And I hope you will be. The assignments are short (excepting Tess) for a reason. Some AP teachers, I'm convinced, create their reading lists with other teachers in mind, not students. (And if they think students are really reading everything they've assigned, they're kidding themselves.)
I think reading matters, and I want to allow you some time to read something that you really want to. (Not to say that what I've assigned isn't great literature: it is. But maybe -- just maybe -- it's not what you would have chosen on your own.)
I start ever summer with a big pile of books, now that I've got some spare time on my hands.
What will you be reading?
So much to read...so little time. There are three books i plan to read this summer but i know i will probably only get through one. These books are: George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress (my dad made me read a kid's version when i was little and i think its time i read the real thing), and a book my grandfather wants me to read and pass on to my cousins by Kirsten Gillibrand called Off the Sidelines.
ReplyDeleteAfter finishing the summer reading books, I hope to have plenty of time to read The Ghost of Hannah Mendes, it seems to be an out-of-the-box pick.
ReplyDeleteI just read Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro and it was definetly one of those books that reminds me why I like to read. So, if anyone is looking for a good book to read I'd recommend it. I'm also reading. I also picked A Beautiful Mind by Sylvia Nasar, I Am The Cheese by Robert Cormier, and Tales From A Traveling Couch by Robert U. Akeret for A.P. Psychology. After I finish I really want to read the next book in Libba Bray's Diviners series.
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ReplyDeleteI recently read the book Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King and I absolutely loved it. If you liked the Perks of Being A Wallflower(which is also amazing), then I feel like this book will be right up your alley.
ReplyDeleteLast week I finished Paper Towns by John Green and I loved it. One of my favorite books by him.
ReplyDeleteI just finished 1984 by George Orwell. It was suggested to me because i like dystopian fiction and this book is like the one of the first of that kind. Although i could see why people take such an interest in it as far as its parallels to our own society, i don't agree that it gives a picture of the future we should expect. There were big ideas i just couldn't believe possible and it was just a little too harsh. I didn't find the plot very engaging either because the environment in which the characters existed was so restricting that nothing much could really happen. I would say if you want to read it you should go for it. However, although i am glad i read it, it was not my favorite book.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the book and I thought it was an interesting satire of Communist Russia. The imagery was very good and I liked the characters, but I can see why some people wouldn't like the book.
DeleteI just finished 'I Am The Cheese' and 'Tales From A Traveling Couch' and I have to say they were both fascinating. The parallel intertwined stories in 'I Am The Cheese' left me stunned. As you read it you feel as if there are two stories, and maybe in a way there are. The reality of events in the story and the main character's mental impressions of them are quite different which leads to complex questions about what is really going on. The story itself is mysterious and I would highly recommend it.
ReplyDelete'Tales From A Traveling Couch' was both entertaining and insightful. It divulges into the minds of some Robert Akeret's most memorable patients. It didn't even seem to read like a memoir to me; the craziness of it reads like fiction and maybe that's why I enjoyed it so much. Now I just have to finish 'A Beautiful Mind'.
Once I finish Tess I plan to read A Distant Mirror by Barbara Tuchman, Utopia by Thomas More and The Prince by Machiavelli for AP European History. After I finish all of my summer reading if I have time I plan to pick back up the A Song of Ice And Fire series by George R. R. Martin. This magnum opus that has been adapted into the Game of Thrones TV show is an incredible piece of fantasy that I'd recommend to many hardcore fans of the genre.
ReplyDeleteI have read a few books this summer, including The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. It was dark but compelling because I love Plath's writing. I also finally got around to reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and I hope to have time to read Wild by Cheryl Strayed.
