The novel follows the life of a woman named Una, whose curiosity and intelligence push
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| 2010-2011 Language Arts 12th Grade Reading List Contemporary Literature RAhab’s Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund (Fiction), 688 pages The novel follows the life of a woman named Una, whose curiosity and intelligence push her beyond the bounds of her family, her region, and her gender. It begins with the adult Una freezing to death while in the midst of childbirth during a blizzard which has just killed her mother. A run-a-way slave helps to deliver Una’s child. RAmerican Pastoral by Philip Roth (Fiction), 432 pages Nathan Zuckerman recalls an innocent time when Seymour Levov was the pride of his Jewish neighborhood whose life did not turn out as expected. It is a story about the challenges in America during the 60’s. It is the story of a father who has “utterly lost his daughter” during this difficult decade. RBeauty by Robin McKinley (Fiction), 336 pages This is a retelling of the classic tale, Beauty and the Beast. In this version, Beauty is not as beautiful as her older sisters, who are both lovely and kind. Here, in fact, Beauty has no confidence in her appearance but takes pride in her own intelligence, her love of learning and books, and her talent in riding. She is the most competent of the three sisters, which proves essential when they are forced to move to the country because of their father’s financial ruin. RThe Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (Fiction), 288 pages Believed to be an autographical novel about the author, it tells the story of a gifted young woman’s mental breakdown beginning during a summer internship as a junior editor at a magazine New York City in the early 1950’s and is a tale of a woman’s descent into insanity. RCharms for the Easy Life by Kaye Gibbons (Fiction), 272 pages This story depicts three generations of Southern women living together during World War II. Unworthy men marry into this formidable tribe but they cannot break the women’s circle of strength and grace. RCrocodile Bird by Ruth Rendell (Fiction), 384 pages Eve lives in isolation as caretaker of a remote, (mostly) vacant British estate, where she raises and educates her illegitimate daughter, Liza, away from any modern influences. She becomes involved with men from time to time, but if her privacy is threatened in any way, she murders them. REva Luna by Isabelle Allende (Fiction), 320 pages Born in the back room of the mansion where her mother toils, and herself in service from an early age, Eva Luna escapes oppression through story telling. Rolf Carle flees Germany for South America to escape childhood memories of burying the concentration camp dead. The two are brought together by guerilla Huberto Naranjo, Eva’s lover and Rolf’s friend. RFried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle stop Café by Fannie Flagg (Fiction), 416 pages Cleo Threadgood, 86, shares a lifetime of memories of Whistle Stop, Alabama where the social scene centered on its one café with Evelyn Couch, a younger woman who is looking for meaning in her life. RGirl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier (Fiction), 240 pages The story centers on Vermeer’s prosperous Delft household during the 1760’s. When Griet, the novel’s quietly perceptive heroine, is hired as a servant, turmoil follows. First, the 16-year-old narrator becomes increasingly intimate with her master. Then Vermeer employs her as his assistant—and ultimately has Griet sit for him as a model. The story ends with “a delicious twist.” RThe Greenlanders by Jane Smiley (Fiction), 608 pages This is a story about a Scandinavian settlement that lasted perhaps 500 years. The action centers on the family of Gunnar Asgeirsson. Gunnar’s sister Margret is married off to Olaf, but he fails to consummate the marriage, and Margret begins a clandestine affair with a Norwegian sailor who has stayed on in Greenland as a household retainer. Violence and tragedy ensue. RGrendel by John Gardner (Fiction), 192 pages This is a retelling of the Beowulf epic from the point of view of the monsters, Grendel, the villain of the 8th-century Anglo-Saxon epic. RHow Green Was my Valley by Richard Llewellyn (Fiction), 512 pages This is a bitter sweet coming of age tale of a boy growing up in a large family in a small town, and of his love for his lovely sister-in-law. It’s a coal mining story so you can expect some tragedy. RIn Country by Bobbie Ann Mason (Fiction), 272 pages Sam Hughes, whose father was killed in Vietnam, lives in rural Kentucky with her uncle Emmett, a veteran whom she suspects is suffering from exposure to Agent Orange. Sam is a typical teenager, trying to choose a college, anticipating a new job at the local Burger Boy, sharing intimacies