2010 US Summer Reading

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter , by Seth Grahame-Smith (Grand Central, 2010; ISBN 9780446563086), 352 pages, horror / historical fiction / parody

[Recommended by Kevin M. '11]

From publisher comments: "While Abraham Lincoln is widely lauded for saving a Union and freeing millions of slaves, his valiant fight against the forces of the undead has remained in the shadows for hundreds of years. That is, until Seth Grahame-Smith stumbled upon The Secret Journal of Abraham Lincoln, and became the first living person to lay eyes on it in more than 140 years. Using the journal as his guide and writing in the grand biographical style of Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough, Seth has reconstructed the true life story of our greatest president for the first time-all while revealing the hidden history behind the Civil War and uncovering the role vampires played in the birth, growth, and near-death of our nation. "

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes , by Arthur Conan Doyle (Penguin, 2009; ISBN 9780143117025), 321 pages, detective fiction

[Recommended by Jordan P. '11 and Chris Myers, Librarian]

From Powell's.com: "This gripping collection includes many of the famous cases-and great strokes of brilliance-that made the legA-endary Sherlock Holmes one of fiction's most popular creations. With his devoted secretary, Dr. Watson, Holmes emerges from his smoke-filled rooms on Baker Street to grapple with the forces of treachery, intrigue, and evil in such cases as "The Speckled Band," in which a terrified woman begs Holmes and Watson's help in solvA-ing the mystery surrounding her sister's death, and A Scandal in Bohemia, which portrays a European king blackmailed by his misA-tress. A spine-tingling treat for anyone who loves a classic whodunit, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes shows the inimitable detective at his best."

The Angel's Game , by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (Doubleday, 2009; ISBN 9780385528702), 531 pages

[Recommended by Katherine T. '11 and Rick Rees, English]

From publisher comments: "In the turbulent and mysterious Barcelona of the 1920s, David Martin, a young novelist obsessed with a forbidden love, receives an offer from an enigmatic publisher to write a book like no other before — a book for which "people will live and die." In return, he is promised a fortune and, perhaps, much more. Once again, the author of The Shadow of the Wind takes us into the gothic universe of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books and creates a breathtaking adventure of intrigue, romance, and tragedy, and a dizzingly constructed labyrinth of secrets where the magic of books, passion, and friendship blend into a masterful story."

Battle Royale , by Koushun Takami [translated by Yuji Oniki] (Viz, 2003; ISBN 9781569317785), 624 pages,

[Recommended by Aaron G. ''11 and Jordan Elliott, Head of Upper School]

From publisher comments: "Battle Royale, a high-octane thriller about senseless youth violence, is one of Japan's best-selling — and most controversial — novels. As part of a ruthless program by the totalitarian government, ninth-grade students are taken to a small isolated island with a map, food, and various weapons. Forced to wear special collars that explode when they break a rule, they must fight each other for three days until only one 'winner' remains. The elimination contest becomes the ultimate in must-see reality television."

The City & The City , by China Mieville (Del Rey, 2009; ISBN 9780345497512), 312 pages, fantasy

[Recommended by Corbet Clark, History and Chaplaincy]

From Publishers Weekly: "Miéville offers an outstanding take on police procedurals with this barely speculative novel. Twin southern European cities Beszel and Ul Qoma coexist in the same physical location, separated by their citizens' determination to see only one city at a time. Inspector Tyador Borl of the Extreme Crime Squad roams through the intertwined but separate cultures as he investigates the murder of Mahalia Geary, who believed that a third city, Orciny, hides in the blind spots between Beszel and Ul Qoma. As Mahalia's friends disappear and revolution brews, Tyador is forced to consider the idea that someone in unseen Orciny is manipulating the other cities. Through this exaggerated metaphor of segregation, Miéville skillfully examines the illusions people embrace to preserve their preferred social realities."

