Please CLICK EDIT on the RIGHT TAB BAR and add your name and department and the author and title of the book or play you wish to discuss on the SECOND DAY of school, August 2011. Please add a "teaser" that we will use when we offer students the choices for the book discussion portion of summer reading. Then CLICK SAVE on the floating Editor tool bar.
NAME / WA DEPARTMENT / TITLE / AUTHOR/TEASER
*Note: We always need books that appeal more to 9th graders. The selection process begins by giving seniors the first choice. It is possible, should you select a book that appeals to 9th graders, that it would be left off the student choice list until the 9th grade has a chance to select.
Peggy McNash/English/Emma/Jane Austen: Emma is the pampered but caring daughter of an aging father. In the lovely county of Sussex in England, she enjoys playing matchmaker among her friends and acquaintances. But as some of her plans fail, she finds herself doubting her abilities to gauge the hearts of others and regrets her penchant for meddling. Added the student choice wiki under Fiction--Humor and Fiction--Romance.
Amber Player/Foreign Language/Outliers/Malcolm Gladwell: Why are most pro hockey players born in January? Would Bill Gates and Steve Jobs have been so successful if they were born 10 years later? Why are 10,000 hours of practice so essential to success? Learn these and many other fascinating stories of how and why people succeed in this book that has been on the New York Times bestseller list for 70 weeks.Added to student wiki under Non-Fiction.
Jeannie Hixon and Stacey Sandifer/Carlos Library and Math/ The Book Thief/ by Zusak. Death is the narrator trying to make sense of the horrors of World War II. Death here is actually "compassionate, wry, darkly humorous, and as afraid of humans as they are of him." Death meets the book thief, Liesel, when he comes to take her little brother. Liesel is comforted by books even when she can't read. An original fantasy that will make you think about the power of words, friendship, and man's inhumanity to man. Added to student choice wiki under Fiction--Fantasy and Science Fiction.
Sandra Slider/Student Publications/The Winner/David Baldacci: What would you do if you were offered a guarantee that you could win the lottery? It sounds good to be true and it is! LuAnn Tyler, a 20 year old unwed mother from Rikersville, Georgia is given just such an offer and then in no time she is fighting for her life. Added to the student choice wiki under Fiction--Suspense. Added to the student wiki page under Fiction--Suspense.
Lacy George/Science/The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks/Rebecca Skloot: Part detective story, part social commentary, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a nonfiction account of an African American woman who died of cancer in 1951--but whose cells live on in science labs around the world. Using first hand accounts, Skloot "tells a rich, resonant tale of modern science, the wonders it can perform and how easily it can exploit society's most vulnerable people." (Publishers Weekly review). Added to student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
Charles Bryant/History/Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders/Vincent Bugliosi: The 1960s hippie culture, the Beatles, California . . . and murder. Why are we so easily led to kill our fellow man? The #1 best selling crime book of all time. Added to student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
Dagmar Ebaugh/Foreign Languages/The Years of Rice and Salt/ Kim Stanley Robinson. If you've ever wondered: "What if....", this is the book for you! A truly fascinating alternate history of the world, as seen via the eyes of three to seven main characters who keep appearing throughout the centuries in various incarnations. It lets the reader imagine a world in which western culture and Christianity did NOT have a lasting influence on world culture. Find a full description here. This book won the Locust Award for best Science Fiction Novel in 2003. Added to student choice wiki under Fiction--Fantasy and Science Fiction.
Scott Crook/English Department/Stuart Gulley/President/Crossing The Lines/Richard Doster. A 2009 novel about how a "contented Southern [of the 1950s and 1960s] grows uncomfortable with his region." It is a story of the lives of people who, with great courage, inspired and transformed others to fight for social justice and equality. Added to student-wiki page under Non Fiction.
Bill Lineberry/Principal/Orwell, Animal Farm
Written as the author became disillusioned with the Communist Party, the tale makes flaws within the socialist system clear through using animals and memorable slogans. This classic has humor and irony and allegory to reveal one man's view of the Russian Revolution. (moderator, Bill Lineberry, US Principal) Added to student choice wiki under Fiction--Fantasy and Science Fiction.
Kelli Stanyard/Foreign Language/Catching Fire/Suzanne Collins Every year in Panem, the dystopic nation that exists where the U.S. used to be, the Capitol holds a televised tournament in which two teen "tributes" from each of the surrounding districts fight a gruesome battle to the death. In The Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, the tributes from impoverished District Twelve, thwarted the Gamemakers, forcing them to let both teens survive. In this rabidly anticipated sequel, Katniss, again the narrator, returns home to find herself more the center of attention than ever. The sinister President Snow surprises her with a visit, and Katniss’s fear when Snow meets with her alone is both palpable and justified. Catching Fire is divided into three parts: Katniss and Peeta’s mandatory Victory Tour through the districts, preparations for the 75th Annual Hunger Games, and a truncated version of the Games themselves. Slower paced than its predecessor, this sequel explores the nation of Panem: its power structure, rumors of a secret district, and a spreading rebellion, ignited by Katniss and Peeta’s subversive victory. Katniss also deepens as a character. Though initially bewildered by the attention paid to her, she comes almost to embrace her status as the rebels’ symbolic leader. Though more of the story takes place outside the arena than within, this sequel has enough action to please Hunger Games fans and leaves enough questions tantalizingly unanswered for readers to be desperate for the next installment. Added to student choice wiki under Fiction--Fantasy and Science Fiction.
Fritz Hutchinson/History/An Empire of Wealth: The Epic History of American Economic Power/Gordon/How did the United States become the economic colossus of the 20th and 21st centuries? According to The New York Times, John Steele Gordon's An Empire of Wealth: The Epic History of American Economic Power is "fascinating, colorful . . . and entertaining." With numerous anecdotes and stories, Gordon's prose comes alive. It is highly readable and enlightening. If you choose this book, you will not be disappointed. Added to student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
Lucy Klein/ English/Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks. Number 1 Best Seller in 2010. The Story is about domestic violence and stalking. In Safe Haven, Sparks gives readers advice on how to have an enduring relationship and how to avoid a potentially deadly one. This novel is not just another love story but a thriller with an abusive husband stalker, who sets fire to the home of his wife's friend, nearly burning to death the two children in the house. The escalation of the controlling spouse's abuse is charted, so that readers experience many of the events which lead to the heroine running away. The plot illustrates the lengths with which some people go to assure safety in their personal lives. Added under Fiction--Suspense and Fiction--Romance.
Lynn Robinson/Counseling Department/Alexandra: The Last Tsarina/ Carolly Erickson/ Alicky had everything that life in the late nineteenth century could possibly offer. She was the daughter of the Grand Duke and Duchess of Hesse and was a loved and cherished child. Without warning tragedy struck and her mother died in one of the fever epidemics of the time. From then on Alicky's life was a rollercoaster ride. Without the guidance of her mother, she grew up shy, anxious and self-conscious. Then again when Alicky knew what she wanted, she could be headstrong and defiant. She stood firmly against the most powerful woman on Earth, her grandmother, Queen Victoria of Great Britain. She refused to marry the man Queen Victoria had chosen for her and instead married the love of her life, Nicholas, the Tsarevich of Russia. This biography gives an amazing glimpse into the life and times of Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova, the beloved wife and mother of the Russian royal family and the much-hated, last Empress of Russia. Added to student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
Brian Keith Jackson/History/Soul on Ice by Eldridge Cleaver. Black Panther, Black Muslim, liberationist, revolutionary, homophobe, misogynist, drug abuser, dope dealer, murderer, Elridge Cleaver was all of the above and a lot more. Written from Folsom Prison, Soul on Ice, is the magnum opus of this fire brand leader of the 1960’s Civil Rights Movement in America. Added to the student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
Carolyn Haldeman/English/Caucasia/Senna/The 70’s in Boston are a radical time. The female narrator Birdie/Jessie tells the story of a family’s disintegration and a white mother’s attempt to hide from police by telling her multi-racial daughter to pretend to be Italian rather than African-American. Added to the student wiki page under Fiction--Coming of Age.
