May 1
st
, 2019
Dear Future AP Language Students and Parents,
Welcome to AP English Language and Composition! This demanding course will prepare you for the
reading and writing required in college classrooms and the workplace, and also gives you the chance to earn
college credit.
This course will be a rigorous exploration of language—how we use words—to tell our stories, create
arguments, and construct a better society. Choose two nonfiction works from the approved list to read over the
summer. Choose from different genres. (Don’t read two books from the same category.) For each book, keep a
dialectical reading journal, to be turned in the first week of school) and make a presentation to the class during the
second week of school. Details of the presentation will be provided on the first day of class. You will have time to
use your notes and knowledge of your chosen literature to assemble a well-organized presentation. Be sure to take
good notes during your reading, so that you are well prepared.
I have included an example of your reading journal format below. On the left-hand column, write anything
that catches your attention; this could be a quotation, an idea, a plot development, literary device, etc. I will not be
picky about what you put in your journal, but I will give you a grade based on the thought put into your entries
and overall completion. There is no minimum or maximum amount of entries, but in order to adequately notate
the readings, you should expect to average around one entry for every five pages. Don’t be afraid to include your
own opinions and thoughts. There are no wrong answers in this journal. Your goal is to begin thinking critically
about the literature and provide yourself some easy reference points for your presentation in August. It will help
to include page numbers in your entries for quick reference. In the example below, I have used the events from
the movie
The Lion King
to demonstrate the note taking format.
Quote
Response
“Everything the light touches is our kingdom.”
Mufasa (pg. 23)
This interests me because it could mean two things.
It could literally mean that they control the lands
that they can see. OR, light may be a metaphor for
righteousness, and this statement could also mean
that they are the moral leaders of the land, or that
they will only operate morally as they rule.
Simba sees Mufasa’s ghost in the clouds, ghost tells
Simba to remember who he is.
(pgs. 50-66)
This caught my attention because it reminds me a lot
of Hamlet, and the sighting of King Hamlet’s ghost.
This movie has a lot in common with Hamlet.
If you are purchasing your summer reading books, I highly recommend you also highlight, underline, and
make small notes in the book itself, in addition to maintaining your reading journal. The more notes you take, the
easier it will be for you to put together your presentation in August.
This class will be rigorous and require you to stay current with class reading. Some reading will be done in
class, but much will be assigned as homework. This will allow us to spend class time analyzing and discussing the
texts.
Feel free to contact me over the summer if you have any questions.
Happy Reading!
Bradley Fisher
AP Language and Composition Teacher
[email protected]
Biography/Memoir
American Chica : Two Worlds, One Childhood
by Marie AranaYear Published: 2001Call Number 92 Arana
The author discusses her childhood as the daughter of a Peruvian father and American mother, and
recalls the challenges she faced trying to reconcile her two cultures after moving to the United
States.
Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard
by Liz MurrayYear Published: 2010Call Number 92 Murray
Liz Murray, who was homeless at the age of fifteen and had drug-addicted parents, reflects on how
she overcame obstacles and eventually attended Harvard University.
Catch Me If You Can
by Frank. W. AbagnaleYear Published: 2000Call Number 92 Abagnale
Former con man Frank Abagnale, an authority on financial foul play, tells stories of the adventures
he had while living the high life as a criminal.
Hurricane: The Miraculous Journey of Rubin Carter
by James S. HirschYear Published: 2000Call Number 92 Carter
Chronicles Rubin Carter's twenty-year imprisonment, discussing why he was accused of three
murders he did not commit, how racial issues affected the outcome of his trial, how he earned the
support of celebrities, and why a group of Canadians decided to help him prove his innocence.
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption
by Stevenson, BryanYear Published: 2014Call number 92 Stevenson
Bryan Stevenson was a young lawyer when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice
dedicated to defending those most desperate and in need: the poor, the wrongly condemned, and
women and children trapped in the farthest reaches of our criminal justice system..
Smokejumper: A Memoir by One of America's Most Select Airborne Firefighters
by Ramos, JasonYear Published: 2015Call number 634.9 RAM
Enter a world of breathtaking danger and beauty: In this remarkable memoir,
veteran smokejumper Jason Ramos offers a rare inside look at the lives of airborne firefighters, the
select few who parachute into the most rugged and remote wild areas to battle nature's blazes.