ReplyDeleteI recently finished Double Reverse by Tim Green, a former NFL linebacker on the Atlanta Falcons. The intense cover and the sporty look to it grabbed my attention and I rejected the famous line, "never judge a book by its cover". I checked this book out and I went home to begin reading...that's when I realized the book wasn't at all what I expected it to be. I thought the plot would center around football and be nearly identical to the Matt Christopher books that I read almost everyday in middle school, yet directed towards adults. What I was reading, although unexpected, was just as good if not better than what I previously envisioned. Immediately I could sense the dark, eerie mood and sure enough in the opening chapters the main character's girlfriend was found clubbed to death after he recently discovered she was involved in an affair with another player on the team. The ending was the most jaw dropping finish to a book I've ever read and definitely lived up to its title: "Double Reverse". I would definitely recommend this book even if you aren't interested in sports because it's a mystery you just can't let go of until you discover the truth.
ReplyDeleteI recently read Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks. I loved this book. He creates characters with such realism it astounded me. I fell in love with the two main characters, Paul and Adrienne, who were introduced to each other at an inn in Rodanthe, in the Outer Banks. The two of them had such amazing backgrounds that were different and relatable to real life. Sparks told their story in a way that you were always learning something new about them or seeing how their relationship developed on so many different levels. Although the ending was tragic, I was touched by what he'd written. Sparks' writing truly moved me and through the story he shows different ways of handling loss and by demonstrating it through different people. It was a fantastic read and I enjoyed every minute of it.
ReplyDeleteI recently read Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks. I loved this book. He creates characters with such realism it astounded me. I fell in love with the two main characters, Paul and Adrienne, who were introduced to each other at an inn in Rodanthe, in the Outer Banks. The two of them had such amazing backgrounds that were different and relatable to real life. Sparks told their story in a way that you were always learning something new about them or seeing how their relationship developed on so many different levels. Although the ending was tragic, I was touched by what he'd written. Sparks' writing truly moved me and through the story he shows different ways of handling loss and by demonstrating it through different people. It was a fantastic read and I enjoyed every minute of it.
ReplyDeleteI recently read Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks. I loved this book. He creates characters with such realism it astounded me. I fell in love with the two main characters, Paul and Adrienne, who were introduced to each other at an inn in Rodanthe, in the Outer Banks. The two of them had such amazing backgrounds that were different and relatable to real life. Sparks told their story in a way that you were always learning something new about them or seeing how their relationship developed on so many different levels. Although the ending was tragic, I was touched by what he'd written. Sparks' writing truly moved me and through the story he shows different ways of handling loss and by demonstrating it through different people. It was a fantastic read and I enjoyed every minute of it.
ReplyDeleteThis summer I read The Death Cure and The Kill Order, both by James Dashner. These books are both part of The Maze Runner series in which the main characters have found themselves in the middle of an experiment to find a cure for a disease called "The Flare" that was brought on by sudden solar flares. Dashner was able to keep these novels incredibly interesting by the use of sudden plot twists and in-depth descriptions of the scenery that made the reader feel as if you were there too. I really enjoyed these books and would highly recommend them to anyone who likes science-fiction and action books.
ReplyDeletePlease tell me it is not true that we read 1984 in class...?
ReplyDeletei won't mind getting a deeper understanding of the book but i wish i chose something else if this is the case
DeleteI read The Scorch Trials, a novel preceding the ones read by Marissa. It follows where The Maze Runner has left off, sparing little time to comprehend the wild events that occurred previously. I breezed through it as it is a great page-turner. The task at hand for Thomas (the main character) and his group was stressful for me to read about (I can only imagine how stressful it would be for them). They setting of the desert and the problems no modern day civilian has to face gives the book a great sense of uniqueness. Some may fear it doesn't differ from the many other rising dystopian novels out there, but I was left on edge throughout its entirety.
ReplyDeleteI just started Off The Sidelines by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and am already one third of the way through it. I am not into politics but my grandfather wanted all of his granddaughters to read her book because she is a strong advocate for women and is herself a very strong, confident person and an excellent role-model. I was expecting to be bored by the end of the first chapter, obviously that was not the case. Instead I would like to recommend her book to any girl who has ever wanted to do something big in life but wasn't sure she could pull it off. Just reading this book i feel motivated and inspired. I love how she talks plainly and admits her struggles but shows how she was able to overcome difficult periods in her life by making sure she is always keeping her priorities straight. I may not agree with everything she says but she gives a lot of good advice that I plan of adopting for my own life.