Suzanne Woodruff/Performing Arts/The Alchemist/Paulo Coelho/ In The Alchemist, an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago dreams one night of treasure in the pyramids of Egypt. So he sets out for Egypt to pursue that dream. Although Santiago struggles mightily during his journey, he realizes that "no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second's encounter with God and with eternity." Added to student choice wiki under Fiction--Fantasy and Science Fiction.
Lorri Hewett/English/Packing for Mars/Mary Roach. A funny and thoughtful book about the gargantuan task of keeping human beings alive in places where they weren't designed to live (outer space). Roach discusses some of the odd experiments conducted by NASA and the Soviet Space agency about living in zero gravity, eating and going to the bathroom in space, surviving catastrophes, and things you wouldn't even think of. There are great discussions about the Apollo missions, The Mir space station, the International Space Station, and what it would take to send humans to Mars. Added to the student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
Carri Carver/Math/The Summer Tree: Book 1 in the Fionavar Tapestry Trilogy/Guy Gavriel Kay/ In a book that will appeal to Tolkien fans, five college students are transported by a wizard to another world called Fionavar. This world is the heart of all worlds, a place where men, dwarves, wizards and gods dwell along with the Unraveller and his minions of Darkness. Added to student choice wiki under Fiction--Fantasy and Science Fiction.
Scott Freed/History/Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong/James Loewen. This is an easy, smart, and not very long read. The book takes a look at why US History is told the way that it is in 12 widely used textbooks. It looks at what is and is not said, and the often distorted view of America left with students. As a criticism not of America but of American education, the book asks simply that textbook writers check the primary source evidence and see if it matches the story they are telling. This would be a great book for anyone who has taken US History already to think critically about what they have learned, or anyone about to take the course as an alternative starting point for the class. Added to the student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
Rachael Szymanski/ English/ What is the What/ Dave Eggers. Were you in the 9th and 10th grade assembly when Mr. Momo talked about his experiences as a young boy in Sudan? Would you like to know more about the Lost Boys of Sudan? What is the What follows a young man named Valentino on his journey running from the Sudanese civil war. The story goes back and forth in time; we see Valentino as a young man in his 20s in Atlanta trying to adjust to life in America, and then we are taken back to childhood memories of Valentino running across the desert trying to escape death by starvation, hungry lions, and brutal soldiers. This story celebrates the human spirit as it is told with beauty and humor, yet it awakens its audience to real horrors in sometimes overlooked places in our world. Added to the student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
Joanne Baker/Carlos Library/Leviathan/Scott Westerfeld: Prince Aleksandar flees Austria after his parents are assassinated. He meets Deryn Sharp, a girldisguised as a boy, who is an airman in the British Air Service. This adventure fantasy is an award winning example of steampunk fiction for young adults. Added to student choice wiki under Fiction--Fantasy and Science Fiction.
Jim Hampton/Foreign Language/The Prince of Mist/Carlos Ruiz Zafón. It's war time, and the Carver family decides to leave the capital where they live and move to a small coastal village where they've recently bought a home. But from the minute they cross the threshold, strange things begin to happen. In that mysterious house still lurks the spirit of Jacob, the previous owners' son, who died by drowning.Added to student choice wiki under Fiction--Fantasy and Science Fiction. With the help of their new friend Roland, Max and Alicia Carver begin to explore the strange circumstances of that death and discover the existence of a mysterious being called the Prince of Mist--a diabolical character who has returned from the shadows to collect on a debt from the past. Soon the three friends find themselves caught up in an adventure of sunken ships and an enchanted stone garden--an adventure that will change their lives forever. http://www.amazon.com/Prince-Mist-Carlos-Ruiz-Zafon/dp/0316044776/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b Added to student choice wiki under Fiction--Fantasy and Science Fiction.
Jennifer Gallegos/Foreign Language/Beautiful Boy/David Sheff .Sheff’s intense memoir is hard to put down. Beyond the torture of helplessly watching Nic, his adolescent son, descend deep into the rabbit hole of addiction, Sheff confesses to the parental habit of second-guessing every decision he has made throughout Nic’s life, especially the ones he is forced to make as he tries to help the young man get and stay clean. His efforts have him turning to any and all resources, from AA to medical experts to rehab centers and finally to friends, for advice and assistance. The experience all but tears him and his family apart as Nic forges his parents’ signatures on checks, steals his eight-year-old brother’s savings, promises to reform, then repeatedly fails to stick with a rehabilitation program. In the end, it isn’t the addiction as much as the repeated failures and relapses that are so debilitating for everyone involved. Added to the student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
Margaret Lee/English/Me Talk Pretty One Day/David Sedaris/ A collection of memoirs by American humorist David Sedaris. These essays, ranging in subject matter from growing up in Raleigh, North Carolina, to speaking French in Normandy, are guaranteed to make you laugh out loud. Added to student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
Kathleen McManus/Performing Arts/Pride and Prejudice/Jane Austen/ The original romantic comedy, Pride and Prejudice provides a fascinating window into the social conventions of author Jane Austen's era in England. The cleverly drawn characters and sharp humor make this a fun read, while also giving readers insight into socioeconomic and gender roles in the late 18th/early 19th century. Added to the student wiki page under Fiction--Humor and Fiction--Romance.
David Alvord/Science/The Hot Zone/Richard Preston/This book is an excellent thriller that discusses the many aspects of a viral disease outbreak and its implications in this new world where people can travel all over the world in a matter of hours. It also discusses the possible origins of HIV and some other interesting topics including how we were on the verge of a massive outbreak from the presence of a very deadly virus called Ebola in our own country in Reston, VA. It is written for the layperson, but it has the potential to turn the layperson into a well-informed, disease-hunting epidemiologist, or an obsessive reader at the least. Added to the student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
Lamb in His Bosom by Caroline Miller Cean and Lonzo, dirt poor farmers in the rural South before the Civil War, have a story of inspiration and hardship. Read the book that was a best seller and encouraged editors to seek out other Southern writers (and they found Margaret Mitchell). Linda Wyatt in the History Department will moderate this discussion.
