Summer Reading Lists 2009

By Grade Level

9th Grade

 

Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. “Arnold Spirit, a goofy-looking dork with a decent jumpshot, spends his time lamenting life on the ‘poor-ass’ Spokane Indian reservation [and] drawing cartoons (which accompany, and often provide more insight than, the narrative) … When a teacher pleads with Arnold to want more, to escape the hopelessness of the rez, Arnold switches to a rich white school … Younger teens looking for the strength to lift themselves out of rough situations would do well to start here.” (Booklist)

Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. “Guy Montag is a book-burning fireman undergoing a crisis of faith. His wife spends all day with her television ‘family’ … Their dull, empty life sharply contrasts with that of his next-door neighbor Clarisse, a young girl thrilled by the ideas in books … When Clarisse disappears mysteriously, Montag is moved to make some changes …” (Amazon.com)

Cormier, Robert. The Chocolate War. “Does Jerry Renault dare to disturb the universe? You wouldn't think that his refusal to sell chocolates during his school's fundraiser would create such a stir, but it does; it's as if the whole school comes apart at the seams. To some, Jerry is a hero, but to others, he becomes a scapegoat--a target for their pent-up hatred. And Jerry? He's just trying to stand up for what he believes …” (Amazon.com)

Crane, Stephen. The Red Badge of Courage. “When Henry Fielding joined the Union army, he was filled with romantic illusions of warfare. These illusions soon disappeared under the harsh, brutal reality of war. Forces beyond his control and random chance soon drive him to cowardice in battle. The same forces later combine to make his heroism.” (Amazon.com)

Crutcher, Chris. The Sledding Hill. “Billy Bartholomew has an audacious soul, and he knows it. Why? Because it's all he has left. He's dead. Eddie Proffit has an equally audacious soul, but he doesn't know it. He's still alive … The two were inseparable friends. They still are. And Billy is not about to let a little thing like death stop him from hanging in there with Eddie in his epic struggle to get his life back on track.” (Amazon.com)

 

Green, John. Paper Towns. “Quentin has been in love with his next-door neighbor, Margo Roth Spiegelman, since early childhood. Their connection was forever bonded when they discovered a dead body together at the age of nine. Now they are ready to graduate from high school. Although Margo has not been part of Quentin's life for many years, she shows up at Quentin's window late one night, enlisting his help with a wild scheme of revenge against her cheating boyfriend. Despite his natural reluctance to break the law, Quentin goes along with her, imagining that this teamwork will signify a new, more romantic turn to their relationship. But then Margo disappears, leaving only wisps of clues to her whereabouts and a tormented Quentin in her wake … The writing is stellar, with deliciously intelligent dialogue and plenty of mind-twisting insights.” (VOYA)

 

Hughes, Dean. Soldier Boys. “Parallel stories follow teenagers Spence Morgan, a farm boy from Utah, and Dieter Hedrick, a farm boy from Bavaria. Stirred by complex feelings of patriotism and adolescent insecurities, both young men find themselves fighting for their respective countries in World War II … [When] both teens are thrust into the chaos and carnage of the Battle of the Bulge, Dieter has his eyes opened somewhat by a disillusioned and embittered corporal in his unit [and] Spence learns of war's truths when his best friend dies. The novel comes alive in these final chapters, capturing the soldiers' struggles to stay warm and to overcome their fear, and the battle scenes place readers in the center of the action … Soldier Boys rises above the cliches of standard World War II stories and serves as a reminder that wars are often fought by young people like those we see every day.” (School Library Journal)

 

Kluger, Steve. My Most Excellent Year. “Three teens complete an English assignment detailing their ‘most excellent year’ in this big, warmhearted tale. T. C. [and] Augie have been self-declared brothers since age six, when T.C.'s mother died. Entering high school, everyone but Augie knows that Augie is gay, which finally dawns on him when he falls for another student. Meanwhile, T.C. develops an intense crush on Alé Perez, daughter of a Mexican diplomat … The essay segments are spliced with diary entries; e-mails from and between parents, teachers and Alé's former Secret Service agent; reprints of Augie's mother's hilariously excoriating theater reviews [and] transcripts of IM sessions … the results are unexpectedly positive, opening up the audience to adults as well as the target reader.” (Publishers Weekly)

 

Losted, Greg. Something Happened. " ‘All around me I see people laughing, joking, and walking around with these huge, goofy smiles plastered on their faces. I've begun to wonder how they do it, and more important, will I ever be able to be like that again?’ Five months after his dad's unexpected death, Billy Romero is still struggling with the loss. Billy's mom spends more time talking to her Bluetooth than to him, and his best friend, Ziggy, just doesn't get it. There's no one who understands how alone Billy feels...except his new English teacher, the young and beautiful Miss Gate. Miss Gate offers support and friendship, even giving Billy extra help with his writing outside of school. Billy isn't really sure how he feels about spending so much time with his teacher … But the closer they get, the more Billy wonders what kind of friendship this really is....” (Product Description)

McCormick, Patricia. Sold. “As this heartbreaking story opens, 13-year-old Lakshmi lives an ordinary life in Nepal, going to school and thinking of the boy she is to marry. Then her gambling-addicted stepfather sells her into prostitution in India. Refusing to be with men, she is beaten and starved until she gives in. Written in free verse … the spare, unadorned text matches the barrenness of Lakshmi’s new life. … When an American comes to the brothel to rescue girls, Lakshmi finally gets a sense of hope.” (School Library Journal)

McCullers, Carson. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. “Deaf-mute John Singer becomes the confidant for various types of misfits in a Georgia mill town during the 1930s. Each one yearns for escape from small town life. When Singer's mute companion goes insane, Singer moves into the Kelly house, where Mick Kelly, the book's heroine finds solace in her music … McCullers spins a haunting, unforgettable story that gives voice to the rejected, the forgotten, and the mistreated.” (Amazon.com)

Michaels, Rune. Genesis Alpha. “Josh is bewildered when his older brother, Max, is arrested for the murder of a beautiful young woman. This is the Max who fixed his bike and plays online games like Genesis Alpha with him. … [It is] revealed that the murderer developed a relationship with Karen through Genesis Alpha, carefully aggregating snippets of information about the pretty teen until he knew exactly who and where she was. Philosophical questions of free will, good and evil, and the ethics of reproductive science are at the core of this fascinating, troubling thriller.” (Booklist)

