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1 Subject Specific Reading Suggestions for A2 (and beyond) The Grange School Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 2 Biology Great New Biology Books – Biological books written in the last 5 years Homo Britannicus Chris Stringer Homo Britannicus tells the epic story of the human colonisation of Britain, from our very first footsteps to the present day. Drawing on all the latest evidence and techniques of investigation, Chris Stringer describes times when Britain was so tropical that humans lived alongside hippos and sabre tooth tigers; and times so cold they shared the land with reindeer and mammoth; and times colder still when humans were forced to flee altogether. In Search of Memory Eric R Kandel Nobel laureate Eric R Kandel charts the intellectual history of the emerging biology of the mind, and sheds light on how behavioural psychology, cognitive psychology, neuroscience and molecular biology have converged into a powerful new science. These efforts, he says, provide insights into normal mental functioning and disease, and simultaneously open pathways to more effective treatments. Lonesome George Henry Nicholls Lonesome George is a 1.5m-long, 90kg tortoise aged between 60 and 200, and it is thought he is the sole survivor of his sub-species. Scientific ingenuity may conjure up a way of reproducing him, and resurrecting his species. Henry Nicholls details the efforts of conservationists to preserve the Galapagos' unique biodiversity and illustrates how their experiences and discoveries are echoed worldwide. He explores the controversies raging over which mates are most appropriate for George and the risks of releasing crossbreed offspring into the wild. One in Three Adam Wishart When his father was diagnosed with cancer, Adam Wishart couldn't find any book that answered his questions: what was the disease, how did it take hold and what did it mean? What is it about cancer's biology that means it has not been eradicated? How close are we, really, to a cure? There was no such book. So he wrote it. One in Three interweaves two powerful stories: that of Adam and his father; and of the 200-year search for a cure. Stumbling on Happiness Daniel Gilbert Psychologist Daniel Gilbert reveals how and why the majority of us have no idea how to make ourselves happy. The drive for happiness is one of the most instinctive and fundamental human impulses. In this revealing and witty investigation, psychologist Daniel Gilbert uses scientific research, philosophy and real-life case studies to illustrate how our basic drive to satisfy our desires can not only be misguided, but also intrinsically linked to some long-standing and contentious questions about human nature. The Rough Guide to Climate Change Robert Henson Robert Henson has written this guide to a pressing issue facing the world. The guide looks at visible symptoms of change on a warming planet, how climate change works, the evolution of our atmosphere over the last 4.5 billion years and what computer simulations of climate reveal about our past, present, and future. It looks at the sceptics' grounds for disagreement, global warming in the media and Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 3 what governments and scientists are doing to try to solve the problem. A Life Decoded J. Craig Venter A life decoded delves into a controversial area of science and really reveals the trials and tribulations of working on some of the most significant advances of our time. It's a fascinating and unique explanation of leading genomic scientist J. Craig Venter's relation to the genome project. Coral: A pessimist in paradise Steve Jones An eclectic and wonderfully diverse read which takes you on a genuine journey which, along the way, takes in Darwin, Captain Cook and tsunamis. The true charm of Coral is not knowing where you are going to be taken next. It's a wonderful, thought provoking, ramble through science and evolutionary history. What the Nose Knows: The Science of Scent in Everyday Life Avery Gilbert Olfaction expert Gilbert takes us on a journey through the world of aroma, describing the latest scientific discoveries and exposing popular misconceptions about smell. Apparently the human nose is almost as sensitive as the noses of many animals, including dogs; blind people do not have enhanced powers of smell; and perfumers excel at their jobs not because they have superior noses, but because they have perfected the art of thinking about scents. The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives Leonard Mlodinow Mlodinow uncovers the psychological illusions that prevent us understanding stockmarkets, lotteries, road safety ... and wine-tasting. According to the book jacket, he also "reveals the truth about the success of sporting heroes and film stars, and even how to make sense of a blood test". Biological Classics The Origin of Species Charles Darwin Readers willing to manoeuvre Darwin's dry Victorian prose will be met with some of the most influential and controversial scientific writings ever published. A great-read for anyone hoping to study biology in any depth. Silent World Jacques Cousteau The late, great Jacques Cousteau tantalized the imaginations of children and adults alike as he explored the world's oceans and the delicate interplay between the animals, plants and their big blue environment. Wonderful Life Stephen Jay Gould In this classic work of