2012 Summer Reading Guide - Hopkins School

GUIDELINES 

The Summer Reading Committee is happy to present this list. It comes in two parts: one for students 

entering grades seven and eight and a second for students entering grades nine through twelve. You 

will find books organized by category. The committee has responded to suggestions, adding and 

retaining those books that students particularly requested. There is considerable variety to appeal to 

various literary tastes and moods. 

Your years at Hopkins and the college years that follow are your best years for reading; for becoming 

a good reader; for becoming a habitual reader; for reading both to enjoy and to learn from books. The 

Hopkins Summer Reading List is designed to stimulate as well as to structure wide reading and 

should start, not finish, the quest for pleasurable reading. Each grade has been assigned one 

required book. Since the required book will be discussed during opening English classes in 

September, it should be read toward the end of the summer. As usual, students will be expected to 

write on four books (the one required book plus three others) when they return in the fall. 

• The list represents authors and offers short descriptions of specific works to entice 

students. Students may receive credit for reading any book by an author on the 

appropriate list, except in the case of the required books printed in the front of the list. 

• Students entering grades 7-8 may read authors from the list for students entering grades 

7-8 and the list for students entering grades 9-12. Students entering grades 9-12 may 

only receive credit for authors on the latter list. 

• Students must read the required books for their grades and three other previously unread 

books from the appropriate lists. Required reading for other classes does not count toward 

these three titles. 

• Students taking history courses at Hopkins Summer School are not required to do the 

summer reading normally required for those courses. 

• The Summer Reading List is a reading list; students will not receive credit for watching 

plays, listening to audiobooks, etc. 

For advanced language students, a challenge would be to read one book in the original language. 

The Summer Reading Committee 

Caroline Armstrong Leili Azarbarzin Kela Caldwell 

Thomas Dembinski Alexandra Dillon Dylan Finley 

Camille Jetta Hannah Krystal Nicole Pettas 

Gleeson Ryan Matthew Vine Susan Zea 

Faculty Adviser: Catherine Casanova 

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CONTENTS 

Guidelines ........................................................................................................................................ 1 

Required Books ................................................................................................................................ 3 

List for Grades Seven and Eight ........................................................................................................ 4 

General Fiction .................................................................................................................. 4 

Historical Fiction ................................................................................................................ 7 

Nonfiction .......................................................................................................................... 7 

Plays/Poetry ..................................................................................................................... 8 

Adventure ......................................................................................................................... 8 

Autobiographies and Memoirs……………………………………………………………………………..9 

Mystery ............................................................................................................................. 9 

Science Fiction/Fantasy .................................................................................................... 9 

Short Stories and Essays………………………………………………………………………………….11 

List for Grades Nine through Twelve ............................................................................................... 12 

General Fiction ................................................................................................................ 12 

Historical Fiction .............................................................................................................. 26 

Nonfiction ........................................................................................................................ 28 

Philosophy ...................................................................................................................... 35 

Plays/Poetry ................................................................................................................... 37 

Autobiographies and Memoirs……………………………………………………………………………40 

Mystery ........................................................................................................................... 42 

Science Fiction/Fantasy .................................................................................................. 43 

Short Stories and Essays………………………………………………………………………………….44 

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REQUIRED BOOKS BY GRADE 

7th Cynthia Voigt Homecoming 

8th Harper Lee To Kill A Mockingbird 

9th J.D. Salinger The Catcher in the Rye 

10th David Mitchell Black Swan Green 

11th Tracy Kidder 

12th Joseph Heller 

Latin III: 

Imperium by Robert Harris 

Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul 

Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World 

Catch 22 

REQUIRED READING FOR CLASSICS 

AP Latin Vergil: 

The Aeneid, translated by David West (2003) Penguin Classics 

REQUIRED READING FOR HISTORY COURSES 

If the history course you signed up for next year is on this list, read the required book(s). 

Reading for history courses is additional to the four books required for summer reading. 

Atlantic Communities I (Grade 9): 

Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks 

Atlantic Communities II (Grade 10): 

Hard Times by Charles Dickens 

Atlantic Communities III (Grade 11): 

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque 

AP European: 

The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman 

AP US History: 

Founding Brothers by Joseph Ellis 

Holocaust: 

Night by Elie Wiesel 

Philosophy (1 st semester): 

Riddles of Existence by Earl Conee and Theodore Sider 

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LIST FOR GRADES SEVEN AND EIGHT 

GENERAL FICTION 

Aesop Fables 

A charming array of age-old fables, which feature talking animals and clever conclusions. Originally 

told some 2500 years ago by a humble slave who won his freedom by entertaining the court with 

memorable and amusing characters. 

Alcott, Louisa May Little Women 

Sometimes humorous, often romantic, at times sad, this is the story of the March sisters, Meg, Jo, 

Beth, and Amy, growing up in Concord, Massachusetts, during the 19th century. 

Auster, Paul Timbuktu 

Mr. Bones, the devoted canine sidekick to poet Willy G. Christmas, barks up a memorable story of 

genuine friendship and love. From the refreshing perspective of man’s best friend, Timbuktu is sure 

to touch and delight all readers. 

Baldwin, James Go Tell It on the Mountain 

The story of three generations of black people, culminating in the religious conversion and 

acceptance of his fate as a black on the part of a fourteen-year-old Harlem boy. 

Barrie, James M. Peter Pan 

From the safety of Nana the collie’s care, Peter Pan and Wendy fly to Neverland and fall into the 

clutches of Captain Hook, evil pirate of the missing hand. Best supporting player: the ticking 

crocodile. 

Bauer, Joan Hope was Here 

When sixteen-year-old Hope moves from Brooklyn to the small town of Mulhoney, Wisconsin with her 

aunt, she discovers politics, love, and hope through waitressing. 

Burns, Olive Ann Cold Sassy Tree 

Will Tweedy, a boy living at the turn of the century in a small Georgia town, idolizes his Grandpa 

Rucker. When just three weeks after his wife’s death, Grandpa Rucker marries his store’s young 

Yankee milliner, Will must watch and learn from the community’s and his family’s reactions. 

Carroll, Lewis Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass 

Two delightful tales about Alice's adventures in the mad, magical worlds, down the rabbit hole and 

through the looking glass, where words don't mean what they say and things aren't what they seem. 

Cisneros, Sandra The House on Mango Street 

This poignant album of memories follows a Mexican-American girl who, in the midst of poverty, 

struggles for education and self-esteem in the Hispanic section of Chicago. 

Coehlo, Paulo The Alchemist 

A young shepherd goes on a journey to find valuable treasure, encountering thieves, con men, kings, 

beautiful women, and the wise and mysterious alchemist. 

Dickens, Charles David Copperfield 

The story of David Copperfield's growth from innocent, naive, and easily exploited child to prudent, 

commanding, and loving adult. 

Durrell, Gerald Malcolm My Family and Other Animals 

After his British family moves to the Greek Island Corfu, ten-year old Gerry amuses himself with 

adventures among the natural wildlife, his sister’s struggle with acne, and his parents attempt to 

lead normal British lives among the natives. 

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Goldman, William The Princess Bride 

The beautiful Buttercup and the dashing farm boy Wesley face pirates, swordfights, giants, 

unwanted engagements, and temporary resurrection. A comedic, action-packed fairy-tale. 

Grahame, Kenneth The Wind in the Willows 

Timid Mole shies from the ordinary when he goes boating with the Water Rat instead of finishing his 

spring-cleaning. The two find themselves in more than a little mischief. 

Hautzig, Esther The Endless Steppe: Growing Up in Siberia 

Ten-year-old Esther Rudomin and her Jewish family are arrested by the Russians in 1941 and exiled 

to Siberia. 

Juster, Norton The Phantom Tollbooth 

Milo, restless and discontented, travels to the Lands Beyond with the aid of a mysterious tollbooth. 

Kincaid, Jamaica Annie John 

The story of a charming, sensitive, and talented young girl is rendered in prose as lushly beautiful as 

the Caribbean setting in which she grows up. 

Leffman, Ella Rumors Of Peace 

A bright, pretty girl questions the validity of war, school, and her prejudices during World War II. 

Lockhart, E. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks 

Lockhart’s book is a delightful expose of private schools, privileged social castes, and the weird 

relationships between best friends and their respective girl and boy friends. Frankie, whose real 

name is Frances Landau-Banks, has entered Alabaster Preparatory Academy, a prestigious private 

school in Massachusetts, whose graduates go on to places like Harvard and become doctors and 

lawyers and CEOs of big companies. It is also a training ground for future members of the “good-oleboys’ 

network through the all-male Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds (LOBH). Most girls orbit the 

Basset Hound universe, however, Frankie sees the club as perpetuating the idea that girls are 

accessories rather than equals. 

London, Jack Call of the Wild 

Set in Alaska of the late 1800's, this novel chronicles the adventures of Buck, a powerful tide-water 

dog, and his abusive owners. Man and brute rage contend in harsh surroundings. 

McCullers, Carson A Member of the Wedding 

A sensitive portrayal of adolescent Frankie Adams who is bored by her little cousin, rejected by the 

"in-crowd,” neglected by her father, and yearns to belong to her newlywed brother and his wife. 

Montgomery, Lucy Anne Of Green Gables 

A story of an imaginative orphan and her life on a farm with an old-fashioned woman and her 

brother. 

Orwell, George 1984 

In a dystopian society where Big Brother watches everything and the population behaves like 

mindless robots, Winston and Julia attempt to break away from their controlling world. 

Red Shirt, Delphine Bead on an Anthill 

Delphine Red Shirt, a Lakota woman and former Hopkins’ parent, grew up on the plains of Nebraska 

and the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Her memoir describes both her traditional 

childhood and the cultural history of her tribe, the Oglala Sioux. 

Rosoff, Meg How I Live Now 

A spirited and candid story of war, love, hunger, and the absence of adult supervision told by an 

outspoken teenage girl living with her English cousins. 

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Saint-Exupéry, Antoine de The Little Prince 

The beautiful and philosophical story of a pilot stranded in the Sahara desert and the young Prince 

he meets there. 

Sedgewick, Marcus Revolver 

Revolver is packed with suspense and questions about morality. It begins in 1010 outside Giron, a 

small community located at 68 Latitude North in the Arctic wilderness where the protagonist, 14year- 

old Sig, lives with his older sister, Anna; his stepmother, Nadya; and his father, Einar. They are 

part of a rag-tag group lured to Alaska by dreams of gold. 

Selznick, Brian The Invention of Hugo Cabret 

The Invention of Hugo Cabret is the story of a Parisian orphan, clock keeper and thief, who lives with 

in the walls of a busy Paris train station. His world interlocks with an eccentric bookish girl, and a 

bitter old man, and as he struggles to preserve his secrets, he finds himself uncovering mysteries of 

the past, leading to an intricate adventure of friendship and nostalgia. The reader is moved through 

this graphic novel, which is intertwined with cinematic photographs, and sketches, which creates 

and unforgettable reading experience. 

Seredy, Kate The Good Master 

A lonely Hungarian farm-boy races through an unforgettable summer with his firebrand of a cousin 

from Budapest. 

Smith, Betty A Tree Grows in Brooklyn 

A heart-warming story of the struggles and adjustments of a poor Irish-American family, told by a 

particularly loving and astute daughter, Francie Nolan. 

Smith, Dodie I Capture the Castle 

A teenage girl who lives in a castle finds refuge from her peculiar life by writing faithfully in her diary. 

Reminiscent of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. 

Staples, Suzanne Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind 

Shabanu is the second daughter in a family without sons and lives in the desert in Pakistan. She 

relishes the freedom from “women’s work”, a freedom forbidden to most Muslim girls of Shabanu’s 

time—until her parents decide their daughter’s expectations may lead to trouble. 

Streatfield, Noel Thursday's Child 

In turn-of-the-century England, Margaret Thursday absconds from an orphanage with two other 

children, works as a "legger" on the canals, and begins an acting career. 

Swarthout, Glendon Bless the Beasts and Children 

Six misfit campers, troubled by their wealthy, uncaring families, sneak out of cowboy camp to free 

another group of captives: a herd of buffalo awaiting annihilation in Arizona’s annual buffalo hunt. 

Thurber, James Fables for Our Time 

Following Aesop, Thurber rounds off his stories of funny-looking dogs and seals with such instructive 

morals as: "Those equipped with flippers should not monkey around with zippers!" 

West, Jessamyn Cress Delahanty 

A young girl's growing up between the ages of twelve and sixteen on a ranch in southern California. 

Zevin, Gabrielle Elsewhere 

A quiet, wise novel about a teenage girl who discovers after being hit by a car that in the afterlife 

everyone must age backwards, slowly returning to an infant state before being born again on Earth. 

Follow her as she struggles with the loss of her family and friends, whom she watches obsessively 

from her new home, and as she learns about herself and what life means. 

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Zusak, Markus I am the Messenger 

When underage taxi driver Ed Kennedy becomes the recipient of mysterious playing cards, he is 

thrust into missions, sometimes quirky, other times deadly, but always revealing. The question 

remains: who is sending the cards? 

HISTORICAL FICTION 

Crichton, Michael The Great Train Robbery 

Join a true criminal mastermind as he executes a daring, mid-nineteenth century train robbery that 

shocks all of England. 

Elliot, Laura Under a War-Torn Sky 

When Hank, a fifteen year-old American pilot, is shot down behind enemy lines in France, he seeks 

the help of the French Resistance. This diverse group of people, trying to save the life of a foreigner 

and stranger, shows great strength and courage and displays the true sentiments of the World War II 

resistance movements. 

Forbes, Esther Johnny Tremain 

A story of a young man growing up during the time of the American Revolution, from the Boston Tea 

Party to the Battle of Lexington. 

Harris, Robert Imperium 

A lively account of the life of Cicero, one of Rome’s greatest politicians, as recorded by his slave Tiro. 

As always, Harris’s writing is fresh, witty, and engaging. 

Speare, Elizabeth Calico Captive 

A young English girl is captured by raiding Indians during the French and Indian war and struggles 

to find her own identity in the face of clashing cultures and religions. 

Trease, Geoffrey Cue for Treason 

When Peter Brownrigg accidently joins a traveling acting troupe headed by William Shakespeare, he 

is plunged into a world of mystery and suspense as he attempts to discover the truth about a plot to 

kill the Queen of England. 

Wouk, Herman The Caine Mutiny 

Conflict aboard the destroyer-minesweeper Caine during World War II reaches its climax during a 

typhoon as Captain Queeg apparently goes mad. 

Yolen, Jane The Devil’s Arithmetic 

While celebrating a Passover Seder in 1988, twelve year-old Hannah finds herself transported to 

Poland in 1942. A haunting story of the Holocaust, this book forces the reader to live the atrocities 

of the genocide and imagine the strength of the survivors. 