Closing Time , by Joe Queenan (Penguin, 2010; ISBN 9780143116684), 352 pages, memoir

[Recommended by Diane Herschleb, English]

From publiser comments: Over the past two decades, Joe Queenan has established himself as a scourge of everything that is half-baked, half-witted, and halfhearted in American culture. In Closing Time, Queenan turns his sights on a more serious and a more personal topic: his childhood in a Philadelphia housing project in the early 1960s. By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, Closing Time recounts Queenan's Irish Catholic upbringing in a family dominated by his erratic, alcoholic father, and his long flight away from the dismal confines of his neighborhood into the greater, wide world. A story about salvation and escape, Closing Time has at its heart the makings of a classic American autobiography.

The Cobra Event , by Richard Preston (Ballantine, 1998; ISBN 9780345409973), 448 pages, medical thriller

[Recommended by Rob Orr, Physics and Biology]

From publisher comments:   "Five days ago, a homeless man on a subway platform died in agony as startled commuters looked on. Yesterday, a teenager started having violent, uncontrollable spasms in art class. Within minutes, she too was dead. Dr. Alice Austen is a medical pathologist at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. What she knows is that the two deaths are connected. What she fears is that they are only the beginning. . . . "

Ender's Game , by Orson Scott Card (Tor, 1994; ISBN 9780812550702, 384 pages, science fiction

[Recommended by Kaye J. '11 and Meg J. '11]

From The New York Times Book Review: "An affecting novel full of surprises that seem inevitable once they are explained. The key, of course, is Ender Wiggin himself. Mr. Card never makes the mistake of patronizing or sentimentalizing his hero. Alternately likable and insufferable, his is a convincing little Napoleon in short pants."

The Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time, Book One), by Robert Jordan (Tor, 1993; ISBN 9780812511819], 814 pages, fantasy

[Recommended by Myra Clark, AASK]

From Locus: "Jordan is able to take familiar elements and make them his own, in a powerful novel of wide and complex scope. Open religious and political conflicts add a gritty realism, while the cities and courts provide plenty of drama and splendor. Women have a stronger role than in Tolkien. Each character in this large cast remains distinct. Their adventures are varied, and exciting.... The Eye of the World stands alone as a fantasy epic."

Fight Club , by Chuck Pahlaniuk (Norton, 2005; ISBN 9780393327342), 218 pages, literary fiction

[Recommended by Ken S. '11 and Jeffrey Sprague, Technology]

From Powells.com:   "A modern classic. I devoured Fight Club in one day several years ago and its impact hasn't been lessened in subsequent rereadings. Palahniuk's style is punchy, fast-paced, and often hilarious. Still edgy after all these years (perhaps even more so, post-9/11), Fight Club is powerful and hypnotic, and impossible to put down. Anarchy and insanity should always be this much fun!"

Fighting Ruben Wolfe , by Markus Zusak (Push, 2002; ISBN 9780439241878), 224 pages, young-adult fiction

[Recommended by Elisabeth S. '11 and Julie Sikkink, HIstory and Residential Education]

From The Horn Book: "The fast-paced narrative captures the physical rigors of the boxing ring as well as the emotional turmoil and the ultimate unity of the troubled Wolfe family."

The Geography of Bliss , by Eric Wiener (Twelve, 2009; ISBN 9780446698894), 345 pages, non-fiction

[Recommended by Dana Mosher Lewis, Spanish and Yearbook]

From publisher comments: "Part foreign-affairs discourse, part humor, and part twisted self-help guide, The Geography of Bliss takes the reader from America to Iceland to India in search of happiness, or, in the crabby author's case, moments of un-unhappiness. The book uses a beguiling mixture of travel, psychology, science and humor to investigate not what happiness is, but where it is."

The Ghost Map , by Steven Johnson (Riverhead, 2007; ISBN 9781594482694), 299 pages, history

[Recommended by Katrina Perry, French and Student Council]

From publisher comments: "A thrilling historical account of the worst cholera outbreak in Victorian London, and a brilliant exploration of how Dr. John Snow's solution revolutionized the way we think about disease, cities, science, and the modern world."