natural history, Stephen Jay Gould takes readers on a journey to the Burgess Shale for a valuable lesson on some of the oldest fossils in the world. Birds of America John James Audubon When John James Audubon first made his legendary avian paintings available to the masses, he never realized that centuries later people would still praise his talent and ability to make biology an accessible science. Genome Matt Ridley One does not need an advanced degree in genetics to appreciate Matt Ridley's awesome guide summarizing the findings of the Human Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 4 Genome Project. The Selfish Gene Richard Dawkins This book is considered one of the most important books about evolutionary biology ever written, but fortunately its inversion of common approaches can appeal to a relatively broad audience. Gray's Anatomy Henry Gray No relation to the television series that appropriated his name, Henry Gray published one of the most in-depth and influential anatomy books of all time. Regardless of one's familiarity with the physiology of the human body, the concise, detailed illustrations prove a valuable educational tool. DNA: The Secret of Life James D. Watson Crisp, clean and concise, DNA: The Secret of Life presents the history of and science behind DNA in a book as informative as it is entertaining. The Voyage of the Beagle Charles Darwin Darwin's travels on the H.M.S. Beagle resulted in some of the cornerstones of biology, and the journals he kept provide an intimate peek into what he observed throughout the experience. Our Inner Ape Frans De Waal Highly regarded primatologist Frans De Waal peers into the genetic and behavioural similarities between humans, bonobos, chimpanzees and other primates using language general audiences can easily process. Science Books – Not just Biology! Bad Science Ben Goldacre Goldacre writes the popular Bad Science column on Saturdays in the Guardian. Like the column, his book is about the shoddy, misleading science we are bombarded with by the media and in advertising. The updated paperback edition includes a damning chapter on Matthias Rath, the vitamin-pill entrepreneur who unsuccessfully sued him for libel. The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science Richard Holmes Holmes charts the rise of modern science in the late 18th century through the lives of botanist Joseph Banks, astronomer William Herschel, explorer Mungo Park and chemist Humphry Davy, and explores its influence on writers and romantic poets including Mary Shelley, Coleridge, Byron and Keats. This is a rich, crowded book, with something luminous, provoking and instructive on every page. The discussions of the challenges of 18th century astronomy, or of the first faltering explorations of chemistry, are as illuminating as any formal scientific history, and twice as readable. Everyday Practice of Science: Where Intuition and Passion Meet Objectivity and Logic Frederick Grinnell An insiders’ view of real-life scientific practice describing how scientists bring their own interests and passions to their work and illustrating the dynamics between researchers and the research community. How is science done? This book looks behind the scenes and tells the story of what makes scientific minds tick and how scientific theories are made. Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 5 God’s Philosophers: How the medieval world laid the foundations of modern science James Hannam Revives the forgotten philosophers, scientists, scholars and inventors of medieval Europe, revealing the Medieval Age to be responsible for inventions and ideas that would change the world forever. A vibrant insight into the medieval approach to science, full of wonderful anecdotes and personalities. Dispelling common myths about the ‘dark ages’, this is a very readable book about a neglected era in the history of science. It very much fills a gap, making you realise that the great scientific achievements of the Renaissance are in debt to the "philosophers" prepared to sacrifice long held beliefs and frequently their lives for their ideas. Mr Milne’s Favourites The Double Helix James Watson The co-discoverer of DNA kept a running diary of the team's search for the secrets of life, and those first impressions became The Double Helix. It's an intensely personal account, and anyone familiar with some of Watson's more recent statements will be unsurprised to learn that he's candid to a fault here, openly talking about his conflicted feelings towards his research partner Francis Crick, not to mention the constant backstabbing and intriguing with his colleagues. It's a rollicking read that offers a warts-and-all look at the search for truth, even if the book itself is itself full of some crucial distortions and glaring omissions. Keep an open mind while reading this book, and then pick up a biography on their colleague Rosalind Franklin - and, if you have time, their often forgotten fourth team member Maurice Wilkins. See also Life Story (known as The Race for the Double Helix in the US), starring Jeff Goldblum and Tim Pigott Smith. Jurassic Park Michael Crichton The book revolves around the resurrection of dinosaurs via genetic engineering. Scientists and enthusiasts have brought up a number of issues with facts and feasibility. Entire websites are dedicated to the plausibility and feasibility of Crichton’s account. There is much good science and much to criticise, but overall the book will put a great deal of what is learnt in the A level Biology course into a new and exciting perspective. Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 6 Chemistry Magazines: “The best thing you could do is subscribe to and read a good scientific journal…” Nature Scientific American New Scientist Non-fiction books: “Anything by John Emsley is worth a read…” Molecules of Murder John Emsley The 13th Element: The Sordid Tale of Murder, Fire, and Phosphorus John Emsley Better Looking, Better Living, Better Loving John Emsley The Elements of Murder John Emsley The Consumer's Good Chemical Guide: Separating Facts from Fiction about Everyday Products John Emsley The Elements John Emsley Molecules at an Exhibition John Emsley Shocking History of Phosphorus John Emsley Nature's Building Blocks: an A-Z Guide to the Elements John Emsley Vanity, Vitality, and Virility John Emsley Fiction books: “…or just sit down with a ‘hard science-fiction’ book, such as one by Larry Niven, where the ideas are routed in scientific fact.” Ring World Larry Niven Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 7 Classics “This is a fairly limited list as we have a structured programme throughout the course; however it wouldn’t do you any harm to familiarise yourself with these resources…” Mr Buckley A2 Classical Civilisation Texts The Art of the Aeneid Anderson - BCP Virgil's Augustan Epic F Cairns – CUP Aeneas the Roman Hero Augustus booklet As put together by the department DVDs Augustus Oedipus Resources are available from the Department Library. Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 8 Drama The books listed below are taken from a much longer Resources List provided by AQA and some recommendations from A level Drama teachers. This list is by no means exhaustive nor prescriptive for every student; but it contains a wealth of titles which cover a wide variety of areas that we cover over the course. A more specific reading list will then be made available to you in your lessons, depending on which specific set text or practitioner is chosen by your teacher. We have not included the lists for all set texts/practitioners here as it would fill a book itself! In addition, the school library has weekly copies of The Stage Newspaper which we strongly recommend you read regularly. Set texts for A2 The Revenger’s Tragedy Middleton/Tourneur Tartuffe Moliere The Recruiting Officer Farquhar The Servant of Two Masters Carlo Goldoni Lady Windermere’s Fan Oscar Wilde The Seagull Chekov Blood Wedding Lorca (Methuen Drama Student Edition) The Good Person of Szechwan Bertolt Brecht (Methuen Drama Edition) A View from the Bridge Arthur Miller The Trial Steven Berkoff Our Country’s Good Timberlake Wertenbaker Coram Boy Helen Edmundson Recommended Wider Reading: Actors/Acting and Practical Theatre Actions: The Actors’ Thesaurus Marina Caldarone and Maggie LLoyd-Willams (Nick Hern Books) The Moving Body Jacques Lecoq (Methuen Drama) Not Even a Game Anymore (The Theatre of Judith Helmer and Florian Mazacher (Alexander Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 9 Verlag Berlin) Forced Entertainment) The Theatre of Forced Entertainment The Frantic Assembly book of devising theatre Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett (Routledge) Being An Actor Simon Callow (Penguin) Games for Actors and Non-Actors Augusto Boal (Routledge) The Year of the King: An Actor’s Diary Antony Sher (Methuen) An Actor Prepares Stanislavski (Methuen) Building a Character Stanislavski (Methuen) Creating a Role Stanislavski (Methuen) Brecht on Theatre Translated by John Willett (Methuen) Recommended Wider Reading: Practitioners The Shifting Point: Forty Years of Theatrical Peter Brook (Methuen) Exploration The Theory of the Modern Stage Eric Bentley (Penguin) Systems of Rehearsal: Stanislavsky, Brecht, Shomit Mitter (Routledge) Grotowski and Peter Brook Websites www.cheekbyjowl.com www.franticassembly.co.uk http://theatredatabase.com http://backstage.ac.uk/about.html http://www.complicite.org http://www.rsc.org.uk www.nationaltheatre.org.uk Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 10 www.theatrevoice.com www.whatsonstage.com www.thebritishtheatreguide.info/ www.trestle.uk.com/student www.kneehigh Economics and Business Studies Books General The Welfare State We Are In Will Hutton The Economic Naturalist Robert Frank Scroogenomics Joel Waldfogal Freakenomics Steven Levitt Dear Undercover Economist Tim Harford Biographies: Business biographies offer a more human perspective; below are some suggestions. Losing My Virginity: The Autobiography Richard Branson Anyone Can Do It: My Story Duncan Bannatyne What You See Is What You Get: My Autobiography Alan Sugar Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 11 English The more texts that you can relate to the various themes, theories and ideas that we will be examining during your A2 course the better. Knowledge of the following texts will be useful to you during your A2 course and will also make you sound intelligent at parties. However, you should not feel that your reading must be limited to the titles on this list. You are encouraged to read as widely as possible; you should take recommendations and inspiration as you find it on your long and winding path toward enlightenment; this list is only one such source of inspiration... Love Through the Ages - Prose Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen Persuasion Jane Austen