Plum-Ucci, Carol. The Body of Christopher Creed. “When class freak Chris Creed suddenly disappears, his fellow students are not so much worried but abuzz with speculation: Is he a runaway, a suicide, a crime victim? Through a complicated but believable turn of events, narrator Torey Adams, a popular 16-year-old, starts to feel some concern and resolves to find the truth.” (Publishers Weekly)

Potok, Chaim. The Chosen. “In 1940s Brooklyn, an accident throws Reuven Malther and Danny Saunders together. Despite their differences … the young men form a deep, if unlikely, friendship. Together they negotiate adolescence, family conflicts, the crisis of faith engendered when Holocaust stories begin to emerge in the U.S., loss, love, and the journey to adulthood.” (Amazon.com)

Shusterman, Neal. Unwind. “In a society where unwanted teens are salvaged for their body parts, three runaways fight the system that would ‘unwind’ them. Connor's parents want to be rid of him because he's a troublemaker. Risa has no parents and is being unwound to cut orphanage costs. Lev's unwinding has been planned since his birth, as part of his family's strict religion … these three unlikely companions make a harrowing cross-country journey, knowing their lives hang in the balance …” (Book Description)

Smith, Roland. Peak. “After 14-year-old Peak Marcello is caught climbing the Woolworth Building, an angry judge gives him probation, with an understanding that Peak will leave New York and live with his famous mountaineer father in Thailand … Peak is whisked off to Tibet and finds himself in the complex world of an Everest base camp, where large amounts of money are at stake and climbing operations offer people an often-deadly shot at the summit.” (Booklist)

 

St. James, James. Freak Show. “Teenage drag queen Billy Bloom explodes onto the conservative scene at Eisenhower Academy, where he finds love and a band of blond sadists. St. James tells the oldest story in the book, the one where an outcast seeks the homecoming crown, only this time a queen wants to be Queen. Billy's bold, bawdy narration makes Freak Show not only cohesive but also immensely entertaining … Beneath the sequins, feathers, and foundation, Billy nurses an ardent desire for acceptance … [He] shirks labels (he calls himself a ’Gender Obscurist’), and this book also refuses to be defined by sexuality. Yes, Billy falls for another boy, and yes, they do kiss. Teens will find this romance fresh and fun, but they will also enjoy exploring complicated issues of empowerment, bigotry, self-esteem, and fear ...” (School Library Journal)

 

Swift, Jonathan. Gulliver's Travels. Gulliver’s travels “take him to Lilliput where he is a giant observing tiny people. In Brobdingnag, [he] is the tiny person in a land of giants … The flying island of Laputa is the scene of his next voyage. The people plan and plot as their country lies in ruin … The fourth and final voyage takes him to the home of the Houyhnhnms, gentle horses who rule the land.” (School Library Journal)

 

Volponi, Paul. Hurricane Song. “Feeling crowded out of his mom's Chicago apartment following her remarriage, 16-year-old Miles goes to live with his dad in New Orleans. He's only been there for two months when Katrina hits. Attempting to flee the city on Sunday with Uncle Roy, who, like his dad, is a jazz musician, they take refuge in the Superdome after their car breaks down. With this ‘ripped-from-the-headlines’ premise, Volponi effectively portrays how too many people in one space with too little food, supplies, and basic services quickly deteriorates from mere displacement to human suffering on a massive scale … A sprinkling of common vulgarities realistically punctuates the fast-paced story of unprecedented unease in the Big Easy.” (School Library Journal)

 

Voorhees, Coert. The Brothers Torres. “Frankie Torres Towers knows his older brother, Steve, is endangering his college scholarship by staying out all night with the local cholos and picking fights with his soccer teammates … Frankie figures Steve is just looking for respect and covers for him, deflecting his parents' questions and picking up the slack at Los Torres, the family's New Mexican restaurant. Frankie's primary obsession is getting a date with Rebecca Sanchez for the Homecoming dance. When he exhibits some bravado against rich kid and soccer jock John Dalton, he only hopes to win her attention, but he unintentionally incites a series of incidents that forces his brother to defend him [and] soon learns what these warring factions of older boys are willing to risk.” (School Library Journal)

 

Wells, H. G. The Time Machine. A scientist invents a machine that transports him into the future. There, he encounters a community consisting of only two species of animals: the barbaric Morlocks and the gentle Eloi.

 

Werlin, Nancy. Impossible. “Date rape, a pregnant teen, and a shotgun wedding (of sorts)—must be a YA problem novel circa 1985, right? Not really. From a hidden letter, 17-year-old Lucy Scarborough learns ’all sorts of melodramatic, ridiculous, but true things’ about the circumstances surrounding her rape on prom night, her subsequent pregnancy, and why therapy and her signature pragmatism won’t be much help against an ancient fairy’s curse … Werlin earns high marks for the tale’s graceful interplay between wild magic and contemporary reality—from the evil fairy lord disguised as a charismatic social worker to the main players’ skepticism as they attempt to solve the curse’s three archaic puzzles.” (Booklist)

 

Westerfeld, Scott. Peeps. “19-year-old Cal, a Texas transplant, lost his virginity–and a lot more–when he first arrived in New York City. He became a parasite-positive, or peep … Now he works for the Night Watch, a secret branch of city government dedicated to tracking others of his kind. Unlike the rare natural carriers like Cal, who has acquired night vision, superhuman strength, and a craving for lots of protein, most peeps are insane cannibals lurking in darkness. But now the teen has found the young woman who infected him–and learns that something worse than peeps is threatening the city ...” (School Library Journal)

 

Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. “Death is the narrator of this lengthy, powerful story of a town in Nazi Germany. He is a kindly, caring Death, overwhelmed by the souls he has to collect from people in the gas chambers, from soldiers on the battlefields, and from civilians killed in bombings. Death focuses on a young orphan, Liesl; her loving foster parents; the Jewish fugitive they are hiding; and a wild but gentle teen neighbor, Rudy, who defies the Hitler Youth and convinces Liesl to steal for fun …” (Booklist)

 

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10th Grade

Angelou, Maya. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. “Poet Maya Angelou recounts a youth filled with disappointment, frustration, tragedy, and finally hard-won independence. Sent at a young age to live with her grandmother in Arkansas, Angelou learned a great deal from this exceptional woman and the tightly knit black community there. These very lessons carried her throughout the hardships she endured later in life … " (Amazon.com)

 

Beah, Ishmael. A Long Way Gone. “This gripping story by a children's-rights advocate recounts his experiences as a boy growing up in Sierra Leone in the 1990s, during one of the most brutal and violent civil wars in recent history. Beah [was] a typical precocious 12-year-old, but rebel forces destroyed his childhood innocence when they hit his village … After several months of struggle, he was recruited by the national army, made a full soldier and learned to shoot an AK-47, and hated everyone who came up against the rebels ...” (School Library Journal)

