Recommended AP Lit reading list?

Hello! I'll be taking AP Literature and Composition next year, and I was wondering if there's a recommended reading list to help me prepare for the class? I'd like to get a head start on the material. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Hello! It's great that you want to get a head start on AP Literature and Composition. While there isn't a fixed reading list for the course, I can provide you with some commonly studied works in AP Lit classes that might help you prepare. Keep in mind, your teacher might choose different works for your class, so be sure to consult with them when school starts. Nonetheless, familiarizing yourself with these often-studied works will give you a solid foundation:

1. "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen

2. "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad

3. "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoevsky

4. "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison

5. "As I Lay Dying" by William Faulkner

6. "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

7. "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston

8. "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee

9. "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel García Márquez

10. "Beloved" by Toni Morrison

11. "1984" by George Orwell

12. "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare

13. "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller

14. "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien

15. "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley

Of course, this is not an exhaustive list, but it should give you a good starting point. Additionally, you might want to check out some poetry collections, as AP Lit focuses on analyzing both prose and poetry. Some suggested poets to read include Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes, Robert Frost, and Sylvia Plath.

Lastly, consider practicing your literary analysis skills by reading literary criticism for the books and poems you read. This can help you better understand the texts, as well as enhance your close reading and analytical skills, which are essential for the class. Good luck and happy reading!