NONFICTION 

Collier, Peter & David Horowitz The Kennedys: An American Drama 

America's beloved family and the tragedies they were forced to endure. Movingly written, this 

biographical work begins with Joseph Kennedy and concludes with the lives of his grandchildren. 

Hoff, Benjamin The Tao of Pooh 

Eastern philosophy presents a new way to look at an old favorite. (Winnie, Piglet, Eeyore and 

company abound.) 

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Lord, Walter A Night to Remember 

A fabulous historical account of the glamorous Titanic, doomed to sink during her maiden voyage 

from Southampton to New York. (There's a sequel: The Night Lives On.) 

Maxwell, Gavin A Ring of Bright Water 

This delightful and enlightening book discovers the wild animals that roam the coast of Scotland, 

centering on the otters who live there. 

PLAYS/POETRY 

Eliot, T.S. Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats 

Light verse about a variety of felines, from the 20th century's greatest poet. This is the book upon 

which Cats the musical was based. 

Gibson, William The Miracle Worker 

An inspiring story of the young teacher Annie Sullivan, who brought the power of language to the 

deaf and mute child, Helen Keller. 

Kaufman, George & Moss Hart You Can't Take It with You 

Blissfully untainted by work, competition, or greed, a wonderful, wacky family proves that life is to be 

measured by enthusiastic endeavor rather than productivity. 

McCormick, Patricia Sold 

A story in verse of thirteen year-old Lakshmi, a typical young girl in Nepal until her family loses 

everything to the monsoon. When her father solves the family’s dilemma by unwittingly selling 

Lakshmi into prostitution, she finds herself living in a Calcutta brothel. 

Nash, Ogden Candy is Dandy: The Best of Ogden Nash 

One of America’s funniest poets: his nonsensical rhymes and puns make him enjoyable and 

interesting. A light, entertaining read. 

Nelson, Marilyn Carver: A Life in Poems 

Nelson’s collection of poems offers readers a compelling, lyrical account of the life of revered African- 

American botanist and inventor. 

ADVENTURE 

Defoe, Gideon The Pirates! In Adventures With Scientists 

What would have happened if Charles Darwin’s scientific voyage to the Galapagos Islands had been 

intercepted by a swashbuckling band of pirates? Read this imaginative tale. 

Dumas, Alexandre The Count of Monte Cristo 

After being falsely accused and imprisoned for life, Dantes gets revenge in the old-fashioned, 

swashbuckling way, picking off his enemies after he miraculously escapes imprisonment. 

Stevenson, Robert L. Treasure Island 

A classic pirate tale with gore and rum and treasure enough for everyone. Come aboard! 

Tolkien, J.R.R. The Hobbit 

Bilbo Baggins, a charming but unlikely candidate for heroic adventures, finds himself on a journey of 

magic and excitement, swept up in a battle against evil powers in Middle Earth. 

Traven, B. Treasure of the Sierra Madre 

Three misfits search for gold in the wilds of Mexico and discover the horrors of their own greed. 

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AUTOBIOGRAPHIES AND MEMOIRS 

Bitton-Jackson, Livia I Have Lived a Thousand Years: Growing Up in the Holocaust 

13-year-old Elli Friedmann’s memoir about her struggle for survival in Nazi-occupied Hungary, which 

recounts her efforts to protect her mother and brother while also coping with adolescence. 

Burch, Jennings Michael They Cage the Animals at Night 

The moving, autobiographical tale of a boy shuttled from one foster home to another in a world where 

hatred, rejection, and abandonment rule, where cruel nuns really do cage the animals at night. 

Hickam, Homer October Sky 

A memoir that tells the story of an unlikely group of boys who set out to prove that the sky really is 

the limit. Originally published as Rocket Boys. 

Herriot, James All Creatures Great and Small 

The enchanting memoir of a Scottish veterinarian and his work in the Yorkshire countryside, where 

his encounters with humans are just as fascinating as his encounters with animals. 

MYSTERY 

Christie, Agatha And Then There Were None 

Tensions mount as ten guests, undetected culprits of past murders, are gradually polished off while 

guests of a mysterious host on Devil’s Island. 

Hammet, Dashiell The Thin Man 

Nick Charles, one of fiction's funniest detectives, makes his debut in this novel. (He is not, by the 

way, the thin man.) 

Stevenson, Robert L. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde 

Dr. Henry Jekyll, a respected London physician, has stipulated in his will that all his estate should, 

on his death, go entirely to Edward Hyde, a loathsome murderer. Thus begins this bizarre and 

chilling adventure which reveals that these two men are actually the same person! 

SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY 

Adams, Douglas The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy 

These are the very funny voyages of Arthur Dent as he travels in search of Zaphod Beeblebrox, exhead 

honcho of the universe, the only person, it seems, who can save it from destruction. 

Adams, Richard Watership Down 

A magical and suspenseful story of adventure, heroism, and friendship. A group of rabbits abandon 

their dying community and set off to establish a new life. 

Alexander, Lloyd The Book of Three 

Taran, the Assistant Pig Keeper; Princess Eilonwy, the 370-year-old Dalben; and Lord Gwydion battle 

the dreaded Lord of Annuvin and his host of undead. 

Barron, T.A. The Lost Years of Merlin 

A new look at a side of Merlin rarely ever seen, T.A. Barron writes the story of his childhood. 

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Bradbury, Ray The Martian Chronicles 

This loose collection of quirky stories discussing the human discovery of Martian civilization provides 

complex and satiric social criticism in the form of science fiction. 

Bray, Libba A Great and Terrible Beauty 

When her mother dies mysteriously, Gemma Doyle is forced to move to England to attend boarding 

school. While there, she discovers a portal into a secret world and the covert society of sorceresses 

that control it. 

Card, Orson Scott Ender's Game 

A fast-moving and exciting work from one of the fastest-growing names in science fiction, about a boy 

in training to lead Earth in an electronic war against an alien threat. Truly addictive reading. 

Cashore, Kristin Graceling 

Gracelings are people with special skills; they can be identified by their two quite differently colored 

eyes (Katsa, the protagonist, has one blue eye, one green). Katsa is virtually the prototype of a gifted 

adolescent girl. She has power but sometimes she abuses it. She is decent and good but sometimes 

headstrong and capricious. She knows that others fear and distrust her, and that has led her to 

distrust and fear others. Graceling is a powerful book of adventure and mystery about growing up 

and deciding who and what you are. 

Collins, Suzanne The Hunger Games 

In a post-apocalyptic world, the ruthless government punishes its citizens by pitting teenagers 

against each other in a televised Survivor-like fight to the death. 

Cooper, Susan The Dark is Rising 

Will Stanton lives a normal life, until he discovers that he is the Sign-Seeker. Last hope of the Old 

Ones, he is destined to guard the Signs of Light and battle the evil forces of the Dark. 

Divakaruni, Chitra B. The Conch Bearer 

This is the story of two children who are entrusted with a magic conch shell and must embark on a 

mystical and dangerous journey to deliver the conch back to its rightful home. 

Funke, Cornelia Inkdeath 

Set in a universe where words alter reality, this tale is part coming-of-age and part adventure as 

Meggie and Mo face the evil InkWorld. 

Goodkind, Terry Wizard’s First Rule 

Richard has been raised in a small village and is oblivious to the magical powers that surround him. 

However, his father's murder and the appearance of a strange woman signal a dramatic change that 

his life is about to undergo. He is thrust unknowingly into the shoes of the hero and into a grim 

battle between life and death themselves. 

Jones, Diana Wynne Howl’s Moving Castle 

Sophie, a girl turned into an old lady by a jealous witch, must leave her home behind in the search 

for a cure. Eventually Sophie enters the moving castle of the Wizard Howl, where she finds a way to 

break her curse, if she can just help Howl first. 

LeGuin, Ursula K. A Wizard of Earthsea 

A boy's rise from a fishing village on a remote island to the Wizards' School of Roke and his 

concurrent flight from an evil shadow he has accidentally loosed upon the world. 

L'Engle, Madeleine A Wrinkle in Time 

A brother and sister, together with a friend, go in search of their father, who was lost in a 

government experiment involving travel through different times and dimensions. 

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Lewis, C.S. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe 

In the introductory volume of The Chronicles of Narnia, four children find a magical doorway into the 

land of Narnia, where the evil White Witch is overpowered by the noble lion, Aslan. 

Moers, Walter The 13½ Lives of Captain Bluebear 

Bluebear explores the world of Zamonia, encountering all sorts of extraordinary creatures, from the 

Minipirates to giant Bollogs. This witty epic will keep you giggling throughout. 

Patterson, James Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment 

An exciting page-turner about a group of kids – except that these kids have 2% avian DNA, bird 

wings, and special powers after having been test subjects in an evil lab. In the first book of this 

amazing series, the “flock” must flee from dangerous wolf-human hybrids in order to save 

themselves, their friends, and perhaps even the world. 

Pierce, Tamora Alanna: The First Adventure 

The daughter of a noble lord, Alanna of Trebond, disguises herself as her twin brother and travels to 

the Palace to become a knight, befriending both the Crown Prince and the King of Thieves while 

keeping her true identity a secret. 

Pratchett, Terry Nation 

Nation is the adventure of all adventures—like the television show Lost, except set several hundred 

years earlier. The setting resembles a South Pacific island that has suffered a tsunami, and Mau is 

on his solo-initiation trip at sea when the wave struck. 

Pratchett, Terry and Neil Gaimen Good Omens 

This finely-tuned parody loosely based on the Book of Revelation follows the eleven-year-old 

Antichrist and a cast of various other worldly and otherworldly beings through the last days of 

humankind. 

Pullman, Phillip The Golden Compass 

In the first instillation of his controversial, Milton-inspired trilogy, Philip Pullman weaves a thrilling 

and intricate tale while examining the true nature of religion and fate. 

Rhue, Morton, Bruce Tegner and Todd Strasser The Wave 

A teacher's experiment gone out of hand teaches students new lessons about peer pressure and mob 

mentality. Burt Ross and the principles of "strength through discipline, community and action" recreates 

what the Nazi movement originally executed in Germany in the late 1920's. 

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 

You may read any Harry Potter book if you haven’t already! 

SHORT STORIES AND ESSAYS 

Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes 

These stories feature the master plotting of England's prize mystery solver and his faithful sidekick, 

Watson. 

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LIST FOR GRADES NINE THROUGH TWELVE 

GENERAL FICTION 

Abbey, Edward The Monkey Wrench Gang 

The humorous story of four eccentric and radical characters that struggle to fight commercial 

expansion in Utah during the 1970's and its effects on the environment. 

Adiga, Aravind The White Tiger 

In this inventive epistolary novel, Balram Halwai tells his life story as a servant, philosopher, 

murderer, and entrepreneur, taking the reader deep into the hidden underbelly of India. 

Aksyonov, Vassily Generations of Winter 

Stalinist Russia is the setting for this beautiful novel that weaves together the stories of three 

generations of the Gradov family. Aksyonov illuminates the ways in which the shift to communism 

affected the character of individuals and shaped a family’s history. 

Alderman, Naomi Disobedience 

A young woman who has broken away from her Orthodox Jewish community in London returns 

when her father dies. She has created a new life for herself in New York, and now she must resolve a 

number of old issues. With her ear for dialogue and eye for detail Alderman creates a gripping and 

insightful story. 

Allende, Isabel The House of the Spirits 

A cousin of assassinated Chilean president Salvadore Allende, Allende tells the mystical story of 

three generations of the Trueba family and its interplay with its tumultuous country. 

Alvarez, Julia In the Time of Butterflies 

The exciting and tragic tale of four sisters, the Butterflies, who help lead the revolution against El 

Jefe, dictator of the Dominican Republic. 

Aman, Tahmina A Golden Age 

Aman’s stunning debut novel interweaves the life of one family with the events of the Bangladeshi 

War of Independence in 1971. Searing drama and beautiful, fluid language. 

Amis, Martin The Rachel Papers 

Amis’s first novel tells the often hilarious, often heartbreaking story of a mediocre teenager pining 

after his first love. A masterpiece of wordplay. 

Atwood, Margaret The Penelopiad 

Penelope, Odysseus' loyal wife, gives her account of the twenty years Odysseus was absent. The 

hundred and twenty suitors vying for her hand and the twelve maids Odysseus hangs on his return 

are integral parts of the story. 

Austen, Jane Sense and Sensibility 

Austen explores 19th century English culture through her brilliantly crafted protagonists, the 

Dashwood sisters, as they mature in their new, unfortunate circumstances having been forced to 

move from their luxurious home to a country cottage. 

Auster, Paul The Music of Chance 

A man's journey across the country and through his "inner self." (Read also The New York Trilogy.) 

12

Barbery, Muriel The Elegance of the Hedgehog 

Renee is short, fat, and works as a concierge; she’s also a secret autodidact with amazing mental 

abilities. Paloma is a twelve-year-old suicidal genius whose wit is unappreciated by her drug-addicted 

mother and sister. The two misunderstood outcasts search for truth in their lonely lives. 

Barnes, Julian Arthur & George 

Barnes’s bestseller is a fictionalized account of the relationship between Arthur Conan Doyle, the 

author of the Sherlock Holmes series, and George Edjali, a middle-aged man accused of committing 

horrific crimes in the English countryside. 

Barnes, Julian The Sense of an Ending 

When Tony was in prep school, he had three close friends: Colin, Alex, and Adrian. Decades later, 

Adrian commits suicide and leaves Tony his diary. Tony is forced to revisit his past and wonder what 

happened – not just in Adrian’s life, but also in his own. 

Bohjalian, Chris Midwives 

A midwife is charged with murder when one of her patients dies while giving birth. 

Brontë, Anne Agnes Grey 

In this semi-autobiographical novel, the author rails against the plight of unmarried, educated 

women forced to become governesses. An insightful depiction of the chauvinism and materialism of 

the time, which these women were forced to endure. 

Brontë, Emily Wuthering Heights 

Wuthering Heights is set in the Yorkshire moors and features the passionate Catherine Earnshaw 

and the stormy Heathcliff as main characters. The story concerns their turbulent and thwarted love. 

Bulgakov, Mikhail The Master and Marguerita 

A Faustian tale of the devil's appearance in 1930s Moscow and his relationship with a writer and his 

beloved. 

Burgess, Anthony A Clockwork Orange 

Told in argot by a city-dwelling juvenile delinquent. After several rapes, muggings, and a murder, he 

is apprehended and forced into a scientific experiment for rehabilitation. 

Butler, Samuel The Way of All Flesh 

A semi-autobiographical look at the English middle class, the Pontifex family and their miserable 

child-parent relationships over the course of several generations. 

Byatt, A.S. Possession 

A modern masterpiece about two literary professors who scour the English countryside to prove a 

secret affair between two 19 th century poets. 

