Humanities block includes Language Arts and Social Studies. Book annotations are from various Web sites and publisher's notes. Page numbers are a rough estimate--it varies with different publications. The YA tag refers to Young Adult reading level. It's a subjective call. Titles that are out of print are often found through city and county library systems. Greece Bull From the Sea by M. Renault 352p. --YA-- Theseus returns from Crete and assumes the kingship of Athens. This is the story of the unification of Attica under the leadership of Athens, intertwined with the story of Theseus' two marriages, and of the death of his son and heir. Wandering of Odysseus by Rosemary Sutcliff 120p.--YA-- An angry god puts obstacles (Cyclops, Circe, Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis) in Odyssues' way as he tries to return home. Treasure by Clive Cussler 547p.--YA-- Cussler's novel opens with a mystery and conlcudes with a chase that will decide the future of the world. After locating an ancient ship, Dirk sets out to find its treasure. Alexander of Macedon by Harold Lamb 402p.--YA-- His most valued possession was a copy of the Iliad - sections of which he memorized. He moved his men to the edge of the world - maybe beyond. An ascetic who indulged in the excesses of massacre, he was inflexible in tracking down his enemies and yet lacked exultation in his victories. He was a constant contradiction - an enigma. The man with no formal title is remembered as Alexander the Great. The Last of the Wine by Mary Renault 400p. YA Alexia grows up in Athens during the time of the Peloponnesian War. He meets Lysis, a student of Socrates, and the book traces their relationship as well. This book captures ancient Greece. Double Tongue by William Golding 165p. --YA+-- This final draft of Nobel Laureate William Golding's last novel explores the relationships between the mystical, the sacred, and the profane in ancient Greece through an octogenarian prophetess's account of her life from birth onward. Singer to the Sea God by Vivien Alcock 208p.--YA-- In a tale based on Greek mythology, Cleo is turned to stone by the deadly glare of Medusa, and Phaidon embarks on an journey to rescue her from an eternity in marble. The Arkadians by Lloyd Alexander 288p. --YA-- Lucian is about to be put to death, but he escapes and meets a mysterious girl and a poet who has been enchanted and turned into a donkey. The Dawn Palace: The Story of Medea by H M Hoover --YA-- Medea in traditional mythology kills her own children. This is an alternative telling of her story. Medea, infatuated by Jason, sets him up to be a well-loved king -- so well that her subjects don't respect her. When Jason brings home a new wife, Medea's knowledge of science and medicine helps her inflict cruel revenge on Jason's new wife. This is a tale of a caring Medea, the victim of the men in her life. Enchantment at Delphi by R. Purtill 149p. --YA-- An American teenager is drawn back in time to the world of the Greek gods. Also by M. Renault: The King Must Die The Bull From the Sea Fire From Heaven The Persian Boy Funeral Games The Mask of Apollo The Charioteer Homer's Daughter by Robert Graves 283p. A Nausicaa, a Sicilian princess of the eighth century B.C., reflects on her life and tells how she came to write the epic poem "The Odyssey." The Greek Treasure by Irving Stone 479p. Biographical novel about Henrich Schliemann and his wife. They discover gold in both Troy and Mycenae. Glory and the Lightning by Taylor Caldwell Aspasia of Miletus, restless as the pet of a Persian ruler escapes to Athens and founds an academy for young women. Rome Beacon at Alexandria by Gillian Bradshaw 376p. This story takes place in Thrace in the years just before the battle of Hadrianopolis (378 A.D.). There, Valens was killed along with most of his field armies by a horde of Goths, Visigoths and Huns, signaling the beginning of the fall of Rome. Count Belisarius by Robert Graves 426p. This book is about the general who led Emperor Justinian's armies during the Dark Ages. Politics and scheming abound. Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff 291p. --YA-- In A.D. 125, a young Roman centurion must recover the infamous Ninth Legion's missing symbol of honor, the eagle standard, during the Roman Empire's occupation of Britain. Action and symbolism are standard. Lantern Bearers by Rosemary Sutcliff 281p. --YA-- A.D. 450. The last Roman Auxiliaries are sailing away from Britain forever. Aquila, a young soldier, fights to keep alight the lantern of civilization during the barbarian invasions. Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis --YA-- The murder of a senator's daughter forces Marcus Didius Falco to investigate a possible attempt to overthrow the emperor of ancient Rome. The Scarlet Mantle by Wm. G Hardy 462p. Cleopatra, Mark Antony, Pompey, Cicero and Brutus - step out of these pages and this story of high adventure. Gift of the Golden Cup by Isobel Lawrence --YA-- This book is set in Rome during the time of Julius Caesar. Involves pirate adventures, a young boy (nephew of Caesar, brother of 13-year-old Atia), and Octavius, who will marry Atia and become the father of Augustus. With the Eagles by Paul Anderson 279p.--YA-- Mandorix, an Aeduan, joins Caesar's troops in Gaul, survives the massacre of Sabinus & Cotta's legions, joins Cicero in winter camp. The Ideas of March by Thornton Wilder 246p. --YA-- Fantasia on Catullus, Clodia and Caesar, leading up to the assassination The Cabala by Thornton Wilder 187p. Pagan gods linger on in modern Rome Last Days of Pompeii by Ed Bulwer-Lytton 356p. Describes the life in the Roman Empire Ides of March by Thornton Wilder 246p. Intimate portrait of Caesar in the months before his assassination Spartacus by Howard Fast 376p. A Setting: Rome in 71 B.C. This is the story of Spartacus, born a slave, trained as a gladiator, leader of a slave revolt that was put down by Crassus. The Coin of Carthage by Winifrred Bryher 240p. Italian peninsula during Hannibal's invasion Middle East Dragon and the Thief by Gillian Bradshaw 154p. This work introduces Hathor, a dragon, and the Egyptian Prahotep, a fisherman turned thief by dire necessity. They travel on a long and hazardous journey, while pursued by an evil magician. The Cure by Sonia Levitin 341p. The Cure is built around the lives and history of the Jews. The Cure takes a step toward fusing SF and history. Gates of Damascus by Lieve Joris 250p. This book is a portrait of contemporary Arab society. Through her friendship with a Syrian woman, Joris explores women's lives and family relationships - the hidden world that lies behind the gates of Damascus. She describes the celebrations and the tensions that make up daily life in Syria, and offers us an insight into the complexities of Middle Eastern politics. Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George 965p. This is the story of the Queen of the Nile. This saga of ambition, power and passion is told in the first person, from the queen's earliest memories of her father's rule to her own reign over one of the most glittering kingdoms in the world. The Source by James Michener 1088p. Michener takes us back thousands of years to the core of the Jewish faith. Through the predecessors of four modern men and women, we experience the entire history of the Jews, including the life of the early Hebrews and their persecutions, the impact of Christianity, the Crusades, and the Spanish Inquisition. It conlcudes with the founding of modern Israel and the Middle-East conflict. Golden Goblet by Eloise McGraw 248p.--YA-- Ranofer struggles to thwart the plotting of his evil uncle so he can become master goldsmith in this tale of ancient Egyptian mystery and intrigue. Newbery Honor Book Israel My Beloved by Kay Arthur 446p. K Arthur tells the dramatic story of the nation of Israel. Meet the characters: strong-willed Sarah, endearing couple Enoch and Rebecca, and devoted Samuel. Exodus by Leon Uris 599p. An American nurse and an Israeli freedom fighter get caught up in the re-birth of Israel. The Haj by Leon Uris 566p. This is a story of hate and love, vengeance and forgiveness. The Middle East, where revenge is sacred and hatred is noble, is the setting. Where an Arab ruler tries to save his people from destruction but cannot save them from themselves. When violence spreads across Palestine-this is the time of The Haj. Forgotten Fire by Adam Bagdasarian 273p. Based on a true story, this tragedy of the Turkish genocide of the Armenians, which left about one and a half million dead, is experienced through Vahan Kenderian, child of one of the richest Armenians in Turkey. He's 12 years old when his home is invaded and his life is torn apart. Written in first person. The Road From Home:...Armenian Girl by David Kherdian --YA-- This is the story of David Kherdian's mother, Veron Dumehjian, her courage, survival, and hope. Veron was born to a prosperous family that lived in the Armenian quarter of the city of Aziziya in Ottoman Turkey. Her childhood was idyllic, until 1915, when the Turkish government decided to rid the Ottoman Empire of its Armenian population. Some of Us Survived by Kerop Bedoukian A touching story told through the eyes of Kerop