Pre-AP 2011-2012 Book List

Students enrolled in Pre-AP English II will need to acquire the following texts:

1st Six Weeks:

• How to Read Literature like a Professor, Thomas C. Foster

2nd Six Weeks:

• Lord of the Flies, William Golding

3rd Six Weeks:

• Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka
• A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens

4th Six Weeks:

• Anthem, Ayn Rand
  Last year we were able to acquire this book free for all students; we will try again this year, but no guarantees.

5th Six Weeks:

• Othello, William Shakespeare
• Julius Caesar, William Shakespeare

6th Six Weeks:

• Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury

Books may be checked out of the library, purchased at retail stores like Barnes & Noble, resale stores like Half Price Books, or online stores like Amazon. If you have a digital device that you can take notes on, you may purchase e-book versions and use your digital device in class (using the device for non-text reasons will result in loss of the device). Many texts may also be purchased from last year's students.

Pre-AP Summer Reading Assignment

Sophomores entering Pre-AP II will be expected to complete the following assignment prior to class beginning at the end of August. Estimated weekly commitment: 1 hour.

Following are six pairs of short stories. You are expected to read at least one of them (feel free to read both), and participate in an online discussion. I will moderate the discussion, but you and your classmates will be responsible to keep the conversation going. (Discussion links will appear the week after the story are assigned to be read.)

Week 1 (6/6-10): Irony

• The Lottery, Shirley Jackson
  (Listen to an audiofile of "The Lottery" as you read; right-click audiofile link to save file to your computer.)


• The Open Window, Saki (H.H. Munro)
  (Click the yellow player link on this website to listen to the story as you read; right-click this link to save file to your computer.)

Week 3 (6/20-24): Coming of Age

• Araby, James Joyce
  (Listen to an audiofile of "Araby" as you read; right-click audiofile link to save file to your computer.)


• A&P, John Updike

Week 5 (7/4-8): Horror

• Fall of the House of Usher, Edgar Allan Poe


• Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allan Poe

Week 7 (7/18-22): Prejudice

• Barn Burning, William Faulkner


• Cathedral, Raymond Carver

Week 9 (8/1-5): Magic Realism

• Very Old Man with Enormous Wings, Gabriel Garcia Marquez


• The Monkey’s Paw, W.W. Jacobs

Week 11 (8/15-19): Irony (yes, again!)

• The Bet, Anton Chekhov


• The Yellow Pill, Rog Phillips