Dr. Hoffmann and Mr. Burns are recommending, not requiring, that you read any of these books over the summer. You will NOT be responsible for any assignment in the fall based on this list of books for Honors American Experiment. 

Term 1: Early America Non-Fiction and Novels Set in:

1. 1776 by David McCullough

2. Africans in America: America's Journey through Slavery by Charles Johnson, Patricia Smith

3. Alexander Hamilton, Revolutionary - Martha Brockenbrough

4. Autobiography of Ben Franklin by Benjamin Franklin

5. Autobiography of Sojourner Truth and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

6. Book of Ages by Jill LaPore

7. Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks

8. Empire of the Summer Moon by S. C. Gwynne's

9. Founding Brothers by Joseph Ellis

10. Founding Mothers by Cokie Roberts

11. Hero of Two Worlds by Mike Duncan

12. His Excellency George Washington by Joseph Ellis

13. John Adams by David McCullough

14. Lafayette in the Somewhat United States by Sarah Vowell

15. Salem Witch Judge: The Life and Repentance of Samuel Sewall

16. Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

17. The uncommon life of Anne Hutchinson: American Jezebel by Eve LaPlante

18. Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northrup

Term 3: True Crime and Conspiracy:

1. A Cruel and Shocking Act: The Secret History of the Kennedy Assassination by Philip Shenon – The Death of JFK, Lee Harvey Oswald, and the trial of Jack Ruby.

2. All the President’s Men by Woodward and Bernstein - Two journalists from the Washington Post bring down a President.

3. Argo: How the CIA & Hollywood Pulled Off the Most Audacious Rescue in History by Antonio J. Méndez - After the Iranians took Americans hostage, can the US smuggle out people hiding in the Canadian Embassy by faking a documentary?

4. Columbine by Dave Cullen - ‎Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold killed 15 people and wounded 24 more at their high school and then the media got everything else wrong.

5. Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi – the Story of Charles Manson from the man who brought down the Manson Family.

6. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote – the first true crime novel, On November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered by blasts from a shotgun held a few inches from their faces. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues.

7. Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit. By John E. Douglas – Learn how the FBI Hunts Serial Killers from one of the men who did.

8. Oklahoma City by Andrew Gumbel – After being radicalized by white supremacists and pushed by Ruby Ridge and Waco, Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols filled a U-Haul Truck under the Daycare in the Murrah Federal Building and detonated it injuring more than 650 people and killing 168, including 19 children.

9. Parkland by David Cullen - The minute by minute story of the tragic Parkland shooting.

10. Taken Hostage: The Iran Hostage Crisis and America's First Encounter with Radical Islam by David Farber – As the Ayatollah returns to power, the US Embassy was seized with CIA Agents trying to shred papers, their 444 imprisonment costs Carter the Election and changes relations with the middle east.

11. The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett Graff – an Oral History of 9/11, the bloodiest day in American Peacetime history.

12. The Road to Jonestown by Jeff Guinn - Jim Jones and the massacre of the People’s Temple with the mass suicide/murder of 918 people after the shooting of a Congressman in Jonestown, Guiana.

13. The Stranger Beside Me By Ann Rule - With a slow chill that intensifies with each heart-pounding page, Rule describes her dawning awareness that Ted Bundy, her sensitive coworker on a crisis hotline, was one of the most prolific serial killers in America.

14. Waco by Jeff Guinn - David Koresh and the Branch Davidians and the most famous shootout between the AFT/FBI and a cult leading to a fire killing 82 members.

15. Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family is a 1985 non-fiction book by crime reporter Nicholas Pileggi that chronicles the life of Henry Hill, a Mafia associate basis for the movie Goodfellas.

16. Witness to Roswell by Carey Thomas - 1947 should have changed the world with the crash of a UFO in New Mexico, but thanks to a cover up and threats, the army held on, for now.

Term 3: Graphic Novels (may not get to this this year)

1. A Study in Emerald by Neil Gaiman - This supernatural mystery set in the world of Sherlock Holmes and Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos features a brilliant detective and his partner as they try to solve a horrific murder.

2. Batman: Arkham Asylum - A Serious House on Serious Earth by Grant Morrison and Dave McKean - In this groundbreaking, painted graphic novel, the inmates of Arkham Asylum have taken over Gotham's detention center for the criminally insane on April Fools' Day, demanding Batman in exchange for their hostages. Accepting their demented challenge, Batman is forced to live and endure the personal hells of the Joker, Scarecrow, Poison Ivy, Two-Face, and many other sworn enemies in order to save the innocents and retake the prison. During his run through this absurd gauntlet, the Dark Knight's own sanity is placed in jeopardy. This special anniversary edition trade paperback also reproduces the original script with annotations by Morrison and editor Karen Berger.

