<p>What are some good (fun too) books for a soon to be high school senior to read this summer?</p>
<p>I don't know about fun, but I am reading The Rape of Nanking now. Probably not on a high school reading list anywhere, but is it about a historical (and probably little known--I didn't know about it until a prof. recommended the book) holocaust. During WWII, the Japanese invaded the Chinese city of Nanking and tortured, raped and murdered thousands of Chinese (even children and infants). However, it is extremely graphic in writing and in the photos. It is definitely not for the squeamish. The Japanese that did this are comparable too (if not worse than) the Nazis. But, I think its an eyeopener to how cruel some people can be and how the world cannot let things like this happen again.</p>
<p>Fun reading, how refreshing. Give Matthiessen's "Killing Mr Watson" a try, a historical novel set in 19th century Florida. Or perhaps his masterpiece(in my opinion) Far Tortuga. For some flat out nonfiction-anything by John McPhee will do in my book, though "The Pine Barrens" is most interesting.</p>
<p>And perhaps the greatest work I could suggest is the four book historical novel Buru Quartet by Pramoedya Anata Toer starting with "This Earth of Mankind". This magnus opus may win him the Nobel Prize in Literature in the near future.</p>
<p>"The Kite Runner" is very good.</p>
<p>I was just discussing "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time " with someone on another thread. Great, fast read.</p>
<p>"Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers" by Mary Roach. Obscure topic, great book -- the author has a humoros-yet-appropriate writing style.</p>
<p>Thanks, everyone. This is a good start.</p>
<p>Some books I read in two literature classes:</p>
<p>Holocaust related from Lit. of Holocaust:</p>
<p>The Masters of Death by Richard Rhodes (About the SS)</p>
<p>Maus I and II by Art Spiegelman (Story written in comic book format about the authors parents' survival in concentration camps)</p>
<p>Night by Elie Wiesel (Elie Wiesel's survival of the Holocaust)</p>
<p>War and Genocide by Doris Bergen (Historical type book)</p>
<p>Survival in Auschwitz by Primo Levi (Primo Levi's survival)</p>
<p>Nazi Doctors by Robert Lifton (graphic descriptions, but I thought it was really boring towards the end since I know very little about psychology).</p>
<p>Medical related from Lit. of Medicine:</p>
<p>A Journal of the Plague Year by Daniel Defoe (About the London Plague, but this guy rambles on and on...)</p>
<p>Wit by Margaret Edson (An English/Literature professor that struggles with ovarian cancer; play format.)</p>
<p>Angels in America by Tony Kushner (About AIDS/homosexual acceptance; play format.)</p>
<p>The Plague by Albert Camus (Fictional plague in North Africa.)</p>
<p>Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis (About the life of a man who wants to work in medicine and the difficulties he faces throughout life.)</p>
<p>Other Stuff I've read recently:</p>
<p>A Child Called It by David Pelzer (Child Abuse case (the author was the abusee, brutally abused by his mother). Very sad and disgusting. I'm not sure what happened to the mother after the school handled the situation and saved the boy. Anyone else know?).</p>
<p>Ordinary Men by Christopher Browning (Some parts graphic; The Reserve Battalion 101 of Poland during the Holocaust.)</p>
<p>More reading here:</p>
<p><a href="http://als.lib.wi.us/Collegebound.html%5B/url%5D">http://als.lib.wi.us/Collegebound.html</a></p>
<p>I also recommend "The Kite Runner"</p>
<p>I heard about this book recently:
The Traveler, by John Hawks</p>
<p>It sounds crazy, but also interesting.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chan cannot be recommended for summer reading as it is criticized by many historians for the use of very inaccurate "evidence" including retouched photos and dubious "testimonies" by the Chinese. For instance, how is it possible to massacre 300,000 people in a city with a population of 200,000? It is pretty much a commonsense that the winners of the Second World War needed some "Holocaust in the East" equivalent to justify themselves. Instead of reading that inaccurate book, I would recommend "Hiroshima" by JOHN HERSEY. I believe that it is more important to learn about the true Holocaust committed by the Americans.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Unfortunately, The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chan cannot be recommended for summer reading as it is criticized by many historians for the use of very inaccurate "evidence" including retouched photos and dubious "testimonies" by the Chinese. For instance, how is it possible to massacre 300,000 people in a city with a population of 200,000? It is pretty much a commonsense that the winners of the Second World War needed some "Holocaust in the East" equivalent to justify themselves. Instead of reading that inaccurate book, I would recommend "Hiroshima" by JOHN HERSEY. I believe that it is more important to learn about the true Holocaust committed by the Americans.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>@@ A book is a book.</p>
<p>KAZ, I worked in Hangzhou, a Chinese city of about one million, but we served a drawing area of about 6 million. Maybe the death toll included people from the surrounding area.</p>
<p>The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand ought to be a required read for high school seniors and incoming college freshman; the book is utterly amazing, and Ayn Rand's philosophy ought to be recognized by socialists, individualists, and the indifferent, alike. My friends tells me that Rand's other book, Atlas Shrugged, is an even better, but, she advised that I should read The Fountainhead before Atlas Shrugged.</p>
<p>The Namesake is also a very good book. I suggest that.</p>
<p>Come on people, the kid said fun - how about The Three Musketeers, or The Once and Future King. Hitchhikers' Guide, if you haven't read it, and anything by Dave Barry or Bill Bryson (for sheer laughs). Just lighthearted, throw in the trash reading - the Shopaholics books, and the Diane Mott Davidson murder mysteries (especially the earlier ones), and the entire Amelia Peabody series (by Elizabeth Peters, one of my favorite female heroines).
Note: This list is based on fun, not improve your mind, their have been some other reading threads that covered "improve your mind"</p>
<p>For a good summer read I would recommend the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith...fun, light, entertaining reading. :)</p>
<p>My son has already read the Fountainehead and is halfway through Atlas Shrugged. Lots of good suggestions on all types of books. Thanks.</p>
<p>I am in the middle of "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell" kind of a cross between Harry Potter and Dickens/Austen. Pure fun!!!!</p>