LHS Freshmen Offer Reading Project Recommendations
Non-Fiction

Nonfiction

Albom, Mitch. Tuesdays with Morrie
Tuesdays with Morrie will touch your heart. This book focuses on two men, one who is dying but who is also now learning how to live and another who learns about the meaning of life. Throughout the book Morrie is somewhat of a mentor to his old student Mitch (author of the book). Mitch learns lessons of life like love, happiness and what it’s like to face death. Morrie helps to teach Mitch that life is not always about how society shows things and that we should appreciate the little things in life that we have each day that some other people do not have. Moderate

Ambrose, Stephen E. Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest
As good a rifle company as any in the world, Easy Company, 506th Airborne Division, U.S. Army, kept getting the tough assignments -- responsible for everything from parachuting into France early D-Day morning to the capture of Hitler's Eagle's Nest at Berchtesgaden. In Band of Brothers, Ambrose tells of the men in this brave unit who fought, went hungry, froze, and died, a company that took 150 percent casualties and considered the Purple Heart a badge of office. Drawing on hours of interviews with survivors as well as the soldiers' journals and letters, Stephen Ambrose recounts the stories, often in the men's own words, of these American heroes. (Book Description from Amazon) Moderate.

Blais, Madeleine. In These Girls, Hope is a Muscle
This book tells the story of the girls' high school basketball team from Amherst, Massachusetts, and how they rose to excellence. We come to know the girls on the team as individuals and to appreciate not only their athletic abilities but also their determination and strength. "Their experience gives you so much inspiration for 1) being women athletes and 2) knowing that you can do whatever you want if you work at it with your heart and soul. I recommend this book to EVERYONE." Moderate.

Ethell, Jeffrey and Alfred Price. One Day in a Long War
This book gives an interesting view of one of the most memorable air battles during the Vietnam War, the Linebacker Offensive of May 10, 1972. Historians remember this battle not only because it was one of the largest and most successful bombing raids during the Vietnam War, but also because it was one of the first in which precision guided weapons were used. An elite corps of fighter pilots flew over 330 sorties; two of the few flying aces to emerge from Vietnam earned their reputations in this battle. Moderate.

Franken, Al. Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them
Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them is a satiric political analysis not to be missed by both the average reader and political heavyweights alike. Initially, Al Franken receives a message from God, stating that he must uncover the truth about American politics. He analyzes deceptions in the Right, crushes myths about bias in the Left, and finds partiality in the Mainstream Media. Then, he clears the reader’s mind from the fog of bias and explores Bush’s ignorance towards the environment, the tax system, and more, examining how Bush has failed us. Overall, Lies is full of wonderful lessons that teach us the importance of truth. Moderate.

Gibran, Kahlil. The Prophet
This book is a series of beautiful philosophical reflections on those aspects of life which we all experience: love, pain, work, clothes, money, children, giving. "Gibran constantly amazed me by the truths he was able to record, truths that one may have thought before but had never been able to find words for." Moderate.

Green, Tim. The Dark Side of the Game
Former NFL player Tim Green tells what life is really like in the National Football League, from games to free agency. Green allows us to see aspects of the world of professional football which we could never see on television or read in the papers. "Any football fan will love it." Sports. Moderate.

Halberstam, David. The Teammates
The Red Sox teams of the 1940s were incredible. They contained a group of four all-star players: Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr, Dom DiMaggio, and Johnny Pesky. These four teammates and their lives and careers as players in Boston are the main focus of the book. The frustration of the 1946 World Series and how the team slowly crumbled when Ted left to fight in the war are just some of the interesting plots. This book is a look back on four of the greatest to put on a Red Sox uniform. Be fascinated as you learn things you never knew about old time Boston baseball. Moderate

Hayden, Torey. Murphy's Boy
Hayden is a psychologist who desribes her work with Kevin, a fifteen-year-old boy who has been institutionalized after suffering sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. "This book becomes hard to put down about half way through when Kevin describes his family, visits his home and has a dramatic experience with Hayden." Students also recommended One Child. Moderate.

Herriot, James. James Herriot's Dog Stories
James Herriot, a veterinarian in rural England, describes his encounters with different kinds of dogs and the people who own them. Herriot's stories are often funny, but just as often sad enough to break your heart. "I think that anybody who likes dogs and is looking for a good laugh should read this book." Moderate.


Hilton, Conrad. Be My Guest
Through the great depression, Conrad Hilton managed to turn into the most successful hotel man ever. Conrad never gave up, he was down to just the clothes on his back many times, but he still was so persuasive that he got people to invest millions of dollars in properties he wanted to buy. One by one, he fell in love with hotels and picked out exactly the ones he had to have. However the one he wanted the most was the one that was nearly impossible to obtain. When everyone called him crazy for trying to purchase this hotel, Conrad stuck by his own gut and managed to accomplish what he had always wanted. It is incredible how many times Conrad managed to overcome the seemingly impossible. Moderate

Kotlowitz, Alex. There Are No Children Here
This book tells the story of a family that survives in an extremely poor, urban neighborhood infested with gangs and drugs. The author talks a lot about the two boys in the family, eight-year-old Pharoah and twelve-year-old Lafayette, but also gives a lot of information about their enviroment in general, including some depressing statistics and stories of murder, rape, and drug-dealing. "Even though the book was often depressing, I'm still glad I read it. It was moving to see how hard this family tried to stay on the right track in a trouble-filled city." Moderate.