There Are No Children Here : The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in the Other America
by Kotlowitz, AlexYear Published: 1992Call number 305.23 KOT
A touching, meticulous portrait of two boys growing up in a Chicago housing project reveals how
they help each other maintain a shred of innocence among street gangs, gunfire, violence, and
drugs.
This I Believe : The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women
by Allison, JayYear Published: 2007Call number 170 THI
A collection of eighty essays exploring the personal beliefs of a diverse assortment of contributors,
both famous and unknown.
Warriors don't cry: A searing memoir of the battle to integrate Little Rock's Central High
by Melba Pattillo BealsYear Published: 1994Call number 92 Beals
A riveting true story of an embattled teenager who paid for integration with her innocence. Beals
chronicles her harrowing junior year at Central High where she underwent the segregationists'
brutal organized campaign of terrorism which included telephone threats, vigilante stalkers,
economic blackmailers, rogue police, and much more.
History/Social Sciences
All the President's Men
by Bernstein, CarlYear Published: 1974Call number 364.1 BER
This is the book that changed America. Published just months before President Nixon’s
resignation, All the President’s Men revealed the full scope of the scandal.
Color-Blind : Seeing Beyond Race in a Race-Obsessed World
by Cose, EllisYear Published: 1997Call number 305.8 COS
Draws on the author's personal experiences from other countries and his observations and studies
concerning America looking at the current state of race relations in this country and illuminates
options for a race-neutral, discrimination free society to develop and flourish.
Dreamland : the true tale of America's opiate epidemic
by Quinones, SamYear Published: 2016Call number 362.29 QUI
Chronicles how sugar cane farmers in a small county on the west coast of Mexico created a unique
distribution system that brought highly addictive black tar heroin to the United States, and looks at
a pharmaceutical company's marketing campaign of OxyContin.
Kabul Beauty School : An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil
by Rodriguez, DeborahYear Published: 2007Call number 305.48 ROD
Soon after the fall of the Taliban, in 2001, Deborah Rodriguez went to Afghanistan as part of a
humanitarian aid group. Within that small haven, the line between teacher and student quickly
blurred as these vibrant women shared with Rodriguez their stories and their hearts, ultimately
giving her the strength to leave her own unhealthy marriage and allow herself to love again,
Afghan style.
Middle of Everywhere : Helping Refugees Enter the American Community
by Pipher, Mary BrayYear Published: 2002Call number 305.9 PIP
Tells the stories of newcomers to the United States, focusing on the author's home community in
Nebraska, providing insight into how immigrants view Americans, and showing the effects of U.S.
immigration policies.
No One Cares About Crazy People: The Chaos and Heartbreak of Mental Health in America
by Powers, RonYear Published: 2017Call number 362.2 POW
Author Ron Powers offers a searching, richly researched narrative of the social history of mental
illness in America paired with the deeply personal story of his two sons' battles with schizophrenia.
Race : A History Beyond Black and White
by Aronson, MarcYear Published: 2007Call number 394.2663 ARO
Clear, fast-paced prose explores Western civilization throughout history, highlighting along the
way not only the different forms that racial prejudice has taken, but the way in which it has
manifested itself in the politics, philosophies, and beliefs of each group of people.
The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives
by Slater, DashkaYear Published: 2017Call number 364.15 SLA
One teenager in a skirt.
One teenager with a lighter.
One moment that changes both of their lives forever.
Business/Tech
Fast Food Nation : The Dark Side of the All-American Meal
by Schlosser, EricYear Published: 2005Call number 394.1 SCH
Presents an examination of the fast food industry, tracing its history and discussing how it arose in
postwar America, as well as the impact it has had on economy, food production, and popular
culture.
Geeks : How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho
by Katz, JonYear Published: 2001338.7 KAT
Describes how two nineteen-year-old working-class kids from a small town in Idaho overcame
their lives as outsiders and reveals how they are using the Internet to redefine themselves and
change their lives
Innovators : How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution
by Isaacson, WalterYear Published: 2014920 ISA
Following his blockbuster biography of Steve Jobs, The Innovators is Walter Isaacson's revealing
story of the people who created the computer and the Internet. It is destined to be the standard
history of the digital revolution and an indispensable guide to how innovation really happens.
Outliers : The Story of Success
by Gladwell, MalcolmYear Published: 2008Call number 302 GLA and OverDrive eBook
Identifies the qualities of successful people, posing theories about the cultural, family, and
idiosyncratic factors that shape high achievers, in a resource that covers such topics as the secrets
of software billionaires and why the Beatles earned their fame.
