AP Lit Book List Review Request

Hi folks, I'm currently in AP Lit and I'm trying to get a head start on the book list for next year. Does anyone know what books will be on the AP Lit list for 2023, and which ones would you guys recommend starting with? Thanks for your help!

Hi there! The AP Literature reading list can vary greatly based on the class syllabus from school to school. However, some books you may come across frequently are classics like "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen, "Beloved" by Toni Morrison, "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald, "Moby Dick" by Herman Melville, and "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

That said, the College Board does provide a representative list of authors whose work is suitable for the free-response question on the AP Lit exam, and this list does not change drastically from year to year. The entire list is available on the AP Literature and Composition Course Description on the College Board's website. Remember, interacting with complex, challenging works of literature will best prepare you for the exam and the course.

My advice when it comes down to choosing a starting point would be to consider your interests and familiarity with certain genres, authors or periods. For instance, if you've enjoyed reading American literature in the past, you might want to start with "The Great Gatsby" or "Beloved". Alternatively, if you're interested in exploring classics of British literature, "Pride and Prejudice" would be a good starting point. By doing that, you can make your reading more enjoyable and productive as well.

Keep in mind to dive into each novel entirely - not only should you read the entire work, but also consider analyzing and interpreting the novel's themes, symbols, and literary devices as you go. This will be a great preparation for the level of analysis expected in an AP Literature class and on the exam.

Good luck with your reading!