The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, Book One), by Phillip Pullman (Knopf, 1995; ISBN 9780375823459), 416 pages, fantasy

[Recommended by Estelle B '11, Zach S. '11, and Kara Tambellini, English and Dorm Parent]

From The Horn Book: "A sweeping, suspenseful fantasy novel....Kidnapped children, armored bears, and evil science experiments are just some of the elements in the touching, exciting, and mysterious story."

Guests of the Ayatollah: The Iran Hostage Crisis, the First Battle in America's War With Militant Islam, by Mark Bowden (Grove Atlantic, 2007; ISBN 9780802143037), 680 pages, current events/history

[Recommended by Edward J. '11 and Debby Schauffler, English and Humanities]

From The Oregonian: "The hypnotic pull of Guests of the Ayatollah is in the personal stories of individual hostages and their extremely varied experience....While regretting the failure of the Delta rescue mission, Bowden clearly supports Carter's diplomatic approach....[A] valuable and engaging background for today's headlines."

Infinite Jest , by David Foster Wallace (Back Bay, 2006; ISBN 9780316066525), 1079 pages, literary fiction

[Recommended by Art Ward, Humanities and English]

From publisher comments: "Infinite Jest is the name of a movie said to be so entertaining that anyone who watches it loses all desire to do anything but watch it. People die happily, viewing it in endless repetition. The novel Infinite Jest is the story of this addictive entertainment, and in particular how it affects a Boston halfway house for recovering addicts and a nearby tennis academy, whose students have many budding addictions of their own. As the novel unfolds, various individuals, organizations, and governments vie to obtain the master copy of Infinite Jest for their own ends, and the denizens of the tennis school and the halfway house are caught up in increasingly desperate efforts to control the movie - as is a cast including burglars, transvestite muggers, scam artists, medical professionals, pro football stars, bookies, drug addicts both active and recovering, film students, political assassins, and one of the most endearingly messed-up families ever captured in a novel."

The Kite Runner , by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead, 2003; ISBN 9781594480003), 400 pages, literary fiction

[Recommended by Namat M. '11 and Deri Bash, Asst. Head of Upper School]

From publisher comments: "The first Afghan novel to be written in English, The Kite Runner tells a sweeping story of family, love, and friendship against a backdrop of history that has not been told in fiction before, bringing to mind the large canvases of the Russian writers of the nineteenth century. But just as it is old-fashioned in its narration, it is contemporary in its subject-the devastating history of Afghanistan over the last thirty years. As emotionally gripping as it is tender, The Kite Runner is an unusual and powerful debut."

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal , by Christopher Moore (Harper, 2002; ISBN 9780380813810), 464 pages, humor / religion

[Recommended by Andrew S. '11 and Bev Shue, Library Assistant]

From Powells.com: "Christopher Moore's Lamb is an utterly hilarious take on the story of Jesus. Told from the perspective of Jesus' smart-ass best friend, Biff, it is irreverent without being disrespectful. Lamb, or any of Moore's books, would be perfect for someone who has read all of Tom Robbins's titles and is looking for something new, or just for anyone who needs a good laugh."

The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon , by David Grann (Vintage, 2010), ISBN 9781400078455), 448 pages, history / literary journalism

[Recommended by Hope Stevens, History and Winterim]

From Powells.com: "A true-life, amazing Amazon adventure-mystery. David Grann, mild-mannered reporter, treks into the Amazon to retrace the path of the legendary (and seemingly super-human) British explorer Percy Fawcett. Skillfully researched and written, The Lost City of Z is an fascinating read."

The Lost Symbol , by Dan Brown ( Doubleday, 2009), ISBN 9780385504225), 509 pages, thriller

[Recommended by Kimberly C. '11, Justin S. '11, and John Holloran, History]

From Powells.com: "While the rest of the world seems disappointed in Dan Brown's newest Robert Langdon book, I enjoyed it immensely. Yes, it follows a similar pattern as the previous books and, yes, Langdon again is called upon to save the world from some menacing threat that only he can uncover, but I didn't go into it expecting Brown to surpass The DaVinci Code — that just might not be possible. However, The Lost Symbol is a fun read, full of the usual codes and symbols that only Langdon can decipher, that takes us on a fascinating journey into the secrets of the Freemasons. Full of twists and turns, it's worth the read."