Ebert, Roger. Scorcese by Ebert. “Ebert, film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, is an unabashed fan of Scorsese, whom he considers the most gifted director of his generation. To prove it, he's compiled his reviews of every Scorsese film … Along the way, Ebert pays special tribute to five masterpieces, including Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Mean Streets, which he calls one of the source points of modern movies …  Citing the director's strong collaboration with actor Robert De Niro and screenwriter Paul Schrader, Ebert says all three men seem fascinated by the lives of tortured, violent, guilt-ridden characters … Of special note are interviews with Scorsese over a 25-year period, in which the director candidly discusses his body of work.” (Publishers Weekly)

Eig, Jonathan. Luckiest Man: the Life & Death of Lou Gehrig. “A fascinating and well-rounded portrait of Gehrig, from his dugout rituals and historic games to his relationships with his mother, wife, coaches, and teammates. His complex friendship with Ruth, who was the polar opposite to Gehrig in nearly every respect, is given particularly vivid attention … Eig also shares some previously unknown details regarding his consecutive games streak and how he dealt with ALS during the final years of his life.” (Amazon.com)

 

Engel, Richard. War Journal: My Five Years in Iraq. “NBC News' Middle East bureau chief Engel tags along on marine patrols and survives his share of ambushes, truck bombs and kidnapping attempts in this riveting memoir of the Iraq War. His worm's-eye reportage of the spiraling carnage exposes the grisly details omitted from nightly newscasts--a dog carrying a severed human head, a massacre scene in a bakery redolent of sweet aromas and the merry trilling of a victim's cellphone--along with his own numbed reactions. His battles with network suits and right-wing bloggers who insist that he find good news to report are a leitmotif, as is his scrupulous discernment of the big picture beneath the chaos of war. Fluent in Arabic, with access to Iraqi prime ministers and insurgents as well as American leaders (including George W. Bush), he deftly elucidates the bitter rivalry between dethroned Sunnis and rising Shiites and, behind that, Iran's skillful consolidation of power in Iraq as the United States flounders. Engel's fine, heartfelt but disabused account of this bewildering conflict renders the suffering in Iraq with understanding and compassion.” (Publishers Weekly)

Freedman, Russell. Martha Graham: A Dancer's Life. “In her day, Martha Graham was the DEAL. Paula Abdul and every other smooth-mover can thank Graham for paving the way for them way back in the1930's and 40's…. Martha Graham's moves started a dance revolution. She was a rebel of the highest order and in the best sense of the word. You'll want to read this one just for fun...” (Reading Rants)

Gardner Chris. The Pursuit of Happyness. “Gardner chronicles his long, painful, ultimately rewarding journey from inner-city Milwaukee to the pinnacle of Wall Street … By his own account, Gardner was a good kid who got into trouble occasionally, but stayed on a steady, upward track. [His] own weakness was women, and when one of them left him with a son, it led to a period of homelessness on the San Francisco streets … ” (Publishers Weekly)

Goldsmith, Barbara. Obsessive Genius: The Inner World of Marie Curie. “Chronicles the intensely dramatic life of the first woman scientist to win the Nobel Prize …Curie endured and triumphed over a tough childhood in Russian-occupied Poland as well as depression, sexism, and poverty … she found her soul mate in fellow scientist and maverick Pierre Curie, who helped her conduct the grueling experiments that enabled her to discover polonium, radium, and radioactivity, throwing ‘open the door to atomic science.’ …” (Booklist)

 

Grahl, Gary A. Skinny Boy: A Young Man’s Battle and Triumph Over Anorexia. “Challenging the assumption that anorexia is an exclusively female affliction, this compelling memoir is the first to describe how a young man overcame this often fatal disorder. Handsome and popular, Gary had baseball abilities that had attracted the attention of the big leagues, until a shaming inner-voice convinced him that he needed to be thinner, leading to an out-of-control compulsion to exercise and starve himself, causing multiple hospitalizations. Providing strategies for tackling the recovery process and examples of changes in the thinking needed to take those steps, this important narrative comes at a time when eating disorders are at an all-time high in America, afflicting more than 8 million men.” (Product Description)

Grealy, Lucy. Autobiography of a Face. “Diagnosed at age nine with Ewing's sarcoma, a cancer that severely disfigured her face, Grealy lost half her jaw, recovered after two and half years of chemotherapy and radiation, then underwent plastic surgery over the next 20 years to reconstruct her jaw. This harrowing, lyrical autobiographical memoir [is] a striking meditation on the distorting effects of our culture's preoccupation with physical beauty …” (Publishers Weekly)

Harman, Claire. Myself and the Other Fellow: A Life of Robert Louis Stevenson. “Stevenson's short life was plagued by ill health, took him from Edinburgh to California and finally to the South Seas, creating a romanticized reputation along the way … Harman emphasizes his restless, multigenre dilettantism, which resulted in many false starts and incomplete plays, stories and novels. Stevenson's popularity as an author may always outstrip the biographical record, but this readable narrative of his kaleidoscopically colorful life helps narrow the gap.” (Publishers Weekly)

Hornbacher, Marya. Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia. “Hornbacher describes in shocking detail her lifelong quest to starve herself to death, to force her short, athletic body to fade away … Her bizarre tale includes not only the usual puking and starving, but also being confined to mental hospitals and growing fur (a phenomenon called lanugo, which nature imposes to keep a body from freezing to death during periods of famine).” (Amazon.com)

 

Juette, Melvin. Wheelchair Warrior: Gangs, Disability, and Basketball. “Juette’s story follows his evolution from boy to man, from gang member to wheelchair athlete, and it’s a story of determination and inspiration that will touch everyone who reads it. The book is aimed at both general readers and scholars, which perhaps explains the virtually impenetrable introduction; just ignore that, and focus on what Juette has to tell us.” (Booklist)

Kuwahara, Yasuo and Gordan T. Allred. Kamikaze. “Kuwahara trained as a kamikaze pilot … he was beaten and tormented on a daily basis, all to devalue his own sense of humanity and individuality. It's absolutely terrifying reading about boys and young men so ready to plunge to their deaths … The book closes with a grim portrayal of the U.S.'s atomic bombing of Hiroshima and its grisly aftermath.” (School Library Journal)

 