ReplyDeleteYou have a cool grandfather.
DeleteLeah Wytas says:
ReplyDelete“I may not have turned a frog into a prince, but suddenly there’s a German shepherd where a kangaroo used to be” (Trout 240). The book I chose to read this summer was Tell Me Where It Hurts by Dr. Nick Trout. This book was given to me because I have an interest in becoming a veterinarian. What made this book enjoyable to read was its style of writing. The author narrates his memories using metaphors to explain procedures. Some metaphors added humor by exaggerating events. Even if a reader did not understand some terms used by veterinarians, they were fully explained. This book also had an abundance of complex vocabulary words which also helped the reader understand the descriptions. I liked how the author was given a case and then he tells us about his past experiences or similar cases he had heard about. This gave me an idea of what he was thinking about doing to approach the problem and how solve it. I also liked how this book talks about many different thoughts about being a vet and the author’s personal opinions. Some topics include dealing with owners, euthanasia, the cost of an animal’s medical care, the education required, and where reason meets personal emotion. Reading about these topics were easy to connect to because they are common things other people think about vets and their job. Some of these beliefs may be shared with the reader’s opinions. Looking at what the author has to say about some of these topics shows another side of the story or a more complete truth. What I learned from reading this book was that it takes more than textbooks and social skill to be a successful vet. A person must evaluate the future of the owner and their pet by making careful decisions in the hope of improving both their lives.
I started the summer off by reading Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, and although I understand the praise it has received, I didn't particularly enjoy all of it. The ideas behind it were great, as well as the messages, but Huxley's style was not appealing to me. I recently started A Farewell to Arms, by Hemingway, but I'm too early in it to say whether I like it or not. I will say this, though: Hemingway's way of writing is incredibly unique, mostly regarding his use of pacing.
ReplyDeleteI just finished reading Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand. I loved the movie and the book was even better. The movie was great but a lot of people don't realize that the movie didn't tell the whole story. The book allowed you to get inside of Zamperini's head while he was stranded at sea for a month and showed the mental despair he was experiencing at the POW camps. If you liked the movie as much as I did I would definitely recommend this book.
ReplyDeleteI read The Stand by Stephen King over the summer. The book is about the survivors after a virus is accidentally released, which ends up killing 99.4% of the population. As if that isn't bad enough, there is an evil army led by Randall Flagg, who has supernatural powers. The remaining survivors have to band together to defeat Flagg and his army, but there are many betrayals and difficulties along the way.
ReplyDeleteHannah Kirk says:
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the required books for English and AP European History, I decided to read the novel, Cross My Heart by James Patterson. Cross My Heart is the twenty-first book of the (currently) twenty-two book series. Staring the professional and very personable detective Alex Cross, this thriller kept me on the edge of seat, as I was for the prior twenty books I had read over the past couple years. Once again, Cross was tasked with hunting down a ruthless serial killer and genius determined on proving that he is the greatest mind in all crime history. I was excited when I read over the reading list for this summer, and saw that we had the opportunity to read a book of our choice, and knew immediately that James Patterson was what I was going to read.
Hannah Kirk says:
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the required books for English and AP European History, I decided to read the novel, Cross My Heart by James Patterson. Cross My Heart is the twenty-first book of the (currently) twenty-two book series. Staring the professional and very personable detective Alex Cross, this thriller kept me on the edge of seat, as I was for the prior twenty books I had read over the past couple years. Once again, Cross was tasked with hunting down a ruthless serial killer and genius determined on proving that he is the greatest mind in all crime history. I was excited when I read over the reading list for this summer, and saw that we had the opportunity to read a book of our choice, and knew immediately that James Patterson was what I was going to read.
Amanda Steinhilber shares this:
ReplyDeleteI recently read The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan. The main character Mary lives in a town surrounded by zombies. When the town gets overrun, Mary and her friends go on a journey to the ocean to try and save their own lives. Although it may sound a little silly, the determination and the romance present really makes it a worthy read.