Calvino, Italo If on a Winter's Night a Traveler 

A complex and convoluted search for the conclusion of a story, resulting only on the beginnings of 

more than ten, each with its own style, characters, and tone. 

Camus, Albert (trans. Matthew Ward) The Stranger 

Meursault, an alienated anti-hero, faces his destiny. (Students who have completed French III can 

read it in the original.) 

Casey, John Spartina 

This novel is a character study of a fisherman in Rhode Island and his struggle to raise enough 

money to build a boat. 

13

Castenada, Carlos The Fire from Within 

A brilliant and tantalizing burst of illumination into the depths of our mysteries, like a sudden 

flashing light, which shows us a world that is both alien and familiar - the landscape to our dreams. 

Carlos Castaneda recounts the teachings of Don Juan and the Yagni Indians. 

Cather, Willa Death Comes for the Archbishop 

In the early 1850's, missionary Father Latour begins his duties in New Mexico. The colorful history 

and culture of the Southwest contribute to the beautiful story of the bishop's troubles and successes. 

Céline, Louis-Ferdinand Journey to the End of the Night 

A darkly hilarious jaunt from the battlefields of the Great War, to French West Africa, to America, 

and then back to France, following the epic misadventures of the casually nihilistic antihero 

Bardamu. 

Chabon, Michael Wonder Boys 

During one atypical weekend in Pittsburgh, college professor and pot-addled novelist Grady Tripp 

contends with writer’s block, a mid-life crisis, a frantic wife, a desperate editor, and a brilliant but 

disturbed star student. 

Chbosky, Stephen The Perks of Being a Wallflower 

This novel examines the life of a boy as he enters high school and that curious time known as 

growing up. Witty, honest, and unique, his letters detail his journeys in his searches for friendship, 

love, understanding, and his own place in the world. 

Clavell, James Shōgun 

Following the trials and triumphs of the Japanese warlord Toranaga through the eyes of the stranded 

English privateer John Blackthorne, Clavell paints an intricate tapestry of a forgotten world in this 

triumphant study of the human thought and interaction. 

Conrad, Joseph The Secret Agent 

Set in London, the novel is the story of an attack, and its consequences, on the Greenwich 

Observatory, masterminded by a Russian spy. 

Cunningham, Michael Specimen Days 

Each section of this bold novel takes place in a very different time and place with a similar set of 

characters, all of whom are profoundly affected by the poetry of Walt Whitman. 

Danielewski, Mark House of Leaves 

This brilliant novel, distinguished by its multiplicity of voices and narratives, breaks with convention 

at nearly every turn and, in doing so, pushes at modern literature’s outer limits. 

DeLillo, Don End Zone 

The language of end zones—the terminology of football and nuclear war become interchangeable— 

and later distorted as one collegiate year concludes. With humor and concern, Don DeLillo links 

football and war in this original and thought-provoking novel. 

Demetz, Hana The House on Prague Street 

The story of Helene Richer, a Czechoslovakian child who falls in love during World War II. 

Reminiscent of The Diary of Anne Frank in its compassion and poignancy. 

Desai, Kiran Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard 

A warm and humorous tale that weaves fantasy into a story of family life in India. This is Booker 

Prize winner Desai’s first novel. 

Dickens, Charles Nicholas Nickleby 

Dickens exposes the abusive British school system, the joys of a theatrical company, the villainous 

Ralph, the cherubic Cheeryble twins, and of course, the heroic Nicholas. 

14

Dickey, James Deliverance 

Four men brave the destructive forces of a wild river with disastrous consequences. The adventure of 

their dreams forces them to act as morally as their new knowledge of crime will allow. 

Dostoyevski, Fyodor Crime and Punishment 

The most philosophical murder story every written. A must for lovers of Russian novels, moral 

anguish, and gory crimes. 

Doxiadis, Apostolos Uncle Petros and Goldbach’s Conjecture 

A young boy, intrigued by his uncle’s studies in mathematics, discovers his uncle’s obsession with 

the mathematical hypothesis, Goldbach’s Conjecture. 

Dreiser, Theodore An American Tragedy 

A portrait of America's corrupt value system and its effects on the ambitious and romantic Clyde 

Griffiths. 

DuMaurier, Daphne Rebecca 

A young bride uncovers the secrets of her husband’s first wife, Rebecca, and his mansion, 

Manderley. A thrilling tale of romance and suspense. 

Dunmore, Helen Mourning Ruby 

The story of a young woman, abandoned at birth, who struggles to achieve a sense of family and 

connectedness as she matures. 

Eggers, Dave What is the What 

Eggers' novel, compassionate and moving, is based on the true story of Valentino Achak Deng, who 

at the age of seven traveled hundreds of miles across Sudan and through war, famine, and deserts to 

find the chance of freedom and opportunity in the United States. 

Eliot, George The Mill on the Floss 

An extremely bright and gifted girl, Maggie Tulliver, struggles for love and against 19th-century 

conventions, prejudices, her foolish mother, and her narrow-minded brother. 

Englander, Nathan The Ministry of Special Cases 

The long-awaited first novel from Englander tells the story of Kaddish, a Jew in junta-led Argentina 

whose son is one of the ‘disappeared.’ A moving, dramatic, Kafkaesque story with rich characters and 

a chilling ending. 

Erdrich, Louise The Master Butchers Singing Club 

An epic tale of a German immigrant’s experience between the world wars in North Dakota that 

weaves together the life histories of a large cast of characters from diverse backgrounds. 

Eugenides, Jeffrey The Marriage Plot 

Madeleine Hanna is an English major with plenty of choices to make. She doesn’t have a plan postgraduation, 

but she puts that issue aside for the more pressing matter at hand: her love life. There’s 

Mitchell, the easygoing friend who thinks she’s his soul mate, and Leonard, the brilliant but brooding 

man she loves. After Madeleine chooses Leonard, she follows him on his downward spiral – but when 

her choices leave her stranded, she has to turn her life around. 

Faulkner, William As I Lay Dying 

The matriarch of a penniless family lies dying in her bed at home, prompting the homecoming of 

family from across the nation. This leads to fascinating conflicts, culminating in a long journey to 

bury her body in a town far away. 

Flaubert, Gustave Madame Bovary 

One of the most beautifully written novels of all time, featuring an ardently romantic heroine in one 

of the greatest love stories of all time. (Advanced French students should read the novel in French.) 

15

Ford, Jamie Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet 

This beautifully moving novel tells a bittersweet tale of love and loyalty set against the backdrop of 

World War II Seattle. It is a sentimental story of deep, abiding first love and ultimate loss. 

Forman, Gayle If I Stay 

This is a beautiful novel about the importance of family and friends. Simultaneously tragic and 

hopeful, this is a romantic, and ultimately uplifting story about memories, music, loving, living, and 

dying. It strives to answer to the question “is my life worth living?” 

Forster, E.M. A Passage to India 

One of the very best portrayals of what happens when cultures clash. In this case, tensions and 

discoveries occur in British India in the 1920's. 

Frame, Janet Yellow Flowers in the Antipodean Room 

This novel is at once down-to-earth and transcendent. Its portrayal of human love is both mysterious 

and real suggesting that life and death cannot be separated. 

Frazier, Charles Cold Mountain 

The stunning tale of a wounded Civil War soldier who walks away from the battlefield to go home to 

his sweetheart. 

Fuentes, Carlos The Death of Artemio Cruz 

The deathbed recollections of wealthy landowner and newspaper publisher Artemio Cruz, who recalls 

his life as a revolutionary in the Mexican War. 

Gaarder, Jostein Sophie’s World 

The history of philosophy from Aristotle to Freud told in the style of a detective novel. 

Gaiman, Neil American Gods 

Just released from prison and lost in society, Shadow is employed in a battle of Gods for the soul of 

America, a battle of the New and the Old. 

Gardner, John Grendel 

The epic Beowulf is turned on its head in this version, narrated by the villainous monster of the 

original. Alternately hilarious and heartbreaking, this is a dizzyingly inventive look at a well-known 

story. 

Gibbons, Kaye Charms For The Easy Life 

A family of women without men live offbeat lives in the North Carolina backwoods. Sophia, Margaret, 

and Charlie Kate possess powerful charms to dispel loneliness, despair, and misery. 

Godden, Rumer Black Narcissus 

Five nuns, engaged in missionary work high in the Himalayas, succumb to the sensuality and 

mystery of India. 

Grass, Günter The Tin Drum 

The “autobiography” of Oskar Matzerath, a child gifted with the ability to shatter glass with a scream, 

who, after observing the adult world and all its ills, willfully arrests his physical development at age 

three. 

Green, Graham The End of the Affair 

The love affair between Maurice Bendix and Sarah, flourishing in the turbulent times of the London 

Blitz, ends when she suddenly breaks it off. A chance meeting rekindles his love and jealously two 

years later, and Bendix hires a private detective to follow Sarah. Slowly his love for her turns into an 

obsession. 

16

Greenberg, JoAnne I Never Promised You a Rose Garden 

A sixteen-year-old girl's recovery from madness and her readjustment to normal life. 

Gruen, Sara Water for Elephants 

Set during the Great Depression, Water for Elephants tells the story of a young man who leaves his 

life as a veterinary student and jumps onto a train that happens to belong to the Benzini Brothers 

Most Spectacular Show on Earth. 

Guest, Judith Ordinary People 

Assisted by a psychiatrist, a family attempts to cope with young Conrad's mental illness and the 

family’s disintegrating relationships. 

Guterson, David Snow Falling on Cedars 

Heavy snow falls and falls but cannot soften, purify, or bury thwarted love, historical prejudices, or 

the stormy melancholy of a tense courtroom drama. 

Haddon, Mark The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time 

This book is the touching story of Christopher John Francis Boone, an autistic boy who has a unique 

perception of his world. When a neighbor’s dog is murdered in the middle of the night, it leads to an 

interesting, and at times hilarious, series of events which cause Christopher to embark on an 

adventure all his own. 

Hardy, Thomas Return of the Native 

A tale of love, betrayal, wasted ambition, and tragic lives set in the gloomy heath country of England, 

where the saturnine Eustacia Vye longs for the excitement of Paris. 

Harris, Joanne Five Quarters of the Orange 

When Framboise Simon was nine years old, a tragedy occurred during the German occupation of her 

small village on the banks of the Loire River, and her mother was held responsible. Now, Framboise 

returns to this town in disguise, begins a new life for herself, and discovers the truth to the tragic 

mystery that haunts her past. 

Hawthorne, Nathaniel House of Seven Gables 

A poetic novel surrounding the events that occur after Hephzibah Pyncheon opens a small store out 

of her family’s home. 

Hedges, Peter What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? 

A modern classic about a young man anxious to escape the oppression of rural Iowa but unable to 

leave his family on their own. Quirky, funny, and desperately sad. 

Hegi, Ursula Stones from the River 

In the shadow of World War II, the German dwarf Trudi sees the horrors of Hitler’s atrocities and 

faces truths about human nature. 

Helprin, Mark Soldier of the Great War 

An aged professor of aesthetics recounts his life to a young stranger over the course of a three day 

trek in Italy. 

Hemingway, Ernest For Whom the Bell Tolls 

A story of danger, love and the quest for purpose set during the Spanish Civil War and told through 

the eyes of an American volunteer. 

Hesse, Hermann Siddhartha 

The story of a young Indian boy named Siddhartha whose spiritual quest occurs during the time of 

Buddha. 

17

Hugo, Victor The Hunchback of Notre Dame 

The doomed love story of Quasimodo, the hunchback of Notre Dame, and the gypsy Esmeralda. 

Irving, John The Cider House Rules 

Orphan Homer Wells was born and raised at St. Cloud's orphanage and taught to deliver and abort 

babies by father figure Dr. Larch. Set in rural Maine in the first half of the twentieth century, this 

novel follows Homer as he leaves St. Cloud's, works in an apple orchard, falls in love, and discovers 

his purpose in life. 

Iweala, Uzodinma Beasts of No Nation 

The superb debut novel by an American-Nigerian novelist concerns a young boy who endures the 

horrors of war, rape, and starvation in an unnamed West African nation. 

James, Henry Portrait of a Lady 

The story of an intelligent, attractive American young woman who, in rejecting the men, both good 

and evil, who pursue her, finds there are "other things a girl can do besides marry." 

Jen, Gish Mona in the Promised Land 

Mona Chang moves with her newly prosperous family to Scarshill, New York, where the Chinese have 

become “the new Jews.” A multicultural story that includes wonderful humor. 

Joyce, James Portrait of the Artist As a Young Man 

In this autobiographical novel, Stephen Dedalus renounces country, religion, family, and lover for his 

art. 

Kennedy, William Ironweed 

Francis Phelan, a one-time professional baseball player, now an alcoholic bum, tries to reconcile 

himself with the memory of his son and returns to Albany. (The third in the Albany trilogy.) 

Kingsolver, Barbara The Bean Trees 

Taylor Greer, a high spirited independent girl, travels from Kentucky to Tucson, Arizona in search of 

independence. She finds a three-year old girl Turtle, a lifelong companion Lou Ann, friendship, love, 

and a sense of belonging. 

Kinsella, W.P. Shoeless Joe 

A farmer who loves baseball is inspired by a mystical voice to erect a shrine to the game in his Iowa 

cornfield. Baseball greats of the past come to play, and J.D. Salinger makes a cameo appearance. 

Koestler, Arthur Thieves in the Night 

A powerful book detailing the struggles of a group of ambitious Jews as they attempt to establish a 

commune in the Palestine of the 1940’s. Based on Koestler’s own experiences. 

Kostova, Elizabeth The Historian 

A truly terrifying novel, The Historian focuses on one woman’s dire struggle to understand the 

mysteries of Vlad the Impaler. 

Krauss, Nicole The History of Love 

In this multi-layered, wise and witty novel, which spans three generations and three continents, 

Krauss tells a story about history and identity with poignancy and insight. 

Kundera, Milan The Unbearable Lightness of Being 

In the midst of the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, a young physician is torn between two 

women: his wife and a free-spirited sensualist. 

Lagerkvist, Par Barabbas 

A powerful novel by a Nobel Prize winner about “the acquitted,” Barabbas, whose life was exchanged 

for Jesus’s. 

18

Lamb, Wally She's Come Undone 

Unsteady and obese, Dolores Price survives a painful childhood and a cruel adulthood to become a 

strong woman, renewed by acceptance of love. 

Larbalestier, Justine Liar 

After the death of her “sort-of” boyfriend, Micah decides to tell her story. However, she is a 

compulsive and unreliable narrator. While she claims to be honest, she never explains what really 

motivates her behavior. 

Larson, Stieg The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo 

Set in Sweden, private investigator Lisbeth Salador and journalist Mikael Blomkist work to solve a 

mysterious disappearance of the niece of a large corporation. 