Mam, Somaly. The Road of Lost Innocence. “Sold into slavery as a young girl—first as an indentured servant to a surly, violent older man, then, at 16, to a brothel—Mam could have lived a life of misery and defeat. Instead, she found freedom and security while keeping her remarkable spirit intact. This unflinching, searing memoir tells Mam’s story, from her early childhood as an orphan in the mountains of Cambodia to her current role as cofounder and president of the AFESIP (Acting for Women in Distressing Circumstances) and the Somaly Mam foundations, which have rescued more than 3,400 women and children throughout Southeast Asia. Mam’s voice is humble, matter-of-fact, and wrenchingly real. Her passionate refusal to let other girls suffer as she did spurs her to action …” (Booklist)

 

Maynard, Kyle. No Excuses: The True Story of a Congenital Amputee who became a Champion in Wrestling and in Life. “Born without arms or legs below his elbows and knees, Kyle Maynard excels as a champion athlete, inspirational speaker, college student and male model. No Excuses is his inspirational autobiography that shows how a positive can-do attitude gives someone we might see as disadvantaged the advantage over life.” (Amazon.com)

McBride, James. The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother. The “remarkable story of Ruth McBride Jordan, the two good men she married, and the 12 good children she raised [is] a testament to one woman's true heart, solid values, and indomitable will. Ruth Jordan battled not only racism but also poverty to raise her children and, despite being sorely tested, never wavered.” (Amazon.com)

 

Obama, Barrack. The Audacity of Hope. “Illinois's Democratic senator illuminates the constraints of mainstream politics all too well in this sonorous manifesto. Obama castigates divisive partisanship and calls for a centrist politics based on broad American values. His own cautious liberalism is a model: he's skeptical of big government and of Republican tax cuts for the rich and Social Security privatization; he's pro-choice, but respectful of pro-lifers; supportive of religion, but not of imposing it … Obama writes insightfully, with vivid firsthand observations, about politics and the compromises forced on politicians by fund-raising, interest groups, the media and legislative horse-trading.” (Publishers Weekly)

 

Partridge, Elizabeth. John Lennon: All I Want Is The Truth. “Lennon’s life from the night he was born in 1940 during a World War II air raid on Liverpool, through his turbulent childhood and rebellious rock’n’roll teens to his celebrated life writing, recording, and performing music with the Beatles. Partridge sheds light on the years after the Beatles, with Yoko Ono, as he struggled to make sense of his own artistic life … Striking black-and-white photographs.” (Amazon.com).

 

Partridge, Elizabeth. Restless Spirit: The Life and Work of Dorothea Lange. “Dorothea Lange hit the road with her camera before it was fashionable to be a working woman and gave the world incredibly moving pictures of poverty in the Oklahoma Dust Bowl, bread lines in the cities during the Great Depression, and barbed fences around the Japanese WWII internment camps.” (Reading Rants)

 

Rapoport, Roger. Citizen Moore. “Acclaimed filmmaker Michael Moore began his career as muckraker and crusader in the industrial Midwest with an abiding curiosity and determination that earned him the consternation of the nuns in his Catholic school and the admiration of autoworkers. Rapoport compares Moore to Upton Sinclair and Ralph Nader, chronicling the filmmaker's early activism, community organizing, radio and theater career, and involvement in alternative journalism ….” (Booklist)

Rapp, Emily. Poster Child: A Memoir. “Rapp was an extraordinary child. Born with a congenital defect, she had her left ankle amputated at the age of four. Four years later, after dozens of surgeries, her entire leg below the knee was gone. Her parents told her she could be anything she wanted … She became the March of Dimes poster child, an amputee skier, and eventually won a Fulbright Scholarship to Korea. But this is not the story of her achievements. Instead, the book chronicles her poignant journey to make peace with her flaws ...” (School Library Journal)

 

Romm, Robin. The Mercy Papers. “Romm presents a wrenching chronicle of the three weeks before her mother’s death from cancer. Her skills as a poet are obvious in the lyrical language she uses to describe her sadness and fury as her mother grows increasingly weaker. Though Romm still sees flashes of the bright, witty civil rights attorney her mother was, she cannot avoid detailing her rapid decline. As Romm’s mother succumbs, Romm relies on her dog, Mercy, for comfort and support. She fights attempts by Barb, a nurse, to speed her mother’s passing with drugs and turn it into some sort of strange theater with CDs for the dying and other trappings. All the while, she knows that the clock is moving inexorably toward her mother’s death. Romm’s piercing and personal look at loss will speak to anyone who has coped or is coping with the death of a loved one.” (Booklist)

 

Sey, Jennifer. Chalked Up: Inside Elite Gymnastics' Merciless Coaching, Overzealous Parents, Eating Disorders, and Elusive Olympic Dreams. “Sey writes of her career in internationally competitive gymnastics, which culminated when she won the 1986 U.S. national championship at age 17. From the start Sey was an underdog, ever the second-best athlete on the team hoping to prove herself with tenacity and toughness. She endured numerous injuries—including a broken femur, which could have ended her career—as well as an eating disorder, depression, isolation and tremendous strain on her family. With each new sacrifice that her parents and brother made to support her, the stakes crept higher, inuring them all to gymnastics' inherent physical and psychological trauma. After claiming the U.S. title, Sey was ‘shell-shocked and exhausted,’ suddenly robbed of her lifelong motivation … Overall, she has written a courageous story befitting a comeback kid.” (Publishers Weekly)

 

Sheff, David. Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction. “Sheff chronicles his son's downward spiral into addiction and the impact on him and his family. A bright, capable teenager, Nic began trying mind- and mood-altering substances when he was 17. In months, use became abuse, then abuse became addiction. By the time Sheff knew of his son's condition, Nic was strung out on meth, the highly potent stimulant. While his son struggles to get clean, his second wife and two younger children are pulled helplessly into the drama. Sheff, as the parent of an addict, cycles through denial and acceptance and resistance … there are hard, solid facts about meth and the kinds of havoc it wreaks on individuals, families and communities both urban and rural. This is an honest, hopeful book, coming at a propitious moment in the meth epidemic.” (Publishers Weekly)

Souad. Burned Alive. “Enticed into a relationship with a handsome neighbor, 17-year-old Souad’s short-lived romance leaves her pregnant. Forbidden to marry until her older sisters find husbands and having brought shame to her family, Souad faces the only acceptable punishment: death. How her family plots to kill her, her harrowing struggle to survive burns over 90% of her body after her brother-in-law douses her with gasoline and sets her on fire, her dramatic escape from Jordan, and her resolve to build a new life for herself is a tale of heartbreaking drama and remarkable courage.” (Amazon.com)