3. Batman: Hush by Jeph Loeb, Jim Lee - BATMAN: HUSH is a thrilling mystery of action, intrigue, and deception penned by Jeph Loeb (BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN) and illustrated by comics superstar Jim Lee (ALL STAR BATMAN & ROBIN, THE BOY WONDER) in which Batman sets out to discover the identity of a mysterious mastermind using the Joker, Riddler, Ra's al Ghul and the Dark Knight's other enemies - and allies - as pawns in a plan to wreak havoc.

4. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller - This masterpiece of modern comics storytelling brings to vivid life a dark world and an even darker man. Together with inker Klaus Janson and colorist Lynn Varley, writer/artist Frank Miller completely reinvents the legend of Batman in his saga of a near-future Gotham City gone to rot, ten years after the Dark Knight's retirement.

5. Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore - For the first time the Joker's origin is revealed in this tale of insanity and human perseverance. Looking to prove that any man can be pushed past his breaking point and go mad, the Joker attempts to drive Commissioner Gordon insane.

6. Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb, Tim Sale - Taking place during Batman's early days of crime fighting, this new edition of the classic mystery tells the story of a mysterious killer who murders his prey only on holidays. Working with District Attorney Harvey Dent and Lieutenant James Gordon, Batman races against the clock as he tries to discover who Holiday is before he claims his next victim each month. A mystery that has the reader continually guessing the identity of the killer, this story also ties into the events that transform Harvey Dent into Batman's deadly enemy, Two-Face.

7. Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? by Neil Gaiman - Best-selling author Neil Gaiman (The Sandman) joins a murderer's row of talented artists in lending his unique touch to the Batman mythos for this Deluxe Edition hardcover! Spotlighting the story "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?" from Batman #686 and Detective Comics #852 in which Gaiman joins artist Andy Kubert and inker Scott Williams for a story that shines a new light on the Batman mythos. Also collects Gaiman stories from Secret Origins #36, Secret Origins Special #1 and Batman Black and White #2. This collection is not to be missed! and Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? by Alan Moore - An unforgettable trade paperback collection of WATCHMEN writer Alan Moore's definitive Superman tales that is sure to appeal of readers of his BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE graphic novel. Moore teams with Curt Swan, the definitive Superman artist from the 1950's through the 1970's, to tell the final adventure of the Man of Steel featuring his last stand against Lex Luthor, Brainiac and his other foes in "WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE MAN OF TOMORROW?".

8. Blankets by Craig Thompson - Wrapped in the landscape of a blustery Wisconsin winter, Blankets explores the sibling rivalry of two brothers growing up in the isolated country, and the budding romance of two coming-of-age lovers. A tale of security and discovery, of playfulness and tragedy, of a fall from grace and the origins of faith.

9. Daredevil: The Man Without Fear by Frank Miller - A fire burns deep within Matt Murdock. He was raised by a single father, an over-the-hill prizefighter with one last chance to make it good - a chance that cost him his life! Taunted and tormented by children while growing up, Matt's life was irrevocably altered after he was blinded by radioactive materials while saving the life of an old man. The payoff? An unbreakable will and a keen intelligence, helping focus the super-senses he was blessed with during the accident. His story is one of love, pain, disappointment, and strength. Witness the tour-de-force origin of the Man Without Fear by industry legends Frank Miller and John Romita Jr.

10. Daredevil: Yellow by Jeph Loeb - "The measure of a man is not in how he gets knocked to the mat, it is in how he gets up." Those are the words blind attorney Matthew Murdock's father lived and died by. Prizefighter Battlin' Jack Murdock's murder set in motion a chain of events that exploded with a new super-hero swinging out of New York City's Hell's Kitchen - the blind Acrobat Daredevil! Retelling of the early career of the Man Without Fear! The Eisner Award-winning team of Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale (Spider-Man: Blue, Batman: The Long Halloween) have taken an inspiring action-adventure story and blended it with a romantic comedy. The result, highlighted by Sale's dazzling ink washes, is the heartwarming and heartbreaking story of two young people in love - Matthew Murdock and Karen Page. Collects Daredevil: Yellow #1-6

11. Drama by Raina Telgemeier - Callie loves theater. And while she would totally try out for her middle school's production of Moon Over Mississippi, she can't really sing. Instead she's the set designer for the drama department stage crew, and this year she's determined to create a set worthy of Broadway on a middle-school budget. But how can she, when she doesn't know much about carpentry, ticket sales are down, and the crew members are having trouble working together? Not to mention the onstage AND offstage drama that occurs once the actors are chosen. And when two cute brothers enter the picture, things get even crazier!

12. Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans by Don Brown - On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina's monstrous winds and surging water overwhelmed the protective levees around low-lying New Orleans, Louisiana. Eighty percent of the city flooded, in some places under twenty feet of water. Property damages across the Gulf Coast topped $100 billion. One thousand eight hundred and thirty-three people lost their lives. The riveting tale of this historic storm and the drowning of an American city is one of selflessness, heroism, and courage—and also of incompetence, racism, and criminality.

13. From Hell by Alan Moore, Eddie Campbell - "I shall tell you where we are. We're in the most extreme and utter region of the human mind. A dim, subconscious underworld. A radiant abyss where men meet themselves. Hell, Netley. We're in Hell." Having proved himself peerless in the arena of reinterpreting superheroes, Alan Moore turned his ever-incisive eye to the squalid, enigmatic world of Jack the Ripper and the Whitechapel murders of 1888. Weighing in at 576 pages, From Hell is certainly the most epic of Moore's works and remarkably and is possibly his finest effort yet in a career punctuated by such glorious highlights as Watchmen and V for Vendetta. Going beyond the myriad existing theories, which range from the sublime to the ridiculous, Moore presents an ingenious take on the slaughter. His Ripper's brutal activities are the epicentre of a conspiracy involving the very heart of the British Establishment, including the Freemasons and The Royal Family. A popular claim, which is transformed through Moore's exquisite and thoroughly gripping vision, of the Ripper crimes being the womb from which the 20th century, so enmeshed in the celebrity culture of violence, received its shocking, visceral birth.

14. Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier - Catrina and her family are moving to the coast of Northern California because her little sister, Maya, is sick. Cat isn't happy about leaving her friends for Bahía de la Luna, but Maya has cystic fibrosis and will benefit from the cool, salty air that blows in from the sea. As the girls explore their new home, a neighbor lets them in on a secret: There are ghosts in Bahía de la Luna. Maya is determined to meet one, but Cat wants nothing to do with them. As the time of year when ghosts reunite with their loved ones approaches, Cat must figure out how to put aside her fears for her sister's sake - and her own.

15. Hawkeye, Volume 1: My Life as a Weapon by Matt Fraction - The breakout star of this summer's blockbuster Avengers film, Clint Barton - aka the self-made hero Hawkeye - fights for justice! With ex-Young Avenger Kate Bishop by his side, he's out to prove himself as one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes! SHIELD recruits Clint to intercept a packet of incriminating evidence - before he becomes the most wanted man in the world. You won't believe what is on The Tape! What is the Vagabond Code? Matt Fraction pens a Hawkeye thriller that spans the globe...and the darkest parts of Hawkeye's mind. Barton and Bishop mean double the Hawkeye and double the trouble...and stealing from the rich never looked so good

16. Here There Be Gerblins (The Adventure Zone v1) by the McElroys - Welcome to the Adventure Zone! SEE! The illustrated exploits of three lovable dummies set loose in a classic fantasy adventure! READ! Their journey from small-time bodyguards to world-class artifact hunters! MARVEL! At the sheer metafictional chutzpah of a graphic novel based on a story created in a podcast where three dudes and their dad play a tabletop role playing game in real time!

17. Infinity Gauntlet by Jim Starlin, George Pérez - For the dark Titan, Thanos, the Infinity Gauntlet was the Holy Grail, the ultimate prize to be coveted above all else. Now, on the edge of Armageddon and led by the mysterious Adam Warlock, Earth's super heroes join in a desperate attempt to thwart this nihilistic god's insane plunge into galactic self-destruction.

18. Iron Man: Demon in a Bottle by David Michelinie - Iron Man faces his most untouchable foe in criminal industrialist Justin Hammer and his literal army of super villians! But can the armoured avenger overcome an even more implacable personal demon, invulnerable to technology or wealth?

19. Joker by Brian Azzarello - An original hardcover graphic novel that tells the story of one very dark night in Gotham City--from the creative team behind the graphic novel LEX LUTHOR: MAN OF STEEL. The Joker has been mysteriously released from Arkham Asylum, and he's none to happy about what's happened to his Gotham City rackets while he's been "away." What follows is a harrowing night of revenge, murder and manic crime as only The Joker can deliver it, as he brutally takes back his stolen assets from The Penguin, The Riddler, Two-Face, Killer Croc and others.

20. March: Book One by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell - March is a vivid first-hand account of John Lewis' lifelong struggle for civil and human rights, meditating in the modern age on the distance traveled since the days of Jim Crow and segregation. Rooted in Lewis' personal story, it also reflects on the highs and lows of the broader civil rights movement.