Chris Freer/VP of Student Life/Drive/Pink/Do grades really motivate us to learn? Why do some students excel in school? What motivates you? Find out what truly motivates people in Daniel Pink's best selling book "Drive: The Surprising truth about what motivates us." According to Pink, true motivation comes from a desire for autonomy, mastery, and purpose. This book will make you rethink our traditional, "carrot and stick" approach to motivation in schools, business, and life. Added to the student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
Angela Stephenson/ Study Support/ ConroyThe Water is Wide/ Fictional superwriter turns to memoir in this piece as he remembers the time he spent as a teacher among underserved students on Daufuskee Island off Carolina's coast. A story of humor and pathos. Added to the student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
Ethan Greenberg / Science / The Curve of Binding Energy / John McPhee / "In the latest of his inimitable works of reportage, John McPhee has written the story of the life and career o
The Curve of Binding Energy - Hardcover
f Theodore B. Taylor, a relatively unknown man who has been one of the most inventive nuclear scientists of our time. Ted Taylor is a theoretical physicist who was for many years a conceptual designer of atomic bombs. At Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, he conceived and designed the largest-yield fission bomb ever exploded by any nation. Another of his bombs was, in its time, the lightest and smallest ever made.Taylor later became the leader of a secret scientific effort, financed by the federal government, to make a spaceship the size of a sixteen-story building. The ship was of his invention and was to be called Orion. Powered by two thousand atomic bombs, exploding one at a time, it would move very rapidly to Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto. The Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1963 ended the project (but if human beings ever achieve travel much beyond the moon, some such vehicle will carry them). For many years now, Taylor has spent most of his time trying to effect improvements in the protection of certain nuclear materials that could be stolen or "diverted" from companies that handle nuclear fuel. Uranium-235 and plutonium-239--the materials that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki--are now privately owned in quantities sufficient for the making of many thousands of bombs, and these amounts will prodigiously increase as the nuclear-power industry grows. So much declassified information is available that the fabrication of a homemade atomic bomb would be, in Taylor's view, relatively easy. A bomb could, in fact, be made by one person working alone. The course of Taylor's own career--beginning in 1949 in Los Alamos, continuing through Orion, and eventually coming round to the attempt to protect millions of kilograms of bomb material from catastrophic misuse--closely follows the perhaps boomeranging history of the use of atomic energy. " http://www.johnmcphee.com/curve.htm Added to the student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
Paula Nettles/Science/The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean. The Periodic Table is one of man's crowning scientific achievements. But it's also a treasure trove of stories of passion, adventure, betrayal, and obsession. The infectious tales and astounding details in THE DISAPPEARING SPOON follow carbon, neon, silicon, and gold as they play out their parts in human history, finance, mythology, war, the arts, poison, and the lives of the (frequently) mad scientists who discovered them. We learn that Marie Curie used to provoke jealousy in colleagues' wives when she'd invite them into closets to see her glow-in-the-dark experiments. And that Lewis and Clark swallowed mercury capsules across the country and their campsites are still detectable by the poison in the ground. Why did Gandhi hate iodine? Why did the Japanese kill Godzilla with missiles made of cadmium? And why did tellurium lead to the most bizarre gold rush in history? From the Big Bang to the end of time, it's all in THE DISAPPEARING SPOON. Added to the student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
Kristin Namenye/Science/NEXT/Michael Crichton: This science fiction thriller will keep you on your toes while exploring public policy and bioethics concerning biotechnology. Crichton proposes several possible technologies and creatively explores their possible effects on science and society. The author follows several stories including theft of a person’s cells and an illegal inter-species mating. According to Crichton (author of Jurassic Park),“Everything in this book is fiction, except the parts that aren’t.” Added to the student wiki under Fiction--Fantasy and Science Fiction.
Brent Hilpert: Scorecasting: The hidden influences behind how sports are played and games are won by Tobias J. Moskowitz and L. Jon Wertheim./This book looks at much of the conventional wisdom in sports, always punting on 4th down in football, home-field advantage, defense wins championships and uses statistics to show that most of the conventional wisdom is false. A great book for those interested in sports and the hidden influences that lead to success. Often described as the "Freakonomics" of Sports. Added to the student wiki under Non-Fiction.
Hunter Smith/History/A Separate Peace/John Knowles: This classic is a coming-of-age story of students at the exclusive Devon School. It looks at the issues facing students at they make the transition to adulthood, cast particularly in the shadow of World War II. While set in the 1940's, it raises important moral and character issues facing student today in the context of the current conflicts. Added to the student wiki under Fiction--Coming of Age.
Jonathan Merrill/History/Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption/Laura Hillenbrand: This is the amazing and true story of Louis Zamperini. A world class mile runner who competed in the 1936 Olympic Games, Zamperini quit his preparations for the 1940 Olympics to join the Army Air Corps as a bombardier. The book traces his incredible story from harrowing combat missions, to surviving a month-long journey aboard a tiny raft while drifting in the shark infested waters of the Pacific, and ultimately, to Japanese POW camps.Added to the student wiki under Non-Fiction.
Monica Kuhlman/Science/Never Let Me Go/Kazuo Ishiguro/A futuristic story about human clones who are raised for the sole purpose of donating their organs to so-called normal human beings who come down with incurable diseases such as cancer. The clones are raised without fully being aware of their roles in life. They suspect that they might be different from those of the outside world—the world outside of the schools in which they grow up. Readers are kept in the dark throughout most of the story, much as the characters in this novel are never sure what is happening... Added to the student wiki under Fiction--Fantasy and Science Fiction.
Jenifer Baro/Former English/Freakonomics/Stephen Levitz and Stephen Dubner/ An economist and a journalist apply economic theory to a range of interests, writing a best seller and making readers think long and hard about implications of everyday actions and choices. Added to student wiki under Non-Fiction.
Helen Shean/English/Shane/Schaefer/The archetypal wester with a mysterious hero coming to champion the cause of the small farmer in opposition to the rich cattleman. Think Clint Eastwood! Added to student wiki under Fiction--Coming of Age (reserved for rising 9th).
Salem's Lot by Stephen King
Set in the mythical Jerusalem Lot, a small Maine town, this novel by America's master of horror includes vampires and the traditional fight between good and evil. Jeanne Ann Ratliff, a member of the English Department, will moderate this work. Added to student wiki--Fiction--Gothic and Horror.
Ordinary People by Judith Guest: A remarkable book about an ordinary family's response to an extraordinary tragedy; it was so popular in its time precisely because the Jarretts could be any American family and what happened in their family could happen in anyone's family. Well, maybe not in anyone's family; most Americans aren't wealthy enough to live in a McMansion in an upper-middle-class bedroom community nor do most families own a boat; but income aside, the Jarretts are like most people one knows: a hardworking father, a mother who wants the best for her family, and two teenage sons, one outgoing and confident, the other quiet and retiring, living in his older brother's shadow. A freak boating accident leaves the older brother dead by drowning, and the family devastated. The parents, Cal and Beth, and their younger son Conrad, are left to cope with the aftermath. "Ordinary People" is the story of how they cope - or fail to.
Jenny Green/ English/ South of Broad by Pat Conroy: Set in the haunting Charleston south, Conroy's novel merges the genres of southern literature, mystery, thriller, coming-of-age tale, and romance. Told through the perspective of a single narrator, Leo Bloom King, a newspaper reporter, the novel alternates between the years 1969 and 1989. In 1969 a diverse group of high school seniors--black and white, genteel rich and Applachian poor, gay and straight--combat their differences and forge an unlikely friendship that lasts into adulthood. Although the friends' lives have taken different paths after graduation--into Hollywood and the rough Tenderloin district of San Francisco, through broken marriages and mental institutions-- the group reunites 20 years later, in 1989, and must uncover long-hidden secrets, face old grudges, and battle inner demons as they fight to save a friend's life. Added to the student wiki under Fiction--Suspense; Fiction--Coming of Age; Fiction--Romance.
Patti Herring/Dance/ War Horse by Michael Morpurgo:SynopsisAt the outbreak of World War I, Joey, young Albert's beloved horse, is sold to the cavalry and shipped to France. His rider Capitan Nicholls is killed while riding Joey. He's soon caught up in enemy fire; death, disease and fate take him on an extraordinary odyssey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in No Man's Land. But Albert cannot forget Joey and, still not old enough to enlist in the British Army, he embarks on a dangerous mission to find the horse and bring him home to Devon. Added to student wiki under Fiction--Coming of Age and Young Adult Interest.
Stein,The Art of Racing in the Rain
This book, a New York Times best seller, is told from the perspective of Enzo, a dog whose owner is a struggling race car driver that suffers through several personal and professional tribulations. The dog’s observances of his master's actions and general philosophy toward life and how it should be lived are complex, insightful, and leave an unforgettable impression upon the reader. (moderator, Jonathan Lee, English Department) Added to student wiki under Fiction--Coming of Age and Young Adult Interest.