Van Pelt, Lori. Amelia Earhart: The Sky’s No Limit. ”As a tomboy growing up in Kansas, Amelia Earhart delighted in trying new and risky things, once even building a roller-coaster in her grandparents' backyard. In her 20s she fell in love with flight while watching an aerobatics exhibition and grew even more enthralled when she took her first airplane ride …To Amelia Earhart, even the sky was no limit to those with the courage to test new boundaries.” (Amazon.com)

Webb, Nick. Wish You Were Here: The Official Biography of Douglass Adams. ”By turns touching, tongue-in-cheek, and not at all timid about telling the warts-and-all truth, Wish You Were Here is summation as celebration– a look back at a life well worth the vicarious reliving, and studded with anecdote, droll comic incident, and heartfelt insight as its subject’s own unforgettable tales of cosmic wanderlust.” (Amazon.com)

 

Weller, Sheila. Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon—and the Journey of a Generation. “Weller examines the careers of singer-songwriters whose success reflected, enervated and shaped the feminist movement that grew up with them. After short sketches of their early years, Weller begins in earnest with the 1960s, switching off among the women as their public lives begin. A time of extremes, the 60s found folk music and feminist cultures just beginning to define themselves … Pioneering success in the music business led inevitably to similar roles in women’s movement, but Weller doesn’t overlook the content of their songs and the effect they have on a generation of women facing a lot more choice, but with no one to guide them ... A must-read for any fan of these artists." (From Publishers Weekly)

 

White, Timothy. Catch a Fire: The Life of Bob Marley. ”Bob Marley, reggae superstar and pop culture icon, left an indelible mark on modern music. Catch a Fire delves deep into the life of the lionized leader of a musical, spiritual, and political explosion that still reverberates decades after his death … The final product is rich with elements of spiritual tome, rock biography, and history text; it is a hagiographic epic--the story of a man and his legend.” (Amazon.com)  

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11th Grade

Chevalier, Tracy. The Girl With the Pearl Earring. “The story of Griet, a 16-year-old Dutch girl, who becomes a maid in the house of the painter Johannes Vermeer. Her calm and perceptive manner not only helps her in her household duties, but also attracts Vermeer's attention. He slowly draws her into the world of his paintings and ultimately has her sit for him as a model.  In this richly imagined portrait of the young woman who inspired on of Vermeer's most celebrated paintings, Tracy Chevalier transports readers to a bygone time and place. History and fiction merge seamlessly in a luminous tale of artistic vision, sensual awakening, and daily life in the Netherlands of the 17th-century.” (The Publisher)

 

Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. "This portrait of twenty-eight-year-old Edna Pontellier is a landmark in American fiction, rooted firmly in the romantic tradition of Herman Melville and Emily Dickinson. Here, a woman in search of self-discovery turns away from convention and society, and toward the primal, irresistibly attracted to nature and the senses.”
 

Dorris, Michael. Yellow Raft in Blue Water. “Set in the Pacific Northwest, this is a richly rewarding multigenerational exploration of family relationships. It is divided into three parts, each narrated by a different woman. The first voice belongs to Rayona, the 15-year-old daughter of a Native American woman and an African American father who runs off to Seattle after her father abandons the family in the 1980s. Her mother, Christine, narrates the second part, which takes the story back to the 1960s, and Christine's supposed mother, ’Aunt Ida,’ narrates part three, which goes back to the 1940s.” (Library Journal)

 

Foer, Jonathan Safran. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. “Oskar Schell is not your average nine-year-old. A budding inventor, he spends his time imagining wonderful creations. He also collects random photographs for his scrapbook and sends letters to scientists. When his father dies in the World Trade Center collapse, Oskar shifts his boundless energy to a quest for answers. He finds a key hidden in his father's things that doesn't fit any lock in their New York City apartment; its container is labeled ‘Black.’ Using flawless kid logic, Oskar sets out to speak to everyone in New York City with the last name of Black. A retired journalist who keeps a card catalog with entries for everyone he's ever met is just one of the colorful characters the boy meets … The humor works as a deceptive, glitzy cover for a fairly serious tale about loss and recovery.” (School Library Journal)

 

Frank, E.R. America. “Fifteen-year-old America has been nowhere, has been nobody. Separated from his foster mother. A runaway. A patient. Without love. Without hope. And, eventually, without the will to live. Until Dr. B. steps in. To listen. To explore. And to find within America both the story and the boy who are lost.”

French, Albert. Billy. “In 1937, in the small town of Banes, Miss., 10-year-old Billy Lee Turner lives with his mother in one of the miserable shanties of the black ghetto called the Patch. Headstrong Billy convinces another youngster to enter the white area of town, where they are attacked by teenaged cousins who are enraged to see black boys in ‘their’' pond. Seeking to escape, Billy impulsively stabs one of the girls; she dies, and the white community works itself into a paroxysm of rage and violence. Though Billy is too young to comprehend what he has done, he is sentenced to the electric chair … Though nearly every scene is rendered with high-glare intensity, the closing episodes set in the Death House are especially searing … the novel pulses with its unnerving vision of inhumanity legalized under the name of justice.” (Publishers Weekly)

 

Griffin, John Howard. Black Like Me. “In 1959, Griffin headed to New Orleans, darkened his skin and immersed himself in black society, then traveled to several states until he could no longer stand the racism, segregation and degrading living conditions. Griffin imparts the hopelessness and despair he felt while executing his social experiment.”

Guest, Judith. Ordinary People. “The Jarrets are a typical American family. Calvin is a determined, successful provider and Beth an organized, efficient wife. They had two sons, Conrad and Buck, but now they have one. In this memorable, moving novel, Judith Guest takes the reader into their lives to share their misunderstandings, pain...and ultimate healing.”

Hansbury, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun. “Lena Younger, the strong-willed matriarch, is the glue that holds together the Younger family. Walter Lee is her married, thirty-something son who, along with his wife and sister, lives in his mother’s apartment. He is short on meeting responsibilities but long on dreams. Beneatha is Walter’s sister—an upwardly mobile college student who plans to attend medical school. Mama Lena is due a check from her late husband’s insurance [and] wants to use her new money for a new beginning—in a new house, in a new neighborhood (white) …”

Hoffman, Alice. Local Girls. ”Short stories develop the lives of Gretel Samuelson and her family and friends in a Long Island town. Divorce, friendship, addiction and growing up are the themes of Hoffman's tales, which are told in breathless nonstop words and phrases … Hoffman brings the listener her spiritual perspective for dealing with life--its tragedies, struggles and successes.”

