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Dear soon-to-be juniors, Welcome to
summer reading! I have chosen two works that I think you will find
readable and engaging. Both represent different styles (and genres), and
we will be searching these works and others to see what they tell us
about the American mindset, the focus of English III being American
Literature. We will also deal a good deal with writing style in the next
year, so I have chosen one work of fiction and one of non-fiction.
The two works are A Hope in the Unseen, a non-fiction work
by journalist Ron Suskind, published in paperback by Broadway Press, and
Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger, published by Little, Brown Co.
Pages for All Ages will have both in stock, and if you mention you are
getting them for Uni summer reading you receive a discount.
As you read, consider these questions: 1. Suskind is a journalist. He writes
what is considered “non-fiction.” What aspects of fiction, though,
do you find in the work? What issues does Suskind raise that are
“American”? 2. Salinger is best known for The
Catcher in the Rye. He published only a few other works. All are
considered “comic.” How would you characterize Salinger’s humor
– provided, of course, that you found the stories “humorous”? What
do these stories, then, say about modern “comic” literature? 3. Choose a representative passage
from each work that you feel represents the writer’s style. Be
prepared to explain why you chose that passage.
Have both read by the time school starts back in August. They
should not be that time-consuming (the Salinger stories do not have to
be read all at once!), so I hope you have time to read other books of
your choosing. Recent studies suggest that students should read at least
five books over the summer to keep their reading skills adept. We will
be writing about the readings the first week of school, so read
actively, with pencil or highlighter in hand.
I am looking forward to next year. I hope it will be a fun one.
Meanwhile, enjoy your summer! Mr. Rayburn |