Jane Graham/ English/ An Enemy of the People a play by Henrik Ibsen: The Municipal Baths are a popular tourist attraction in a costal Norwegian town. Dr. Thomas Stockman, who serves as the Medical Officer of the Municipal Baths, has discovered that the Baths are polluted. Will the community listen to him and close the Baths yet lose the tourist dollars or knowingly keep the Baths open and put the guests (and the community) in danger? In this play we see the many facets concerning a community's moral dilemma of doing what is right versus doing what is profitable. Added to the student wiki page under Drama.
Mark Carrington/Science/Operation Mincemeat: How a Dead Man and a Bizarre Plan Fooled the Nazis and Assured an Allied Victroy by Ben Macintyre/ I haven't read this yet, but am quite intrigued by the title. Here is a synopsis... In 1943, British intelligence conceived a spectacular con trick to draw German attention away from the Allies' obvious next objective, Sicily. The bait was a briefcase full of carefully forged documents attached to the wrist of Major William Martin, Royal Marines—a fictitious identity given to a body floated ashore in neutral Spain. Making the deception plausible was the task given to two highly unconventional officers: Lt. Comdr. Ewen Montagu and Squadron Leader Charles Cholmondeley. Macintyre recounts their adventures and misadventures with panache. The body was that of a derelict. Its costuming included the underwear of a deceased Oxford don. An attractive secretary provided the photo of an imaginary fiancée. The carefully constructed documents setting up the bogus operation against Greece and Sardinia convinced even Hitler himself. The Sicily landings were achieved as almost a complete surprise. And the man who never was entered the history and folklore of WWII. (from Publishers Weekly). Added to student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
Kristin Overcash/Language/No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith:Precious Ramotswe faces scorn when she opens a detective agency in her home in Gabrone, Botswana. But soon the community, as does the audience, knows her as a resourceful and thoughtful woman who pursues justice and mercy at the same time. The country and people of Botswana come alive as Precious solves mysteries involving missing children, straying husbands, and rebellious teens. Added to the student wiki under Fiction--Coming of Age, Young Adult Interest and Fiction--Suspense.
Ron McCollum A Thousand Splendid Suns Set against the background of 30 years of war and repression in Afghanistan, A Thousand Splendid Suns tells the heart-rending story of two women, born a generation apart, whose lives become inextricably entwined in the struggle to survive and to preserve within themselves a measure of human dignity. Evoking tears rather than laughter, this novel is, nevertheless, a powerful tribute to the strength of the human spirit and the redeeming power of love. Added to student wiki under Fiction--Suspense and Fiction--Coming of Age, Young Adult Interest.
Sherry Boynton, Twelfth grade counselor, No Excuses, Kyle Maynard Many of us heard Kyle Maynard speak for himself in an assembly this year about the challenges in his life. It left many of us wanting to know more. Read this inspirational story of overcoming obstacles and embracing life. An d Alexis Horder English.
Tim Hamling/English/Outcasts United/Warren St. John. From School Library Journal--"St. John, a New York Times reporter, brought Clarkston, GA, to national attention in 2007 with a series of articles about the changes in the small Southern town brought about by an influx of refugees from all over the world. This book comes out of those articles. It gives more detail about the town and, most particularly, the three soccer teams composed of refugee boys (the Fugees) who were coached by Luma Mufleh, an American-educated Jordanian woman. The book is a sports story, a sociological study, a tale of global and local politics, and the story of a determined woman who became involved in the lives of her young charges. Keeping the boys in school and out of gangs, finding a place for them to practice, and helping their families survive in a new world all became part of her daily life." Added to the student wiki under Non-Fiction.
Jane Webster./Foreign Langauge/Walls,The Glass Castle
Jeannette Walls' memoir is a poignant story of a dysfunctional family whose parents' downward spiral does not keep their children from finding success. Set in the western desert and the hills of West Virginia, the memoir has a memorable theme (of overcoming and empowerment) that is not soon forgotten. Added to the student wiki under Non-Fiction.
Leigh Shelor/ Counseling/ The Hunger Games/ Suzanne Collins: This science-fiction story surrounds a 16 year old, Katniss Everdeen and takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where a boy and girl must "fight to the death" during a tevevised event called The Hunger Games. The themes include self-preservation, independence, power and downfall and government control.
Hayley Simmons/ US English Dept/Out of Nowhere/Ouida Sebestyen—“Left on the desert to fend for himself after his free-spirited mother runs off with the owner of a BMW, 13-year-old Harley joins forces with four other cast-offs, namely Ish, a pit bull dumped by his owner; May, a recently divorced 70-year-old woman; Bill, who finds himself facing eviction after he is released from a hospital; and Singer, a young drifter. Making a home for themselves out of the run-down brick house inherited by May, the [members of this] unlikely quintet help one another learn rules of survival as they weather various crises” (Publishers Weekly). Puffin Books (192p) ISBN 978-0-14-037640-1
The Primal Blueprint, by Mark Sisson. Learn to live like a caveman in modern times! Mark Sisson takes us on an impressive journey from the days of cavemen (Grok and his family) through the development of domestication of animals and agriculture to a modern day family (The Korgs). By comparing the two lifestyles, you will learn how to get back to our roots and live caveman style in the 21st century! Sam Mugavero, science.
Marianne Lecesne/ Math Dept. History's Worst Inventions by Eric Chaline. "In the context of this book, ;worst inventions' can have several meanings. The first is failure, be it heroic, tragic or ridiculous - though somethines inventions have managed to be all three. .. A second group of inventions have earned their place because of their unforeseen consequences: miracle material, miracle cures and miracle druge that have led to death and injury on an epic scale.. (asbestos, radium, plastic, heroin, etc.)... But the unforeseen consequences can be far more insidious and long-term, as is the case with soda pop and junk food.... A third group is included because they serve to conceivable useful purpose other than flattering our vanity or taking advantage of our credulity... The fourth group of inventions that you will find here are those designed specifically to have the most unpleasant consequences for the individual or humanity as a whole.... Finally, the inclusion of certain inventions (that) mithe surprise the reader... If this volume serves a purpose, it is to make the reader reflect on the brilliance, heroism, creativity, pigheadedness, credulity, greed, and self-destructiveness that characterize the human race in all its inventiveness."
Half Broke Horses is a personal tale of author, Jeannette Walls, who shares in this book about her grandmother’s life through her mother’s eyes! The author’s hope is that readers will “just try to understand people and get into a life that’s not their own.” Readers will be spellbound at the sometimes “outrageous” and often “heartwarming” tales of her mother and especially her grandmother and lives that are not so typical to many at Woodward! Bob Hawks, Vice-President of Development, will sponsor this work.
Meghan Fox/ Math/Bad Haircut: Stories of the Seventies/Tom Perrotta. "Amid the current glut of '70s nostalgia, Perrotta has fashioned a moving cycle of stories that looks past the era's celebrated kitsch to still relevant social and cultural issues and the timeless mysteries of growing up. In 10 tales covering a period from the fall of 1969 to the summer of 1980, he follows the revelations of his narrator, Buddy, from his days as an eight-year-old Cub Scout through his return home from the first year of college. Set in the small New Jersey town of Darwin, these seamless, understated narratives find--in boyhood activities as ordinary as playing sports, riding a bike, taking driver's ed or going to the prom--insights into loneliness, societal violence, sexual identity, racism, mortality and much more. Perrotta eschews sentimentality and overt philosophizing, crafting in Buddy's voice a sensitivity to pregnant moments that remain unexplained and a knack for delicate, unobtrusive metaphor. Forgoing the easy irony of disco and vintage TV, he delivers a convincing portrait of a time of life, illuminating all the profound cruelty and tenderness of adolescence." Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
A coming-of-age classic about Esperanza Cordero and her neighborhood in the Latino section of Chicago. Her "story is that of a young girl coming into her power, and inventing for herself what she will become" (book jacket).