Lawrence, D.H. Son and Lovers 

Paul Morel embraces and discards three forms of counterfeit love, that of his mother and two 

sweethearts, in his quest for maturity and independence. 

Lethem, Jonathan Motherless Brooklyn 

A private eye with Tourette’s Syndrome deals with a mob coup and murder mystery in this bizarre 

and captivating homage to the classic detective tale, written by America’s most inventive postmodern 

novelist. 

Levy, Andrea Never Far from Nowhere 

This story of two sisters, born in London to Jamaican parents, presents the challenges each 

confronts as she searches for her place in a predominantly white society. 

Lewis, Sinclair Babbitt 

With his portrait of George Babbitt, the prosperous real-estate man from Zenith, Lewis creates one of 

the ugliest but most convincing stereotypes in American fiction - the total conformist. 

Lightman, Alan Einstein’s Dreams 

A unique book that combines philosophy, history, and temporal theory. The author has created what 

he believes Einstein dreamt in the last days before the discovery of relativity. A gripping read. 

Lord, Bette Bao Spring Moon 

A novel about the life of Spring Moon, a child of the prominent House of Chang, and her tumultuous 

experiences during the last years of the Qing Dynasty of China and the early years of the republic. 

McCarthy, Cormac The Road 

This haunting vision of a post-apocalyptic world is McCarthy’s best work yet. The novel examines the 

very best and the very worst of humanity as it recounts the simple journey of a boy and his father, 

walking down a road to the sea. 

McEwen, Ian Black Dogs 

A short, moving novel that examines Europe’s struggle with and propensity for violence, through the 

end of World War II up to the collapse of the Berlin Wall. 

McInerney, Jay Bright Lights, Big City 

A young New Yorker, grappling with materialism, cocaine addiction, and unhappy relationships, 

attempts to make sense of his life. The novel is narrated in the second person, an unusual 

experience. 

McMurtry, Larry The Last Picture Show 

Three teenagers, Sonny, Duane, and Jacy, struggle with impending adulthood in a dusty-dead-end 

Texas town. A deeply moving story of human need and longing. 

19

Malamud, Bernard The Fixer 

This story of the pain and suffering of innocent Yakov Bok, a Jew in Russia, follows him as he is 

falsely accused of murdering a Christian boy. Based on a true case, this story is very moving. 

Mann, Thomas Death in Venice 

This short novel follows the fatal obsession of the aging writer Gustav von Aschenbach with a young 

Polish boy, Tadzio, whom Aschenbach encounters on vacation in Venice. 

Márquez, Gabriel García One Hundred Years of Solitude 

The history of the Buendia family over five generations, through civil wars, tragic deaths, and 1,789 

consecutive days of rain. Magical realism at its best. 

Maugham, W. Somerset Of Human Bondage 

The development of hero Phillip Carey, from a childhood blighted by physical deformity to an 

adulthood stunted by the intriguing Mildred. 

Maxwell, William The Folded Leaf 

Recently reissued, this novel is testimony to Maxwell's reputation. Keeping his emotional distance, 

Maxwell sensitively portrays the complicated nature of friendship, growing up, and self-discovery. 

Miller, Sue While I Was Gone 

A suspenseful novel about how quickly and casually a marriage can be destroyed. A good wife and 

respected veterinarian, with three grown daughters and a wonderful home, runs away from her life, 

ends up in a Bohemian group home in Cambridge, and returns one day to a murder. 

Mirvis, Tovah The Ladies Auxiliary 

In this insightful debut novel, a free spirited Jewish convert and her daughter move into the closeknit 

Orthodox community of Memphis, Tennessee. Small town psychology and chaos emerge as the 

protagonist threatens the town’s ostensibly seamless lifestyle. 

Mistry, Rohinton A Fine Balance 

The story of five individuals living in India who face the horrors of the repressive caste system and 

the corrupt Indian government. 

Momaday, N. Scott House Made of Dawn 

A Pulitzer Prize winner, this novel tells the story of a young American Indian caught between the 

lands of his childhood and the cities of industrial America. 

Moore, Alan and Dave Gibbons Watchmen 

When vigilante justice is outlawed in an alternate, Cold War America, former masked heroes are 

forced to redefine their place in a society poised on the edge of self-destruction. 

Moore, Lorrie A Gate at the Stairs 

Moore’s beautifully written novel explores the shadow of 9/11 on American culture through the 

bumpy coming of age story of a young midwestern woman. 

Murakami, Haruki 1Q84 

A surreal tale of mystery, murder, the uncertainty of reality, and the power of true love, 1Q84 is set 

in 1984 Japan - or is it? As the book follows the riveting stories of five different characters all caught 

up with the same mysterious religious organization, readers will be enthralled by the amazing scope 

of the novel and the suspenseful way in which the plot unfolds, as the certainty of the world around 

them becomes questionable.*** adult content*** 

Nabokov, Vladimir Pale Fire 

This novel intertwines the 999 line poem of fictional poet John Shade with commentary by his crazy 

neighbor. Extraordinary writing and a fascinating tale. 

20

Némirovsky, Irène Suite Française 

Recently found in the diary of a displaced Parisian who fell victim to the holocaust, this novel 

recounts the realities of war from the civilian perspective. 

Niffenegger, Audrey The Time Traveler’s Wife 

As Clare Abshire lives her life in chronological time and Henry DeTamble unwillingly travels through 

time, both learn key truths about love and themselves. 

Obreht, Tea The Tiger’s Wife 

Natalia, a young doctor living in the Balkans, has been shaped by two things: war and her 

grandfather. But when her grandfather dies in a seemingly random location after lying about his 

destination, Natalia realizes that he had been hiding secrets from everyone – including her. Natalia 

unravels the mysteries behind her grandfather’s life in a series of short and compelling stories about 

life, fear, and love. 

Oliver, Lauren Before I Fall 

A compelling, emotional, and at times beautiful novel about what it means to live-and die. Mia dies in 

a tragic accident, yet has the unique opportunity to relive her death and change the past. What if you 

could get a second chance in life? What if you only had one day to live? What would you do 

differently? How far would you go to save your life? 

O’Neill, Joseph Netherland 

In uniquely melodic prose, O’Neill tells the story of a foreigner to America finding solace in the noble 

sport of cricket as he struggles to make sense of his wife’s leaving him. 

Otsuka, Julie The Buddha in the Attic 

Depicting the extraordinary lives of Japanese “picture brides” who come to the US at the turn of the 

century, this slim yet powerful novel tells of the collective experience of a group of idealistic young 

women and touches on the themes of assimilation, racism and the American Dream. Finalist for the 

2011 National Book Award. 

Palahniuk, Chuck Invisible Monsters 

After successful, young model Shannon McFarland is horribly disfigured in a mysterious accident on 

the highway, she embarks on a cross-country journey with Brandy Alexander, a charismatic 

transsexual who urges her to change her life. Told through a series of disjointed memories and 

written in Palahniuk's typical stark, beautiful prose, Invisible Monsters is a complex modern mystery 

that explores the concept of beauty, the human condition, and the things we do for love. 

Pamuk, Orhan Snow 

In this gripping and beautifully written narrative, a Turkish poet follows love to a city in the midst of 

political conflict. 

Pankhurst, Carolyn Dogs Of Babel 

A grieving husband unravels the mystery surrounding his wife’s death by trying to teach the witness, 

their dog Lorelei, to talk. In his search for peace, he begins to unravel the mysteries surrounding the 

couple’s life together as well. 

Parker, James L. Once a Runner 

Quentin Cassidy, a miler banned from collegiate competition, trains in seclusion to race a world 

record holder. Through running Cassidy learns about his own strength. A must for all runners. 

Pasternak, Boris Dr. Zhivago 

The Russian Revolution and its aftermath: the ruthless Kamarovsky, the beautiful Lara, the faithful 

Tonia, and a gifted young doctor and poet named Zhivago. 

21

Peet, Mal Tamar: A Novel of Espionage, Passion, and Betrayal 

Tamar: A Novel of Espionage, Passion, and Betrayal is the captivating depiction of a 15-year-old girl, 

Tamar, deciphering the contents of a box she inherited from Grandfather. The story switches 

between 1944 Nazi occupied Holland, and the present as Tamar decodes a series of clues and coded 

messages her Grandfather left her. As Tamar unravels her Grandfather’s mysterious past, she finds 

that his story is a complex one of passionate love, jealousy, and tragedy set against the daily horrors 

of World War II. 

Perrotta, Tom The Abstinence Teacher 

An honest, balanced look at today’s culture wars, this story centers on a fundamentalist Christian 

group’s attempt to influence school curriculum. Spare, realistic prose and a parade of resonant 

characters. 

Pessl, Marisha Special Topics in Calamity Physics 

Widely acclaimed, this dazzling novel chronicles the adventures, at turns rollicking and deadly, of the 

brilliant and beautiful sixteen year-old Blue Van Meer. 

Plath, Sylvia The Bell Jar 

In this novel, the now famous poet tells her own story of the suffocations of sexism, provincialism, 

and mental illness that imperiled her growth and talent. 

Potok, Chaim My Name Is Asher Lev 

Born into an Orthodox Jewish family, Asher Lev is confronted by his intense feelings for the creative 

arts and the disapproving elders who try to discourage his interest. 

Puzo, Mario The Godfather 

The sinister and compelling saga of the Corleone family, which rose from immigrant poverty to 

dynastic power as gangsters corrupt in might, money, and arrogance. 

Pynchon, Thomas The Crying of Lot 49 

Funny, ironic, sexual, and bizarre, this short but dense novel is the best introduction to Pynchon’s 

work. 

Quindlen, Anna Object Lessons 

Young Maggie finds truth and love while learning that her family isn't what she thought it was. 

Rand, Ayn The Fountainhead 

A long, yet worthwhile, novel about a young, brilliant architect who refuses to lower his ideals for the 

masses. Discover Rand’s unique philosophy through one of the most influential books ever written. 

Raucher, Herman The Summer of '42 

Hermie, Oscy, and Benji, all aged fifteen, innocent and foul-mouthed, obsessed with sex but too 

young for it, spend a restless and confusing summer in this alternately moving and funny story. 

Rich, Simon Elliot Allagash 

Seymour Herson is lonely and ostracized when he meets the wealthy Elliot Allagash while both 

attend private school. Elliot decides to reverse Seymour's social isolation through Machiavellian 

schemes and callous plots. Seymour’s portentous misgivings are eventually justified. 

Robinson, Marilynne Gilead 

The winner of the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, this beautiful novel presents the spiritual struggles 

and elegiac reflections of the dying Reverend John Ames. 

Roth, Henry Call It Sleep 

A brutally accurate account of Lower East Side slum life seen through the eyes of a Jewish boy. 

22

Russo, Richard Empire Falls 

2002 Pulitzer Prize Winner for fiction. A subtle drama about the plight of a working class father and 

daughter in a decaying Northeast mill town. 

Salinger, J.D. Franny and Zooey 

Become acquainted with Salinger’s famous Glass family through these two short stories about a 

young girl’s spiritual development. 

Satrapi, Marjane Persepolis 

Told in graphic novel form, this gripping yet poignant memoir tells the story of a girl growing up in 

Iran during the Islamic Revolution. If you enjoyed Maus, Persepolis is for you. 

Saul, John Shadows 

The story of a young student at an elite school for children with remarkable minds. The school 

houses horrifying secrets, and this student must resist evil to save himself and his classmates. 

See, Lisa Snow Flower and the Secret Fan 

Eighty-year old Lily reflects back on her friendship with Snow Flower, her lao tong (old same), and 

the mistake that broke their friendship. 

Shute, Nevil On the Beach 

This book takes place in Australia, after a nuclear war has destroyed the Northern Hemisphere, as 

radiation slowly drifts south. A fascinating examination of humanity’s last days. 

Sinclair, Upton The Jungle 

A muckraking novel which exposed the deplorable conditions of Chicago's stockyards at the turn of 

the century. This exposé led to government regulations in the industry that still stand today. 

Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr The First Circle 

About a Soviet technical institute staffed by political prisoners favored over other prisoners because 

they are scientists. 

Stegner, Wallace The Big Rock Candy Mountain 

Bo Mason and his family live a life of poverty. They drift from town to town while Bo goes from one 

get rich quick scheme to the next. 

Steinbeck, John The Grapes of Wrath 

This novel is the story of an Oklahoma family facing great hardship as it tries to survive the Great 

Depression. One of John Steinbeck’s greatest works. 

Stendhal The Red and the Black 

This introspective novel traces the dazzling rise and fall of the ambitious Julien Sorel. 

Stockett, Kathryn The Help 

Three African-American maids work for white families in Jackson, Mississippi during the early 

1960’s. Their stories portray a Mississippi segregated by racial boundaries. 

Stowe, Harriet B. Uncle Tom's Cabin 

An indictment of slavery, starring the noble, high-minded, devoutly Christian black slave, Uncle Tom, 

the mulatto girl, Eliza, the good Little Eva, Topsy, who "just growed,” and the villainous Simon 

Legree. 

Strong, Jonathan Elsewhere 

A young, headstrong English teacher allows himself to become mixed up in the lives of three 

students. His relationships lead him to understand much more than he can ever teach his students. 

23

Strout, Elizabeth Amy and Isabel 

A tense relationship between a single mom and her teenage daughter evolves to reveal important 

secrets. 

Styron, William Sophie's Choice 

Told through the voice of Stingo, a hopeful Southern writer staying in Brooklyn in 1947, Sophie's 

Choice depicts the Holocaust through the horrifying personal experiences of Sophie Zawistowska. A 

survivor from Poland who lives in an apartment above Stingo, Sophie struggles to maintain a will to 

live as she recounts her past to Stingo and maintains a relationship with her mentally unstable lover 

Nathan. 

Swift, Jonathan Gulliver's Travels 

The adventuring Gulliver is shipwrecked and captured by strange people: from tiny Lilliputians to 

gigantic Brobdingnagians; from mad scientists to snooty horses. 

Tan, Amy The Bonesetter’s Daughter 

When Ruth Young discovers two packets of papers written in Chinese calligraphy by her estranged 

and rapidly deteriorating mother, Lu Ling, she is immediately sucked into the mystery and drama of 

her mother’s, her ancestors’ and her own history. 

Tartt, Donna The Secret History 

Equal parts thriller and literary achievement, this remarkable book centers on a small New England 

college, where a group of students falls under the influence of a charming professor. This idyll is 

shattered when the recreation of an ancient ritual goes horribly wrong, leading to one student’s 

death. 

Theroux, Marcel Far North 

In a world decimated by Global Warming, Makepeace Hatfield thinks she is the last person in 

Siberia. But when she sees a plane fly high overhead, she embarks on a journey to discover what it 

means, and where it came from. 

