It is customary in my high school to assign summer reading for
students entering AP courses in the coming fall. Last year I gave
my students a bibliography of titles and allowed them to select any
two. The assignment served to get students started thinking about
the work of psychologists before beginning my AP Psychology
course.
It's time to update and distribute my list for next year's students
and I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions of "must
recommend" titles. Last year I worked from C.G. Morris'
bibliography (at U Mich, altho' sadly I've misplaced the site
address). I try to avoid works that are outdated, "pop"' or
unchallenging, but also to address a variety of interests for
students' first course in psychology. To give an idea of what I have
in mind, students last year read works from Chesler's Women and
Madness to Shattuck's Forbidden Experiment, from Erikson's
Childhood and Society to Seligman's Learned Optimism, from
Coren's Left-Hander Syndrome to Zimbardo's Shyness (and a
smattering of Sacks' books).
Any suggestions?
Thanks for your help,
Oliver Bloch
Greenwich HS
Greenwich CT