True Crime
Bones : brothers, horses, cartels, and the borderland dream
by Joe ToneYear Published: 2017Call number 364.1 TON
The dramatic true story of two brothers living parallel lives on either side of the U.S.-Mexico
border--and how their lives converged in a major criminal conspiracy. Jose Trevino was a devoted
family man working as a bricklayer in Texas. Back in Mexico, his younger brother Miguel was
ascending to the top ranks of Los Zetas, a notoriously bloody drug cartel.
Chasing King's Killer: The Hunt for Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Assassin
by James L. SwansonYear Published: 2018Call number 323.092 SWA
In his meteoric, thirteen-year rise to fame, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led a mass movement for
Civil Rights -- with his relentless peaceful, non-violent protests, public demonstrations, and
eloquent speeches. But as violent threats cast a dark shadow over Dr. King's life, Swanson hones in
on James Earl Ray, a bizarre, racist, prison escapee who tragically ends King's life.
Columbine
by Cullen, DaveYear Published: 2010Call number 373.788 CUL
Provides an account of the shootings at Colorado's Columbine High School on April 20, 1999,
focusing on the teenage killers Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, drawing from interviews, police
files, psychological studies, and writings and tapes by the boys to look at the signs they left that
disaster was looming.
Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders
by Bugliosi, VincentYear Published: 1994Call Number 364.1 BUG
Recounts the story of the murder of seven people in Los Angeles in 1969 and the trial and
conviction of the Manson "family" for the murders.
Long Shadow of Small Ghosts : Murder and Memory in an American City
by Tillman, LauraYear Published: 2016Call number 364.152 TIL
A personal investigation into the causes, effects and communal toll of the brutal murders of three
young children by their parents in 2003 Brownsville, Texas, explores the questions the case raised
about poverty, mental illness, the death penalty and the proposed demolition of the apartment
building where the tragedy occurred.
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America
by Erik LarsonYear Published: 2004Call Number 364.152 LAR
Tells the parallel stories of Daniel Burnham, the main architect of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair,
and serial killer Henry H. Holmes, discussing the challenges Burnham faced in creating the hugely
successful White City, and looking at how Holmes used the opportunities afforded by the fair to
lure victims to their deaths.
Under the banner of heaven : a story of violent faith
by Jon KrakauerYear Published: 2004Call number 289.3 KRA
Presents an account of the 1984 murder of Brenda Lafferty and her fifteen-month-old daughter
Erica by Mormon Fundamentalists Ron and Dan Lafferty, brothers to the victims' husband and
father who claim they were acting on an order directly from God, and provides insights into
Mormon Fundamentalists and other extremist belief systems.
Sports
American Shaolin: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of the Iron Crotch
by Polly, MatthewYear Published: 2007Call number 796.815 POL
Growing up a ninety-eight-pound weakling tormented by bullies in the schoolyards of Kansas,
Matthew Polly dreamed of one day journeying to the Shaolin Temple in China to become the
toughest fighter in the world, like Caine in his favorite 1970s TV series Kung Fu.
Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
by McDougall, ChristopherYear Published: 2009Call number 796.42 MCD
Recounts the author's experiences with the reclusive Tarahumara Indians, whose techniques allow
them to run long distances with ease, and describes his training for a fifty-mile race with the tribe
and a number of ultramarathoners.
Boys in the Boat : Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
by Brown, Daniel JamesYear Published: 2014Call number 797.12 BRO and OverDrive eBook
Tells how in 1936 the University of Washington's eight-oar crew, composed of the sons of loggers,
shipyard workers, and farmers who had mastered collegiate rowing, went on to the Berlin
Olympics where they defeated Adolf Hitler's German team to achieve the Olympic gold medal.
Friday Night Lights : A Town, a Team, and a Dream
by Bissinger, H. G.Year Published: 2004796.332 BIS and OverDrive eBook
Follows the 1988 season of the Permian Panthers, a high school football team in Odessa, Texas,
exploring the lives of the players and the impact of the championship team on the small town.