Tolstoy, Leo Anna Karenina 

In his portrayal of upper class life in 19th-century Russia, Tolstoy focuses on both the adulterous 

love of Anna and Vronsky and the courtship and marriage of Kitty and Levin. 

Toole, John Kennedy A Confederacy of Dunces 

The ridiculous Ignatius J. Reilly lives in New Orleans with his mother. In this hilarious novel, Reilly 

enters the work force for the first time happening upon a variety of zany characters and adventures. 

Trollope, Anthony The Way We Live Now 

Trollope captures the essence of human character in his relatively condensed novel. The story follows 

the defeats and successes of the captivating Carbury family as they forge their way through the 

harsh realities of 19 th century British society. 

Tsukiyama, Gail The Samurai’s Garden 

Seventeen-year-old Stephen leaves his home in Hong Kong just as the Japanese are poised to invade 

China. He is sent to Tarumi, a small village in Japan, to recuperate from tuberculosis. His developing 

friendship with three adults and a young woman his own age brings him to the beginnings of wisdom 

about love, honor, and loss. 

Turgenev, Ivan Fathers and Sons 

This book, written during the early rumblings of the Russian Revolution of 1917, follows Barazov and 

shows the conflict of generations in Russia prior to the final upheaval. 

Tyler, Anne Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant 

The story of family members trying simultaneously to hang on to each other and to free themselves 

from each other. 

24

Vonnegut, Kurt Slaughterhouse-Five 

This unconventional anti-war novel evokes both hilarity and horror as its non-linear plot leaps from 

the horrors of WWII, to the future, to the strange planet Tralfamadore. 

Walker, Alice The Color Purple 

In a series of letters, Celie, a young black woman, tells her story of horrifying misery and abuse in 

childhood and eventual triumph through love, learning, and self-esteem in adulthood. 

Walsh, Maurice The Small Dark Man 

Aodh MacFirbis is the small dark man, a wanderer with a rough tongue, an off-beat vocabulary, a 

heart of gold, and a penchant for taking his own road. 

Waugh, Evelyn A Handful of Dust 

Waugh, one of the great masters of English satire, explores the absurd comedy and profound tragedy 

of the British upper class in the twentieth century. 

Wharton, Edith House of Mirth 

Lily Bart's vacillation between conformity and rebellion results in social ostracism and tragedy. 

Winterson, Jeanette The Passion 

A lyrical story of the love between Henri, Napoleon’s disillusioned cook, and Villanelle, a Venetian 

pickpocket with a unique deformation whose heart is literally stolen by mysterious woman. 

Wolfe, Thomas Look Homeward, Angel 

Young Eugene Gant struggles toward adulthood and artistry amidst the oppressions of a 

domineering mother, clinging girlfriend, and Southern provinciality. 

Wolfe, Tom The Bonfire of the Vanities 

On a clandestine date with his mistress one night, WASPy Wall Street investment banker Sherman 

McCoy gets lost driving in the South Bronx, eventually hitting and injuring a young black man. The 

following scandal provides a bracingly realistic study of a corrupt, status-fixated society in which two 

castes clash and blend. 

Wolff, Tobias Old School 

In this author’s first fiction novel, an aspiring writer is in his final year at a New England prep school 

where literature comes before all else. A beautiful, startling, bookish tale. 

Woolf, Virginia To the Lighthouse 

Perhaps Woolf’s most accessible novel, this elegiac story presents the Ramsey family’s struggles with, 

and eventual comprehension of, change. 

Wright, Richard Native Son 

A story based on the actual case of a naive young black man who inadvertently murders a white 

woman. 

Wroblewski, David The Story of Edgar Sawtelle 

A modern-day echo of Hamlet, in which a mute boy forges deep bonds with dogs when his human 

relationships are torn apart. 

Wu, Cheng-En Journey to the West 

Considered one of the four pillars of Chinese literature. Wu Cheng-En tells the story of the Monkey 

King and his adventures fighting powerful Gods and guiding his master to obtain blessings from 

Buddha. 

25

HISTORICAL FICTION 

Belfer, Lauren City of Light 

As Buffalo prepares for the Pan-American Exposition in 1901, Louisa Barrett, the headmistress of a 

girls’ school, tries to free her students from their societal stereotypes while coping with her 

goddaughter Grace, who is grieving her mother’s death. The novel explores the status of women and 

showcases their personal strength. 

Brooks, Geraldine People of the Book 

Intermingling contemporary voices with historical ones, Pulitzer Prize-winner Brooks traces the story 

of the Sarajevo haggadah, a priceless Jewish relic from medieval Spain. A rich, moving study of 

intolerance and courage. 

Carr, Caleb The Alienist 

A group of friends explore the budding fields of psychology and criminology in a gruesome and 

thrilling hunt for a serial killer in turn of the century New York City. 

Catton, Bruce Mr. Lincoln's Army 

A chronicle of determination, daring, and disillusionment during the Civil War through the eyes of 

straw-foot country soldiers, supply runners, and generals. 

Chevalier, Tracy Girl With a Pearl Earring 

It is 1664 in Holland, and sixteen-year-old Griet and her family are on the verge of poverty. To feed 

her family, Griet is sent out to work as a maid so that she can bring her income back to her family. 

The house she works at belongs to the now-famous painter Vermeer, and she becomes the 

inspiration for one of his most well-known paintings. 

Crane, Stephen The Red Badge of Courage 

The cost of war is uppermost in this psychological story of a sensitive boy who slowly moves from 

timidity to great courage through the course of the American Civil War. 

DeFoe, Daniel Robinson Crusoe 

The 19th century story of a shipwrecked Englishman who lives alone for twenty-eight years on a 

deserted island. An original version of Castaway. 

Diamant, Anita The Red Tent 

The story of Jacob and his children…with a twist. Told by his only daughter, Dinah, The Red Tent 

gives the side of the story that was never told. From her “four mothers” to the husband that she lost, 

this touching story fills in the Biblical gaps. 

Doctorow, E.L. Ragtime 

Told through the eyes of three fictional American families and several actual historical figures, 

Ragtime captures the spirit of America at the turn of the century just before the start of World War I. 

Douglas, Lloyd The Robe 

The son of a Roman senator, exiled for humiliating the Emperor's heir, takes command of a decaying 

trading post on the Red Sea and finds himself in Jerusalem in time for the crucifixion. 

Eco, Umberto The Name of the Rose 

Intrigue, murder, theology, and semiotics lead to mystery in a 14th century Italian monastery. 

Follett, Ken Pillars of the Earth 

Set in twelfth century England, this gripping narrative explores the clashing ambitions of three 

menassociated with the building of a cathedral. The book provides a very interesting look at life in 

MedievalEngland and the social and political evolution of the church. 

26

Forsythe, Frederick The Day of the Jackal 

Shortly after the French have withdrawn from Nigeria, the meticulous plans for the assassination of 

apolitical figure, the renowned Charles DeGaulle, and the equally meticulous search for the assassin 

unfoldin suspenseful succession. 

George, Margaret The Memoirs of Cleopatra 

Cleopatra, the last ruler of Egypt, does everything she can to keep her beloved country out of trouble, 

butgets into a few mishaps of her own. With a little luck and a lot of courage, she outlives all of the 

othermembers of her family and struggles on to become one of the most famous Egyptian pharaohs 

of all time. 

Graves, Robert I, Claudius 

The dangerous and shady world of Roman politics during the reigns of the first four Emperors, as 

seen by Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus. 

Grossman, David The Intimate Book of Grammar 

Against the backdrop of Israel’s Six Days War, Grossman portrays a physically delayed Aron 

Kelinfeld, an adult whose mind is trapped in a twelve year-old boy’s body. Set during Israel’s Six Day 

War in 1967. 

Harrigan, Stephen The Gates of the Alamo 

This fascinating account of the Alamo does not focus on the big figures of the battle, but instead 

focuses on fictional ordinary people who are brought together to fight for a common cause. The book 

explores the feelings of nationalism in the people of Texas in the 1840’s. 

Higgins, Jack The Eagle Has Landed 

In the last years of World War II, Hitler proposes a mission to kidnap Winston Churchill. From the 

early stages of the plan to the final hours of the mission, this fast-paced adventure makes an exciting 

read. 

Holt, Victoria The Queen's Confession 

The fascinating story of Marie Antoinette, the Austrian woman who came to the throne of France at 

the age of nineteen. Written as a memoir from her days in prison, the book illustrates her decision to 

forgive her enemies and die heroically. 

Lederer, William J. and E. Burdick The Ugly American 

A forceful indictment of the United States' tactless and also ineffectual conduct of foreign policy in 

Southeast Asia. 

Lessing, Doris The Cleft 

In this stunning and bizarre tale of a possible human history, an old Roman senator who fancies 

himself a historian tells the tale of the Clefts, a society made up entirely of women, and what results 

when the first baby boy is born. 

Mailer, Norman The Naked And The Dead 

A gripping novel about Americans fighting the Japanese during World War II. 

McCormick, Patricia Purple Heart 

A young soldier in Iraq questions his role in the death of a young Iraqi boy he befriended. He 

struggles to become the “soldier he was before” his injury. 

O’Brien, Tim In the Lake of the Woods 

O’Brien narrows his focus to one soldier’s life after returning home from active duty as he explores 

the consequences of military combat in Vietnam. How did this war affect the soldiers that served in 

an “uncertain war for uncertain reasons? O’Brien’s novel portrays the impact of Vietnam on one 

military family after a soldier returns home. Winner of the 1995 James Fennimore Cooper Prize for 

Historical Fiction. 

27

Park, Jacqueline The Secret Book of Grazia dei Rossi 

A young Jewish woman living through the Italian Renaissance faces an impossible choice between 

passion and tradition. A look at fifteenth-century Italy through a lens of love and loss. 

Shaara, Michael Killer Angels 

A gripping view of the battle of Gettysburg through the eyes of the main players, both the famous and 

the little known. 

Slotkin, Richard Abe: A Novel of the Young Lincoln 

An American president “comes-of-age” in this creative portrayal of young Abe Lincoln, and Slotkin 

weaves imagination with historical detail to engage readers. When Abe loses both his mother and 

sister, he travels from north to south along the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to New Orleans, and he 

becomes a different person in the process. 

Sobel, Dava Galileo’s Daughter 

Sobel’s novel about “The Father of Modern Science” is based on letters between Galileo and his 

illegitimate daughter. 

Stone, Irving The Agony and the Ecstasy 

Stone’s exhaustively researched, first-person account of the life of Michelangelo brings alive the 

bustling streets of Florence, as well as the vivid emotions and surging passion which created the 

Italian Renaissance. 

Uris, Leon Exodus 

Uris writes a fast-moving novel tracing the history of the Jews from the close of the 19 th century to 

the establishment of the state of Israel. 

Wouk, Herman The Winds of War 

A fictional recreation of the years leading up to America's entry into World War II. In addition to 

romance and personal drama, the book provides sound insight into pre-war European/American 

politics. 

NONFICTION 

Abbey, Edward Desert Solitaire 

Following in the footsteps of Thoreau, John Muir, and Aldo Leopold, Abbey wanders through the 

American Southwest and the wilderness of his imagination. 

Ambrose, Stephen Band of Brothers 

This gripping history follows two WWII US Airborne divisions through training, D-Day, the Battle of 

the Bulge, and the defeat of Germany. 

Applegate, Debby The Most Famous Man in America: 

The Biography of Henry Ward Beecher 

Beecher was a Civil War-era preacher whose alleged affair with a parishioner caused nationwide 

scandal. This Pulitzer Prize-winner, features lively prose and a well-meaning but flawed central 

character. 

Ballard, Robert The Discovery of the Titanic 

An exciting story by the first person to locate and explore the wreckage of the ship that went down in 

1912. 

28

Bernstein, Carl and Bob Woodward All the President’s Men 

Two Legendary journalists recount the saga of their Watergate investigation, a process that leads to 

the end of a presidency and the birth of an era. 

Bird, Kai and Martin J. Sherwin American Prometheus: 

The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer 

In this biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the man who developed the atomic bomb, the reader 

receives a devastatingly sad look at the life of this figure. The most interesting part of the book is the 

second half, where the authors give a thorough look at the scientist’s troubled life after the bomb was 

dropped. 

Bissinger, H.G. Friday Night Lights 

An explosive tale of one town's obsession with its high school football team. 

Blum, Deborah Love at Goon Park 

What is love, and how powerful a force is it in our lives? Harry Harlow, one of the greatest 

psychologists of all time, studied the effects of love on the emotional well-being of monkeys. In one 

experiment, monkeys had to make choices between wire mothers that could give milk and soft cloth 

monkeys that could not give milk. 

Boulle, Pierre The Bridge over the River Kwai 

Obsessed with his notions of the superiority of English skill and perseverance, a captured British 

commanding officer, with his entire battalion, builds a bridge under Japanese orders. His pride in 

English ingenuity ironically makes him an ally of the enemy. 

Boylan, Jennifer Finney She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders 

An English professor describes her lifelong gender identity struggle and her eventual transition from 

man to woman. 

Brown, Dee Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee 

The documented account of the plunder of the American Indian. This book tells the Indian's side of 

the story, the story of broken treaties and massacres. 

Bryson, Bill A Walk in the Woods 

Bryson describes his foray into hiking the Appalachian Trail with great humor, self-deprecating wit 

and the occasional bear scare. 

Carr, David The Night of the Gun 

The author investigates the story of his descent into, and eventual climb out of, the cocaine lifestyle 

by interviewing former acquaintances. He discovers that he was much worse off than he had 

thought. 

Cary, Lorene Black Ice 

The author deals with the charged issues of adolescence, race, and gender at a posh New England 

boarding school. 

Chong, Denise The Girl in the Picture 

On June 8, 1972, a nine-year old South Vietnamese girl was napalmed by a misplaced American air 

strike. The picture that captured her terrified expression that day was reprinted around the world 

and helped to turn public opinion against the war. This book describes the events leading up to and 

following June 8th. 

Corbett, John The Man-Eaters of Kumaon 

John Corbett describes his campaign against the man-eating tigers of Kumaon in the foothills of the 

Himalayas in India. Corbett shares the experience that made him a great shikari. 

29

Dawkins, Richard The God Delusion 

In the controversial bestseller, the Oxford biologist presents powerful arguments against both the 

existence of God and the merits of religion. 

DeKay, James Tertius Monitor 

A historical account of the epic sea battle between the Monitor and the Virginia, during America’s 

Civil War. This fascinating gem reads like an adventure novel. 

Diamond, Jared Guns, Germs and Steel 

An intricate analysis of Western civilization’s conquest of the globe during the Age of Exploration. 

This book ties historical background to modern theories to uncover the underlying forces that 

enabled Europe to dominate the world. A triumph of analytical history with profound significance for 

the societies of today. 