with her friend Dawn, breaking up with her high school boyfriend, and dealing with her feelings for Tom, one of Emmett’s buddies. RThe Killer Angels by Michael Shaara (Fiction), 368 pages This is a historical-fiction novel that retells the Civil War battle at Gettysburg. ROral History by Lee Smith (Fiction), 320 pages When Jennifer, a college student, returns to her childhood home of Hoot Owl Holler with a tape recorder, the tales of murder and suicide, incest and blood ties, bring to life a vibrant story of a doomed family that still refuses to give up. RPainted Bird by Jerzy Konzinski (Fiction), 234 pages The story follows a dark-haired, olive-skinned boy, abandoned by his parents during World War II, as he wanders alone from one village to another, sometimes hounded and tortured, only rarely sheltered and cared for. RParable of the Sower by Octavia Butler (Fiction), 352 pages Lauren Olamina is an 18 year old woman with hyperempathy syndrome—if she sees another in pain, she feels their pain as acutely as if it were real. When her relatively safe neighborhood enclave is inevitably destroyed, along with her family and dreams for the future, Lauren grabs a backpack full of supplies and begins a journey north. RPoisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (Fiction), 576 pages The story follows an evangelical Baptist minister’s family to the Congo in the late 1950’s, entwining their fate with that of the country during three turbulent decades. Nathan Price’s determination to convert the natives of the Congo to Christianity is, we gradually discover, both foolhardy and dangerous, unsanctioned by the church administration and doomed from the start. RPossession by A.S. Byatt (Fiction), 576 pages Together with Roland Michell, a fellow academic, Maud discovers a love affair between the two Victorian writers the pair has dedicated their lives to studying. As they unearth the truth about the long-forgotten romance their involvement becomes increasingly urgent and personal. RPractical Magic by Alice Hoffman (Fiction), 304 pages The story begins as a tale of two orphaned girls whose aunts they live with are witches and tells about their struggles in a New England town. RThe Things They Carried by Tim O’brien (Fiction), 149 pages A book that many consider to be a memoir that tells the story of soldiers during the Vietnam War and the struggles they dealt with. RWe Were the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates (Fiction), 464 pages The Mulvaneys are a happy family who have everything. After decades of marriage, Mom and Dad are still in love and the proud parents of a brood of youngsters that includes a star athlete, a class valedictorian, and a popular cheerleader. But, as we all know, Eden can’t last forever. RThe Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (Fiction), 400 pages This follows the story of Amir, the privileged son of a wealthy businessman in Afghanistan and the son of Amir’s father’s servant, Hassan. As children the boys are inseparable until an unspeakable event changes the nature of their relationship. Even after Amir and his father flee to America, he remains haunted by his cowardly actions and disloyalty. RA Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled HOsseini (Fiction), 384 pages The story covers three decades of anti-Soviet jihad, civil war and Taliban tyranny through the lives of two women; Mariam who is the scorned illegitimate daughter of a wealthy businessman, forced to marry a 40-year-old man at the age of 15 and 14-year-old Laila, an orphan who is also forced to marry Mariam’s older and cruel husband. RWatership Down by Richard Adams (Fiction), 496 pages The story follows a warren of Berkshire rabbits fleeing the destruction of their home by a land developer. As they search for a safe haven, skirting danger at every turn, the reader becomes acquainted with the band. World Literature Classics RAll Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot (Non-Fiction), 448 pages Follow the true adventures of veterinarian James Herriott and his charming comrades as he traverses the Yorkshire dales in the 1930’s attending to the ailing animals that he loved so dearly. RAnd then There Were None by Agatha Christie (Fiction), 272 pages Considered the best mystery novel ever written by many readers, this is the story of 10 strangers, each lured to Indian Island by a mysterious host. Once his guests have arrived, the host accuses each person of murder. Unable to leave the island, the guests begin to share their darkest secrets—until they begin to die. RBless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya (Fiction), 304 pages Set in New Mexico, Antonio is torn between his father’s cowboy side of the family who ride on theIiano and his mother’s village and farming relations. His life is forever altered