KS5+Reading

=**__KS5- Reading-__** Teacher reviews, reading lists and a selection of online books to download and enjoy!=

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**__ BOOKS TO DOWNLOAD! Just click on the pdf file below the book cover.__**




























//__A SELECTION OF SHAKESPEARE__//




















**__ STAFF AND STUDENT BOOK REVIEWS __**
//Book title: The Master and Marguerita//

//Author:////Mikael Bulgakov//

//Review by: Ms Lee//

//Review: A cult classic. Written – and banned by Stalin - in Moscow in the 1930s, this novel wasn’t published until the 1970s, and even then only outside Russia. Vivid and surreal, there are scenes in it that, once read, are never forgotten. Wild and wonderful, even if you don’t ‘get’ all of it.//

//Book title: On the Road//

//Author:////Jack Kerouac//

//Review by: Ms Lee//

//Review: Another cult classic written in the 1950s and an instant success in America. The book that blazed a trail for the ‘Beat Generation’. Like very little else.//

//Book Title: The Wasp Factory//

//Author: Iain Banks//

//Reviewed by: Mr D James//

//Review: With the author’s untimely death from cancer last week, now seems a good time to revisit his best book (best of a very good bunch). This book will shock you, and it won’t always be a pleasant read. Some of the bits in the middle will disturb you, and the ending will leave you reeling. You probably won’t like any of the characters very much (although you might feel a bit sorry for one of them). So why would I recommend it? Because when I was asked to think of a book for this, it was the first book that came to mind, and I last read it ten years ago. It’s fantastic. Read it, and you’ll see what I mean.//

//Book title: Shantaram//

//Author: Gregory David Roberts//

//Reviewed by: Mr Gale//

//Review: The book begins with fugitive, Gregory David Roberts, landing in India to build a new life and quickly develops into a fast paced journey of discovery. Rich descriptions of human interaction make you feel like part of the story and keep you gripped throughout.//

//Book title: The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy//

//Author: Douglas Adams//

//Reviewed by: Mr Jones//

//Review: This is my favourite book of all space and time. It’s quirky, intelligent and absolutely hilarious. You’ll be amazed at all the weird and wonderful life-forms that exist around the universe (and how you can hitchhike to them).//

//Book title: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry//

//Author: Rachel Joyce//

//Reviewed by: Miss Ballard//

//Review: I really enjoyed reading this book as it is a very gentle read but touches on some difficult issues as the twist near the end reveals. It is about the enduring power of friendship between people who haven’t actually seen each other for 20 years and how you can become distant from loved ones who you see every day. We learn how the main character Harold Fry receives a letter from an old work friend who is dying of cancer in a Hospice in Berwick Upon Tweed, he writes a reply but as he goes to post it he finds himself walking on to the next post box and then the next until he decides to deliver the letter personally. The story is then about his unlikely pilgrimage from the south to the north of the country and all of the events that occur on the way and his recollections of past events. I thoroughly recommend this book.//

//Book title: Oryx and Crake//

//Author: Margaret Atwood//

//Reviewed by: Mr AJ Thirkill//

//Review: Set in the near future Magaret Atwood presents an all too believable dystopia – humanity is gone, dead, the Earth is populated by strange genetic experiments – Wolvogs, Rakunks and Pigoons. Cutting between before and after an unknown and unknowable disaster the protagonist Billy a.k.a. ‘Snowman’ tries to knit together the threads of the end of Humanity and his role in it. Themes include consumerism, junk food, genetic modification and the environment.//

//Book title: Cloud Atlas//

//Author: David Mitchell//

//Reviewed by: Mr Young//

//Review: Cloud Atlas at its core is about a soul as it lives through a number of human lives over a period of time covering several hundred years. The soul's journey is told through a pyramid of different stories that cover a time from the middle 1800s through to about 2400 and then back again to the middle 1800s. Often through the stories characters pass on details to another story or a character from one story will interact in a later story. Letters, books, movies and ideologies created in one exist in others.//