21. Marvel 1602 by Neil Gaiman - In Marvel 1602, award-winning writer Neil Gaiman presents a unique vision of the Marvel Universe set four hundred years in the past. Classic Marvel icons such as the X-Men, Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and Daredevil appear in this intriguing world of 17th-century science and sorcery, instantly familiar to readers, yet subtly different in this new time. Marvel 1602 combines classic Marvel action and adventure with the historically accurate setting of Queen Elizabeth I's reign to create a unique series unlike any other published by Marvel Comics.

22. Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History or Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began by Art Spiegelman - Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel acclaimed as “the most affecting and successful narrative ever done about the Holocaust” (Wall Street Journal) and “the first masterpiece in comic book history” (The New Yorker).

23. Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson - Marvel Comics presents the all-new Ms. Marvel, the groundbreaking heroine that has become an international sensation! Kamala Khan is an ordinary girl from Jersey City - until she is suddenly empowered with extraordinary gifts. But who truly is the all-new Ms. Marvel? Teenager? Muslim? Inhuman? Find out as she takes the Marvel Universe by storm! As Kamala discovers the dangers of her newfound powers, she unlocks a secret behind them as well. Is Kamala ready to wield these immense new gifts? Or will the weight of the legacy before her be too much to handle? Kamala has no idea either. But she's comin' for you, New York! It's history in the making from acclaimed writer G. Willow Wilson (Air, Cairo) and beloved artist Adrian Alphona (Runaways)!

24. My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf - You only think you know this story. In 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer — the most notorious serial killer since Jack the Ripper — seared himself into the American consciousness. To the public, Dahmer was a monster who committed unthinkable atrocities. To Derf Backderf, “Jeff” was a much more complex figure: a high school friend with whom he had shared classrooms, hallways, and car rides.

25. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi - In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah’s regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. The intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran’s last emperors, Marjane bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country.

26. Spider-Man: Blue by Jeph Loeb, Tim Sale - "It's about remembering someone so important to me I was going to spend the rest of my life with her." What Peter Parker didn't know was that meant Gwen Stacy would only get to spend the rest of her life with him. This is the story of how they fell in love. Or more appropriately, how they almost didn't fall in love. Welcome to Spider-Man's life. Bad before good. It's kind of amazing. So to get the girl of his dreams, he'll have to run the gauntlet of the Green Goblin, the Rhino, two Vultures and a mysterious man in the shadows controlling it all.

27. Superman: Red Son by Mark Millar - Strange visitor from another world who can change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel in his bare hands ... and who, as the champion of the common worker, fights a never-ending battle for Stalin, Socialism, and the international expansion of the Warsaw Pact.

28. The Hard Goodbye (Sin City v1) Frank Miller - Now a much-anticipated movie, Frank Miller's gritty crime noir tale gets a new lease of life in this spectacular redesigned and reformatted edition. Beautifully and boldly rendered in black and white by one of comics' greatest artists and storytellers comes a tale of love, loss, revenge, and fine coats! Meet Marv, not one of Sin City's more peaceful residents, as he falls for a beautiful young girl, Goldie. They spend the night together, but on waking Marv finds Goldie dead and the police at the door. Now it's down to Marv to try and put things right. "Sin City" has won both Eisner and Harvey awards and this new collection sports a Chip Kidd redesign and features a Frank Miller gallery section.

29. The Walking Dead, Book One by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, Charlie Adlard - This hardcover features the first 12 issues of the hit series along with the covers for the issues in one oversized hardcover volume. Perfect for long time fans, new readers and anyone needing a slightly heavy object with which to fend off the walking dead.

30. V for Vendetta by Alan Moore, David Lloyd - "Remember, remember the fifth of November..." A frightening and powerful tale of the loss of freedom and identity in a chillingly believable totalitarian world, V for Vendetta stands as one of the highest achievements of the comics medium and a defining work for creators Alan Moore and David Lloyd.

31. Watchmen by Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons - This Hugo Award-winning graphic novel chronicles the fall from grace of a group of super-heroes plagued by all-too-human failings. Along the way, the concept of the super-hero is dissected as the heroes are stalked by an unknown assassin.

32. X-Men: Days of Future Past by Chris Claremont - Relive the legendary first journey into the dystopian future of 2013 where Sentinels stalk the Earth and the X-Men are humanity's only hope... until they die! Also featuring the first apperance of Alpha Flight, the return of the Wendigo, the history of Cyclops... and a demon for Christmas!?

33. X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga by Chris Claremont, John Byrne - Gathered together by Professor Charles Xavier to protect a world that fears and hates them, the X-Men had fought many battles, been on adventures that spanned galaxies, grappled enemies of limitless might, but none of this could prepare them for the most shocking struggle they would ever face. One of their own members, Jean Grey, has gained power beyond all comprehension, and that power has corrupted her absolutely Now they must decide if the life of the woman they cherish is worth the existence of the entire universe.