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Please CLICK EDIT on the RIGHT TAB BAR and add your name and department and the author and title of the book or play you wish to discuss on the SECOND DAY of school, August 2011. Please add a "teaser" that we will use when we offer students the choices for the book discussion portion of summer reading. Then CLICK SAVE on the floating Editor tool bar.NAME / WA DEPARTMENT / TITLE / AUTHOR/TEASER
*Note: We always need books that appeal more to 9th graders. The selection process begins by giving seniors the first choice. It is possible, should you select a book that appeals to 9th graders, that it would be left off the student choice list until the 9th grade has a chance to select.
- Peggy McNash/English/Emma/Jane Austen: Emma is the pampered but caring daughter of an aging father. In the lovely county of Sussex in England, she enjoys playing matchmaker among her friends and acquaintances. But as some of her plans fail, she finds herself doubting her abilities to gauge the hearts of others and regrets her penchant for meddling. Added the student choice wiki under Fiction--Humor and Fiction--Romance.
- Amber Player/Foreign Language/Outliers/Malcolm Gladwell: Why are most pro hockey players born in January? Would Bill Gates and Steve Jobs have been so successful if they were born 10 years later? Why are 10,000 hours of practice so essential to success? Learn these and many other fascinating stories of how and why people succeed in this book that has been on the New York Times bestseller list for 70 weeks.Added to student wiki under Non-Fiction.
- Jeannie Hixon and Stacey Sandifer/Carlos Library and Math/ The Book Thief/ by Zusak. Death is the narrator trying to make sense of the horrors of World War II. Death here is actually "compassionate, wry, darkly humorous, and as afraid of humans as they are of him." Death meets the book thief, Liesel, when he comes to take her little brother. Liesel is comforted by books even when she can't read. An original fantasy that will make you think about the power of words, friendship, and man's inhumanity to man. Added to student choice wiki under Fiction--Fantasy and Science Fiction.
- Sandra Slider/Student Publications/The Winner/David Baldacci: What would you do if you were offered a guarantee that you could win the lottery? It sounds good to be true and it is! LuAnn Tyler, a 20 year old unwed mother from Rikersville, Georgia is given just such an offer and then in no time she is fighting for her life. Added to the student choice wiki under Fiction--Suspense. Added to the student wiki page under Fiction--Suspense.
- Lacy George/Science/The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks/Rebecca Skloot: Part detective story, part social commentary, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a nonfiction account of an African American woman who died of cancer in 1951--but whose cells live on in science labs around the world. Using first hand accounts, Skloot "tells a rich, resonant tale of modern science, the wonders it can perform and how easily it can exploit society's most vulnerable people." (Publishers Weekly review). Added to student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
- Charles Bryant/History/Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders/Vincent Bugliosi: The 1960s hippie culture, the Beatles, California . . . and murder. Why are we so easily led to kill our fellow man? The #1 best selling crime book of all time. Added to student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
- Dagmar Ebaugh/Foreign Languages/The Years of Rice and Salt/ Kim Stanley Robinson. If you've ever wondered: "What if....", this is the book for you! A truly fascinating alternate history of the world, as seen via the eyes of three to seven main characters who keep appearing throughout the centuries in various incarnations. It lets the reader imagine a world in which western culture and Christianity did NOT have a lasting influence on world culture. Find a full description here. This book won the Locust Award for best Science Fiction Novel in 2003. Added to student choice wiki under Fiction--Fantasy and Science Fiction.
- Scott Crook/English Department/Stuart Gulley/President/Crossing The Lines/Richard Doster. A 2009 novel about how a "contented Southern [of the 1950s and 1960s] grows uncomfortable with his region." It is a story of the lives of people who, with great courage, inspired and transformed others to fight for social justice and equality. Added to student-wiki page under Non Fiction.
- Bill Lineberry/Principal/Orwell, Animal Farm
- Kelli Stanyard/Foreign Language/Catching Fire/Suzanne Collins Every year in Panem, the dystopic nation that exists where the U.S. used to be, the Capitol holds a televised tournament in which two teen "tributes" from each of the surrounding districts fight a gruesome battle to the death. In The Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, the tributes from impoverished District Twelve, thwarted the Gamemakers, forcing them to let both teens survive. In this rabidly anticipated sequel, Katniss, again the narrator, returns home to find herself more the center of attention than ever. The sinister President Snow surprises her with a visit, and Katniss’s fear when Snow meets with her alone is both palpable and justified. Catching Fire is divided into three parts: Katniss and Peeta’s mandatory Victory Tour through the districts, preparations for the 75th Annual Hunger Games, and a truncated version of the Games themselves. Slower paced than its predecessor, this sequel explores the nation of Panem: its power structure, rumors of a secret district, and a spreading rebellion, ignited by Katniss and Peeta’s subversive victory. Katniss also deepens as a character. Though initially bewildered by the attention paid to her, she comes almost to embrace her status as the rebels’ symbolic leader. Though more of the story takes place outside the arena than within, this sequel has enough action to please Hunger Games fans and leaves enough questions tantalizingly unanswered for readers to be desperate for the next installment. Added to student choice wiki under Fiction--Fantasy and Science Fiction.
- Fritz Hutchinson/History/An Empire of Wealth: The Epic History of American Economic Power/Gordon/How did the United States become the economic colossus of the 20th and 21st centuries? According to The New York Times, John Steele Gordon's An Empire of Wealth: The Epic History of American Economic Power is "fascinating, colorful . . . and entertaining." With numerous anecdotes and stories, Gordon's prose comes alive. It is highly readable and enlightening. If you choose this book, you will not be disappointed. Added to student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
- Lucy Klein/ English/Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks. Number 1 Best Seller in 2010. The Story is about domestic violence and stalking. In Safe Haven, Sparks gives readers advice on how to have an enduring relationship and how to avoid a potentially deadly one. This novel is not just another love story but a thriller with an abusive husband stalker, who sets fire to the home of his wife's friend, nearly burning to death the two children in the house. The escalation of the controlling spouse's abuse is charted, so that readers experience many of the events which lead to the heroine running away. The plot illustrates the lengths with which some people go to assure safety in their personal lives. Added under Fiction--Suspense and Fiction--Romance.
- Lynn Robinson/Counseling Department/Alexandra: The Last Tsarina/ Carolly Erickson/ Alicky had everything that life in the late nineteenth century could possibly offer. She was the daughter of the Grand Duke and Duchess of Hesse and was a loved and cherished child. Without warning tragedy struck and her mother died in one of the fever epidemics of the time. From then on Alicky's life was a rollercoaster ride. Without the guidance of her mother, she grew up shy, anxious and self-conscious. Then again when Alicky knew what she wanted, she could be headstrong and defiant. She stood firmly against the most powerful woman on Earth, her grandmother, Queen Victoria of Great Britain. She refused to marry the man Queen Victoria had chosen for her and instead married the love of her life, Nicholas, the Tsarevich of Russia. This biography gives an amazing glimpse into the life and times of Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova, the beloved wife and mother of the Russian royal family and the much-hated, last Empress of Russia. Added to student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
- Brian Keith Jackson/History/Soul on Ice by Eldridge Cleaver. Black Panther, Black Muslim, liberationist, revolutionary, homophobe, misogynist, drug abuser, dope dealer, murderer, Elridge Cleaver was all of the above and a lot more. Written from Folsom Prison, Soul on Ice, is the magnum opus of this fire brand leader of the 1960’s Civil Rights Movement in America. Added to the student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
- Carolyn Haldeman/English/Caucasia/Senna/The 70’s in Boston are a radical time. The female narrator Birdie/Jessie tells the story of a family’s disintegration and a white mother’s attempt to hide from police by telling her multi-racial daughter to pretend to be Italian rather than African-American. Added to the student wiki page under Fiction--Coming of Age.