//Book title: It//

//Author: Stephen King//

//Reviewed by: Mr Kilpatrick//

//Review: A master of the horror genre, King’s ability to disconcert and disturb in equal measure is no more evident than in this lengthy but engrossing story of a demonic clown from the drains! “They all float down here. When you're down here with us, you'll float too!” King enjoys taking the relatively friendly image of a clown (all children love clowns!) and making it, at times a re-assuring figure, and then horrifically, a more than uncomfortable part of our nightmares. Even the film adaptation, (these rarely do good novels justice), has its merits and indeed the power to scare, as illustrated when a Year 10 student, during a GCSE English lesson a year or so ago, hid behind his arm when Pennywise pounced! He did already have a fear of clowns though!//

//Book title: Wolf Hall//

//Author: Hilary Mantel//

//Reviewed by: Miss Smith//

//Review: Only half way through it and normally don’t like historical novels but the recommendation I had was well deserved. Can’t put it down. Story around the life of Thomas Cromwell, Councillor to Henry VIII at time of split of Church of England and Anne Boleyn. Not only is the historical aspect and the complicated wheeler-dealing that went on explained clearly there is also a lot of social background to life in London in Tudor times.//

//Book title: The Power of One//

//Author: Bryce Courtenay//

//Reviewed by: Mr Knight//

//Review: has everything: suspense, the exotic, violence; mysticism, psychology and magic; schoolboy adventures and drama! Immense read!//

//Title: A Thousand Splendid Suns//

//Author: Khaled Hosseini//

//Reviewed by: Miss Gatt//

//This haunting book opened my eyes to a whole new world that is publicised so much by the media that you tend to forget about the real people suffering. The various narrative viewpoints toy with your emotions and draw you into their lives; it is hard to escape this book, even when not reading it. Not only is the story beautifully tragic, but Hosseini’s writing is magical and truly encapsulates the emotions, events and characters he so dutifully creates. Spanning a lifetime of events, you will see what happens to the individual behind the façade of society, witnessing a growing friendship, a broken down marriage and a war-torn, grief-stricken people when the Taliban take over in Afghanistan. This book will take you on a journey and leave you there; you won’t be able to return to quite the same place.//

//Book title: Cities in Flight//

//Author: James Blish//

//Reviewed by: Mr Kennedy//

//Review: This is a book I read when I was in Year 12 and have read at least 5 times since. It’s a story following a man who lives during the discovery of drugs that prevent aging, and the discovery of an engine which can carry objects faster than light. The technology is used to transport entire cities across the galaxy containing (some) residents that do not age. The story of the man spans thousands of years and thousands of millions of light years, definitely a modern sci-fi classic.// //Book title:// // Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance //

// Author: Robert Pirsig //

// Reviewed by: Mr Kearns //

//Review:// // A life changing book. Philosophy, science and life lessons on how to live properly and all told through the narrative of a motorcycle road trip, taken by a father and son across America. Intense reading but worth the effort. You don't have to like America or motorbikes just a profound interest in the human experience. If you finish it, you won't think the same way again. //

//Book title:// // The Spooks Apprentice //

//Author:// // Joseph Delaney //

//Reviewed by:// // Mr Kearns //

//Review:// // A great book and an introduction to the whole 'Spooks' series (which are all worth reading, and still being written!) Thomas Ward the 7th son of the 7th son finds himself in the family business - Witch hunting! Set in middle Europe in the medieval period sometime Thomas learns of the hidden world of ghosts, ghouls and witches. He must confront his fears and do his duty. He must become an outsider protecting civilisation from evil, learning from his master The Spook! // // All of the series are short books; they are fast paced, thoughtful and intelligently written. No dumbing down. There is something in them for all ages. //

//Book title:// // The Greatest Show on Earth //

//Author:// // Richard Dawkins //

//Reviewed by:// // Mr Kearns //

//Review:// // Dawkins back to his biological best. Gone are the anti-creationist jibes (almost - he just can't help himself!) and a book to rival The selfish gene and The blind watch maker. Dawkins realises he's never actually written down the proof that evolution is fact. And here it is, long overdue. Detailed scientific studies and evidence based research packs the book. The 20,000 generations, 20 year study of 12 distinct staphylococcus cultures is breathtakingly simple and genius in its construction. Dawkins shows us evolution happening right before our eyes. A must for any biologist. // // Just look up the dictionary definitions for 'Theory' and see where it all starts. If only Darwin had used the mathematical word 'Theorem' //

