I have extended the period for outside reading by a month, so it's time to finish.
Here again is the link to the assignment that you were given in early September.
At the bottom of this post I have pasted in a copy of the assignment.
Please note that unambiguous requirements for the book choice. Anyone who read a book that does not meet the criteria will lose points.
Nonfiction Reading List
You will read a nonfiction book of your choice. You have a lot of freedom in choosing your book, so pick something that you are interested in (or interested in learning about). Read a couple reviews of the book. Skim through the book before you commit to it to get a sense of the writer’s style and approach to the subject. My requirements are that the book be written for general-audience adults; that it present good writing and research on the subject, as indicated by professional reviews; that it be appropriate for reading in class; that it be at least 200 pages and that you clear it with your teacher and a parent. The book should not be a memoir/biography/autobiography or focused on a single person, self-help book, how-to book or textbook. That leaves you many thousands of books to choose from.
ANNOTATION: Annotation engages you with the text and creates a document you can return to. Here is anarticle on how and why to annotate. Here are instructions on how to annotate your book. For our purposes, you should be reading with attention, but you do not need to reread. You should have some annotation at least every four page, and you should look for the things listed on the instructions (link above). However, you do not have to go overboard, and, as much as possible, don't let annotating get in the way of enjoying the book. I encourage abbreviations and symbols. Additionally, you must take some brief notes on your reading. Page 1: Record the title and author and why you chose this book. For the next for pages, summarize each quarter of the book in one journal page (200 words each page). Then write a page on what you think the main idea of the book is and how the author supports that idea.
When you finish your book you will write a book review of at least 500 words. We will go over the requirements before the due date.
You must select a book by Sept. 12. You must finish the book and annotations/notes by Oct. 12.
The Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction is a great place to start. These represent the best American nonfiction books. Beyond the Beautiful Forevers is a recent nominee that I think you will like. It’s relatively short, very well written and novel-like in its exploration of the slums of an Indian city.
The National Book Award is the other major prize for American nonfiction.
Many of the books on this list are easier reads than the award winners and many will work: Popular Possible High School Nonfiction Books
Some other books I recommend:
The Worst Hard Times, Moonwalking With Einstein
The New Jim Crow , How We Learn
This is Your Brain On Music, Letters to a Young Scientist by E.O. Wilson
Freakonomics, Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
The Poisoner’s Handbook, Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science by Atul Gawande
Into Thin Air or Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer
War or The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger, The Big Short by Michael Lewis
Living and Dying in Brick City: Stories from the Front Lines of an Inner-City E.R. by Sampson Davis
Mayflower : A Story of Courage, Community, and War
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales
Six Questions of Socrates: A Modern-Day Journey of Discovery through World Philosophy and Socrates Café: A Fresh Taste of Philosophy
Here again is the link to the assignment that you were given in early September.
At the bottom of this post I have pasted in a copy of the assignment.
Please note that unambiguous requirements for the book choice. Anyone who read a book that does not meet the criteria will lose points.
Nonfiction Reading List
You will read a nonfiction book of your choice. You have a lot of freedom in choosing your book, so pick something that you are interested in (or interested in learning about). Read a couple reviews of the book. Skim through the book before you commit to it to get a sense of the writer’s style and approach to the subject. My requirements are that the book be written for general-audience adults; that it present good writing and research on the subject, as indicated by professional reviews; that it be appropriate for reading in class; that it be at least 200 pages and that you clear it with your teacher and a parent. The book should not be a memoir/biography/autobiography or focused on a single person, self-help book, how-to book or textbook. That leaves you many thousands of books to choose from.
ANNOTATION: Annotation engages you with the text and creates a document you can return to. Here is anarticle on how and why to annotate. Here are instructions on how to annotate your book. For our purposes, you should be reading with attention, but you do not need to reread. You should have some annotation at least every four page, and you should look for the things listed on the instructions (link above). However, you do not have to go overboard, and, as much as possible, don't let annotating get in the way of enjoying the book. I encourage abbreviations and symbols. Additionally, you must take some brief notes on your reading. Page 1: Record the title and author and why you chose this book. For the next for pages, summarize each quarter of the book in one journal page (200 words each page). Then write a page on what you think the main idea of the book is and how the author supports that idea.
When you finish your book you will write a book review of at least 500 words. We will go over the requirements before the due date.
You must select a book by Sept. 12. You must finish the book and annotations/notes by Oct. 12.
The Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction is a great place to start. These represent the best American nonfiction books. Beyond the Beautiful Forevers is a recent nominee that I think you will like. It’s relatively short, very well written and novel-like in its exploration of the slums of an Indian city.
The National Book Award is the other major prize for American nonfiction.
Many of the books on this list are easier reads than the award winners and many will work: Popular Possible High School Nonfiction Books
Some other books I recommend:
The Worst Hard Times, Moonwalking With Einstein
The New Jim Crow , How We Learn
This is Your Brain On Music, Letters to a Young Scientist by E.O. Wilson
Freakonomics, Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
The Poisoner’s Handbook, Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science by Atul Gawande
Into Thin Air or Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer
War or The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger, The Big Short by Michael Lewis
Living and Dying in Brick City: Stories from the Front Lines of an Inner-City E.R. by Sampson Davis
Mayflower : A Story of Courage, Community, and War
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales
Six Questions of Socrates: A Modern-Day Journey of Discovery through World Philosophy and Socrates Café: A Fresh Taste of Philosophy