- Suzanne Woodruff/Performing Arts/The Alchemist/Paulo Coelho/ In The Alchemist, an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago dreams one night of treasure in the pyramids of Egypt. So he sets out for Egypt to pursue that dream. Although Santiago struggles mightily during his journey, he realizes that "no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second's encounter with God and with eternity." Added to student choice wiki under Fiction--Fantasy and Science Fiction.
- Lorri Hewett/English/Packing for Mars/Mary Roach. A funny and thoughtful book about the gargantuan task of keeping human beings alive in places where they weren't designed to live (outer space). Roach discusses some of the odd experiments conducted by NASA and the Soviet Space agency about living in zero gravity, eating and going to the bathroom in space, surviving catastrophes, and things you wouldn't even think of. There are great discussions about the Apollo missions, The Mir space station, the International Space Station, and what it would take to send humans to Mars. Added to the student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
- Carri Carver/Math/The Summer Tree: Book 1 in the Fionavar Tapestry Trilogy/Guy Gavriel Kay/ In a book that will appeal to Tolkien fans, five college students are transported by a wizard to another world called Fionavar. This world is the heart of all worlds, a place where men, dwarves, wizards and gods dwell along with the Unraveller and his minions of Darkness. Added to student choice wiki under Fiction--Fantasy and Science Fiction.
- Scott Freed/History/Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong/James Loewen. This is an easy, smart, and not very long read. The book takes a look at why US History is told the way that it is in 12 widely used textbooks. It looks at what is and is not said, and the often distorted view of America left with students. As a criticism not of America but of American education, the book asks simply that textbook writers check the primary source evidence and see if it matches the story they are telling. This would be a great book for anyone who has taken US History already to think critically about what they have learned, or anyone about to take the course as an alternative starting point for the class. Added to the student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
- Rachael Szymanski/ English/ What is the What/ Dave Eggers. Were you in the 9th and 10th grade assembly when Mr. Momo talked about his experiences as a young boy in Sudan? Would you like to know more about the Lost Boys of Sudan? What is the What follows a young man named Valentino on his journey running from the Sudanese civil war. The story goes back and forth in time; we see Valentino as a young man in his 20s in Atlanta trying to adjust to life in America, and then we are taken back to childhood memories of Valentino running across the desert trying to escape death by starvation, hungry lions, and brutal soldiers. This story celebrates the human spirit as it is told with beauty and humor, yet it awakens its audience to real horrors in sometimes overlooked places in our world. Added to the student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
- Joanne Baker/Carlos Library/Leviathan/Scott Westerfeld: Prince Aleksandar flees Austria after his parents are assassinated. He meets Deryn Sharp, a girldisguised as a boy, who is an airman in the British Air Service. This adventure fantasy is an award winning example of steampunk fiction for young adults. Added to student choice wiki under Fiction--Fantasy and Science Fiction.
- Jim Hampton/Foreign Language/The Prince of Mist/Carlos Ruiz Zafón. It's war time, and the Carver family decides to leave the capital where they live and move to a small coastal village where they've recently bought a home. But from the minute they cross the threshold, strange things begin to happen. In that mysterious house still lurks the spirit of Jacob, the previous owners' son, who died by drowning.Added to student choice wiki under Fiction--Fantasy and Science Fiction. With the help of their new friend Roland, Max and Alicia Carver begin to explore the strange circumstances of that death and discover the existence of a mysterious being called the Prince of Mist--a diabolical character who has returned from the shadows to collect on a debt from the past. Soon the three friends find themselves caught up in an adventure of sunken ships and an enchanted stone garden--an adventure that will change their lives forever. http://www.amazon.com/Prince-Mist-Carlos-Ruiz-Zafon/dp/0316044776/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b Added to student choice wiki under Fiction--Fantasy and Science Fiction.
- Jennifer Gallegos/Foreign Language/Beautiful Boy/David Sheff .Sheff’s intense memoir is hard to put down. Beyond the torture of helplessly watching Nic, his adolescent son, descend deep into the rabbit hole of addiction, Sheff confesses to the parental habit of second-guessing every decision he has made throughout Nic’s life, especially the ones he is forced to make as he tries to help the young man get and stay clean. His efforts have him turning to any and all resources, from AA to medical experts to rehab centers and finally to friends, for advice and assistance. The experience all but tears him and his family apart as Nic forges his parents’ signatures on checks, steals his eight-year-old brother’s savings, promises to reform, then repeatedly fails to stick with a rehabilitation program. In the end, it isn’t the addiction as much as the repeated failures and relapses that are so debilitating for everyone involved. Added to the student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
- Margaret Lee/English/Me Talk Pretty One Day/David Sedaris/ A collection of memoirs by American humorist David Sedaris. These essays, ranging in subject matter from growing up in Raleigh, North Carolina, to speaking French in Normandy, are guaranteed to make you laugh out loud. Added to student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
- Kathleen McManus/Performing Arts/Pride and Prejudice/Jane Austen/ The original romantic comedy, Pride and Prejudice provides a fascinating window into the social conventions of author Jane Austen's era in England. The cleverly drawn characters and sharp humor make this a fun read, while also giving readers insight into socioeconomic and gender roles in the late 18th/early 19th century. Added to the student wiki page under Fiction--Humor and Fiction--Romance.
- David Alvord/Science/The Hot Zone/Richard Preston/This book is an excellent thriller that discusses the many aspects of a viral disease outbreak and its implications in this new world where people can travel all over the world in a matter of hours. It also discusses the possible origins of HIV and some other interesting topics including how we were on the verge of a massive outbreak from the presence of a very deadly virus called Ebola in our own country in Reston, VA. It is written for the layperson, but it has the potential to turn the layperson into a well-informed, disease-hunting epidemiologist, or an obsessive reader at the least. Added to the student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
- Lamb in His Bosom by Caroline Miller Cean and Lonzo, dirt poor farmers in the rural South before the Civil War, have a story of inspiration and hardship. Read the book that was a best seller and encouraged editors to seek out other Southern writers (and they found Margaret Mitchell). Linda Wyatt in the History Department will moderate this discussion.