//Book title: A Million Little Pieces//

//Author: James Frey//

//Reviewed by: Miss Woolgar//

//Review: A harrowing and moving story of a young man’s recovery from alcohol and drug addiction; James Frey’s semi-fictional account is uniquely written, flooded with an interesting use of repetition, prompting shock and disbelief as he describes some of his experiences in a semi-fictional work. Full of key, though-provoking lines such as: “Sometimes skulls are thick. Sometimes hearts are vacant. Sometimes words don't work. ” I found this book very hard to put down.//

//Book title: One Day//

//Author: David Nicholls//

//Reviewed by: Miss Woolgar//

//Review: Cleverly and uniquely written, David Nicholls presents the lives, loves and experiences of Dexter and Emma through their very dissimilar perspectives. The dual-narrative technique highlights Nicholls’ talent as a writer and the surprising twist of events left me speechless, but keen to know where the story would progress. With some real ‘laugh out loud’ moments, this is an excellent read.//

//Book title: The Other Hand//

//Author: Chris Cleave//

//Reviewed by: Miss Woolgar//

//Review: Another dual-narrative story which gives two unique perspectives on a young Nigerian asylum seeker’s plight; gripping plot, some traumatic scenes and explorations of the extremes of human behaviour, this is a brilliant read.//

//Title: Dune//

//Author: Frank Herbert//

//Reviewed by: Mr McShane//

//Review: Pretty much everything about this science fiction book is epic; huge ideas, huge scope and huge story. It was genre changing when it was first published in 1965 and was a heavy influence on the Star Wars films. Given the epic nature of the book, it still manages to tell a very personal story of a boy struggling to find his place in the world despite the dire hand that life has dealt him.//

//It is still relevant today as it covers environmental and ecological themes as well as exploring terrorism from the viewpoint of the terrorist. Throw in a bit of politics, love, war and the odd giant sand worm and it is a pretty riveting read.// // Book title: The Life of Pi //

// Author: Yann Martel //

// Reviewed by: Miss Watts //

// Review: A truly engrossing novel that takes you on the most magical journey with 17 year old Indian boy, Pi. His life is one of goodness and spirituality that takes a turn when he is stranded at sea with only a lifeboat and a tiger to accompany him. An experience he copes with admirably. With an ending that’s left open for multiple interpretation and contemplation, you won’t stop thinking about this book for a very long time… // // Reviewed by: Mr Carter // // Book title: Kim // // Author: Rudyard Kipling // // Appropriate for: KS3/4/5 // // Review: A true 'Boys Own' style high adventure set in India during the days of British Empire. The hero, Kim, is a child spy who can get into places that his adult agent/military bosses can't. It helps that he is sharp, intelligent and very wily. He becomes deeply involved in 'The Great Game' - the name given to the secret war for the prize of India, fought between the mighty nations of Russia and Great Britain. The Great Game was played out in exotic and far flung regions of Central Asia and the Himalaya mountains. It truly is a 'ripping yarn', written by a man who had worked on the Northwest Frontier himself and actually experienced the danger and adventure of the era first hand. //

// Reviewed by: Mr Carter // // Book title: The Great Game - On Secret Service In High Asia // // Author: Peter Hopkirk // // Appropriate for: KS4/5 // // Review: Do we not learn any lessons from History? Afghanistan is a very dangerous place, and always has been, for any western force. The country provides a physical 'buffer' between the mights of India and Russia, and for at least a hundred years served as one of the main 'playing fields' of the 'Great Game'. Imperial Russia wants to invade the resource rich and vast country of British India, but Great Britain 'got there first' and is not going to let it go! This is the premise for Peter Hopkirk's factual history of this period. However, it doesn't read like a documentary because the (true) stories are so amazing. Incredibly courageous secret agents such as Alexander Burnes rode out from India deep into the heart of Persia, posing as traders, to gather information, win the favour of Asian warlords and simply do their best to make life difficult for the Russians - all in a time when maps of the area didn't even exist. An intriguing period of history that becomes even more so when one considers the current events in Afghanistan and Iran. //

