Click below to access all the information and assignments you'll need for your summer reading. There are several pages, so be sure to get them all. If you have not yet picked up the books from me, you may obtain them over the summer in the Main Office of BHS. Otherwise, you will have to borrow them from the Worcester Public Library or purchase them yourself.
Remember that all assignments are due the first full week of class, so complete them during the summer. If you have any questions or problems, see me before the end of the school year or contact me at henrionl@worc.k12.ma.us
While I'm on the subject of your summer reading, I want to take a few minutes to explain my rationale for selecting the books you are required to read. To some of you, reading might be a chore and to others it might be a pleasure. I'm of the latter category. To me, books are, as former Harvard president Charles Eliot said, "the quietest and most constant of friends." I'm never without a book nearby, and I never feel bored as long as I have something to read. Have I loved every book I've read? Of course not! But I usually try to stick with it until the end, though there's nothing wrong with putting a book aside if it's completely not to one's taste. I'm partial to historical fiction and historical romance with a little biography and mystery thrown in. I've read some dystopian fiction, too, which is pretty interesting and popular, especially with young adults.
When it comes to reading for academic purposes (though I and many people I know read them for pleasure), however, I can't say enough about the classics. By classics I mean those works which have withstood the test of time in terms of creativity, innovation, and/or relevance and honest portrayal of human emotion and interaction. In AP class, you'll hear me call them "works of literary merit" or "the literary canon." Not every book or poem written before 1900 has become a "classic" though I know for certain that you've read some Sophocles, Shakespeare, Dickens, or Twain before. Those are just a few of the "classic" authors and playwrights. And some more modern books, like The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, and Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison have gained "merit" in the last decade or two.
So why am I asking you to read How to Read Literature Like a Professor? Well, in my opinion, this book is an extremely reader-friendly way to get to know what the classics are all about--what they bring to the reader beyond just a story. Probably everyone has heard that to really understand literature, one must "read between the lines." Well, that's what English professors (and teachers) do all the time, and what you'll be asked to do in AP Lit. Works of literary merit invite the reader to look deeper for meaning, to examine and investigate the words, phrases, and images they contain to find ideas and themes that are beneath the surface. The Professor book helps you learn what to look for in literature and clues you in to how to look for it and what it means. I'm sure you'll pick up several pointers from this book.
Next, the only thing I can say about the Mythology book is YOU NEED TO KNOW MYTHOLOGY IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND LITERATURE BETTER!!! Back in the day when everyone studied Latin and/or Greek (yes, they really did), everyone knew their Greek and Roman mythology, and writers used it allusively to convey ideas to their readers, who quickly got the message because they knew the mythological story to which the writer alluded. But now that mythology studies has gone by the wayside somewhat, readers no longer recognize the time-honored stories of gods, goddesses, and heroes. Hamilton's Mythology is one of the most comprehensive and popular compilations of all the Greek/Roman mythological characters and tales. So, I hope this book increases your recognition of those characters and tales because, trust me, it will help you as we study and analyze a wide array of literary pieces. And the stories are quirky and unbelievable and fun, too!!
So, happy reading, students! Keep an open mind and try to absorb as much as you can from both books. They have a lot to offer.
Professor Assignment Moment Sheet
Mythology Assignment
Mythology Assignment Learning Tasks
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