Bedoukian, who was a nine-year-old child at the time of the genocide. Kerop's family and 30,000 other Armenians were evicted from their homes, and systematically forced into brutal situations where only 1,500 survived. Kerop and his family survived to immigrate to the U.S. and to Canada, via Bulgaria and England. A Hand Full of Stars by Rafik Schami 195p. --YA-- Diary entries made by budding journalists tell of war-torn Damascus. Anna of Byzantium by Tracy Barrett 224p. --YA-- Anne Comnena, destined to be the empress of the Byzantine Empire, finds her future altered in a struggle over the succession. First person. Pillar of Fire by Judith Tarr 661p. This is a the story of a Hittite slave girl, Nofret,who becomes maid and confidant to the daughter of Pharaoh Akhenaten. Akhenaten, who introduced the concept of monotheism to the ancient world. Book of the Dead tr. by R.O. Faulkner The "Book of the Dead," is a collection of funerary texts that date from Egypt's New Kingdom (1570 B.C.E.). The words of the texts were power that the deceased used to successfully navigate the dangers and pitfalls of the underworld to arrive safely before Osiris, King of the Afterlife. Palace Walk by Naguib Mahfouz Volume I of the Cairo Trilogy. This book introduces the saga of a Muslim family in Cairo during Egypt's occupation by British forces in the early 1900s. Nobel Prize Gilgamesh the King by Robert Silverberg 320p. Gilgamesh the King is a retelling of the famous Sumerian myth from the perspective of the figure himself. Silver Chalice by Thomas Costain 533p. This story takes place shortly after Christ's death and resurrection. Basil is called to design the case which will hold the silver cup that Christ and His disciples drank from at the Last Supper. He plans to sculpt their likenesses upon it. India Passage to India by EM Forster 322p. This is a classic turn-of-the-century story of British India and the clash of the cultures. The worlds of the East and the West are soon locked in political combat when a Moslem doctor is falsely accused due to a misunderstanding. The people caught in the tangle will be forever changed. Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumoa Lahiri 198p. Lahiri's novel charts the emotional journey of immigration and the struggle to find love. Pulitzer 2000 The G-d of Small Things by Arundhiti Roy 321p. It is the tale of Esthappen, his twin sister, Rahel, and their mother, Ammu, who live in the south Indian state of Kerala. Ammu, a Syrian Christian, returns to her parental home, following her divorce. Kim by Rudyard Kipling 312p. --YA-- This is Kipling's last work. Since his father's death, the orphan Kim O'Hara has grown up in the streets of India. Soon, he becomes a spy for the British army and risks his life to put down a rebellion. Shabanu by Suzanne F. Staples 240p. --YA-- Shabanu, has lived in the Cholistan desert all her life. She is not a traditional girl; she likes camels over dresses, climbing trees over going to market. Now she faces choices and a new way of life. Haveli by Suzanne F. Staples 259p. --YA-- Haveli is the sequel to the Newbery Honor book Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind. The story of the young Pakistani woman and her struggle between tradition and freedom continues. Shiva's Fire by Suzanne F. Staples 270p. --YA-- Born during the worst storm ever seen in her village in India, Parvati is both blessed and cursed by mysterious powers that confuse her people. Bhimsa, the Dancing Bear by Christine Weston --children's lit-- Gopala, his dancing bear, and their friend David wander across India finding adventure. Newbery Award Aani and the Tree Huggers by Jeannine Atkins --children's lit-- Based on true events in India during the 1970s, young Aani and the other women in her village defend their forest from developers by wrapping their arms around the trees, making it impossible to cut them down. Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan 212p. --YA-- A tale set in India about a 13-year-old girl struggling to find herself after she is widowed and abandoned by her late husband's family. Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse 152p. --YA-- As a youth, Siddhartha meets the Buddha, but cannot be content as a disciple; he must choose his own destiny. Chandra by Frances M Hendry YA Chandra, a child bride, is excited about her arranged marriage. It is not long, however, before she is mistreated, isolated and ostracized, searching for an identity. Best Children's Book 1995 (Writer's Guild of GB) The Roller Birds of Rampur by Indi Rana --YA-- Human relationships to the land, the colonial past, and current social conditions are explored here. Sheila's return from England to her family home in India offers a tantalizing glimpse into the culture, its foods, caste system, politics, and language. A glossary includes slang and Hindi words. This book explores the meaning of the Hindu worldview as Sheila struggles to establish her identity. Questions of family relations, religion, politics and history are considered. Tamarind Mem by Anita Rau Badami 266p. --YA-- In this novel the narrative is shared between Kamini and her mother, Saroja, who are separated by a generation, by personality, and by great distance. From her new life in Canada, Kamini reflects on her childhood and on her relations with her parents. Phone conversations with her mother in India leads to the retelling of family history. Their memories and perceptions do not correspond. Nectar in a Sieve by K Markandaya 185p. --YA-- This short novel introduces readers to life in rural India and the changes that occurred during that country's British colonization. This lyrical novel can be read on many levels: the story of an arranged marriage and rural peasant life; it is a tale of human spirit that overcomes poverty and misfortune; and, it is about the conflicts between a traditional agricultural culture and a burgeoning industrial capitalistic society. The novel touches on several social phenomena: the importance of traditional cultural practices, people's reluctance to change, and the impact of economic change. Sister of my Heart by Chitra Divakaruni 322p. Divakaruni's novel details an emotional journey of love between Sudha and Anju, two girls who are born only minutes apart. The story unfolds in Anju's house, an upper-class residence in Calcutta, in which both girls live with their respective mothers and the driver. Folktales from India 384p. --YA, A-- Ramanujan, ed. Collection of one hundred tales translated from twenty-two languages. Mystic Masseur by VS Naipaul 207p. (adult) In this slyly funny novel, VS Naipaul traces the unlikely career of Ganesh Ramsumair, a failed schoolteacher and village masseur who in time becomes a revered mystic, a thriving entrepreneur, and the most beloved politician in Trinidad. India Treasures by Gary Worthington 640p. India Treasures is a work of fiction covering the sweep of Indian history. A search through palaces and a maze-like fortress for as Maharaja's legendary hidden treasures weaves together stories of danger and romance, and of spiritual and artistic triumphs. The book portrays key historical persons and events in the nation's religious, cultural, and political evolution. China Wild Swans: Three daughters of China by Jung Chang 494p.(adult) This non-fiction work covers three generations of Chinese women and shows the cultural changes in China from pre-communism through Mao's revolution. Good Earth by Pearl Buck 260p. Through honest farmer Wang Lung and his selfless wife, O-lan, the reader experiences the vast political and social changes that marked China during the 20th century (during the last emperor's reign). Nobel Donald Duk by Frank Chin 173p. --YA-- On the eve of the Chinese New Year in San Francisco's Chinatown, 12-year-old Donald Duk attempts to deal with his comical name and his feelings for his cultural heritage. Forbidden City: a Novel of Modern China by William Bell 199p. --YA-- 17-year-old Alex Jackson's father asks him to join him on assignment in China. Alex and his dad become part of the events that sweep China in the spring of 1989. As students and civilians demonstrate in Tiann'anmen Square for changes in government, Alex and his father are outsiders at a time of political upheaval. Phantom of Tiger Mountain by Lensey Namioka --YA-- This adventure story is set among the wild hills and caves of southern China in the 12th century. Invading Tartars was overrunning China. A group of outlaws band together to avoid capture and sustain themselves. April and the Dragon Lady by Lensey Namioka 214p. YA April Chen, a Chinese American teenager is planning to go away to college, and she has a new boyfriend. But April, as the only daughter in a traditional Chinese family, is responsible for Grandma, and--the "Dragon Lady" has other plans. Ties That Bind, Ties That Break by Lensey Namioka 154p. --YA-- When her father and her uncle discuss the "Foreign Big Noses" Ailin is fascinated. Who are these people who speak English and why have they come to China? Ailin is not quite five years old in 1922, a time of transformation in China, when Western philosophies are creating a wave of revolutions and the empire is crumbling. Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan 288p Four Chinese women who have immigrated to America tell the stories of their lives growing up in China and their relationships with their daughters. Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan 415p. A Chinese woman lives through the war with Japan in an unhappy marriage. The Hundred Secret Senses by Amy Tan 358p. An American woman and her Chinese-American sister build a relationship with each other. Red Scarf Girl: A Cultural Revolution by Ju-Li Jiang 285p. --YA-- A coming-of-age story of a high school student caught up in the Cultural Revolution. In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Bette Bao Lord 169p. --C-YA-- This is the story of a young Chinese girl growing up in Brooklyn. Based on the author's life. Spring Moon by Bette Bao Lord 464p. Spanning five generations of a Chinese family, the book illuminates the social and political upheavals of late 19th- and 20th-century China through its focus on Spring Moon, the cherished, if headstrong daughter of the wealthy and powerful house of Chang. Folktales of China Eberhard, ed. Tibetan Folk Tales by Frederick and Audrey Hyde-Chambers This collection of authentic folklore reflects the enduring wisdom, engaging humor, and unique culture of the people of the legendary Land of Snows. Mountain Light by Lawrence Yep 288p. --YA-- After years of family feuding, the families find themselves allied against the tyrannical Manchu dynasty. Now Squeaky Lau must give up everything he has gained and travel to America. Dragon's Gate by Lawrence Yep 332p. --YA-- When he accidentally kills a Manchu, a 15-year-old Chinese boyis sent to America to join his fther, an uncle, and other Chinese working to build the Transcontinental Railroad in the Sierra Nevada Mountaines in 1867. Newbery Honor. Chinese Cinderella: True... Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah YA China Men by M Hong Kingston 308p. The author chronicles the lives of three generations of Chinese men in America, woven from memory, myth and fact. Here's a storyteller's tale of what they endured in a strange new land. Tripmaster Monkey by M Hong Kingston 340p. Driven by his dream to write and stage an epic stage production of interwoven Chinese novels, Wittman Ah Sing, a Chinese-American hippie in the late '60s. Genghis Khan: Emperor of All Men by Harold Lamb 240p. Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart 278p. When the children of his village were struck with a mysterious illness, Number Ten Ox found master Li Kao. They set out to find the Great Root of Power, the only possible cure, and together they discover adventure and legend, and the power of belief. China's Son by Da Chen 213p. YA Da Chen was born in China in 1962. The grandson of a landlord, he and his family were treated as outcasts in Communist China. In school, Da was an excellent student until a teacher told him that, because of his "family's crimes," he could never be more than a poor farmer. Asia Children of the River by Linda Crew 213p. --YA-- Having fled Cambodia four years earlier to escape the Khmer Rouge army, 17-year-old Sundara is torn between remaining faithful to her own people and adjusting to life in her Oregon high school as a "regular" American. Rice Without Rain by Minfong Ho 236p. --YA-- Jinda leaves her unchanging village in Thailand to join a student uprising. Song of the Buffalo Boy by Sherry Garland 292p. --YA-- Is Loi's love for Kai enough to keep her in a country where she is despised for her mixed heritage? (Vietnam) Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Byui Choi 291p. --YA-- Japanese and Russian invaders force Sookan and her family to flee to North Korea. Shizuko's Daughter by Kyoko Mori 222p. --YA-- Uki, a teenager in Japan, discovers her mother's suicide and hates life with her new stepmother. Young Reader's Choice Award. The Boy and the Samuri by Erik Hauugard 256p. YA Saru, a street urchin, agrees to help a samurai rescue his wife held hostage in Lord Katsuyori's castle. The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn by Dorothy Hoobler 224p. --YA-- While attempting to solve the mystery of a stolen jewel, Seikei, a merchant's son who longs to be a samurai, joins a group of kabuki actors in eighteenth-century Japan. Finding My Voice by Marie Lee 176p. --YA-- A Korean high school senior struggles to find her place in two very different cultures. Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Houston 203p. --YA-- Jeanne Wakatsuki was seven years old in 1942 when her family was uprooted from their home and sent to live at Manzanar internment camp-with 10,000 other Japanese Americans. Master Puppeteer by Katherine Paterson 179p. --YA-- A 13 y.o. describes the poverty and discontent of 18th century Osaka and the world of puppeteers in which he lives. A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain by Robt. Olen Butler 249p. In a collection of stories about Vietnamese expatriates living in the American South, Butler blends Vietnamese folklore and American realities.Pulitzer, 1993 Charlie Chan is Dead 562p. This is a mjor anthology of Asian American fiction. Contributors include Gish Jen, Hisaye Yamamoto, Peter Bacho, Maxine Hong Kingston, Amy Tan, and many others. The Samurai's Tale by Erik Haugaard 234p. --YA-- In turbulent sixteenth-century Japan, orphaned Taro is taken in by a general serving the great warlord Takeda Shingen and grows up to become a samurai fighting for the enemies of his dead family. Little Sister by Kara Dalkey 196p. --YA-- This is the story of a young girl's quest for the soul of her brother-in-law and the sanity of her sister. Setting: 12 century Japan. The Friends by Kazumi Yumoto 170p. YA Set in Japan, this story by a Japanese author begins with three friends who become curious about dying. Obasan by Joy Kogawa 300p. --YA-- Based on the author's own experiences, this award-winning novel was the first to tell the story of the evacuation, relocation, and dispersal of Canadian citizens of Japanese ancestry during the Second World War. A Tale of False Fortunes by Enchi Fumiko 160p. The narrative is built around a fictitious historical document, which is so well crafted that it was at first believed to be an actual document of the Heian period. Throughout Enchi alternates between modern and classical Japanese, interjecting her own commentary and extracts from A Tale of Flowering Fortunes, to impress upon the reader the authenticity of the tale presented within the novel. The Dream of Water: A Memoir by Kyoko Mori 275p. In 1990 author Kyoko Mori returned to her native Japan to visit the "landscape of my childhood." There - looking for the house in which her mother killed herself, running on land that was once water, and retracing childhood train trips to her grandparents' farm - she relived the memories and uncovered the secrets that unlocked her past. Nisei Daughter by Minda Stone 238p. --YA-- The author's personal account of growing up in Seattle in the 1930s, then being subjected to "relocation" during WWII. No One's Perfect by H Ototake 228p. In this upbeat memoir, Ototake, a 24-year-old Japanese man born without arms and legs, recounts the story of his life and explains how he coped with disability and adversity: buoyed by his parents' generosity and love, he adopted an optimistic attitude and challenged himself to try anything. One Sunny Day:... by Hideko Tamura Snider 220p. Hideko was 10 when the bomb devastated Hiroshima. She recalls her life before the bomb, the explosion itself, and the influence of that trauma upon her life in Japan and the U.S. She has unusual insights into the relationship between Japanese and American cultures and the impact of Hiroshima on our lives. Ryoma: Life of a Renaissance Samurai by R Hillsborough 639p. Ryoma was the founder of Japan's first modern corporation. He was a swaggering swordsman who packed a Smith and Wesson, and was one of the most colorful figures in Japanese history. This mid-19th-century samurai has been idolized, if not deified, among Japan's young and old since the end of WWII. Watching the Tree:.. by Adeline Mah 256p. It is written that every Chinese wears a Confucian thinking cap, a Taoist robe, and Buddhist sandals. In Watching the Tree, Mah brings together the many influences on her life as a child of the East and as a student and adult in the West. Kabuki Dancer:.. by Sawako Ariyoshi 352p. To be kabuki in Japan once meant to be outrageous, daring, flaunting convention. It was in 16th-century Japan, as Shakespeare was writing masterworks half a world away, that the spirit of Kabuki theater was born out of a single woman's dedication to her art. The Mask Carver's Son by Alyson Richman 384p. Set in both Japan and Europe at the turn of the 19th century, the book introduces the reader to the world of Noh theater as seen through the eyes of Kiyoki Yamamoto, the son and only child of a renowned Noh mask carver and grandson of a Noh stage actor. Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama 211p. This new novel centers around a young Chinese man visiting Japan and his relationship with four local residents. What then ensues is a tale that readers will find at once classical yet utterly unique.

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