Constitution High School discussion

CHS Students:

This seems like a very fitting place to post this year's summer reading books. We would like you to read at least two books off the list, but by all means--read more!

11th Grade:
Choice of one book from AP History reading list, which is available HERE.

10th Grade:
Choice of one of the following books from the Free Library's "One City, One Book" list:

What is the What - Dave Eggers

Waiting For Snow in Havana: Confessions of a Cuban Boy - Carlos Eire

9th Grade:
Fever 1793 - Laurie Halse Anderson

ALL grades will read a book from one of the presidential candidates.

Barack Obama - Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream

Hillary Clinton - Living History, It Takes a Village

John McCain - Hard Call, Why Courage Matters: The Way to a Braver Life, Faith of My Fathers

Also, please use this space to discuss these books and make recommendations for one another.

Personally, I plan on reading both of the 10th grade choices, and one or both of Obama's books.

Off the 11th grade AP History list, I recommend Uncle Tom's Cabin, although I haven't read many of the others so I can't comment on them. Perhaps other teachers or students can weigh in on those titles.

I recommend " We Were Soldiers Once... and Young: Ia Drang--The Battle That Changed the War in Vietnam" I didn't read the whole thing but the parts I did read were really good.
But the presidential candidates books I don't really want to read them b/c even through they are very......important people they seem to be focused on one thing, power, and I really don't feel like reading about peoples rise to power, and hardships that everyone in real life faces.

So I read McCain's Faith of My Fathers and Obama's Dreams from My Father. Both were really great books. I really like the candid writing of Obama. Presidential candidates write books and it appears that one was written prior to any thought of becoming a presidential candidate. The other book I think omitted some details in the candidates life that really contradict some of the values which the author says he holds. What is also apparent from the books is that we have two candidates from two different worlds. Which world appeals to the reader and will help determine the character and values held to be important by the voter. I know that many students in our school support Obama but I think it is really important to understand the military culture that is prevalent in McCain's family. It is one of honor and respect for our country. I was really impressed with Obama's roots as an organizer. I always believed that a government official should spend time in the worse parts of a city to really understand the challenges facing Americans. I feel, as the great educator Paulo Friere wrote of in his book the Pedagogy of the Oppressed, that in order to help a community, one must be engaged and living within it.