Pick novels (2) from the attached list, one fiction, and one non-fiction. Write a review of each novel using the attached review sheets to guide your effort, tpapers should be 2-3 pages long.
Finally, answer the following two questions on a separate sheet (Typed) and turn in it on the first day of class.
Which topic did you find the most interesting and why?
Which novel would you recommend to a classmate and why?
Fiction (F) /
Title Author Subject Non-fiction (N)
All Quiet on the Western Front Remarque
An American Tragedy Dreiser Social Issues
Bean Trees Kingslover Immigration
Black Like Me Griffin Civil Rights
Cat’s Cradle Vonnegut Arms Race
Chicano Vasquez Race
Cold Mountain Frazier Civil War
Go Tell It on the Mountain Baldwin Race / Depression
Gone With the Wind Mitchell Civil War
If I Die in a Combat Zone O’Brien Vietnam War
Invisible Man Ellison Racial divide
Joy Luck Club Tam WWII / Women / Race
Little Women
Moby Dick
Native Son Wright Depression
Roots Haley Slavery
American Dream /
Sister Carrie Dreiser Women
Slaughterhouse Five Vonnegut Social Issues / Anti-War F
Snow Falling on Cedars Guterson Anti-Japanese
Street Car named Desire
The Adventures of Huckleberry Williams Post / Society
Finn Twain Culture / Race
The Bell Jar Plath Women
The Cider House Rules Irving Social Issues / Abortion
The Crucible Miller Religion / Communism
The Graps of Wrath Steinbeck Depression
The Maltese Falcon Hammet Prohibition
The Natural Malamud Culture (Baseball)
The Red Badge of Courage Crane Civil War
Religion / Colonial
The Scarlet Letter Hawthorne America
Last of the MohicansCooper French and Indian War
Alcott Women / Civil War
Melville Race / Religion
Social Issues / Race /
The Sound and the Fury Faulkner
Burdick and Reconstruction Era
The Ugly American Lederer Communism
1776 McCullough
Bernstein and American Revolution
All the President’s Men Woodward Watergate
Assassination Vacation Vowell
Band of Brothers Ambrose WWII
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee Brown Native Americans
Gods and Generals
His Excellency: George Shaara Civil War
Washington
How Democratic is the American Ellis Presidents
Constitution Dahl Government
How the Other Half Lives Riis Progressive Era
irl
Lincoln
Making of the Atomic Bomb
Manhunt: The 12 Day Chase for Rhodes
Lincoln’s Killer
Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Swanson Presidents
Community, and War Philbrick Colonial America
Only Yesterday Allen Culture of the 1920s
Westward Expansion
Ordeal of Hunger
Parting the Waters: MLK and the Stewart Donner Party
Civil Rights Movement Branch Civil Rights
Silent Spring Carson
Malcolm X and Environment
The Autobiography of Malcom X Alex Haley Civil Rights
The Bedford Boys Kershaw VVWII
The Color of Water McBride Culture / Race / Religion N
The Killer Angels Shaara Civil War
Culture (Space
The Right Stuff
Thomas Jefferson: An Intimate Exploration)
History Brodie Presidents
Undaunted Courage Ambrose Westward Expansion
Up From Slavery
Warriors Don’t Cry: the Battle to Washington Race
Integrate Little Rock Beals Civil Rights
Incidents in the Life of a Slave GJacobs Slavery
Donald Presidents
Use the following review sheets to guide your writing responses to the appropriate Nonfiction or Fiction novel.
Nonfiction review sheet
Overview: Outline the contents of the book by identifying the thesis and giving a brief summary of the main points. Quote or paraphrase key ideas.
Purpose: What is the author’s purpose (To relay information, to convince, to demand change, to shock)? Who is the intended audience?
Background information: Determine credibility by describing the authör’s education and/or experience.
Evaluation: Did the author prove their thesis? Describe the evidence. What part of the author’s argument was convincing? Does the novel represent popular culture or media’s portrayal of the topic?
Summary: State your overall response to the novel.
Fiction review sheet
Setting: Explain where and when the story takes place.
Plot: Explain what happens in the story, including the beginning and ending.
Main Character: Describe the main character, what do you think of him/her and why.
Important Scene: Explain what happens in the scene and why it is important.
Theme: What theme/idea/message/point is the author trying to convey.
Summary: State your overall response to the novel.