I have also been reading House Rules by Jodi Picoult, about a boy named Jacob, who gets accused of committing murder. The police have trouble distinguishing whether Jacob is guilty or if his behaviors are because he has Asperger's syndrome. I also want to get a chance to read Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.
ReplyDeleteTowards the beginning of summer I read Frank Herbert's epic science fiction novel, Dune. It is easy to see why this book has developed such a cult following since its release in 1965. The level of detail and creative thought that Herbert put into constructing the Dune universe rivals that of the Star Wars saga, and is what I found to be so incredibly immersive. I'm not sure I could adequately summarize this book in just a few sentences, so I would recommend that anyone with an interest in sci-fi read it for themselves
ReplyDeleteThis summer I also decided to finish the 'Divergent' series by Veronica Roth. I was beginning to lose faith in this trilogy because the plot was getting out of hand. Many of the events seemed random and I didn't know where the story was leading me. Although action-packed, I felt many of the struggles Tris and Four endured were pointless. This series was a mirror image of 'The Hunger Games'. The first book in each of these series was phenomenal and left me waiting for the next book to be published. However, I found myself more and more disappointed as I continued reading. In fact, I never finished reading 'The Mockingjay' (final book in The Hunger Games' series). I don't want to spoil the ending, but the author toyed with the point of view and the ending left me unsatisfied.
ReplyDeleteI read I Never Promised You A Rose Garden by Hannah Green. It was an amazing story and I enjoyed it right until the end. A girl with mental illness had created an entire other world in her mind called Yr and could speak its own secret language and had its own gods. It was amazing to see how her challenges were finally being subdued by an amazing therapist that helped her out of the mental institution she was in after 3 years of working together.
ReplyDeleteSeeing as the assigned works were fictional, I decided to read some non-fiction. Over the course of the summer I read Game Day by Tyler Kepner. It was information about the history of the New York Yankees. I knew a lot about my favorite team, but this was more in depth. I would recommend it to any Yankees fan or even someone who just loves the game of baseball.
ReplyDeleteNatalie Wyse says:
ReplyDeleteMy book list this summer has been jam packed, and has included Tess and Moon of course. For AP Psych, I read The Other Wes Moore, I am the Cheese, and Stumbling on Happiness. I would highly recommend all of those, but especially I am the Cheese, which, as Kaitie noted, stuns the reader. The ending implies so much about the entire book, and fills in all of the blanks that bother the reader throughout. The Other Wes Moore is an exploration of the lives of two men named Wes Moore who had similar beginnings but very different endings. One was a Rhodes Scholar around the time the other was sentenced to life in prison; the book delves into their lives and pulls into focus crucial points where the two lives diverged. I haven’t finished Stumbling on Happiness, but it’s shaping up to be a fascinating look at how humans imagine the future in a way that animals can’t.
My list also includes Utopia, A Distant Mirror, and The Prince for AP Euro. These were an interesting look into political views of the past, as well as the events of an entirely different time and place.
Additionally, I’ve read Being There by Jerzy Kosinski. It follows Chance, a man whose entire life has been spent watching television and gardening, as he is thrown into the real world after the death of the man who owned the house he stayed in. He encounters a woman and her husband who let him stay in their house indefinitely, and through them, Chance becomes involved in politics. He is lauded for his wisdom by the population; however, from Chance’s viewpoint, the truth is evident. Having lived inside his whole life, he knows nothing of politics or people, making his new found situation extremely comical. Being There brings to light the personal experiences we often take for granted, by telling the story of someone who has none.