Kennedy, William. Legs. ”Legs evokes the flamboyant career of the legendary gangster Jack ‘Legs’ Diamond, who was finally murdered in Albany. Through the equivocal eyes of Diamond's attorney, Marcus Gorman (who scraps a promising political career for the elemental excitement of the criminal underworld), we watch as Legs and his showgirl mistress, Kiki Roberts, blaze their gaudy trail across the tabloid pages of the 1920s and 1930s.”

Leshem, Ron. Beaufort. “In this gritty war novel, Leshem chronicles the tumultuous year leading up to Israel's 2000 withdrawal from Southern Lebanon. The story is told through the eyes of 21-year-old squadron leader, Liraz Liberti (aka Erez), who is tasked with shepherding a motley group of 13 ‘kids’ through their military tours at the historic Israeli outpost, Beaufort … Rather than dwell on the politics behind Israel's conflict with Hezbollah, Leshem focuses on the [soldiers'] camaraderie to give readers remarkably visceral access to the isolated outpost … ” (Publishers Weekly)

Mazer, Harry. A Boy at War. “December 7, 1941: For Adam, living near Honolulu, this Sunday morning is one he has been looking forward to--fishing with friends, away from the ever-watchful eyes of his father, a navy lieutenant. Then, right before his eyes, Adam watches Japanese planes fly overhead and attack the U.S. Navy … As he sees his father's ship, the Arizona, sink beneath the water, he realizes this isn't make-believe. It's real. Over the next few days, Adam searches for answers, [but] soon learns sometimes there are no answers.”

Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman. “Miller won a Pulitzer Prize for the work, which he described as ‘the tragedy of a man who gave his life, or sold it’ in pursuit of the American Dream. After many years on the road as a traveling salesman, Willy Loman realizes he has been a failure as a father and husband. His sons, Happy and Biff, are not successful--on his terms (being "well-liked") or any others. His career fading, Willy escapes into reminiscences of an idealized past …”

 

Myers, Walter Dean. Sunrise Over Fallujah. “Robin's parents aspire for him to go to college, but following September 11, he feels compelled to join the Army instead. By early 2003, Robin has completed Basic Training and is deployed to Iraq … Robin quickly learns that the situation in Iraq will not be resolved easily and that much of what is happening there will never make the news. Facing the horrors of war, Robin tries to remain hopeful and comforting in his letters to his family, never showing his fear or the danger he actually faces. The story of teenagers going to war today is an important one, and it is not told often enough … Robin is only eighteen, and it is difficult to watch his innocence erased as war leaves its mark on him, but it is the reality for many young men and women.” (VOYA)

 

Naylor, Gloria R. Women of Brewster Place. “The Women of Brewster Place chronicles the communal strength of seven black women living in decrepit rented houses on a walled-off street in an urban neighborhood. Mattie Michael, the matriarch of the group, is a source of comfort and strength for the other women. Etta Mae Johnson is a free spirit who repeatedly gets involved with men who disappoint her. Kiswana Browne embraces racial pride and eventually accepts her mother’s middle-class values … The Women of Brewster Place is a moving portrait of the strengths, struggles, and hopes of black women. At the end of the novel, the women demolish the wall that separates them from the rest of the city.” (Sacred Fire)

Perrotta, Tom. Election. “Tracy Flick’s heart is set on becoming President of Winwood High, and what Tracy wants, Tracy gets. With weeks to go before election day, her victory is nearly a foregone conclusion. And that's just the problem, according to Jim McAllister, a popular history teacher. In the name of democracy--not to mention a simmering grudge against Tracy Flick--Mr. M recruits the perfect opposition candidate …"

Perrotta, Tom. The Abstinence Teacher. “Ruth Ramsey, divorced, is the human sexuality teacher at the local high school; she believes in being honest with her students, telling them that some people ‘enjoy oral sex.’ She lands in hot water when an evangelical church, offended by her curriculum, forces the school board to include a section on abstinence … A finely wrought novel that will be in demand.” (Booklist)

Sebold, Alice. Lovely Bones. ”When we first meet 14-year-old Susie Salmon, she is already in heaven. This was before milk carton photos and public service announcements, she tells us; back in 1973, when Susie mysteriously disappeared, people still believed these things didn’t happen. Susie relates the awful events of her death, and her own adjustment to the strange new place she finds herself … With love, longing, and a growing understanding, she watches her family as they cope with their grief [and] begin the difficult process of healing.”

Updike, John. Rabbit Run (or other Rabbit books). “To millions of Americans, Rabbit Angstrom is like a member of the family. They have followed him through Rabbit Run, Rabbit Redux, and Rabbit is Rich. We meet him for the first time in this novel, when he is 22, and a salesman in the local department store. Married to the second best sweetheart of his high school years, he is the father of a preschool son and husband to an alcoholic wife. The unrelieved squalor and tragedy of their lives remind us that there are such people, and that salvation, after all, is a personal undertaking.”

 

Vaught, Susan. Trigger. “17-year-old Jersey Hatch returns home after a year in a brain-injury treatment center. Having no memory of the event, Jersey has been informed that he shot himself in the head. With no internal points of reference, he is compelled to confirm through those around him that he really pulled the trigger, and more importantly, to discover why … Worse yet, Jersey has returned to parents broken by his actions and to peers who despise him … ” (Booklist)

 

Williams, Tennessee. The Glass Menagerie. “Tom, his mother Amanda, and his sister Laura live together in a small apartment in St. Louis. Their father abandoned them years earlier, and Tom is now the family's breadwinner. He works at the Continental Shoemakers warehouse during the day, but he disappears nightly ‘to the movies.’ Amanda is a loving mother, but meddling and nagging. Laura is a frightened and terribly shy girl, with unbelievably weak nerves who busies herself caring for her ‘glass menagerie,’ a collection of delicate little glass animals. Tom’s dilemma is the central conflict of the play, as he faces an agonizing choice between responsibility for his family and living his own life.”

Wilson, August. Fences. “Set in the 1950's, the Pulitzer Prize-winning play tells the story of Troy Maxon, an illiterate garbage collector who has become embittered by a white-controlled system that has denied him the baseball stardom he feels he deserves …”

Wright, Richard. Black Boy. "Describes vividly Wright's often harsh, hardscrabble boyhood and youth in rural Mississippi and in Memphis, Tenn. When the work was first published, many white critics viewed Black Boy primarily as an attack on racist Southern white society. From the 1960s the work came to be understood as the story of Wright's coming of age and development as a writer whose race, though a primary component of his life, was but one of many that formed him as an artist.”