The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat , by Oliver Sacks (Touchstone, 1985, ISBN 9780684853949), 256 pages, medicine / psychology

[Recommended by Sarah L. '11 and Bevin Daglen, Chemistry]

From publisher comments: "In his most extraordinary book, "one of the great clinical writers of the 20th century" (The New York Times) recounts the case histories of patients lost in the bizarre, apparently inescapable world of neurological disorders. Oliver Sacks tells the stories of individuals afflicted with fantastic perceptual and intellectual aberrations: patients who have lost their memories and with them the greater part of their pasts; who are no longer able to recognize people and common objects; who are stricken with violent tics and grimaces or who shout involuntary obscenities; whose limbs have become alien; who have been dismissed as retarded yet are gifted with uncanny artistic or mathematical talents."

Mountains Beyond Mountains , by Tracy Kidder (Random House, 2004; ISBN 9780812973013), 322 pages, current events / medicine

[Recommended by Robin Schauffler, Spanish, English, and Service Learning]

From Powells.com: "Beautifully told, and entirely inspiring, Mountains Beyond Mountains is an exceptional look at the heroic life of Dr. Paul Farmer. Providing health care for hundreds of thousands in a remote, impoverished region of Haiti, Farmer's incomparable dedication brings change not only to the lives he touches directly, but to the efficacy of health care around the globe. Tracy Kidder compellingly proves that one person can make a difference, in this case in Herculean ways. Why read about a pioneering doctor out to change the world? It will change your outlook on humanity and move you to evaluate your place within it."

Music, the Brain, and Ecstasy: How Music Captures Our Imagination , by Robert Jourdain (Quill, 1997; ISBN 9780380782093), 400 pages, nonfiction / science

[Recommended by Adam Steele, Music]

From publisher comments: Interweaving discoveries from science, psychology, music theory, and philosophy, Robert Jourdain brilliantly examines why music speaks to us in ways that words cannot, why it captivates us so completely, and why we form such powerful connections to it. He expertly guides the reader through a continuum of musical experience, examines the evolution of music, and introduces surprising new concepts of memory and perception, knowledge and attention, motion and emotion, all at work whenever music takes hold of us. This book will entertain, inform, and stimulate anyone who loves music — and make them think about their favorite song in startling new ways.

My Family and Other Animals , by Gerald Durrell (Penguin, 2004; ISBN 9780142004418), 288 pages, memoir

[Recommended by Peter Langley, Biology]

From Powells.com: "This autobiographical work takes place on the island of Corfu when Durrell was a boy. He was pretty much a wild English boy who ended up with a lot of time on his hands, a lot of rugged land to explore, and as a result, a lot of critter friends the likes of which you wouldn't find at your local pet store. A love of animals and nature is a constant throughout this book and others by Durrell. This amazing man later founded his own zoo and hosted a T.V. wildlife program that ran internationally."

My Sister's Keeper , by Jodi Picoult (Washington Square, 2005; ISBN 9780743454537), 448 pages, fiction

[Recommended by Achala C. '11, Amy L. '11, and Coleen Davis, PE and Tennis]

From publisher comments: "Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. The product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match for Kate — a life and a role that she has never challenged...until now. Like most teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she truly is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always been defined in terms of her sister — and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be unthinkable, a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the sister she loves. "

The Road , by Cormac McCarthy (Vintage, 2007; ISBN 9780307387899), 287 pages, fiction

[Recommended by Sam A. '11 and Gabe Edge, Mathematics]

From Esquire: "It's an adventure, believe it or not — the sort of book that, if only for the relentless clarity of the writing, the lucid descriptions of the grasses, the mud, the thorns, and the very arc of the road that cuts through all that, presents a clear and episodic progress from one small terror to the next. Forget comfort and possession. Postapocalypse or not, it's classic McCarthy....You should read this book because it is exactly what a book about our future ought to be: the knife wound of our inconvenient truths, laid bare in a world that will just plain scare the piss out of you on a windy night."

