, Frank - Angela’s Ashes Niffenger, Audrey - Time Traveler’s Wife Orwell, George - 1984; Animal Farm Paolini, Christopher - Eragon Picouldt, Jodi - My Sister’s Keeper Puzo, Mario - The Godfather Renault, Mary - The Bull from the Sea Sparks, Nicholas - The Notebook; Message in a Bottle Stevenson, Robert L. - Treasure Island; Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Stewart, Mary - The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills; Merlin trilogy / The Last Enchantment, The Wicked Day Tolkien, J.R.R. - The Hobbit; The Lord of the Rings (trilogy) Vonnegut, Kurt - Slaughterhouse Five White, T.H. - The Sword in the Stone; The Once and Future King |