Abigail Chromik says:
ReplyDeleteThe book I chose to read this summer was Looking for Alaska by John Green. I have read a few of his other books and thought I would enjoy this one because I love Green’s style of writing. This book is about the main character, Myles, who is going into his junior year, but is starting at a new school, more specifically a boarding school, Culver Creek. He goes there in hopes of changing his boring life back in Florida. He goes to seek “a great perhaps”. Once he arrives, he gets more than he’s bargained for when he meets new friends, including Alaska. This book brings up many thought-provoking questions about life, suffering and death that I didn’t expect when I first started the book, but didn’t mind exploring once I started reading. Another aspect of this book that I really enjoyed was the way it was split up. Green centered the book around one event that happened around the middle of the book. Instead of separating it into chapters, the first half of the book was divided into sections by the amount of days “before” the event. (ex. 126 days before, 98 days before, etc.) Once the event occurred, which i won’t give away, it was then divided into days “after” that event. I really like the style he did this in because for the first half of the book, it kept you guessing... before what? It made me want to keep reading and find out. Once I found out, I wanted to keep reading to see what happened afterwards, and how it affected the characters and their lives. I think this was a very good choice for summer reading, because not only did it have a good message, it was never boring and I couldn’t put it down before I finished it! I recommend it to anyone who has read any of his other books.
I recently finished reading "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding. Although fairly short (~200 pages), this novel is packed with symbolism and intriguing themes. The mood changes significantly over the course of the story, from playfully childlike and adventurous to gruesome and frightening. This transformation ensures that readers will remain engaged for the entirety of the novel. The story builds much like a horror movie, each chapter creating more suspense until it resolves with a major plot twist that you won't see coming. I would definitely recommend Lord of the Flies to anyone looking for a short but interesting book to read.
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ReplyDeleteMonica Dave says:
ReplyDeleteThis summer I read At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks. It was one of the best-written books I’ve ever read, as I always enjoy Sparks’ writing. I found myself frustrated once again by a book of his because I found myself sad at the end. The book tells the story of two people who find themselves in a situation they thought was impossible. They make the decision to embrace it and be positive. Just when I thought I was reading a book by him that didn’t end in tragedy, I was proven wrong. Even with the sad parts though, it was a beautiful book.
Emily Kravies says:
ReplyDeleteThe book that I read on my own this summer was called Like Dandelion Dust by Karen Kingsbury. It wasn't a challenging book to read, per say, but it was all about a young boy whose biological father gets out of prison and fights the adoption papers to get him back. This man is abusive and can't keep a job, yet the papers were forged by his wife, so the courts had no choice but to give back custody of the little boy to the biological parents. I read this before any of the assigned reading because once I started I found it hard to stop. It was sad and heart warming all in one and I was sad to finish it. The ending is all about the choice 2 mothers have to make for the sake of their son's safety and happiness.
I will be reading A Distant Mirror, The Prince and Utopia as well. All of which are very interesting because while A Distant Mirror describes life during the 15th century, Utopia and The Prince are written by people from the 15th century as an idea of what they would call an ideal society
ReplyDeleteMatt Vatteroni says:
ReplyDeleteThis summer I read Lord of the Flies by William Golding as well as the three books Luke mentioned for AP European History. I've wanted to read Lord of the Flies since middle school and this is the first summer I've had an opportunity to do so. Although it was completely different than my expectations and a little strange at times, it was a very well written book. I expected the book to be more of a Hunger Games type situation, but it didn't meet the standards I had set in my mind. I also continued reading a book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin which I've been reading since before summer started and have yet to finish.
Alex Boyer says:
ReplyDeleteOne of the books I read this summer was Casino Royale by Ian Fleming, the very first Bond book. (Mr. McArthur, I’m told you think these make better movies than books, but I think they’re pretty good) Being a bit of a bond nerd, I was surprised at the similarity between Ian and the character of James Bond. During World War Two, Ian served in the Naval Intelligence Division in Great Britain; where he sat behind a desk planning operations, while really wanting to participate in them himself. I think he put some of this into his books. The physical description of Bond is similar to a young Ian, as well as key mannerisms. I think that Fleming was really writing his dream down under the guise of Bond. He wasn’t just writing a book, he was putting his frustrations, aspirations and personal demons into Bond, living a life he had only dreamed about. The book is filled with incredible imagery, including every last detail to give the reader the best vision of his fantasy. I would highly recommend this book for its unique and descriptive writing style.