- Chris Freer/VP of Student Life/Drive/Pink/Do grades really motivate us to learn? Why do some students excel in school? What motivates you? Find out what truly motivates people in Daniel Pink's best selling book "Drive: The Surprising truth about what motivates us." According to Pink, true motivation comes from a desire for autonomy, mastery, and purpose. This book will make you rethink our traditional, "carrot and stick" approach to motivation in schools, business, and life. Added to the student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
- Angela Stephenson/ Study Support/ ConroyThe Water is Wide/ Fictional superwriter turns to memoir in this piece as he remembers the time he spent as a teacher among underserved students on Daufuskee Island off Carolina's coast. A story of humor and pathos. Added to the student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
- Ethan Greenberg / Science / The Curve of Binding Energy / John McPhee / "In the latest of his inimitable works of reportage, John McPhee has written the story of the life and career o
The Curve of Binding Energy - Hardcover
f Theodore B. Taylor, a relatively unknown man who has been one of the most inventive nuclear scientists of our time. Ted Taylor is a theoretical physicist who was for many years a conceptual designer of atomic bombs. At Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, he conceived and designed the largest-yield fission bomb ever exploded by any nation. Another of his bombs was, in its time, the lightest and smallest ever made.Taylor later became the leader of a secret scientific effort, financed by the federal government, to make a spaceship the size of a sixteen-story building. The ship was of his invention and was to be called Orion. Powered by two thousand atomic bombs, exploding one at a time, it would move very rapidly to Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto. The Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1963 ended the project (but if human beings ever achieve travel much beyond the moon, some such vehicle will carry them). For many years now, Taylor has spent most of his time trying to effect improvements in the protection of certain nuclear materials that could be stolen or "diverted" from companies that handle nuclear fuel. Uranium-235 and plutonium-239--the materials that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki--are now privately owned in quantities sufficient for the making of many thousands of bombs, and these amounts will prodigiously increase as the nuclear-power industry grows. So much declassified information is available that the fabrication of a homemade atomic bomb would be, in Taylor's view, relatively easy. A bomb could, in fact, be made by one person working alone. The course of Taylor's own career--beginning in 1949 in Los Alamos, continuing through Orion, and eventually coming round to the attempt to protect millions of kilograms of bomb material from catastrophic misuse--closely follows the perhaps boomeranging history of the use of atomic energy. " http://www.johnmcphee.com/curve.htm Added to the student wiki page under Non-Fiction. - Paula Nettles/Science/The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean. The Periodic Table is one of man's crowning scientific achievements. But it's also a treasure trove of stories of passion, adventure, betrayal, and obsession. The infectious tales and astounding details in THE DISAPPEARING SPOON follow carbon, neon, silicon, and gold as they play out their parts in human history, finance, mythology, war, the arts, poison, and the lives of the (frequently) mad scientists who discovered them. We learn that Marie Curie used to provoke jealousy in colleagues' wives when she'd invite them into closets to see her glow-in-the-dark experiments. And that Lewis and Clark swallowed mercury capsules across the country and their campsites are still detectable by the poison in the ground. Why did Gandhi hate iodine? Why did the Japanese kill Godzilla with missiles made of cadmium? And why did tellurium lead to the most bizarre gold rush in history? From the Big Bang to the end of time, it's all in THE DISAPPEARING SPOON. Added to the student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
- Kristin Namenye/Science/NEXT/Michael Crichton: This science fiction thriller will keep you on your toes while exploring public policy and bioethics concerning biotechnology. Crichton proposes several possible technologies and creatively explores their possible effects on science and society. The author follows several stories including theft of a person’s cells and an illegal inter-species mating. According to Crichton (author of Jurassic Park), “Everything in this book is fiction, except the parts that aren’t.” Added to the student wiki under Fiction--Fantasy and Science Fiction.
- Brent Hilpert: Scorecasting: The hidden influences behind how sports are played and games are won by Tobias J. Moskowitz and L. Jon Wertheim./This book looks at much of the conventional wisdom in sports, always punting on 4th down in football, home-field advantage, defense wins championships and uses statistics to show that most of the conventional wisdom is false. A great book for those interested in sports and the hidden influences that lead to success. Often described as the "Freakonomics" of Sports. Added to the student wiki under Non-Fiction.
- Hunter Smith/History/A Separate Peace/John Knowles: This classic is a coming-of-age story of students at the exclusive Devon School. It looks at the issues facing students at they make the transition to adulthood, cast particularly in the shadow of World War II. While set in the 1940's, it raises important moral and character issues facing student today in the context of the current conflicts. Added to the student wiki under Fiction--Coming of Age.
- Jonathan Merrill/History/Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption/Laura Hillenbrand: This is the amazing and true story of Louis Zamperini. A world class mile runner who competed in the 1936 Olympic Games, Zamperini quit his preparations for the 1940 Olympics to join the Army Air Corps as a bombardier. The book traces his incredible story from harrowing combat missions, to surviving a month-long journey aboard a tiny raft while drifting in the shark infested waters of the Pacific, and ultimately, to Japanese POW camps.Added to the student wiki under Non-Fiction.
- Monica Kuhlman/Science/Never Let Me Go/Kazuo Ishiguro/A futuristic story about human clones who are raised for the sole purpose of donating their organs to so-called normal human beings who come down with incurable diseases such as cancer. The clones are raised without fully being aware of their roles in life. They suspect that they might be different from those of the outside world—the world outside of the schools in which they grow up. Readers are kept in the dark throughout most of the story, much as the characters in this novel are never sure what is happening... Added to the student wiki under Fiction--Fantasy and Science Fiction.
- Jenifer Baro/Former English/Freakonomics/Stephen Levitz and Stephen Dubner/ An economist and a journalist apply economic theory to a range of interests, writing a best seller and making readers think long and hard about implications of everyday actions and choices. Added to student wiki under Non-Fiction.
- Helen Shean/English/Shane/Schaefer/The archetypal wester with a mysterious hero coming to champion the cause of the small farmer in opposition to the rich cattleman. Think Clint Eastwood! Added to student wiki under Fiction--Coming of Age (reserved for rising 9th).
- Salem's Lot by Stephen King
- Ordinary People by Judith Guest: A remarkable book about an ordinary family's response to an extraordinary tragedy; it was so popular in its time precisely because the Jarretts could be any American family and what happened in their family could happen in anyone's family. Well, maybe not in anyone's family; most Americans aren't wealthy enough to live in a McMansion in an upper-middle-class bedroom community nor do most families own a boat; but income aside, the Jarretts are like most people one knows: a hardworking father, a mother who wants the best for her family, and two teenage sons, one outgoing and confident, the other quiet and retiring, living in his older brother's shadow. A freak boating accident leaves the older brother dead by drowning, and the family devastated. The parents, Cal and Beth, and their younger son Conrad, are left to cope with the aftermath. "Ordinary People" is the story of how they cope - or fail to.
- Jenny Green/ English/ South of Broad by Pat Conroy: Set in the haunting Charleston south, Conroy's novel merges the genres of southern literature, mystery, thriller, coming-of-age tale, and romance. Told through the perspective of a single narrator, Leo Bloom King, a newspaper reporter, the novel alternates between the years 1969 and 1989. In 1969 a diverse group of high school seniors--black and white, genteel rich and Applachian poor, gay and straight--combat their differences and forge an unlikely friendship that lasts into adulthood. Although the friends' lives have taken different paths after graduation--into Hollywood and the rough Tenderloin district of San Francisco, through broken marriages and mental institutions-- the group reunites 20 years later, in 1989, and must uncover long-hidden secrets, face old grudges, and battle inner demons as they fight to save a friend's life. Added to the student wiki under Fiction--Suspense; Fiction--Coming of Age; Fiction--Romance.
- Patti Herring/Dance/ War Horse by Michael Morpurgo: SynopsisAt the outbreak of World War I, Joey, young Albert's beloved horse, is sold to the cavalry and shipped to France. His rider Capitan Nicholls is killed while riding Joey. He's soon caught up in enemy fire; death, disease and fate take him on an extraordinary odyssey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in No Man's Land. But Albert cannot forget Joey and, still not old enough to enlist in the British Army, he embarks on a dangerous mission to find the horse and bring him home to Devon. Added to student wiki under Fiction--Coming of Age and Young Adult Interest.
- Stein,The Art of Racing in the Rain
- Jane Graham/ English/ An Enemy of the People a play by Henrik Ibsen: The Municipal Baths are a popular tourist attraction in a costal Norwegian town. Dr. Thomas Stockman, who serves as the Medical Officer of the Municipal Baths, has discovered that the Baths are polluted. Will the community listen to him and close the Baths yet lose the tourist dollars or knowingly keep the Baths open and put the guests (and the community) in danger? In this play we see the many facets concerning a community's moral dilemma of doing what is right versus doing what is profitable. Added to the student wiki page under Drama.
- Mark Carrington/Science/Operation Mincemeat: How a Dead Man and a Bizarre Plan Fooled the Nazis and Assured an Allied Victroy by Ben Macintyre/ I haven't read this yet, but am quite intrigued by the title. Here is a synopsis... In 1943, British intelligence conceived a spectacular con trick to draw German attention away from the Allies' obvious next objective, Sicily. The bait was a briefcase full of carefully forged documents attached to the wrist of Major William Martin, Royal Marines—a fictitious identity given to a body floated ashore in neutral Spain. Making the deception plausible was the task given to two highly unconventional officers: Lt. Comdr. Ewen Montagu and Squadron Leader Charles Cholmondeley. Macintyre recounts their adventures and misadventures with panache. The body was that of a derelict. Its costuming included the underwear of a deceased Oxford don. An attractive secretary provided the photo of an imaginary fiancée. The carefully constructed documents setting up the bogus operation against Greece and Sardinia convinced even Hitler himself. The Sicily landings were achieved as almost a complete surprise. And the man who never was entered the history and folklore of WWII. (from Publishers Weekly). Added to student wiki page under Non-Fiction.
