What are some essential books for AP Literature?

Hi everyone! I'm taking AP Literature next year, and I'd like some suggestions on books to read before the school year starts. What are some essential novels or plays that may be helpful for the course or might show up on the exam? Thanks in advance!

Hey there! AP Literature is an excellent course that will introduce you to a variety of literary works. While your course's exact reading list may vary depending on your instructor, here are some classic novels and plays frequently encountered in the AP Literature curriculum and on the exam:

1. "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen

2. "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

3. "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Brontë

4. "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad

5. "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens

6. "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoevsky

7. "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison

8. "As I Lay Dying" by William Faulkner

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

10. "Beloved" by Toni Morrison

11. "1984" by George Orwell

12. "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

13. "To the Lighthouse" by Virginia Woolf

14. "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison

15. "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Plays:

1. "King Lear" by William Shakespeare

2. "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare

3. "Othello" by William Shakespeare

4. "A Streetcar Named Desire" by Tennessee Williams

5. "Death of a Salesman" by Arthur Miller

6. "A Doll's House" by Henrik Ibsen

This list isn't exhaustive, but it covers a range of literary periods, styles, and authors frequently mentioned in AP Literature coursework and exams. Keep in mind that your teacher may use a different reading list, but having some familiarity with the titles above will prove beneficial. Enjoy your summer reading, and good luck with AP Literature next year!