Overview        

Incoming AP Literature students are required to read several books over the summer in preparation for the course and subsequent exam. One portion of the AP exam, the Free Response essay, demands that students have a wide range of challenging literary works on which they can draw when writing that essay. The goal of this summer’s reading, however, is not about the exam but the conversation of ideas between yourself and the books you will read.

Students who do not complete the summer reading––all of it, as spelled out by these guidelines––will not be eligible to take the course.

If you have any questions, email Mr. Burke at jburke@englishcompanion.com.

Requirements  

Each student must do the following:

• Read How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines, by Thomas C. Foster (or, for the slightly more ambitious and sophisticated, try Reading Like a Write: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them, by Francine Prose.) NB: The summer reading essay will be based on whichever of these two books you read and the pair of books you select below.
• Choose a pair of books from the list below.
• Read the chosen books, taking notes or annotating as needed to help you do well on the in-class essay on these books. These notes are for you: We will not collect or evaluate them. Don’t get carried away!
• Write an in-class essay on the books in which you use the ideas either Foster of Prose.
• Consider buying Meyer’s Bedford Introduction to Literature (8th Edition). Note: We encourage everyone to buy their own copy of Meyer’s 8^th edition; watch Amazon for used copies in good condition over the summer. We have copies for everyone, but prefer that you annotate your book as you would in college.
• Create a Google GMail account before school begins (it’s free). Think ahead to college: Create an appropriate email address you can use with colleges (e.g., not NaughtyHottie2010@gmail.com but christinablau@gmail.com).
• Set up your own blog (through Google) using Blogger. Your blog must be given the following name: http://lastnamefirstname09.blogspot.com (e.g., check out Mr. Burke’s sample: http://burkejim09.blogspot.com/). It would be great if you could avoid creating your blog the day before school so if problems arise you can reach Mr. Burke and get the help you need). Feel free to customize the appearance of your blog.
• Post your initial comments (about the summer reading) on your blog as your first entry to show that you have it set up and know how to post to it. You will use this blog throughout the year regardless of which AP Lit teacher you have. 

Titles              

The following pairs of books comprise a conversation that should take place between the books, their authors, the characters, and yourself. Each pair of books has some idea in common which should be clear enough by the time you finish them.

Option 1

• Beowulf (Seamus Heaney translation)

• Going After Cacciato, Tim O'Brien

Option 2

• The Handmaid's Tail, Margaret Atwood

• 1984, George Orwell  

Option 3

• The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Junot Diaz

• Goldengrove, Francine Prose  

Assessment 

Rubric (Scoring Guide) for Summer Reading Paper

Sample Papers

1. Sample One: This paper shows the student beginning the year with the foundation for great progress but also needing to improve in the areas of analytical reading and writing.
2. Sample Two:  This paper shows a student who arrives in August with a keen eye for detail and strong analytical writing skills as well as a strong sense of voice in his own writing.