Hoop Dreams : A True Story of Hardship and Triumph
by Joravsky, BenYear Published: 1995Call number 920 JOR
A study of the struggles of Arthur Agee and William Gates to win college scholarships and
positions on professional teams follows the stories of their families, relationships, and personal
aspirations
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
by Lewis, MichaelYear Published: 2004Call number 796.357 LEW
Moneyball is a quest for the secret of success in baseball. Following the low-budget Oakland
Athletics, their larger-than-life general manger, Billy Beane, and the strange brotherhood of
amateur baseball enthusiasts.
The Blind Side
by Lewis, MichaelYear Published: 2007Call number 92 Oher
Details the life of University of Mississippi football player Michael Oher, who was raised by a
crack addicted mother and adopted at the age of sixteen by a wealthy family, and explores the
rising importance and salary of the offensive left tackle in the game of football.
Triumph : The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler's Olympics
by Schaap, JeremyYear Published: 2007Call nuber 796.42 TRI
Presents a comprehensive analysis of the 1936 Olympic games hosted by Germany, America's
threat to boycott the games, and the four Olympic gold medals won by African-American athlete
Jesse Owens, whose performance crushed Hitler's myth of Aryan supremacy.
Adventure/Nature/Science
Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors
by Read, Piers PaulYear Published: 1974Call number 982 REA
On October 12, 1972, a plane carrying a team of young rugby players crashed into the remote,
snow-peaked Andes. Out of the forty-five original passengers and crew, only sixteen made it off
the mountain alive.
Grunt : The Curious Science of Humans at War
by Roach, MaryYear Published: 2016Call number 355 ROA
Tackles the science behind some of a soldier's most challenging adversaries--panic, exhaustion,
heat, noise--and introduces us to the scientists who seek to conquer them.
Hidden Figures : The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women
Mathematicians
by Shetterly, Margot LeeYear Published: 2016Call number 510.92 LEE
An account of the previously unheralded but pivotal contributions of NASA's African-American
women mathematicians to the space program describes how they were segregated from their white
counterparts by Jim Crow laws in spite of their groundbreaking successes, in a best-selling account
that inspired the forthcoming film.
Krakatoa : The Day The World Exploded: August 27, 1883
by Winchester, SimonYear Published: 2003Call number 551.21 WIN
In August 1883, a catastrophic volcanic eruption off the coast of Java was followed by a tsunami
that killed nearly 40,000 people. The author brings new perspective to this iconic event, showing
how it marked a change in East-West relations.
Rats : Observations on the History and Habitat of the City's Most Unwanted Inhabitants
by Sullivan, RobertYear Published: 2004Call number 599.35 SUL
The author dispenses rat facts and rat stories, looking into the history of rats, and describes how,
with the aid of a notebook and night-vision gear, he sat nightly in a garbage-filled alley getting to
know the wild city rat.
Short History of Nearly Everything
by Bryson, BillYear Published: 2003500 BRY
Nature and science writer Bill Bryson examines some of mysteries of science, and attempts to
understand not only what scientists know, but how they know it. Covers the creation of the
universe, the size of the Earth, the origins of life, and other topics.
Stiff : The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
by Roach, MaryYear Published: 2004Call number 611 ROA
A compelling look inside the world of forensics examines the use of human cadavers in a wide
range of endeavors, including research into new surgical procedures, the testing of the authenticity
of the Shroud of Turin, space exploration, a Tennessee human decay research facility, and a
Scandinavian funeral directors' conference on human composting.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
by Skloot, RebeccaYear Published: 2011Call Number 616 SKL and OverDrive eBook
Examines the experiences of the children and husband of Henrietta Lacks, who, twenty years after
her death from cervical cancer in 1951, learned doctors and researchers took cells from her cervix
without consent which were used to create the immortal cell line known as the HeLa cell; provides
an overview of Henrietta's life; and explores issues of experimentation on African-Americans and
bioethics.
The stranger in the woods : the extraordinary story of the last true hermit
by Finkel, MichaelYear Published: 2017Call number 92 Knight
In 1986, twenty-year-old Christopher Knight left his home in Massachusetts, drove to Maine, and
disappeared into the woods. He would not have a conversation with another human being until
nearly three decades later when he was arrested for stealing food.
Wild : From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
by Strayed, CherylYear Published: 2013Call number 92 Strayed and OverDrive eBook
Cheryl Strayed recounts the impact of her mother's death on her life at age twenty-two and
chronicles her experiences after she made the impulsive decision to hike the Pacific Crest Trail
from the Mojave Desert all the way into Washington State.