when his aunt comes to live with the family. RBrave New World by Aldous Huxley (Fiction), 288 pages “Community, Identity, Stability” is the motto of this utopian World State. Here everyone consumes daily grams of soma, to fight depression, babies are born in laboratories, and the most popular form of entertainment is a “Feelie,” a movie that stimulates the senses of sight, hearing, and touch. Though there is no violence and everyone is provided for, Bernard Marx feels something is missing and senses his relationship with a young woman has the potential to be much more. RCat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood (Fiction), 480 pages When Elaine Risley returns to her Toronto for a show of her paintings, she finds more than critical acclaim. Local streets, long-gone landmarks, and elements in the paintings themselves trigger memories of her transient childhood traveling across Canada with her father; of adolescence marred by the cruel teasing of three friends; and love affairs with her first art teacher and mentor, and with Jon, her first husband. RDr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Lewis Stevenson (Fiction), 144 pages What would you do if you could drink an elixir that removes all guilt from your mind for a few hours and allows you to partake in things that you normally would never dream of? This novel gives us a glimpse of what could happen. REmma by Jane Austen (Fiction), 512 pages It is the story of a seemingly perfect young woman who, while attempting to play match- maker for other people, finds true love herself with an unlikely character. RThe English Patient by Michael Ondaatje (Fiction), 320 pages This is the story of the entanglement of four damaged lives in an Italian monastery as World War II ends. Each is haunted by the riddle of the English patient, the nameless, burn victim who lies in an upstairs room. RFrankenstein by Mary Shelley (Fiction), 352 pages Dr. Frankenstein uses the body parts of dead people to create life. The monster he creates is horrifying to him. The two try to hunt and kill each other. RMilagro Beanfield War by John Nichols (Fiction). 464 pages The peace-loving agrarians of Milagro find themselves oppressed by the city slickers and suits who draw up water-compacts and grazing regulations. Slowly, but certainly, they’re being squeezed off their ancestral lands, having their bucolic lifestyle eroded by the landed, the government, and the wealthy. RNectar in the Sieve by Kamala Markandaya (Fiction), 208 pages This is the very moving story of a peasant woman in a primitive village in India whose whole life was a gallant and persistent battle to care for those she loved. ROne Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Fiction), 448 pages This tells the story of the rise and fall, birth and death of the mythical town of Macondo through the history of the Buendia family. RRemains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro (Fiction) 128 pages Stevens is a perfect English butler who tries to give his narrow existence form and meaning through self-effacing, almost mystical practice of his profession. In a career that spans World War II, he is oblivious of the real life that goes on around him. RSiddartha by Hermann Hesse (Fiction), 112 pages Siddartha’s life takes him on a journey toward enlightenment. Meeting Gotama, the Buddha, he comes to feel this is not the right path and begins his journey again. RThe Stranger by Albert Camus (Fiction), 124 pages A young Algerian, afflicted with a sort of aimless inertia, becomes embroiled in the petty intrigues a local pimp and, somewhat inexplicably, ends up killing a man. It is the story of what happens after. RThings Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (Fiction), 224 pages The story depicts the rise and fall of a Nigerian whose sense of manliness is more akin to that of his warrior ancestors than to that of his fellow tribesmen who have converted to Christianity and are appeasing the British who infiltrate their village. RTill We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis (Fiction), 324 pages This is the tale of two princesses – one beautiful and one unattractive – and the struggle between sacred and profane love. RWuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (Fiction), 432 pages This is the romantic tale of the tormented relationship between Heathcliff and Cathy. RJane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (Fiction), 624 pages A woman of virtuous integrity, keen intellect, and tireless perseverance breaks through class barriers to win equal stature with the man she loves. R1984 by George Orwell (Fiction), 268 pages In a grim city and a terrifying country, where ‘Big Brother’ is always watching you and the Thought Police can practically read your mind, Winston is a man in grave danger for the