Wright, Richard. Native Son. "Bigger Thomas is a young black man in 1940s Chicago who accidentally kills the daughter of his wealthy white employer. He tries to frame the young woman's fiancé for the crime and attempts to extort ransom from the victim's family, but his guilt is discovered, and he is forced into hiding. After a terrifying manhunt, he is arrested and brought to trial … Out of this tale the author develops a profoundly disturbing image of racism and its results that puts Bigger's experience in horrifying perspective.”

Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. “Death is the narrator of this lengthy, powerful story of a town in Nazi Germany. He is a kindly, caring Death, overwhelmed by the souls he has to collect from people in the gas chambers, from soldiers on the battlefields, and from civilians killed in bombings. Death focuses on a young orphan, Liesl; her loving foster parents; the Jewish fugitive they are hiding; and a wild but gentle teen neighbor, Rudy, who defies the Hitler Youth and convinces Liesl to steal for fun …” (Booklist)

 

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12th Grade

Bradley, James. Flags of Our Fathers. “This story stars the six soldiers who raised Old Glory over Mt. Suribachi during the bloody battle for Iwo Jima in World War II. Joe Rosenthal's powerful photo of their shouldering the flag became the symbol of U.S. triumph over the Japanese. The three surviving flag raisers, including Bradley's father, John, toured as wartime heroes, selling billions in bonds. But John Bradley, who had been badly wounded, insisted he was not a hero; only the men ’who did not come back’ were heroes. His son re-creates the backgrounds of the events as seen by his protagonists, such as amphibious assaults on fiercely defended islands; horrifying deaths and injuries to the troops; and grotesque episodes, like the torture and murder of a U.S. prisoner. These fragments of the Pacific war dramatize what the six achieved in spite of obstacles and frustrations.” (Library Journal)

Ehrenreich, Barbara. This Land is Their Land: Reports from a Divided Nation. “Ehrenreich's vicious, hilarious and striking tour de force of American culture and society today addresses a range of issues from class warfare to health care, higher education to feminism to religious institutionalization and political power. She weighs in with wit, clarity and authority that few authors can match. Loosely knitted together, this collection of essays paints a disappointing picture of the world today.” (Publishers Weekly)

 

Dandy, Leslie, and Mel Borin. Guinea Pig Scientists. “An easy and interesting read, this book describes 18th-century Italian scientist Lazzaro Spallanzani and his research on himself to explore digestion by swallowing food encapsulated in wooden tubes or cloth satchels and then analyzing the remains of the samples upon their exit from the intestinal tract … Other topics describe guinea-pig scientists who tested internal body temperature in extreme heat and cold conditions, inhaled various gasses to discover one suitable for anesthetic uses (today's laughing gas), and seven more captivating narratives.”

D’Orso, Michael. Eagle Blue. “Eight miles above the Arctic Circle, there's a village with no roads leading to it, but a high school basketball tradition that lights up winter's darkness and a team of native Alaskan boys who know ‘no quit.’ D'Orso follows the Fort Yukon Eagles through their 2005 season to the state championship, shifting between a mesmerizing narrative and the thoughts of the players, their coach and their fans. What emerges is more than a sports story; it's a striking portrait of a community consisting of a traditional culture bombarded with modernity, where alcoholism, domestic violence and school dropout rates run wild … With a ghostlike presence, D'Orso lends a voice to a place that deserves to be known.” (Publishers Weekly)

Gardner, Rulon. Never Stop Pushing. “An inspiring memoir from one of the world's most remarkable athletes who achieved arguably the greatest upset in individual sports history in the 2000 Olympic Gold Medal match. Gardner tells the story of his impoverished upbringing, his struggles in school, and how he survived a snowmobile accident that marooned him outdoors for eighteen hours in high country. Gardner recovered from this and went on to defend his Gold Medal at Athens in 2004.”

 

Gladwell, Malcolm. Outliers. “Through case studies ranging from Canadian junior hockey champions to the robber barons of the Gilded Age, from Asian math whizzes to software entrepreneurs to the rise of his own family in Jamaica, Gladwell tears down the myth of individual merit to explore how culture, circumstance, timing, birth and luck account for success—and how historical legacies can hold others back despite ample individual gifts. Even as we know how many of these stories end, Gladwell restores the suspense and serendipity to these narratives that make them fresh and surprising.” (Publishers Weekly)

 
Gore, Al. An Inconvenient Truth: The Crisis of Global Warming. “In this youth-focused adaptation of Gore's 2006 adult book and Oscar-winning documentary, Gore and O'Connor distill the material, creating an eye-opening story that targets kids' concerns … The sturdy pages are filled with color photographs and charts, and the images are riveting. Like the pictures, the personal stories bring the facts close, and in addition to the urgent science, Gore's book shows how mentors can change lives … Gore's research continues to raise controversy, but few, if any, books for youth offer such a dynamic look at the climate issues threatening our planet.” (Booklist)

Grogan, John. Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dog. “John and Jenny were just beginning their life together. They were young and in love, with a perfect little house and not a care in the world. Then they brought home Marley, a wiggly yellow furball of a puppy. Life would never be the same. Marley quickly grew into a barreling, ninety-seven-pound streamroller of a Labrador retriever … Obedience school did no good—Marley was expelled … And yet Marley's heart was pure; through it all, he remained steadfast, a model of devotion, even when his family was at its wit's end. Unconditional love, they would learn, comes in many forms.”

 

Holmstedt, Kirsten. Band of Sisters. “Holmstedt started studying the experience of women marines when she lived near Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Her research became a master's thesis in creative writing and the most up-to-date discussion of women in the current war. Unblushingly in favor of women in combat, she doesn't whitewash their experiences or exaggerate their achievements. Their male colleagues aren't universally accepting, but many of them admit that the women are performing effectively; since 20 percent of the troops currently in Iraq are women, they must be. [They] are flying F-18s into enemy ground fire, driving Hummers and trucks that may be ambushed at any moment, and playing invaluable roles in intelligence operations and in the nation building that is one of the more positive aspects of a seemingly interminable and frustrating conflict ….” (Booklist)

King, Stephen. On Writing. “Part memoir, part master class by one of the best-selling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer's craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King's advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported near-fatal accident in 1999--and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery. Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, On Writing will empower and entertain everyone who reads it--fans, writers, and anyone who loves a great story well told.”

