Recommended
Reading List – World Literature
Unit
1 Unit
2 Unit 3 Unit
4 Unit 5 Unit
6
Unit
1
Things
Fall Apart
by Chinua Achebe
In his first novel, Achebe tells the story of a thriving
traditional Ibo community and the problems that develop
with the arrival of British missionaries.
Cry,
the Beloved Country
by Alan Paton
Paton narrates the moving story of two families in South
Africa, one black and one white, that are brought together
by the loss of their sons and the injustice of apartheid.
Coming
of Age with Elephants: A Memoir
by Joyce Poole
Poole lives among the endangered African elephants of Kenya's
Amboseli National Park, where she discovers and explores
the intricacies of elephant life, while suffering the loneliness
and discrimination of an ambitious white woman living in
Kenya.
Waiting
for the Rain
by Sheila Gordon
Frikkie, a white boy destined to inherit his uncle's land,
and Tengo, who works the land Frikkie will one day own,
develop a close friendship as children. The boys meet again
when they are grown and apartheid is crumbling, revealing
new obstacles in their relationship.
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Unit
2
The
Ides of March
by Thornton Wilder
In the form of letters exchanged by Julius Caesar and friends,
including Cleopatra and Catallus, Wilder reveals the escalating
drama of the months leading up to the assassination of ancient
Rome's leader.
Mythology
by Edith Hamilton
In an engaging introduction to the myths and legends of
Ancient Greece and Rome, Hamilton narrates stories of gods
and heroes.
The
Frogs
by Aristophanes
In one of Aristophanes' funniest comedies, the god Dionysus
must decide who is the greatest poet, Aeschylus or Euripedes,
both of whom dwell in Hades. The lucky winner will return
from the depths of hell to guide Athens to its former glory.
Inside
the Walls of Troy
by Clemence McLaren
In a refreshing twist, McLaren describes the Trojan wars
from the viewpoint of two extraordinary women, the breathtakingly
beautiful Helen and the doomed prophetess Cassandra.
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Unit
3
Clear
Light of Day
by Anita Desai
Desai explores the dynamics of the family life in contemporary
India, a country torn by religious division and political
manipulation. Two sisters struggle to confront and heal
old wounds by sharing the pains and joys of the different
paths they have taken.
Siddhartha
by Herman Hesse
Giving up everything he knows, a young Indian mystic sets
off on a quest for the true meaning of life.
Malgudi
Days
by R. K. Narayan
Narayan narrates humorous tales, set in the mythical town
of Malgudi, that span from the ordinary—a young student
tries to skip school—to the extraordinary—a boy
learns to charm snakes.
Nectar
in a Sieve
by Kamala Markandaya
With strength and dignity, an Indian peasant woman survives
many hardships in life, including monsoons, drought and
famine, as India embarks upon modernization at the second
half of the twentieth century.
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Unit
4
Kon-Tiki
by Thor Heyerdahl
According to the author, sailors on reed rafts from South
America found and populated Polynesia. Six men risked their
lives in their own handmade raft to prove this theory, in
a true tale of adventure.
A
Healing Family
by Kenzaburo Oe
Although doctors urge Oe and his wife to let their baby
die when he is born disabled, Oe refuses. In this inspiring
story, the Nobel prize-winning novelist explores his life
raising a special needs child.
Talking
to High Monks in the Snow: An Asian-American Odyssey
by Lydia Yuri Minatoya
In her memoirs, a Japanese American professor tries to reconcile
her American childhood with her Asian heritage. Struggling
with cultural differences, including the role of women in
society, the author travels to Asia and back again to search
for answers.
Fire
in the Sea: An Anthology of Poetry and Art
edited by Sue Cowing
Cowing has gathered writers and artists form New Guinea,
Fiji, Samoa, Hawaii and other Pacific islands in this highly
visual celebration of poetry.
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Unit
5
The
Metamorphosis
by Franz Kafka
A young man wakes one morning to find himself transformed
in to a wriggling insect. He must deal with alienation from
family, friends, and society, who are repulsed by his metamorphosis.
Cyrano
de Bergerac
by Edmond Rostand
His is a courageous soldier, an astonishing wit, and a romantic
poet; however, he has a huge nose. Can any woman ever love
him? This is the story of Cyrano's search for a true love
based on feelings and not appearances.
Chekhov:
Four Plays
translated by Carol Rocamora
In four of his best plays, Chekhov explores the reality
of Russian life in the late nineteenth century with humor,
compassion and a profound understanding of human nature.
The
Ramsay Scallop
by Frances Temple
In 1299, a young couple, reluctantly betrothed to each other,
make a pilgrimage to Spain from England. On the way, they
share stories and songs with other travelers while learning
to love and trust one another.
The
Tempest
by William Shakespeare
A duke and his daughter are exiled to an island occupied
only by the spirit Ariel and the beast Caliban. Using magic,
the duke regains his dukedom and wins his daughter a princely
husband.
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Unit
6
The
Book of Medicines
by Linda Hogan
Hogan writes forceful poems exploring the relationships
between her Native American people, the land and animals.
Bless
Me, Ultima
by Rudolfo A. Anaya
In New Mexico, a magical healer befriends a socially isolated
boy and helps him confront the past while facing the future.
The
Heights of Macchu Picchu
by Pablo Neruda, translated by Nathaniel Tarn
Considered one of Neruda's greatest poetic works, The Heights
of Macchu Picchu recounts twelve phases of a man's spiritual
and physical journey, arriving ultimately at the lost Inca
city of Macchu Picchu in Peru.
Selected
Poems
by Gabriela Mistral
These poems of love, pain, and hope, by the first Latin
American writer to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature,
are translated by the American Poet Doris Dana, who was
awarded Chile's Order of Merit (that country's highest honor)
for her work.
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