simple reason that his memory still functions. RA Portrait of the Artist As a Young Man by James Joyce (Fiction), 256 pages Joyce’s semi-autobiographical first novel follows Stephen Dedalus, a sensitive and creative youth who rebels against his family, his education, and his country by committing himself to the artist’s life. American Literature Classics RThe Age of Innocence by Edith Warton (Fiction), 352 pages Newland Archer, of a wealthy New York family, has become engaged to pretty, naïve May. But as he tries to get their wedding date moved up, he becomes acquainted with May’s exotic cousin, Countess Olenska, who has returned home after dumping her cheating count husband. At first, the two are friends, but then they become something more. RThe Awakening by Kate Chopin (Fiction), 192 pages The story focuses on 28-year-old Edna Pontellier’s life. Struggling to fulfill her role as mother and wife as dictated by Southern society, she engages in an affair with a younger man. RA Death in the Family by James Agee (Fiction), 320 pages A novel about a family’s reaction to the accidental death of the father. RGrapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (Fiction), 464 pages The Joads and thousands of others are driven out of Oklahoma by drought and the Depression. It is the story of their struggle during this difficult time in American history. RInvisible Man by Ralph Ellison (Fiction), 608 pages The narrator of the novel is expelled from his Southern Black college for inadvertently showing a white trustee the reality of black life in the south. It is the story of his search for truth. RA Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain (Fiction), 184 pages It is the tale of Hank Morgan, a resident of 19th century Hartford Connecticut who is inexplicably transported to the early medieval England of King Arthur. RMy Antonia by Willa Cather (Fiction), 336 pages This is the story of two young people, Jim and Antonia. They meet for the first time when Jim is 10 and Antonia is 14. Separated and then reunited, it is the story of the forging of a friendship and unconditional love that time will not diminish. ROn the Road by Jack Kerouak (Fiction), 304 pages A writer holed up in a room at his aunt’s house decides to “hit the road and see America.” It is the story of his adventures and travels as he hitchhikes across America. RThe Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (Fiction), 288 pages It is the coming-of-age novel about a 17-year-old prep school student named Holden Caulfield who relates his lonely, life-changing twenty–hour stay in New York City as he experiences the phoniness of the adult world while dealing with his own personal issues. RThe Optimist’s Daughter by Eudoa Welty (Fiction), 180 pages The optimist is 71-year-old Judge McKelva who has come to a New Orleans hospital complaining of vision problems. It is the story of how he, his daughter, and his wife deal with the challenge. RA Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (Fiction), 528 pages Francie Nolan, an avid reader, has much to ponder in Brooklyn. She grows up with a sweet, tragic father, a severely realistic mother, and an aunt who gives likes the attention of men. It is the story of her life with these characters while growing up in Brooklyn, New York. RWise Blood by Flannery O’Conner (Fiction), 232 pages It is a comedy with a fierce, Old Testament soul. It is the story of a man named Hazel who does his best to avoid Jesus but continues to be mistaken for a preacher. It is the story of his adventures as he finally gives in to the preacher mode. Adolescent Literature Classics RAmandine by Adele Griffin (Fiction) 208 pages When Amandine asks Delia if she would like to see her drawings of “the ugliest things I ever saw in my entire life,” Delia can’t resist. Repulsed by the sick and twisted images, she is nonetheless drawn by her personality. Hungry for friendship, the Delia is drawn into Amandine’s odd world. RBreathing Underwater by Alex Finn (Fiction), 272 pages A 16-year-old, who is considered perfect by his classmates, suffers a turbulent home life with an abusive father, and he himself follows the pattern of violence. RCut by Patricia McCormick (Fiction), 160 pages Burdened with the pressure of believing she is responsible for her brother’s illness, 15- year-old Callie begins a course of self-destruction that lands her in a psychiatric hospital. It is her story of coming to grips with her dysfunctional family and the role they played in her brother’s health crisis. RDamage by A.M. Jenkins (Fiction), 192 pages Austin Reid is a star of his high school football team and dates the prettiest girl in the school. Everything would seem to be going great for him; yet, at its core, this novel is about Austin’s depression. RFeed by M.T. Anderson (Fiction), 320 pages This