Dillard, Annie Pilgrim at Tinker Creek 

A Pulitzer Prize-winning story of the natural surroundings in which the Pittsburgh-born journalist 

lives. 

Du Pré, Hilary and Piers A Genius in the Family 

The true story of Jacqueline Du Pré, a supremely talented British cellist whose career ends abruptly 

before she turns thirty. 

Ehrenreich, Barbara Nickel and Dimed 

The compelling, shocking, and often humorous account of an undercover journalist who tries to 

make ends meet the way most Americans do: as a minimum-wage worker in Walmart, maid services, 

and restaurants. 

Eiseley, Loren The Immense Journey 

Eiseley explores the wonder of the natural world in a series of scientific essays from "Little Men and 

Flying Saucers" to "The Secret of Life." 

Erlich, Gretel The Solace of Open Spaces 

One woman’s quest to understand the American West through cowboys, sheep ranching, and storms 

of the skies and the soul. 

Feinstein, John A Season on the Brink 

In this best-selling book, we see everything from heartbreak to triumph during a season with the 

most famous basketball coach ever, Bobby Knight of the Hoosiers. 

Filkins, Dexter The Forever War 

Filkins, a New York Times war reporter, tells the story of life in Iraq and Afghanistan. By turns 

thrilling, shocking, saddening, and enraging, this is a crucial work for those seeking to understand 

the post-Bush, post-9/11 world. 

Firlik, Katrina Another Day in the Frontal Lobe 

Written by a neurosurgeon at Greenwich Hospital, this witty account of brain surgery intertwines 

both case studies and the more emotional aspects of medicine. 

Freidan, Betty The Feminine Mystique 

When The Feminine Mystique was published in 1963, it exploded into American consciousness and 

started a feminist revolution. It is still relevant and provocative today. 

Freud, Sigmund The Psychopathology of Everyday Life 

A fascinating study of our "forgetfulness," our suggestive "slips of the tongue," and other mechanisms 

by which we conceal and unknowingly expose ourselves. 

30

Fussell, Paul The Great War and Modern Memory 

Winner of numerous literary awards, this work explores the culture and the poetry of World War I in 

a way that is both scholarly and intensely moving and proves that armed men of that war achieved 

heroism of epic proportions. 

Garcia, Christina Dreaming in Cuban 

A perceptive and poignant view of one family divided politically and geographically by the Cuban 

revolution and by the generational issues that separate them. 

Garrett, Laurie The Coming Plague 

A frightening, premonitory book on the perils that threaten the human race: Ebola, Lassa, AIDS, 

genetic engineering, drug-resistant bacteria, and global warming. 

Gladwell, Malcolm Outliers: The Story of Success 

Ever wondered why planes crash, how Bill Gates became so successful, or why Asians are so good at 

math? Gladwell explores the reasons behind to these outliers of life and comes up with surprising 

answers. 

Gleick, James Genius 

This biography of the late great physicist Richard Feynman provides a fascinating insight into the life 

and mind of one of this century's most brilliant scientists. 

Greenblatt, Stephen Will in the World 

Combining literary criticism with historical imagination, Greenblatt attempts to provide a coherent 

vision of Shakespeare’s elusive biography, and does so in a superbly readable and engaging fashion. 

Greene, Brian The Elegant Universe 

Greene explores a realm whose fundamental unit is a tiny, multidimensional string, where spacetime 

can warp, tear, and mend itself, and the final theory may be only years away. The biggest 

surprise, though, is that we are the inhabitants of this beautifully complex universe. 

Greenlaw, Linda The Hungry Ocean 

One of the world's few female swordfish boat captains recounts her tale of a thirty day adventure. 

This sea story belongs on the shelf with "The Perfect Storm." 

Gurko, Miriam The Ladies of Seneca Falls 

This book is a compelling and comprehensive account of the events surrounding the birth of the 

Women’s Rights Movement in America. 

Haggard, H. Rider King Solomon's Mines 

Highly colored romance and adventure in Central Africa in quest of King Solomon's Ophir. 

Sensational fights, bloodcurdling perils, and extraordinary escapes. 

Halberstam, David The Summer of '49 

The Pennant Race of 1949 has come down to the final game of the season, between the most 

celebrated rivals in baseball's history: the Yankees and the Red Sox. 

Harrington, Michael The Other American 

An impressive survey of the depressing landscape of poverty in America. 

Hawking, Stephen A Brief History of Time 

Hawking explores fundamental questions about the beginning of the universe, time, and matter in a 

book that is as readable as it is profound. 

Hayden, Torey L. Somebody Else’s Kids 

A remarkable story told by the author about four problem children put into her class, whom no one 

knew what to do with, and how she gave them what no one else could—a second chance. 

31

Hendra, Tony Father Joe 

Hendra intersperses his account of his life and satirical career with trips to see his spiritual mentor, 

monk Father Joe. Hendra’s talks with Father Joe suggest that life’s truths remain valid whether a life 

is spent in a monastery or in the presence of Monty Python. 

Hillenbrand, Laura Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, 

and Redemption 

Louis Zamperini goes from ruffian to Olympic track star to World War II and the Army Air Corps. 

Louis and his fellow corpsmen are lost at sea and later captured by the Japanese. 

Hofstadter, Douglas R. Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid 

The worlds of science and art, of language and mathematics come together in this intellectual tour de 

force. 

Hopkins, Jerry and Danny Sugarman No One Here Gets Out Alive 

The biography of Jim Morrison, lead singer of The Doors, who rose to fame and fortune and crashed 

to his demise. 

Junger, Sebastian The Perfect Storm 

The storm hit with no warning, and the author describes what it feels like to be caught, powerless, by 

the fury of the elements, unable to control or even comprehend the power of nature. 

Kagan, Donald Peloponnesian War 

A thrilling account of the Peloponnesian War for the casual reader. Examining the war from the 

diplomacy that birthed it to the destruction which ended it, Kagan presents a fresh and vivid view of 

the conflict without sacrificing detail or scope. 

Karr, Mary The Liar’s Club 

At once poetic and astonishingly witty, this memoir tells the story of a young Texas girl growing up 

by the seat of her pants. 

Kayson, Susanna Girl, Interrupted 

Taken from the name of a painting by Jan Vermeer, this book's title frames the context for the 

adolescence of a girl whose life was indeed "interrupted" by three years in a mental hospital. 

Kerouac, Jack On the Road 

Father of the Beat Generation, Kerouac recounts several cross-country drives he took in his 

automobile and conveys the curious mixture of frenzy and ennui; passion and alienation; yearning 

and despair that sent him careening through space. 

Krakauer, Jonathan Into Thin Air 

A first-hand account of the 1996 Mt. Everest disaster. The author recounts the expedition and 

reflects on the compulsions that drive people to make the treacherous climb. 

Lacy, Robert and Danny Danziger The Year 1000 

An historian and a journalist delve beyond kings and battles to describe gritty, everyday life in 

eleventh century England in the context of world events. 

Leopold, Aldo Sand County Almanac 

A journal of the land, this book, that arguably started the modern environmental movement, is a 

lyrical and moving portrait of place in the tradition of Walden. 

Levin, Carole The Heart and Stomach of a King 

“I may have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king,” said 

Queen Elizabeth in a speech prior to her troops’ defeat of the Spanish Armada. This book examines 

Queen Elizabeth I as an unconventional ruler who contradicted gender stereotypes and proved to be 

one of the world’s most influential leaders. 

32

Lindley, Davi Uncertainty: Einstein, Heisenberg, Bohr, 

and the Struggle for the Soul of Science 

This book provides an in-depth look at Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle and its many effects on the 

scientists of the time. Many chemistry students will find this book very enlightening, as it delves 

deeper into many topics only brushed upon during the survey course. 

Lorenz, Konrad On Aggression 

Beginning with fish, and progressing to birds, dogs, and eventually people, Lorenz studies the 

purposes, benefits, and dangers of intra-specific aggression. 

MacKay, Charles, et al Extraordinary Popular Delusions and 

the Madness of Crowds 

Great cons, grand-scale madness, and bizarre schemes dominate this wonderfully eclectic collection 

of zaniness and mania from the past. 

McCourt, Frank Angela's Ashes 

The riveting and appalling story of a family's absolute devastation amid the squalor and poverty of 

Ireland, told with brutal honesty and also, miraculously, with fine humor. 

McCullough, David John Adams 

In this biography of the illustrious president and statesman, McCullough exposes the darker side of 

our founding father, revealing his belligerent personality through humorous anecdotes. 

McPhee, John Encounters with the Archdruid 

A brilliantly written portrait of David Brower, environmentalist par excellence. 

Maraniss, David They Marched into the Sunlight 

This brilliant work follows the stories of the soldiers on the battlefield, the students at the University 

of Wisconsin, and the leaders in Washington during the a few fateful days of the Vietnam War. The 

book masterfully intertwines these stories and allows the reader to pull together three very different 

views of the war. 

Markham, Beryl West with the Night 

The author, a pilot, inspires admiration for her courage and sensitivity in this story of daring flights 

across Africa during the early days of aviation. 

Massie, Robert K. Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman 

Pulitzer prize-winning writer Robert Massie tells the compelling story of an obscure, young German 

princess who rose to become Empress of Russia and ultimately, one of the most accomplished and 

powerful women in history. A rich, colorful and very readable biography. 

Massie, Robert Nicholas and Alexandra 

Czarevich Alexis' hemophilia draws the fraudulent monk Rasputin to the center of power in Russia, 

where his influence is one factor in the Russian Revolution. 

Mezrich, Ben Bringing Down the House 

This is the fascinating story of the MIT blackjack team, a group of talented student-gamblers who go 

to Vegas, Atlantic City, and other casinos, and win. The story follows their successes and failures as 

they are hunted down by the casino private investigators. 

Philbrick, Nathaniel In the Heart of the Sea 

The harrowing true story of the whale ship Essex, inexplicably sunk by a sperm whale. The story 

follows the crew on their ill-fated search for land. The story of the Essex inspired the conclusion of 

Melville’s Moby Dick. 

33

Reston Jr., James Warriors of God 

This gripping narrative of the 3 rd Crusade examines the conflict through the forceful personalities of 

its leaders, England’s Richard the Lionheart and the great Sultan Saladin. 

Rhodes, Richard The Making of the Atomic Bomb 

A fascinating narrative that chronicles the nuclear scientists during World War II whose research 

culminated in the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. 

Rilke, Rainer Maria Letters to a Young Poet 

A collection of 10 letters written by Rilke to a confused and frustrated youth. This collection is a 

must-read for young adults struggling to find security and peace in their lives. 

Roach, Mary Stiff 

An enthralling journey to the actual land of the dead. Roach humorously explores the "life" of 

cadavers and how someone can make a difference, even when he or she is stone-cold dead. 

Salzman, Mark Iron & Silk 

A young American teacher tells of his experiences in China during the early 1980’s, right after the 

end of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. 

Schama, Simon Citizens 

This history of the French Revolution, written by one of our most accomplished living historians, was 

appropriately called “an argument in the form of a story.” Narrative history at its best. 

Sevela, Ephraim We Were Not Like Other People 

A tough-minded Russian Jew gives a straightforward account of his travels through Siberia and 

Germany during World War II. 

Shilts, Randy And the Band Played On 

A powerful account of scientists' and politicians' willful indifference to the spread of AIDS. 

Smith, Adam The Wealth of Nations 

Widely regarded as a definitive work of modern economic theory, Smith’s “epic” study of human 

interactions within large-scale societies laid the foundation for economic thinkers from Alexander 

Hamilton to Karl Marx to Alan Greenspan. An excellent, eminently readable introduction to 

economics. 

Smith, Hendrick The Power Game 

Students of modern government could not hope for a sharper picture of American politics. Smith 

discusses anecdotes from his years as a New York Times correspondent and uses them to explain 

how the government really works. 

Spence, Jonathan The Search for Modern China 

The British historian portrays China’s history from the fall of the Ming Dynasty to present day. 

Despite its length, truly an enjoyable book to read. 

Stewart, Rory The Places In Between 

A Scottish writer records his experience walking across Afghanistan in a masterpiece of journalism, 

anthropology, and political commentary. 

Sykes, Bryan The Seven Daughters of Eve 

This fascinating story of one scientist’s research traces the origin of all Europeans back in time to 

seven women. Sykes combines modern science, imaginative narration, and eloquent humor to create 

a captivating book. 

34

Telander, Rich Heaven Is a Playground 

Basketball games played in big arenas may draw the headlines, but the heart and soul of the game 

are still found on the playgrounds and school yards of the inner city. An unforgettable look at 

friendships, frustrations, dreams, and the reality of youthful life in the ghetto. 

Theroux, Paul The Great Railway Bazaar 

For lovers of trains and travel — this ride begins exotically on the Orient Express and ends eerily on 

the Trans-Siberian Express. 

Tolan, Sandy The Lemon Tree 

A true story of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict told through the experiences of Bashir Khairi and Dalia 

Eshkenazi. This book provides two opposite and informative views of this controversial war which 

allows the reader to understand the conflict from both ends of the spectrum. 

Tougias, Michael J. Overboard 

The riveting narrative of a sudden, monstrous storm at sea and the miraculous coast guard rescue 

of Loch Reidy, father of Ashley Reidy ’10, 20 hours after he was washed overboard. 

Tuchman, Barbara A Distant Mirror 

A book about France in the 14th century as seen through the life of the good knight Enguerrand de 

Coucy VII. 

Van DeVanter, Lynda Home Before Morning 

A nurse tells her moving and often horrifying story of medical service in Vietnam during the war. 

Wallace, David Foster Everything and More 

This mathematical and philosophical—but also readable and entertaining—book by the acclaimed 

novelist chronicles the history of the concept of infinity. 

Waugh, John The Class of 1846 

No single group of men at West Point has been so indelibly written into history as the class of 1846. 

The class fought in three wars, produced twenty generals, and left the nation a lasting legacy of 

bravery, brilliance, and bloodshed. This fascinating chronicle traces the lives of these unforgettable 

men. 

West, Jessamyn The Woman Said Yes 

In this extremely thoughtful, two-part work, the author recounts a childhood assent to recovery from 

serious illness and an adult assent to euthanasia. 

Winchester, Simon The Professor and the Madman 

Graduate of Hopkins and Yale, William C. Minor, in prison for life, dominates this sensational tale of 

murder, madness, and the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary. 

Zehme, Bill Lost in the Funhouse: The Life and Mind of Andy Kaufman 

Zehme actually succeeds in probing the mind of this legendary performance artist: his unique 

routines, his questionable psychosis, and his tragic death. 

PHILOSOPHY 

Aristotle The Ethics 

In this crucial work of Western philosophy, Aristotle seeks to give meaning to human actions and to 

provide an understanding of happiness and virtuous living. 