- Kristin Overcash/Language/No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith:Precious Ramotswe faces scorn when she opens a detective agency in her home in Gabrone, Botswana. But soon the community, as does the audience, knows her as a resourceful and thoughtful woman who pursues justice and mercy at the same time. The country and people of Botswana come alive as Precious solves mysteries involving missing children, straying husbands, and rebellious teens. Added to the student wiki under Fiction--Coming of Age, Young Adult Interest and Fiction--Suspense.
- Ron McCollum A Thousand Splendid Suns Set against the background of 30 years of war and repression in Afghanistan, A Thousand Splendid Suns tells the heart-rending story of two women, born a generation apart, whose lives become inextricably entwined in the struggle to survive and to preserve within themselves a measure of human dignity. Evoking tears rather than laughter, this novel is, nevertheless, a powerful tribute to the strength of the human spirit and the redeeming power of love. Added to student wiki under Fiction--Suspense and Fiction--Coming of Age, Young Adult Interest.
- Sherry Boynton, Twelfth grade counselor, No Excuses, Kyle Maynard Many of us heard Kyle Maynard speak for himself in an assembly this year about the challenges in his life. It left many of us wanting to know more. Read this inspirational story of overcoming obstacles and embracing life. An d Alexis Horder English.
- Tim Hamling/English/Outcasts United/Warren St. John. From School Library Journal--"St. John, a New York Times reporter, brought Clarkston, GA, to national attention in 2007 with a series of articles about the changes in the small Southern town brought about by an influx of refugees from all over the world. This book comes out of those articles. It gives more detail about the town and, most particularly, the three soccer teams composed of refugee boys (the Fugees) who were coached by Luma Mufleh, an American-educated Jordanian woman. The book is a sports story, a sociological study, a tale of global and local politics, and the story of a determined woman who became involved in the lives of her young charges. Keeping the boys in school and out of gangs, finding a place for them to practice, and helping their families survive in a new world all became part of her daily life." Added to the student wiki under Non-Fiction.
- Jane Webster./Foreign Langauge/Walls, The Glass Castle
- Leigh Shelor/ Counseling/ The Hunger Games/ Suzanne Collins: This science-fiction story surrounds a 16 year old, Katniss Everdeen and takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where a boy and girl must "fight to the death" during a tevevised event called The Hunger Games. The themes include self-preservation, independence, power and downfall and government control.
- Hayley Simmons/ US English Dept/Out of Nowhere/Ouida Sebestyen—“Left on the desert to fend for himself after his free-spirited mother runs off with the owner of a BMW, 13-year-old Harley joins forces with four other cast-offs, namely Ish, a pit bull dumped by his owner; May, a recently divorced 70-year-old woman; Bill, who finds himself facing eviction after he is released from a hospital; and Singer, a young drifter. Making a home for themselves out of the run-down brick house inherited by May, the [members of this] unlikely quintet help one another learn rules of survival as they weather various crises” (Publishers Weekly). Puffin Books (192p) ISBN 978-0-14-037640-1
- The Primal Blueprint, by Mark Sisson. Learn to live like a caveman in modern times! Mark Sisson takes us on an impressive journey from the days of cavemen (Grok and his family) through the development of domestication of animals and agriculture to a modern day family (The Korgs). By comparing the two lifestyles, you will learn how to get back to our roots and live caveman style in the 21st century! Sam Mugavero, science.
- Marianne Lecesne/ Math Dept. History's Worst Inventions by Eric Chaline. "In the context of this book, ;worst inventions' can have several meanings. The first is failure, be it heroic, tragic or ridiculous - though somethines inventions have managed to be all three. .. A second group of inventions have earned their place because of their unforeseen consequences: miracle material, miracle cures and miracle druge that have led to death and injury on an epic scale.. (asbestos, radium, plastic, heroin, etc.)... But the unforeseen consequences can be far more insidious and long-term, as is the case with soda pop and junk food.... A third group is included because they serve to conceivable useful purpose other than flattering our vanity or taking advantage of our credulity... The fourth group of inventions that you will find here are those designed specifically to have the most unpleasant consequences for the individual or humanity as a whole.... Finally, the inclusion of certain inventions (that) mithe surprise the reader... If this volume serves a purpose, it is to make the reader reflect on the brilliance, heroism, creativity, pigheadedness, credulity, greed, and self-destructiveness that characterize the human race in all its inventiveness."
- Half Broke Horses is a personal tale of author, Jeannette Walls, who shares in this book about her grandmother’s life through her mother’s eyes! The author’s hope is that readers will “just try to understand people and get into a life that’s not their own.” Readers will be spellbound at the sometimes “outrageous” and often “heartwarming” tales of her mother and especially her grandmother and lives that are not so typical to many at Woodward! Bob Hawks, Vice-President of Development, will sponsor this work.
- Meghan Fox/ Math/Bad Haircut: Stories of the Seventies/Tom Perrotta. "Amid the current glut of '70s nostalgia, Perrotta has fashioned a moving cycle of stories that looks past the era's celebrated kitsch to still relevant social and cultural issues and the timeless mysteries of growing up. In 10 tales covering a period from the fall of 1969 to the summer of 1980, he follows the revelations of his narrator, Buddy, from his days as an eight-year-old Cub Scout through his return home from the first year of college. Set in the small New Jersey town of Darwin, these seamless, understated narratives find--in boyhood activities as ordinary as playing sports, riding a bike, taking driver's ed or going to the prom--insights into loneliness, societal violence, sexual identity, racism, mortality and much more. Perrotta eschews sentimentality and overt philosophizing, crafting in Buddy's voice a sensitivity to pregnant moments that remain unexplained and a knack for delicate, unobtrusive metaphor. Forgoing the easy irony of disco and vintage TV, he delivers a convincing portrait of a time of life, illuminating all the profound cruelty and tenderness of adolescence." Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.
- The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
A coming-of-age classic about Esperanza Cordero and her neighborhood in the Latino section of Chicago. Her "story is that of a young girl coming into her power, and inventing for herself what she will become" (book jacket).Written as the author became disillusioned with the Communist Party, the tale makes flaws within the socialist system clear through using animals and memorable slogans. This classic has humor and irony and allegory to reveal one man's view of the Russian Revolution. (moderator, Bill Lineberry, US Principal) Added to student choice wiki under Fiction--Fantasy and Science Fiction.
Set in the mythical Jerusalem Lot, a small Maine town, this novel by America's master of horror includes vampires and the traditional fight between good and evil. Jeanne Ann Ratliff, a member of the English Department, will moderate this work. Added to student wiki--Fiction--Gothic and Horror.
This book, a New York Times best seller, is told from the perspective of Enzo, a dog whose owner is a struggling race car driver that suffers through several personal and professional tribulations. The dog’s observances of his master's actions and general philosophy toward life and how it should be lived are complex, insightful, and leave an unforgettable impression upon the reader. (moderator, Jonathan Lee, English Department) Added to student wiki under Fiction--Coming of Age and Young Adult Interest.
Jeannette Walls' memoir is a poignant story of a dysfunctional family whose parents' downward spiral does not keep their children from finding success. Set in the western desert and the hills of West Virginia, the memoir has a memorable theme (of overcoming and empowerment) that is not soon forgotten. Added to the student wiki under Non-Fiction.