satire is set in a future world where television and computers are connected directly into people’s brains when they are babies. The result is a chillingly recognizable consumer society where empty-headed kids are driven by fashion, shopping, and silly entertainment. RThe First Part Last by Angela Johnson (Fiction), 144 pages This is the story of a 16-old-father and how he deals with the situation. RFlipped by Wendelin Van Draanen (Fiction), 224 pages Juli devoutly believes in three things: the sanctity of trees, the wholesomeness of the eggs she collects from her backyard chickens, and that someday she will kiss Bryce Loski. This is her story. RThe Gospel According to Larry by Janet Tashijian (Fiction), 246 pages Josh is bright and in love with Beth, the girl next door. Afraid to declare his love, he pours his energy into a clever Web site, through which his alter ego, Larry, gives advice and opinions. Beth loves Larry as well as people across the nation. This creates a new problem for Josh, how to tell her that he is Larry. RMiracle Boys by Jacqueline Woodson (Fiction), 144 pages This is the story of three brothers who overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. RSometimes I think I hear My Name by Avi (Fiction), 144 pages It wasn’t that 13-year-old Conrad didn’t like living with his aunt and uncle. It’s just that he missed his father and his mother. This is the story of the strangest week in his life where important questions were answered. RTouching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen (Fiction), 320 pages Cole Matthews is a violent teen offender convicted of viciously beating a classmate. Cole elects to participate in Circle Justice, an alternative sentencing program based on traditional Native American practices that results in his being banished to a remote Alaskan Island where he is left to survive for a year. RTrue Confessions of a Heartless Girl (Fiction), 224 pages This is the story of a pregnant teen from a small Canadian town who finds help and comfort from the community. Fantasy/Science Fiction RThe Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury (Fiction), 288 pages Starting in the far-flung future of 1999, expedition after expedition leaves Earth to investigate Mars. The Martians guard their mysteries well, but they are decimated by the diseases that arrive with the rockets. Colonists appear, most with ideas no more lofty than starting a hot-dog stand, and with no respect for the culture they’ve displaced. RA Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin (Fiction), 192 pages This is the tale of an awkward boy who becomes a wizard’s apprentice and is fated to do great things. RCrystal Cave by Mary Stewart (Fiction), 512 pages Born the bastard son of a Welsh princess, Myridden Emrys - - or as he would later be known, Merlin - - leads a perilous childhood, haunted by portents and visions. But destiny has great plans for this no-man’s-son, taking him from prophesying before the High King Vortigern to the crowning of Uther Pendragon…and the conception of Arthur - - king for once and always. RDragon Flight by Ann McCaffrey (Fiction), 320 pages The planet Pern has been colonized for centuries by humans. When they first settled, they did not take notice of its sister planet with dangerous “threads.” To combat this menace, the people developed a species of dragon that could destroy the “threads.” The dragons and their riders are needed once again. R Eater by Gregory Benford (Fiction), 400 pages This is the story of a group of scientists who take a journey to a black hole to stop it from destroying earth. RThe Fountain Trilogy by Isaac Asimov (Fiction), ??? pages RI Am Mordred by Nancy Springer (Fiction), 192 pages The young King Arthur has a child with his half sister and names him Mordred who is fated to destroy King Arthur. It is the story of the 15-year-old Mordred and the fulfillment of his destiny. RPastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus by Orson Scott Card (Fiction), 416 pages Tagiri and Hassan are members of Pastwatch, an academic organization that uses machines to see into the past and record it. Their project focuses on slavery and its dreadful effects and gradually evolves into a study of Christopher Columbus. They go on a quest to discover what drove Columbus West and fix the problems they believe he caused. RSlaughter-house Five by Kurt Vonnegut (Fiction), 288 pages The reader is introduced to Billy Pilgrim, a man who becomes unstuck in time after he is abducted by aliens. The reader follows Pilgrim simultaneously through all of the phases of his difficult life. RThief of Time by Terry Pratchett (Fiction), 384 pages A mysterious lady wants time-obsessed Jeremy Clockson to build a totally accurate glass clock that will trap time and stop it, eliminating humanity’s irritating