35

Cutler, Howard C. and His Holiness The Dalai Lama The Art of Happiness 

This interview with the Dalai Lama explains the importance of seeking happiness and the ways to 

find it. Is it better to obtain everything we want or to want and appreciate what we have? How can we 

strengthen our connection to others and face suffering in our lives? 

De Montaigne, Michel The Complete Essays 

The great sixteenth-century philosopher reflects on diverse subjects ranging from clothing to 

cannibalism to education. 

Gandhi, Mohandas K. Satyagraha 

Various articles and interviews of Gandhi describing the philosophies and effectiveness of non-violent 

resistance (satyagraha). 

Herrigel, Eugen Zen in the Art of Archery 

The novel follows a Westerner’s experience with the art of Zen. Through Archery, Herrigel begins to 

understand the ideas present in Buddhist doctrines and learns about the ancient ways of Japan. 

James, William Pragmatism 

A uniquely American take on philosophy and logic, which demonstrates that it is the pragmatist who, 

guided by the experience of the senses and the working body of truth each person carries with him, 

is able to apply abstract philosophical ideas directly into his or her own life. Articulate, clear, and 

often very funny, James speaks plainly and directly to those wishing for a clear look into philosophy. 

Kierkegaard, Søren Fear and Trembling 

Through clever analysis of God’s ordering Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, the philosopher examines faith, 

ethics, and man's unique position as a religious being. 

Kyokai, Bukkyo Dondo The Teachings of Buddha 

Buddha's teachings filled over five thousand volumes and have been preserved for more than two 

and a half thousand years. This translation conveys the virtues of Buddhism in a simple, 

comprehensible manner. 

Marx, Karl The Communist Manifesto 

This fundamental text combines political philosophy, revolutionary spirit, and prophecy into a lively 

yet concise package of thought. Highly recommended for anyone interested in politics or history. 

More, Sir Thomas Utopia 

In this brief, philosophically pithy work, the author searches for the best possible form of 

government. 

Musashi, Miyatoto The Book of Five Rings 

The definitive Japanese work of strategy, written in the seventeenth century, is considered required 

reading for everyone from martial artists to modern business people. 

Nietzsche, Frederich Thus Spoke Zarathustra 

This landmark work is Nietzsche’s fullest exploration of his notion of the Superman, a supremely 

passionate and visionary individual with extraordinary capabilities. 

Plato The Republic 

Extremely influential in shaping Western ideals, this renowned work presents a perfect state, where 

trust and beauty take the place of all mean emotions and considerations. 

Sartre, Jean-Paul Existentialism and Human Emotions 

Sartre suggests the philosophical notion that we live in a universe without purpose. 

36

Thoreau, Henry David Walden 

Transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau considers man’s relationship with the natural world, 

refuting a life of “quiet desperation” by living alone for two years on tranquil Walden Pond. 

Tzu, Lao Tao Te Ching 

Ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu reflects the foundations of eastern philosophy through his 

masterpiece Tao Te Ching, where he discusses the significance of “tao” and its omnipresence in life. 

PLAYS/POETRY 

Anonymous (trans. Dorothy Sayers) The Song of Roland 

A medieval epic full of jealousy, betrayal, blood and gore as well as fierce fighting, loyalty, and sweet 

revenge. 

Anonymous (trans. Stephen Mitchell) Epic of Gilgamesh 

This Mesopotamian epic poem dates from as early as 1700 BCE. In it, Gilgamesh follows a young 

king of the city of Uruk along his quest for greatness and self-discovery. 

Baudelaire, Charles (trans. Richard Howard) Les Fleurs du Mal 

A revolutionary, scandalous collection when first published; this beautiful, philosophical poetry is 

unafraid of exploring the uncomfortable or the taboo. 

Bennett, Alan The History Boys: A Play 

A witty yet heartbreaking character drama about the intellectual and sexual exploits of British 

schoolboys as they are influenced by powerful teachers and their corresponding philosophies of 

education. 

Bishop, Elizabeth The Complete Poems: 1927-1979 

Bishop’s witty, reticent, and beautiful poetry focuses on her visions for and impressions of the world 

around her. 

Chekhov, Anton The Cherry Orchard 

Generally acknowledged as Chekov's best play, this story of Russian lethargy, sadness, and ennui 

actually pulses with wit, charm, and love. 

Collins, Billy Nine Horses 

These simply written poems explore profound themes and allow the reader to come to his or her own 

conclusions about the meanings. 

Dickinson, Emily The Essential Dickinson 

Emily Dickinson is one of the greatest poets of all time. These selections, chosen by Joyce Carol 

Oates, mark Dickinson's best poetic works. 

Eliot, T.S. Collected Poems 

Poetry about spiritual emptiness and other amusing topics. Difficult, but worth it. 

Frost, Robert The Poetry of Robert Frost (Edward Connery Lathem, ed.) 

This book brings together for the first time the full contents of all eleven of Frost’s individual books of 

verse, from A Boy’s Will through In the Clearing. 

Fugard, Athol Valley Song 

In post-apartheid South Africa, Fugard’s play explores evolving racial and generational differences. 

37

Heaney, Seamus (translator) Beowulf 

Heaney translates this epic poem passed down by oral tradition until carefully recorded by an 

anonymous monk during the 6 th century. Considered by many scholars as the beginning of Anglo- 

Saxon literature, the hero is a Viking warrior who seeks immortality through brave deeds. 

Hellman, Lillian The Children's Hour 

A malicious child brings tragedy to the two young women who own a boarding school when she 

accuses them of being lesbians. 

Herbert, Zbigniew (trans. Czeslaw Milosz) Selected Poems 

Sometimes austere, sometimes sardonic, these poems, written by one of Poland’s greatest poets, are 

translated into English by another. 

Ionesco, Eugene (trans. Derek Prouse) Rhinoceros and Other Plays 

Berenger, the French everyman, watches horrified as his closest friends turn slowly into rhinoceroses 

in this seminal work of the theater of the absurd. 

Kaufman, Moises The Laramie Project 

This play presents the reflections of the citizens of Laramie, Wyoming, the site of the murder of gay 

student Matthew Shepard, as they attempt to understand the crime and its causes. 

Keats, John The Poetical Works of John Keats 

(H. Buxton Forman, and ed.) 

The whole of Keats’ known works in verse are included in this volume including sixteen lines of The 

Eve of St. Mark, found by the editor in Keats’ scrapbook. 

Khayyam, Omar The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam 

Persian philosopher and scientist speaks in poetry of life, death, love, and drinking in the woods. 

Lorca, Federico (Donald M. Allen, ed.) The Selected Poems of Federico Garcia Lorca 

A selection of Lorca’s beautiful and timeless poems written in both their native Spanish and the 

translated English. 

Mamet, David Glengary Glen Ross 

A gritty, realistic drama in which an office competition goes bad: first prize is a Cadillac; third prize is 

loss of a job. 

Marlowe, Christopher Dr. Faustus 

A man sells his soul to gain knowledge and power. 

Merwin, W.S. Migration 

Migration is the distillation of a profound body of work, drawing the best poems from Merwin’s 

acclaimed 17 books, and including a selection of new poems. It charts his evolving poetic style, 

dedication to bearing witness, and artistic and political nerve. A subtle but arresting masterpiece. 

Miller, Arthur All My Sons 

An intense family drama about Joe Keller, a man who must come to terms with his family and take 

responsibility for his actions during WWII. 

Milton, John Paradise Lost 

One of England's greatest poets offers a philosophical epic at once so piercing in approach, so 

stimulating in effect, and so gentle in feeling that it becomes both a joy and a necessity to think 

about the religious questions he addresses. 

Neruda, Pablo 20 Love Poems and a Song of Despair 

These romantic poems, which launched the Nobel Prize-winning poet to international fame, present 

Neruda’s search to understand love and its many incarnations of joy, passion, desire, and longing. 

38

Oliver, Mary New and Selected Poems: Volume One 

These poems by Mary Oliver glow with joyful lyricism and a strong connection to the natural world’s 

many modes and meanings. 

Rich, Adrienne Telephone Ringing in the Labyrinth 

Rich’s powerful and elegant poetry examines life and culpability through the lens of her profound 

sense for the passage of time. 

Rilke, Rainer Maria The Selected Poetry (Stephen Mitchell, ed. and trans.) 

Stephen Mitchell does justice to Rilke’s out-of-this-world poetry. One reviewer says, “It is easy to feel 

that if Rilke had written in English, he would have written in this English.” Everyone can find 

something in Rilke’s poetry to relate to. His work is profound yet beautiful and enjoyable. 

Rose, Reginald Twelve Angry Men 

This intense and suspenseful 1950s drama unfolds over the course several hours as an all-white jury 

deliberates over the fate of an African-American accused of murder. 

Rostand, Edmond Cyrano de Bergerac 

Swashbuckling, eloquent, and overflowing with panache, Cyrano is one of the most unforgettable 

personalities in French drama. 

Ruhl, Sarah The Clean House and Other Plays 

This fantastic collection of plays includes, among others, The Clean House, a story of uncommon 

romance and unforgettable comedy, and Eurydice, a reinvention of the classic Greek tragedy of 

Orpheus and Eurydice. 

Sappho Poems, A New Version 

Translated by Willis Barnstone, this collection showcases the woman Plato hailed "the tenth Muse." 

This new translation captures the striking intensity of Sappho’s surviving work. 

Shaw, George Bernard Heartbreak House 

George Bernard Shaw’s play captivates audiences with eccentric characters like the elderly Captain 

Shotover. Overtly comic, the playwright portrays the British upper class response to World War I. 

Shepard, Sam Curse of the Starving Class 

This comic tragedy traces the undoing of the classically American yet utterly dysfunctional Tate 

family as they struggle to connect with each other and to validate themselves and their lives. 

Stevens, Wallace Harmonium 

Written by one of the greatest American poets, the poems in this collection are sometimes 

philosophical, mysterious, and imposing, but, always, they are exquisitely beautiful. 

Stoppard, Tom The Real Inspector Hound 

In a classic parody of detective stories from all ages, Stoppard creates a mansion, a murder, and total 

mayhem, all of which is painfully spelled out for the audience in humorous exposition. 

Vogel, Paula How I Learned to Drive 

Told through the troubling relationship between a young girl named L’il Bit and her older Uncle Peck, 

this winner of the 1998 Pulitzer Prize is a funny, twisted, and devastating tale about family and 

growing up. 

Whitman, Walt Leaves of Grass 

An American poet's "master work" embraces humanity in original verse. 

Wordsworth, William and Samuel Taylor Coleridge Lyrical Ballads 

This revolutionary volume of poems, written by two of the greatest English poets, helped to launch 

the Romantic movement in literature and contains some of its greatest verse. 

39

Zindel, Paul The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds 

Tilli, a resilient young girl, finds, through imagination and love of science, the inspiration to look 

upon the world with uninhibited optimism despite the pain she suffers. 

AUTOBIOGRAPHIES AND MEMOIRS 

Angelou, Maya I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings 

A remarkably poetic and very frank autobiography of a young black woman. This is the first volume. 

Bauby, Jean-Dominique The Diving Bell and the Butterfly 

The editor of Elle when he had a massive stroke at age 42, Bauby composed this slim memoir letter 

by letter by blinking his left eye as the alphabet was read to him. Deeply moving and surprisingly 

funny, this is an extraordinary affirmation of the human spirit. 

Beah, Ishmael A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier 

The inspirational, true story of Ishmael Beah’s journey through war-torn Sierra Leone, first as a 

student, and then as a boy soldier in the government army. 

Cleaver, Eldridge Soul on Ice 

The memoirs of a Black Panther, this novel helped to change the way America viewed the civil rights 

movement. 

Dawidoff, Nicholas The Crowd Sounds Happy 

The Hopkins’ alumnus tells the story of his youth in New Haven: his disturbed father, his remarkable 

mother, and his love for baseball. A beautiful and measured treatment of a childhood. 

Didion, Joan The Year of Magical Thinking 

Joan Didion’s latest masterpiece: the heart-wrenching narrative of her devastating year, the year of 

magical thinking. Brutally honest and beautifully articulated, Didion achingly uncovers the shock, 

disbelief and pain following the death of her husband and the hospitalization of her only daughter. 

Dylan, Bob Chronicles: Volume One 

Evocative and eccentric, Bob Dylan charts his intellectual development in this autobiography, an 

achievement as revelatory as his best albums. 

Fisher, Antwone Q. Finding Fish: A Memoir 

This autobiography chronicles the life of its author, Antwone Fisher. It eloquently shows how one 

young man can transform himself from a neglected and abused foster child into a successful and 

influential artist and author. 

Franklin, Benjamin Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin 

An honest view - factual but amusing - of Ben Franklin as scientist, inventor, educator, diplomat, 

politician, father, husband, friend, and humorist. 

Grealy, Lucy Autobiography of a Face 

A memoir about the pain of physical difference and the unique insight that results. Told within the 

context of an extraordinary tale of survival. 

Haley, Alex and Malcolm X The Autobiography of Malcolm X 

Malcolm X recalls his early childhood, introduction to sordid Harlem, years in prison, when he 

became a disciple of Elijah Muhammud, the Black Muslim, and his journey to Mecca, which 

occasioned his eventual break with Muhammud. 

40

Klein, Genda Weissmann All But My Life 

The autobiography of a girl struggling to survive during the Holocaust, reminiscent of Anne Frank’s 

famous diary. 

Levi, Primo Survival in Auschwitz 

The author’s vivid account of ten months spent in concentration camps, during World War II. 

Mishima, Yukio Sun and Steel 

The autobiography of Japan's most famous modern writer traces his life from delicate childhood to 

fierce, truculent defense of Japanese traditions and ends with preparations for his Samurai ritual 

suicide. 

Monette, Paul Becoming a Man 

This intense, poetic autobiography follows Monette from childhood to college, charting his struggles 

with identity, art, and sexuality. 

Moody, Anne A Coming of Age in Mississippi 

In a brutally candid autobiography, Moody portrays her life in the American South of the 1940’s and 

1950’s. 

Rodriguez, Richard Hunger of Memory 

A beautiful and reflective study of the ambiguous value of an American education for a talented 

Mexican-American. 

Ruff, Willie A Call to Assembly 

The famous musician, who teaches at Yale (and performs sometimes at Hopkins), tells the inspiring 

story of his life. 

Singer, Isaac Bashevis In My Father's Court 

In these memoirs of the author's childhood in Warsaw, where his father was a poor Rabbi, Singer 

portrays a child's view of adult complexities — divorce, war, love affairs, and poverty. 

Walls, Jeanette The Glass Castle: A Memoir 

A captivating memoir about Walls’ childhood that paints a poignant portrait of one of the most 

unconventional families in America, complete with eccentric parents, fires, stars, and glass castles. 

Welty, Eudora One Writer's Beginnings 

The priceless reminiscence of a young girl growing up in Mississippi. 