Kozol, Jonathan. Death at an Early Age
Kozol recounts his experience as a young teacher in a mostly African-American school in Boston. Kozol talks about his particular classroom and students as well as the Boston school system as a whole, which he tried to change. Eventually Kozol was fired from his job because he taught a poem written by an African-American and angered some of the white parents. "Overall it is a great book and I would definitely recommend it, especially to anybody who is going to be a teacher." Moderate.

 

Krakauer, Jon. Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster
A gripping cautionary tale documenting the deaths of six climbers near the summit of Mt. Everest. What started as a childhood dream of climbing became reality for Jon Krakauer when Outside Magazine hired him to report on the increasing number of commercial expeditions to the top of Mt. Everest. Krakauer, his guide, and a group of experienced climbers set out to tackle Mt. Everest, with disastrous results. (synopsis from Barnes & Noble) Moderate.


Remy, Jerry and Corey Sandler. Watching Baseball
In this insightful commentary on baseball, Boston sports announcer Jerry Remy along with Corey Sandler, tells what he learned playing and watching the great game of baseball. In this informational book, he gives both humorous commentary and interesting anecdotes about his time playing second base for the Red Sox and the Angels. If you like baseball and want a deeper understanding and another perspective on what you see, this book is a sure bet to please you. Watching Baseball is an excellent book for anyone, from a casual fan to a die-hard fanatic. Moderate

Rowe, James. Five Years to Freedom
This book shows the extreme amount of suffering one man can go through and still survive. Rowe tells the story of his captivity as a P.O.W., including his first year in solitary confinement and the horrifying mind games his captors played with him. His final escape and rescue are amazing. "I recommend this book to anyone who would like to know true suffering." Moderate.

Ryan, Joan. Little Girls in Pretty Boxes
This book describes the grueling lives of young gymnasts and figure skaters, many of whom suffer eating disorders and self-esteem problems. It also unmasks coaches like Bela Karyoli who push girls too hard with exhausting training schedules and impossible expectations. "A very shocking book to read, especially after the 1996 Olympics." Sports. Moderate.

Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation
Fast food has hastened the malling of our landscape, widened the chasm between rich and poor, fueled an epidemic of obesity, and propelled American cultural imperialism abroad. That's a lengthy list of charges, but Eric Scholsser makes them stick with an artful mix of first-rate reportage, wry wit, and careful reasoning. Schlosser's myth-shattering survey stretches from California's subdivisions, where the business was born, to the industrial corridor along the New Jersey Turnpike, where many of fast food's flavors are concocted. Along the way, he unearths a trove of fascinating, unsettling truths -- from the unholy alliance between fast food and Hollywood to the seismic changes the industry has wrought in food production, popular culture, and even real estate. (Publisherís description) Moderate.

Scott, Robert Lee, Jr. Boring a Hole in the Sky
A U. S. Air Force Brigadier General, Scott tells the story of his life as a pilot from 1912 until his retirement in 1957. Scott talks in particular detail about a trip to Europe in 1932, when the Air Force flew the mail, and a tour of duty in 1942, when he was flying with the famed Flying Tigers. "I would recommend this book to anyone interested in what the Air Force was like in the first half of this century." Moderate.

Shaughnessy, Dan. The Curse of the Bambino
This book tells the sad story of the Boston Red Sox since they sold Babe Ruth in 1919, a year after winning their last World Series. Since then, the hapless Sox have visited the Fall Classic four times, have gone a full seven games, and have found a way to lose. From Denny Galehouse to Bill Buckner, this book tells the story of each tragic tale, not to mention other heartbreaking years. "If you are a Red Sox fan, this is a hard book to read, but it is definitely worth your time." Sports. Moderate.

Sister Souljah. The Coldest Winter Ever
Winter-A period of time characterized by coldness, misery, barrenness, or death. Brooklyn-born Winter Santiaga, the daughter of a wealthy drug dealer, only knows materialism, designer clothes, fancy jewelry, and the streets of Brooklyn. But when an icy winter wind blows her life off course her street smarts and seductive skills are put to the test. Her father tells her to stay away from Brooklyn. She wouldn’t listen until the most important thing was taken away from her. In the end was it all worth it? You decide. Moderate

Shakur, Tupac. The Rose that Grew From Concrete
The Book “The Rose That Grew From Concrete” is a collection of poems that express Tupac Shakur’s feelings, thoughts, emotions, and experiences previous to his success. He is arguably the greatest rapper of all time. In this book you see many different sides to Mr. Shakur including his experiances with government, his experiences with past relationships, and how he was “That Rose that Grew from Concrete,” meaning he was able to blossum with no soil and nothing to grow from. In many of poems, he explains how he grew up in poverty and how the situation he was delt was nealry impossible to overcome. Read about Tupacs struggles, pleasures, and his strengths. Moderate

Spiegleman, Art. Maus
Vladex Spiegleman, a Jew in the Holocaust, and his son, Artie, try to capture the past in the only way they can--through drawing. These comics aren't funny; they show Vladex's true experiences and show that his only tool for survival was hope. "This book is touching, fascinating, horrifying, and real." Moderate.

Wiesenthal, Simon. The Sunflower
When Wiesenthal was a prisonner in a concentration camp, a dying SS officer had him brought to his hospital bed and asked him for his forgiveness. Weisenthal spends the first half of the book reflecting on his decision to leave the room without forgiving the young man; he devotes the second half of the book to the opinions of others--known philosophers, authors, professors--regarding his dilemma. Challenging.

Yaeger, Chuck and Leo Janos. Yeager
The book tells the story of Chuck Yeager's remarkable life: his childhood, his distinguished career as a dog fighter in World War II, his breaking of the sound barrier, and his bombing flights over Vietnam. "Everyone must read this book." Moderate.

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