The Secret , by Rhonda Byrne (Beyond Words, 2006; ISBN 9781582701707), 198 pages, self-help

[Recommended by Brian Y. '11]

From publisher comments: "Fragments of a Great Secret have been found in the oral traditions, in literature, in religions and philosophies throughout the centuries. For the first time, all the pieces of The Secret come together in an incredible revelation that will be life-transforming for all who experience it. In this book, you'll learn how to use The Secret in every aspect of your life — money, health, relationships, happiness, and in every interaction you have in the world. You'll begin to understand the hidden, untapped power that's within you, and this revelation can bring joy to every aspect of your life. "

Water for Elephants , by Sara Gruen (Algonquin, 2006; ISBN 9781565125605), 350 pages, fiction

[Recommended by Chloe L. '11, Hannah T. '11, and Deb Walsh, History]

From publisher comments:   "When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, grifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her."

Watership Down , by Richard Adams (Scribner, 2005; ISBN 9780743277709), 476 pages, fiction

[Recommended by Nathan P. '11 and Lynne Sadler, English and College Counseling]

From Powells.com: "I first read Watership Down when I was ten years old, and for a long time afterwards it was my very favorite novel: the sense of adventure, the emotionally engaging characters (quite an accomplishment for a tale whose stars are rabbits!), and the lovely pastoral setting make it a perfect match for kids who are big fans of fantasy novels such as the Redwall series but who are looking for something more challenging. This is no children's novel, mind you. I've read Watership Down several times as an adult. Each time I return to it, the story's environmentally-conscious message, Adams' emphasis on man's capacity to destroy the world that he shares with so many other creatures, hits home a little bit harder. The quick-paced narrative makes this a great read-aloud and conversation-starter for folks raising children to be conscious and compassionate world citizens. Of course, this is a rousing good read for those without kids, too!"

What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures , by Malcolm Gladwell (Little Brown, 2009; ISBN 9780316075848), 410 pages, essays

[Recommended by Austen Y. '11 and Gary Crossman, Mathematics and Alumni Affairs]

From publisher comments: "What is the difference between choking and panicking? Why are there dozens of varieties of mustard-but only one variety of ketchup? What do football players teach us about how to hire teachers? What does hair dye tell us about the history of the 20th century? In the past decade, Malcolm Gladwell has written three books that have radically changed how we understand our world and ourselves: The Tipping Point; Blink; and Outliers. Now, in What the Dog Saw, he brings together, for the first time, the best of his writing from The New Yorker over the same period."

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? , by Edward Albee (New American Library, 2006; ISBN 9780451218599), 257 pages, drama

[Recommended by Connor J. '11 and Liz Harlan-Ferlo, Religion and Chaplaincy]

From publisher comments: "A dark comedy, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? portrays husband and wife George and Martha in a searing night of dangerous fun and games. By the evening's end, a stunning, almost unbearable revelation provides a climax that has shocked audiences for years. With the play's razor-sharp dialogue and the stripping away of social pretense, Newsweek rightly foresaw Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? as 'a brilliantly original work of art-an excoriating theatrical experience, surging with shocks of recognition and dramatic fire (that) will be igniting Broadway for some time to come.' "

Zeitoun, by Dave Eggers (Vintage, 2009; ISBN 9780307387943), 352 pages, current events

[Recommended by Laurie R. '11 and VJ Sathyaraj, History and Humanities]

From publisher comments: "When Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, Abdulrahman Zeitoun, a prosperous Syrian-American and father of four, chose to stay through the storm to protect his house and contracting business. In the days after the storm, he traveled the flooded streets in a secondhand canoe, passing on supplies and helping those he could. A week later, on September 6, 2005, Zeitoun abruptly disappeared. Eggers's riveting nonfiction book, three years in the making, explores Zeitoun's roots in Syria, his marriage to Kathy — an American who converted to Islam — and their children, and the surreal atmosphere (in New Orleans and the United States generally) in which what happened to Abdulrahman Zeitoun was possible."