// Reviewed by: Mr Carter // // Book title: Flashman (and Flashman and the Great Game) // // Author: George Macdonald Fraser // // Appropriate for: KS4/5 // // Review: Fraser takes the school bully from the classic book Tom Brown's Schooldays - Harry Flashman - and creates a series of very funny and politically incorrect novels where the eponymous (anti) hero gets himself involved in some of the great conflicts of the Victorian era. Fraser is a historian, so each story is based on real events, recounted in some detail. Flashman is a true 'bounder' and an absolute 'cad' not to mention a coward and a 'ladies man', who is always in the foreground of the great historical events of the time. There is a series of novels, but the two here are linked to action in Afghanistan and India and involve the events and characters of the 'Great Game'. Of course Flashman is involved - he is perfect for the 'game' as he can't be trusted as far as he can be thrown! Someone gave me this book when travelling in that part of the world, and it inspired me to look more deeply at the intriguing historical events on which they are based. //

// Reviewed by: Mr Carter // // Book title: The Gormenghast Trilogy // // Author: Mervyn Peake // // Appropriate for: KS5 // // Review: Gothic 'goings on' in a huge isolated castle called Gormenghast. By definition this is a 'fantasy' novel, but there is no magic nor dragons here (although there are bizarre creatures); just scheming characters with great names such as the villain Steerpike, Dr Prunesquallor, The Thing and of course the main protagonist (and hero to be) Titus Groan. Give it a go, it is nominated as a modern classic and alternates between dark drama and light comedy. Gormenghast is not a summer book! One for the depths of winter. //

// Reviewed by: Mr Carter // // Book title: Catch 22 // // Author: Joseph Heller // // Appropriate for: KS5 // // Review: War is chaotic and war is insane. Yet Joseph Heller uses a hero/antihero 'everyman' called Yossarian (a US Air Force bombardier flying missions in WWII Italy) to highlight the potentially hilarious outcomes. Yossarian is a 'cynic's cynic' caught in a constantly life-threatening cycle from which he cannot escape - despite his best efforts - and this is his 'Catch 22'. Very funny - probably for all the wrong reasons - but also one of the greatest anti-war (and anti-institution) novels ever written. Genius! //

// Reviewed by: Mr Carter // // Book title: The Name of the Rose // // Author: Umberto Eco // // Appropriate for: KS5 // // Review: Wow! A dark, broody, historical 'whodunnit' set in a medieval Italian monastery where 'the brothers' are being murdered in mysterious (and gruesome) ways. Eco builds atmosphere perfectly, gives us a detailed history lesson and introduces us to fantastic characters. The foremost of these is the main protagonist, William of Baskerville, who is like a 14th Century Sherlock Holmes called into the remote monastery to make sense of the increasingly horrific happenings. //

// Reviewed by: Mr Carter // // Book title: Dune // // Author: Frank Herbert // // Appropriate for: KS3/4/5 // // Review: If you like Science Fiction and haven't read this.....!? My dad was a SF geek and I used to mock the number (and genre) of books that he consumed, until he gave me a recommended SF reading list. This one was near the top! You can tell that it was written in the 60's, but it has adventure, thrills, tragedy and scares, and exhibits the amazing imagination of Frank Herbert. Don't judge it on the David Lynch film - it doesn't represent the book faithfully or fairly. A 'cracking yarn'. //

// Reviewed by: Mr Carter // // Book title: A Passage To India // // Author: EM Forster // // Appropriate for: KS3/4/5 // // Review: Although this is without doubt a 'literary classic', no-one should be at all put off by this label. A Passage to India is a beautifully and respectfully written tale of 'Imperial India'. The characters are engaging, and the steady pace endearing, until a shocking event totally changes the atmosphere that the author conjures. Whilst the main story is a 'cracker', the novel provides a much deeper study of the inequality and sheer arrogance of the British Empire and the struggle to maintain the facade of calm control during the 'The Raj' era of India. Thanks to Forster's great story we get to see how easily it could all come tumbling down. //