Kluger, Jeffrey, Splendid Solution: Jonas Salk and the Conquest of Polio. “Kluger wonderfully illustrates the complexity of Salk and how his tenacity helped to push forward the concept of a killed vaccine despite a great deal of opposition. Kluger complements [earlier books] by providing a fresh look at events based on a historical perspective of the disease's progress and eradication attempts by the World Health Organization. As fascinating read …” (Library Journal)

 

Kopelman, Jay. From Baghdad to America: Life Lessons from a Dog Named Lava. “In From Baghdad, with Love (2006), Kopelman told the story of Lava, a stray puppy who was discovered in Fallujah by a marine unit and, against regulations, transported back to the States, where he was adopted by Kopelman after his return from Iraq. This follow-up chronicles Kopelman and Lava’s postwar transition into civilian life, and its most touching element is the story of how the author was able to learn valuable things about himself through observing his dog. Kopelman recognized, for example, that Lava’s increasingly aggressive, almost dangerously protective behavior was a clear sign of post-traumatic stress—and that if Lava was suffering from PTSD, then perhaps Kopelman needed to stop denying his own psychological symptoms and seek some help. It’s an inspiring story, one that will connect even with readers allergic to ‘life lessons.’ ” (Booklist)

 

Krakauer, Jon. Into the Wild. “In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. His name was Christopher Johnson McCandless … Four months later, his decomposed body was found by a moose hunter. How McCandless came to die is the unforgettable story of Into the Wild … Krakauer brings McCandless's uncompromising pilgrimage out of the shadows, and the peril, adversity, and renunciation sought by this enigmatic young man are illuminated with a rare understanding.”

 

Palrey, John and Urs Gasser. Born Digital. “In this critical but optimistic overview, Palfrey and Gasser share their concern about the legal and social ramifications of the Internet with regard to the generation of ’Digital Natives’ born after 1980 … most young people fail to recognize the vulnerability of their information—that internet posts are never really private—and suggest tactful parental and school oversight. They find a more serious problem in the failure of the U.S. to regulate data mining by search engines, which even now have the potential to create cradle-to-grave dossiers on individuals, including online medical and financial records; they compare the U.S. system with Europe's policies, which have put in place much more effective data protection." (Publishers Weekly)

Pausch, Randy. The Last Lecture. “Over the years, numerous professors have given talks entitled ‘The Last Lecture.’ For Carnegie Mellon University professor Randy Pausch, however, the topic was no mere formality. When he presented his ‘last lecture’ to hundreds of faculty and students, he already knew that he had metastatic pancreatic cancer. Despite a grim prognosis, Dr. Pausch delivered an upbeat, urgent call for his listeners to achieve their childhood dreams … This memoir recounts the story of a brave man's encounter with a sense of his own mortality. An inspiring message for anyone who ages.” (Barnes & Noble) 

Polly, Mathew. American Shaolin. “In this smoothly written memoir, 98-pound weakling Polly makes the age-old decision to turn his nerdy self into a fighting machine. Polly's quest for manhood leads this guy from Topeka, Kans., to the Shaolin Temple, ancient home of the fighting monks and setting for 10,000 chop-socky movies. As much a student of Chinese culture as he is a martial artist, Polly derives a great deal of humor from the misunderstandings that follow a six-foot-three laowai (white foreigner) in a China taking its first awkward steps into capitalism after Tiananmen Square. Polly has a good eye for characters and introduces the reader to a Finnish messiah, a practitioner of "iron crotch" kung fu, and his nagging girlfriend. We get the inside dope on Chinese dating, Chinese drinking games and a medical system apparently modeled on the Spanish Inquisition ...” (Publishers Weekly)

Rosen, Jared & David Rippe, eds. The Flip: Turn Your World Around. ”Imagine two worlds. One is an upside down world where people feel frenzied and fearful, their thoughts fragmented, their lives in disarray. The other is a world that is right side up. People know that in this ever-more connected global landscape their individual choices affect the lives of everyone. Neither of these worlds is difficult to imagine because both of them exist today. Humanity stands on a bridge in between these worlds and we must make a choice to go in one or the other direction. Which side do you choose?” (Book Description)

Seierstad, Asne. The Bookseller of Kabul. “For more than twenty years, Sultan Khan has defied the authorities, whether communist or Taliban, to supply books to the people of Kabul. He has been arrested, interrogated, and imprisoned, and has watched illiterate Taliban soldiers burn piles of his books in the street. Yet he has persisted in his passion for books, shedding light in one of the world's darkest places … Seierstad allows the Khans to speak for themselves, giving us a genuinely gripping and moving portrait of a family, and of a country of great cultural riches and extreme contradictions.”

 

Tochman, Wojciech. Like Eating a Stone: Surviving the Past in Bosnia. “During four years of war in Bosnia, over 100,000 people lost their lives. But it was months, even years, before the mass graves started to yield up their dead and the process of identification, burial, and mourning could begin. Here we travel through the ravaged postwar landscape in the company of a few survivors (mostly women) as they visit the scenes of their loss: a hall where victims' clothing is displayed; an underground cave littered with pale jumbles of bones; a camp for homeless refugees; a city now abandoned to the ghosts of painful memories; a funeral service where a family can finally say goodbye. These encounters are snapshots and memorials, a feat of powerful reportage told from the viewpoint of people who have lost nearly everything … Tochman captures a painful moment in history, as an entire community comes to terms with its raw and recent past.” (Product Description)

 

Turner, Chris. Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Defined a Generation. “Canadian journalist Turner embarks on an encyclopedic exposition of the show's episodes, catchphrases, characters, cultural impact, social commentary, themes and influence ... Unraveling and analyzing plot threads, he views the series as 'more anti-authoritarian by far than almost anything else that's ever aired in prime time,' and he praises it as a 'cultural institution' comparable to the Beatles. Turner's fannish enthusiasm and tsunami of trivia will appeal mainly to devotees, though cultural historians may value it for its vision of Springfield as a satirical mirror reflecting the trials and tribulations of contemporary life.”

Zucchino, David. Thunder Run. “The story of the bold assault on Baghdad by the Spartan Brigade of the Third Infantry Division. It was one of the most decisive battles in American combat history, and the biggest armored battle involving American troops since the Vietnam War. With fewer than a thousand men, and facing Iraqi forces dug into bunkers and buildings, the brigade punched a hole through the heart of Baghdad with a high-speed charge to Saddam Hussein's Presidential Palace and Republican Guard headquarters … This is more than just a book about a single battle. It's a candid account of how soldiers respond under fire and stress, and how human frailties are magnified in a war zone.”

 

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