Wiesel, Elie All Rivers Run to the Sea: Memoirs 

The life story of Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel who survived Auschwitz unbroken in spirit and 

worked to fight indifference for the rest of his life. 

Wilsey, Sean Oh the Glory of it All 

This bestselling memoir of the son of San Francisco socialites is in the same vein as works by David 

Eggers and David F. Wallace. Witty, dramatic, dense, and sad, it is one of the better coming-of-age 

stories of the new millennium. 

Wolff, Tobias In Pharaoh’s Army 

Shattered illusions and personal loss during wartime: Wolff’s memoir portrays a soldier’s accelerated 

coming of age in Vietnam. Wolff’s survival depends on blind luck and his ability to appear inoffensive. 

41

MYSTERY 

Coben, Harlan Tell No One 

While vacationing at their lake house, David Beck’s wife and childhood sweetheart Elizabeth Parker 

was brutally murdered. Eight years later, David receives a cryptic email hinting that Elizabeth might 

be alive. 

Collins, Wilkie The Moonstone 

Often called England’s first mystery writer, Collins recounts the disappearance of a rare Indian 

diamond in the Yorkshire countryside. Everyone is a suspect as readers try to solve this “whodunit.” 

Diehl, William Show of Evil 

In this sequel to the blockbuster Primal Fear, chief prosecutor Martin Vale seeks to right his mistakes 

by placing behind bars the serial killer he once set free. 

Flynn, Vince Transfer of Power 

Mitch Rapp has always kept to the shadows. However, as an agent for the CIA, he is constantly 

fighting to protect a country that doesn't even know of his existence. When terrorists take over the 

White House and hostages are taken, Mitch Rapp must find a way inside and retake America's most 

important icon. 

Hammett, Dashiell The Maltese Falcon 

Nothing is as it seems as an audacious detective investigates the murder of his partner. 

Hillerman, Tony The Blessing Way 

Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn of Navajo "law and order" tracks a wanted man's murderer, while Bergen 

McKee, anthropologist, tracks a walking Navajo myth in Canyon country. 

le Carré, John Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy 

Master spy George Smiley is pulled out of retirement to discover the identity of a Russian mole at the 

very top of the British Secret Service, in the middle of a Cold War, but in order to do so, he must 

uncover the truth about his former colleagues and his own failing marriage. 

MacDonald, John D. A Purple Place for Dying 

A murder hunt just north of Mexico, featuring Mona Yeoman — blond, beautiful, and dead — and 

Travis McGee — beach bum and "Salvage Expert." 

Puig, Manuel Kiss of the Spider Woman 

Two men imprisoned together in Argentina build a relationship on love, movies, and politics. 

Sayers, Dorothy Gaudy Night 

From the master of mysteries for educated mystery lovers comes this weird, intriguing story set in a 

women's college at Oxford, starring Harriet Vane on the criminal trail with plenty of time out, 

between suspects, for her romance with Lord Peter Wimsey. 

Tey, Josephine Brat Farrar 

A young man steals the life of his dead twin and impersonates him as a horse farmer in the English 

countryside. 

Turow, Scott Presumed Innocent 

The story of a prosecuting attorney named Rusty who is secretly having an affair. Soon after breaking 

up with his mistress, she is found dead, and all of the evidence points toward him. 

42

SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY 

Asimov, Isaac I, Robot 

By blurring the line between robots and humans, the author explores the meaning of humanity. 

Austen, Jane and Seth Grahame-Smith Pride and Prejudice and Zombies 

A hilarious, if slightly bloody, version of the beloved classic, appreciable only after reading the 

original 

Pride and Prejudice. 

Bacigalupi, Paolo The Windup Girl 

In a post Oil-Crash Bangkok ravaged by genetically engineered diseases, Anderson Lake is the 

representative of AgriGen, a calorie company at the forefront of global trade and western economic 

dominance. A compelling story of political science fiction. 

Barker, Clive. Abarat 

Candy Quackenbush's life in Chickentown, Minnesota is utterly boring, unil an ocean rolls into the 

plains near her town. The waves carry her to the Abarat, an archipelago of twenty-four islands, each 

of which corresponds to an hour of the day. 

Bradley, Marion Zimmer The Mists of Avalon 

The legend of King Arthur told through the words and eyes of the women who were central to it. 

Clarke, Arthur 2001: A Space Odyssey 

Adapted from the movie, this novel traces the evolution of man from the dawn of intelligence to his 

exploration of the universe. 

Clarke, Arthur C. Childhood's End 

Superior beings from outer space take over the earth in this science fiction novel, which is one of the 

most famous science fiction tales. 

Crichton, Michael Sphere 

Under the calm blue waters of the Pacific Ocean, a mysterious sphere is discovered. A team of 

scientists is flown in to conduct a top-secret investigation of what could be the first signs of alien life 

on earth. However, what they discover within the sphere will lead them to new insights into human 

nature and to our fear of the unknown. 

Cussler, Clive Atlantis Found 

When NUMA Agent Dirk Pitt discovers that a seemingly random set of events are connected, he 

investigates. His queries lead to an ancient mystery with devastating modern consequences, and a 

dastardly enemy unlike any he has ever faced. Now, he is racing to save not only his life—but the 

world. Only one man stands between the earth and total destruction... 

Dick, Philip K. Radio Free Albemuth 

This posthumously published novel offers a rewritten history of an America that suffers from political 

oppression. 

Grossman, Lev The Magicians 

Quentin Coldwater explores his new, exciting life in the fantastical land of Fillory. Coldwater 

searches for magic and a purpose to a bleak and apathetic subsistence. In a chillingly realistic 

portrayal of humanity, Grossman’s book also illustrates the challenge of daily life. 

Heinlein, Robert Stranger in a Strange Land 

A heroic stranger, reared on Mars, returns to Earth to create a Utopian society. 

43

Herbert, Frank Dune 

In this masterpiece of science fiction, Paul Atreides seeks vengeance for the death of his father while 

embracing his own superhuman abilities on the desert planet Arrakis. 

Ishiguro, Kazuo Never Let Me Go 

Ruth, Kathy, and Tommy seem like normal children: they go to school, they pick fights, they fall in 

love. Yet these three children are anything but normal. They are clones, destined to donate their 

organs to humans so that the humans can live longer, even as the donors slowly fall apart. Ruth, 

Kathy, and Tommy’s brief but passionate loves and lives intertwine in this frightening yet compelling 

story of the destruction wrought by time. 

Jordan, Robert The Eye of the World 

Robert Jordan’s world is full of heroes and antiheroes, hope and dismay, blessings and curses, and 

whatever else lies in between. Jordan follows epic tradition through universal themes in the first The 

Wheel of Time series. 

MacDonald, George Back of the North Wood 

A series of enchanted adventures in and out of the mind of a sick child, who finds a friend in the 

north wind and a land at her back. 

Martin, George R.R. A Game of Thrones 

Winter is coming to the Seven Kingdoms, and the honorable Lord Stark of the North must scatter his 

family and travel south to protect the King, the realm, and his own children from the ruthless 

machinations of the evil queen and other contenders for the Iron Throne. 

Morrow, James Towing Jehovah 

An aging sea captain is assigned the top-secret mission of towing God's corpse from the Atlantic to 

theNorth Pole. The meaning of faith becomes central through the various crew members' reactions to 

the mission. 

Sagan, Carl Contact 

Ellie Arroway discovers a signal from the star Vega. There are messages on several levels, one of 

which contains the design of a ship that moves faster than light. 

Tevis, Walter Mockingbird 

A brilliant and moving novel about our future in a world populated by zoos full of robotic animals, 

people on sedatives, a humanity unable to reproduce, a robot who longs to die, and a man who 

learns to read. 

Valente, Catherynne M. Deathless 

Deathless is inspired by the Russian folktale “The Death of Koschei the Deathless”, but is set in a 

version of Communist Russia where mythical creatures have joined the Party. Marya Morevna grows 

up vaguely aware of strange, magical happenings around her but she is thrown into another world 

when Koschei, a devil in a sharp uniform, shows up to steal her away. Beautifully written, Deathless 

is clever, feminist and unexpected. 

SHORT STORIES AND ESSAYS 

One Thousand and One Arabian Nights 

Thousands of years’ worth of Mesopotamian Mythology and Arabic folk tales, collected into one of the 

most influential storybooks of all time. Open sesame! 

The Mabinogion 

Eleven Welsh stories that were transmitted orally for centuries before being written down in the 

thirteenth century comprise an enchanting mixture of magic, myth, fantasy, and history. 

44

Barrett, Andrea Ship Fever 

This collection of short stories does an impressive job of merging the concrete, quantifiable world of 

science with the murkier realm of human emotion. Each story examines a different period in 

scientific history through the sensitive protrayal of individual characters. 

Borges, Jorge L. Labyrinths 

A collection of short stories featuring real and fictitious criminals. 

Capote, Truman Music for Chameleons 

Bright, chilling, and enticing stories from a boldly, beautifully weird writer. 

Carver, Raymond What We Talk About When We Talk About Love 

Carver’s plain, bare-bones prose style is epitomized in this collection of short stories about love and 

all its baggage. While the characters are devastatingly ordinary and their interactions seemingly 

trivial, each story is a deeply nuanced commentary on what it means to form connections with 

others. 

Chandler, Raymond Farewell, My Lovely 

Hard-boiled detective stories from the private-eye era of the 1940's. 

Currie, Ron, Jr. God is Dead 

God is accidentally killed while observing the Genocide in Darfur. Currie’s loosely related dystopian 

stories paint a bleak portrait of a godless future. 

Danticat, Edwige The Dew Breaker 

A series of interlocking short stories by a young Haitian-American writer explores an immigrant 

family’s present in America and past on the island. 

Diaz, Junot Drown 

A collection of stories about life in the roughest neighborhoods of the Dominican Republic and urban 

New Jersey; Diaz portrays his gritty subjects with honesty and affection. 

Dusing, Bill Living on the Earth 

A collection of essays by a Connecticut farmer that comments on our environment, our political 

process, and the beauty of nature. 

Evans, Danielle Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self 

Evans’ eight short stories are surprising, heartbreaking, insightful, or funny. 

Fitzgerald, F. Scott Collected Stories: 

Flappers and Philosophersand Tales of The Jazz Age 

Fitzgerald’s nineteen short stories appeared initially in magazines and quickly followed in print as 

admiring fans asked for more. Published before his novel, The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald earned early 

fame and a paycheck writing about popular culture as the Jazz Age captivated post-war America. 

Gould, Stephen Jay Bully for Brontosaurus 

This collection of essays by Stephen Jay Gould, a professor of zoology and geology at Harvard, is both 

illuminating and entertaining. All loosely related to natural history, Gould never talks down to his 

reader and provides a truly satisfying read. 

Hemingway, Ernest In Our Time 

A confirmation of post-war disillusionment, Ernest Hemingway published In Our Time in 1925 and 

influenced a “Lost Generation” of writers. Later recognized as one of the most original short story 

collections in 20 th century literature, In Our Time includes two “Nick Adams” stories: “Big Two- 

Hearted River” and “Indian Camp”. 

45

Johnson, Dennis Jesus’ Son 

A twisted, drug-addled, poetic, dreamlike collection of fragments and journeys; a soul-draining 

voyage of dull and desperate moments. A life in small towns and big cities along the highways of the 

American heartland. Eleven short stories, one narrator. 

Kafka, Franz The Penal Colony 

A man turns into a cockroach; an officer is destroyed by the wreck of his own torture machine — 

these are but two grotesqueries from this collection of lurid, compelling, and brilliant short stories. 

Lahiri, Jhumpa Interpreter of Maladies 

A collection of stories that beautifully depict the struggle of all immigrants: to fit into their new home 

while still retaining the culture of their heritage. 

Le, Nam The Boat 

Set in Columbia, New York City, Iowa, Tehran, Hiroshima, and small-town Australia, these important 

contemporary short stories are global in scope, yet each character is as real as the person next to 

you. 

Lewis, Thomas The Lives of a Cell: Notes of a Biology Watcher 

A collection of essays for the New England Journal of Medicine on biology and medicine; the essays 

also reflect the original voice and startling prescience for which Thomas was best known. 

Lovecraft, H.P. The Doom That Came to Sarnath and Other Stories 

Twenty short stories (several of which have been made into cult films) are fascinating explorations of 

dreams, horror, and madness, which find their closest parallels in stories by Edgar Allen Poe. 

McCullough, David (Editor) Great Detectives: A Collection of Mysteries 

Suspect and accuse, determine and deduce your way through this collection of stories which include 

the best of "the great detectives.” 

Minot, Susan Monkeys 

Nine stories centered on the Vincents, a New England family with a Catholic mother and a Brahminbackground 

father. The children grow up, enduring a tragic accident. 

Munro, Alice Runaway 

This short story collection explores the complex and unpredictable world of human interaction. Set in 

rural Canada, men and women of all ages drift in and out of each others’ orbits, pulled by forces they 

do not understand. Each story is told with a sense of both sympathy and menace. 

O’Connor, Flannery The Complete Stories 

Southern Gothic masterworks to freeze the heart and chill the soul. 

Orwell, George Why I Write 

A collection of essays by British author George Orwell, author of Animal Farm and 1984. Orwell 

explains his dedication to writing, reacts to several political movements of his time, opposes 

England’s rigid social class system, and vehemently objects to the misuse and abuse of English in 

political language. 

Plimpton, George The Best of Plimpton 

The writer of many sports essays, Plimpton collects his very best work in this book. 

Poe, Edgar Allan The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales 

The master of Gothic literature serves up the best in prematurely buried, unburied, dismembered, 

disfigured, and variously butchered humans and felines in this collection of horror stories. 

46

Roth, Phillip Goodbye, Columbus and Five Short Stories 

This collection’s title story is about a young Radcliffe girl and a Rutgers boy who learn that there is 

more to love than just passion and exuberance. 

Sedaris, David Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim 

In this collection of short essays, Sedaris exhibits his satirical views on his own life. His funny and 

thoughtful essays portray images true to everyday life, and he carefully mixes intelligent insights 

with humorous rants. 

Thompson, Dr. Hu The Great Shark Hunt: Strange Tales from a Strange Time 

Thompson's collected essays from 1956 to the end of the 1970s, chronicling political campaigns, 

scandals, trials, sporting events, the Hells Angels, and the infamous Las Vegas escapades, all in 

distinctive Gonzo style. 

Wallace, David Foster Brief Interviews with Hideous Men 

An accessible collection of short stories interspersed with fictional interviews with a series of men, 

each of whom has a hideous characteristic. 

White, E.B. One Man's Meat 

A collection of personal essays about "peaceful pursuits,” written with delightful and congenial 

humor. 

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2012 Summer Reading Guide - Hopkins School

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