Outside Reading Novel Choices

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart: The novel depicts the life of Okonkwo, a leader and local
wrestling champion in Umuofiaone of a fictional group of nine villages in Nigeria, inhabited by
the Igbo ethnic group. In addition it focuses on his three wives, his children, and the influences
of British colonialism and Christian missionaries on his traditional Igbo (archaically "Ibo")
community during the late nineteenth century.
Austen, Jane. Sense and Sensibility: The story is about Elinor and Marianne, two daughters of
Mr Dashwood by his second wife. They have a younger sister, Margaret, and an older halfbrother named John. When their father dies, the family estate passes to John, and the
Dashwood women are left in reduced circumstances
Brown, Dee. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West. 1970.
There's another side of America's western expansion: the one seen through Native American
eyes.
Chopin, Kate. The Awakening: Edna Pontellier, an unhappy wife and mother, discovers new
qualities in herself when she visits Grand Isle, a resort for the Creole elite of New Orleans.
Gaines, Ernest. A Lesson Before Dying: When Jefferson's attorney states, "I would just as soon
put a hog in the electric chair as this," disillusioned teacher Grant Wiggins is sent into the
penitentiary to help this slow learner gain a sense of dignity and self-esteem before his
execution.
Gibbons, Kaye. Ellen Foster: Casting an unflinching yet humorous eye on her situation, elevenyear-old Ellen survives her mother's death, an abusive father, and uncaring relatives to find for
herself a loving home and a new mama.
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Gods and heroes, their clashes and adventures, come alive in this
splendid retelling of the Greek, Roman, and Norse myths.
Hersey, John. Hiroshima: Six Hiroshima survivors reflect on the aftermath of the first atomic
bomb.
Keneally, Thomas. Schindler's List: Oskar Schindler, a rich factory owner, risks his life and
spends his personal fortune to save Jews listed as his workers during World War II.
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein: Novel about a failed artificial life experiment that produced a
monster.