unpredictability. RWicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire (Fiction), 560 pages The story of the Wicked Witch of the west from the movie, The Wizard of Oz. RThe Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien (Fiction), 416 pages Tolkien’s inspiration for The Lord of the Rings trilogy. True Crime RThe Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson (Non-fiction), 447 pages Not long after jack the Ripper killed in the streets of 1888 London, H.H. Holmes murdered, pretending to be a doctor, between 27-200 people, mostly single young women, in the churning new metropolis of Chicago; many of the murders occurred during the city’s finest moment, the World’s Fair of 1893. RIn Cold Blood by Truman Capote (Non-fiction), 368 pages Two two-time losers living in a lonely house in western Kansas are out to make the heist of their life, but when things don’t go as planned, the robbery turns ugly and the well- respected and unsuspecting family of four are viciously murdered. This is a book with a real-life look into murder, prison, and the criminal mind. Non-Fiction RI Am the Central Park Jogger by Trisha Meili (Autobiography), 288 pages In April of 1989, a young woman was brutally assaulted and raped while jogging in New York’s Central Park. The attack captured headlines around the world as the anonymous “Central Park Jogger” fought to recover from massive injuries that left her near death. Fourteen years later, Trisha broke her silence to discuss the incident in her own words and reveal who she was before the attack and who she became as a result of it. RMy Grandfather’s Son by Clarence Thomas (Autobiography), 320 pages The true story of how Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas overcame extreme poverty, racism in the South, and many other issues to become the only currently sitting, black member of the court. RInto the Wild by Jon Krakauer (Biography), 224 pages After graduating from Emory University in Atlanta in 1992, top student and athlete Christopher Mcandless abandoned his possessions, gave his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhiked to Alaska where he went to live in the wilderness. Four months later, he turned up dead. His diary, letters and two notes found at a remote campsite tell of his desperate effort to survive, apparently stranded by an injury and slowly starving. RD-day June 6, 1944 by Stephen Ambrose (Non-fiction), 656 pages The true story behind D-day and the inspiration for the book and HBO series, Band of Brothers. RCitizen Soldiers by Stephen Ambrose (Non-fiction), 528 pages The true story of the American troops march from D-day to the end of the war. RBeyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters by Major Dick Winters (Memoir), 320 pages Major Winters was the man in charge of Easy Company, the company portrayed by HBO entitled Band of Brothers. This is his personal account as he fought from D-day to the end of World War II. RThe Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley (Non-fiction), 528 pages Malcolm X’s memoir tells the story of his life. RAlmost a Woman by Esmeralda Santiago (Non-fiction), 336 pages The story of a teenage Puerto Rican girl growing up in New York City. RThe Blood of Strangers: Stories from Emergency Medicine by Frank Hulyer (Non- Fiction), 176 pages Hulyer invites the reader behind the drape as he recounts his personal journey from his first days as a medical student in gross anatomy lab through the harder, lonelier days of his internship and residency before he finally stepped into the coveted role of attending physician, vested with full authority. RComing of Age with Elephants: A Memoir by Joyce Poole (Memoir), 336 pages This is Poole’s reflection of her time in Africa studying the elephant. RDon’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight: An African Childhood by Alexander Fuller (Non- fiction), 336 pages This is Fuller’s account of growing up as white farmers living in Zimbabwe. RFast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal by Eric Schlosser (Non- Fiction), 356 pages This is a detailed research project into the fast food industry. It appears to be marketed as an expose detailing how fast food makes you fat and ruins the world but it is a thorough fact based description of all aspects of the industry. RHamlet’s Dresser: A Memoir by Bob Smith (Memoir), 288 pages This is the story of Bob smith’s life and the overcoming of several challenges. RIn These Girls, Hope is a Muscle by Madeleine Blais (Non-fiction), 272 pages They were a talented team with a near-perfect record but a reputation for choking in the crunch of the state playoffs. Finally, after five straight years of disappointments, the Lady Hurricanes found they just might have what it took to go all the way. RInto Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer (Non-fiction), 368 pages In March 1996, Outside magazine sent veteran journalist and seasoned climber Jon Krakauer on an expedition led by celebrated Everest guide Rob Hall. Despite the expertise of Hall and the other leaders, by the end of the climb, eight people were dead. RInventions by Design: How Engineers Get From Thought to Things by Henry Petroski (Non-fiction), 256 pages The author has done much to make the nerdy world of engineering interesting and accessible to the reader as he focuses on the process of invention. RMaiden Voyage by Tania Aebe (Non-fiction), 304 pages This is the story of an 18-year-old New York City girl and her exciting solo circumnavigation of the globe on a 26-foot sloop with only a car for company. ROn Writing by Stephen King (Memoir), 320 pages This is a combination of “how to write” according to Stephen King as well as how he became a writer. ROne Writer’s Beginnings by Eudore Welty (Non-fiction), 128 pages The author reflects on her years as a writer as well as offers insight in the art of writing. RProfiles in Courage by John F. Kennedy (Non-fiction), 272 pages In 1954-1955 a freshman U.S. Senator from Massachusetts wrote a book profiling eight of his historical Senatorial colleagues, such men as John Quincy Adams, Sam Houston, and Robert A. Taft. Instead of focusing on their storied careers, JFK chose to illustrate their acts of integrity, when they stood alone against tremendous political and social pressure for what they felt was right. RA Time to Stand by Walter Lord (Non-fiction), 271 pages The true story of the Alamo and the men who fought there. RA Night to Remember by Walter Lord (Non-fiction), 208 pages The true story of the sinking of the Titanic as recalled by its survivors. RDay of Infamy by Walter Lord (Non-fiction), 256 pages The true story of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Challenge List RMoby Dick by Herman Melville (Fiction), 720 pages This is the story of Captain Ahab who goes mad searching for a giant whale. RTale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (Fiction), 416 pages This is the story of the French Revolution and the time of terror and treason, starving people rising in frenzy and hate to overthrow a corrupt and decadent regime that resulted. RThe Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemmingway (Fiction), 256 pages This is the story of Jake Barnes and Brett, and an English woman he adores, and their relationship while in Spain during the running of the bulls. RAnna Karinna by Leo Tolstoy (Fiction), 864 pages This is the story of the doomed love affair between the sensuous and rebellious Anna and the dashing officer, Count Vronsky, and the tragedy that unfolds. RAngela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt (Memoir), 368 pages The true account of a young Irish boy growing up first in America and then in Ireland and the terrible life that he and his family lived. ROne Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexsander Solzhenitsyn (Fiction), 176 pages This is the story of a typical day of the titular character’s life in a labor camp in Siberia. RTess of the D’urbervilles by Thomas Hardy (Fiction), 336 pages This is the story of a ne’er-do-well and the exploits of his gentle daughter’s beauty for social advancement and the effects on her life. RWalden by Henry David Thoreau (Non-fiction), 156 pages This is the account of two years spent by Thoreau living at Walden Pond. The story is detailed accounts of his day-to-day activities, observations, and undertakings to survive out in the wilderness for two years. It is an account of a man seeking to live a more simple life by living in harmony with nature. RA Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemmingway (Fiction), 336 pages This is the story of Lieutenant Henry, an American, and Catherine Barkley, a British nurse and their affair during World War I. RThe Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner (Fiction), 336 pages This is the story of the dissolution of the Compsons, one of those august old Mississippi families that fell on hard times and wild eccentricity after the Civil War. RThe Turn of the Screw by Henry James (Fiction), 142 pages This is the tale of psychological horror as the governess struggles – and ultimately fails – to protect the children from the “corruption” that only she can conceive of…but cannot name. It provides a shocking glimpse into the ultimate source of evil…the human mind. þ Please note that this list is not set in stone. If you have a book that you would like to add to the list feel free to bring it to me. I will review it and let you know. Do not read a book that is not on the list or that I have not approved. *summaries for the books were provided by amazon.com. |
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