Besides reading The Prince, Utopia, and A Distant Mirror for AP European History. I also read Legend by Marie Lu and started Prodigy, the second book in the series. I thought the history books were quite interesting. I especially enjoyed The Prince because it was interesting to hear all the tactics behind being a prince. I would highly recommend the Legend series. I am really enjoying it, even though I am only part way through the second book. It takes place in a futuristic society in which all children take a test to place them in a job category. A teenage military prodigy named June is sent after a teenage criminal named Day. She ends up capturing him, but they become friends. She tries to help him escape, but you'll have to read it to find out if they are successful.
ReplyDeleteOver the summer I read quite a few other books for summer reading. I read A Child Called Noah, The Other Wes Moore, and Tales From a Traveling Couch for AP Psychology. A Child Called Noah covered mental illness via a father's diary on his son. The Other Wes Moore was an interesting book about two men who grew up blocks apart in Baltimore at the same time, who shared the same name, but each ended up in an opposite place in life. Tales From a Traveling Couch chronicled a psychiatrist's journey to visit some of his most memorable patients.
ReplyDeleteFor AP Euro I read The Prince, Utopia, and a Distant Mirror. All were extremely dry and I preferred my psychology books much more.
Over the summer I read quite a few other books for summer reading. I read A Child Called Noah, The Other Wes Moore, and Tales From a Traveling Couch for AP Psychology. A Child Called Noah covered mental illness via a father's diary on his son. The Other Wes Moore was an interesting book about two men who grew up blocks apart in Baltimore at the same time, who shared the same name, but each ended up in an opposite place in life. Tales From a Traveling Couch chronicled a psychiatrist's journey to visit some of his most memorable patients.
ReplyDeleteFor AP Euro I read The Prince, Utopia, and a Distant Mirror. All were extremely dry and I preferred my psychology books much more.
One of the most recent of the books I read over the summer was "I am The Cheese" by Robert Cormier after Cali Gadoury recommended it to me. It starts off as a simple journey of a boy biking along to find his father, but then the story switches over what seems to be a session with a psychiatrist. There are two different story lines going at the same time, and as the story moves along the two begin to intertwine. It difficult to explain, but I absolutely recommend this book. The ending absolutely blew my mind, to the point where I read the last few chapters over and over again!
ReplyDeleteThis summer I read Insurgent by Veronica Roth, which is a book in the series Divergent. It is set in a post-apocalyptic era America and I would recommend it to anyone interested in action or sci-fi novels. I also read The Scorch Trials by James Dashner.
ReplyDeleteJenny Lindquist says:
ReplyDeleteIn addition to reading the books for AP English and Euro I also read Girl, Interrupted but Susanna Kaysen. I began to watch the movie with my friends but we never got very far into it so I figured the book would be as equally intriguing. This book and movie is a memoir of Susanna Kaysen and her experience in a medical institution over the course of two years. What caught my attention and really grabbed me was the theme that was presented in the beginning of the book in which Kaysen describes the thin line between not conforming to society and being truly insane back in 1967. This was definitely a mentionable read and I would suggest this to anyone who is interested in these kind of psychological books.
Lauren Szestowicki Says: In addition to the assigned summer reading I also read Before I Go is an emotional debut novel about a 27-year old named Daisy. Daisy has survived breast cancer at the young age of 24, and on the eve of her "Cancerversary" she finds out that she has "Lots of Cancer". After her yearly checkup, her doctor discovers that her cancer is aggressive and she may have only a few months to live. After considering life after her death, she decides finding her husband a new wife is how she will focus her time. Daisy is one of the character types that rises to the occasion. She sees problems and fixes them. This makes her the perfect candidate for her veterinarian husband who often leaves his socks in piles on the floor, or would probably eat cereal at every meal if she weren't around. After she's given her diagnosis, Daisy realizes he will be severely handicapped and unable to fend for his self. This is how she rationalizes trolling cafes, dating sites, and other various places to find her husband a wife. Before long, this plan isn't as easy to take on as she expects. Before I Go by Colleen Oakley is a worthwhile debut that will have readers question just how easy it really is to let go and move on. Most importantly, it begs the question what is more important when life has an accelerated expiration date. Your own happiness or those you'll leave behind.
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