Sense and Sensibility Jane Austen Jane Eyre Charlotte Bronte Possession AS Byatt Great Expectations Charles Dickens Rebecca Daphne Du Maurier The Mill on the Floss George Elliot The Great Gatsby F Scott Fitzgerald Howards End EM Forster Cold Mountain Charles Frazier Tess of the D’Urbervilles Thomas Hardy Return of the Native Thomas Hardy The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne The Remains of the Day Kazuo Ishiguro Portrait of a Lady James Henry Atonement Ian McEwan Enduring Love Ian McEwan Beloved Toni Morrison Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 12 The Bell Jar Sylvia Plath Edith Wharton The Age of Innocence Mrs Dalloway Virginia Woolf Love Through the Ages - Poetry The New Faber Book of Love Poems Edited by James Fenton Birthday Letters Ted Hughes Selected poems Christina Rossetti A2 Love Through the Ages – Drama Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Edward Albee A Doll’s House Henrik Ibsen A Streetcar Named Desire Tennessee Williams Coursework suggestions by theme: Family Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Tennessee Williams (drama) The Glass Menagerie Tennessee Williams (drama) A Streetcar Named Desire Tennessee Williams (drama) The Mill on the Floss George Elliot (Prose) Strange Meeting S Hill (Prose) All My Sons Arthur Millar (Drama) The Inheritors William Golding Beloved Toni Morrison Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 13 Coursework suggestions by theme: Madness Turn of the Screw Henry James (Prose) Hamlet William Shakespeare (Drama) One flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Ken Keasey (Prose) The Bell Jar Sylvia Plath The Duchess of Malfi John Webster Coursework suggestions by theme: Love / Destructive Love The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald (Prose) Memoirs of a Geisha A Golden (Prose) Revolutionary Road R Yates (Prose) Enduring Love I McEwan (Prose) Atonement I McEwan (Prose) Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Edward Albee (Drama) A Doll’s House Henrik Ibsen (Drama) The Time Traveller’s Wife A Niffenegger (Drama) Dramatic Monologues R Browning (Poetry) Aurora Leigh and Other Poems Elizabeth Barrett Browning (Poetry) Birthday Letters Ted Hughes (Poetry) Coursework suggestions by theme: Fathers and Daughters The Wasp Factory Iain Banks (Prose) Hard Times Charles Dickens (Prose) Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 14 Coursework suggestions by theme: Presentation of Women Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility etc. Jane Austen (Prose) Memoirs of a Geisha A Golden (Prose) Tess of the D’Urbervilles Thomas Hardy (Prose) Mrs Dalloway Virginia Woolf Literary Criticism Shadow and Act Ralph Ellison Order out of Chaos: The Autobiographical Works of Maya Angelou Dolly A. McPherson The British Working Class Novel in the Twentieth Century Jeremy Hawthorn (ed) Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 15 Département de Français Course Books and Films Élan: 2: A2 Students' Book (Elan 2nd ed) Danièle Bourdais and Gill Maynard Élan: 2: A2 WJEC Self-Study Guide with CD-ROM Gill Maynard Élan: Grammar Workbook & CD Gill Maynard and Marian Jones Mot a Mot: New Advanced French Vocabulary Paul Humberstone L’Etranger Albert Camus Le Grand Voyage (Film) Dir. Ismaël Ferroukhi La Haine (Film) Dir. Mathieu Kassovitz Revision Text Book Revise A2 French (Revise A2 Study Guide S.) Letts Educational Suggested Further Reading: Littérature Camus: L’Étranger and La Chute Jones, R La Peste Albert Camus Le Mythe de Sysiphe Albert Camus Online Resources www.wordreference.com Online dictionary www.synonymes.com French synonyms http://french.about.com/b/2010/01/07/thesubjunctivator.htm http://www.zut.org.uk/index.html http://www.lesclesjunior.com/ The Subjunctivator – find out if any phrase takes the subjunctive Interactive exercises French news at a suitable pace for AS/A2 Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 16 www.lemonde.fr Le Monde www.leparisien.fr Le Parisien www.franceinfo.fr France Info (Radio News) www.tf1.fr www.parismatch.com TF1(Television) Paris Match – Gossip, Celebrities, Photojournalism Geography “These are all very interesting books on different aspects of the subject. There are all available in the Sixth Form section of the library…” Skeptical Environmentalist Bjorn Lomborg Planet of Slums Mike Davis Heat: How We Can Stop the Planet Burning George Monbiot Nature's Metropolis: Chicago and the Great West [Paperback] William Cronon Collapse Jared Diamond Deep Jungle: Journey To The Heart Of The Rainforest Fred Pearce Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth James Lovelock Late Victorian Holocausts Mike Davis Five minutes past midnight in Bhopal Moro, Janer Krakatoa. The Day the World Exploded Simon Winchester Tipping Point Malcolm Gladwell No Logo Naomi Klein Peoplequake: Mass Migration, Ageing Nations and the Coming Population Fred Pearce Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 17 Crash Risk: The Science and Politics of Fear Dan Gardner Globalisation, A Very Short Introduction Manfred Steger The End of the Line: How Overfishing Is Changing the World and What We Eat Charles Clover Imagined Communities Benedict Allen The Dragon and the Elephant David Smith Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal Tristam Stuart The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can Be Done About It Paul Collier Arrival City Doug Saunders How Bad Are Bananas Mike Berners-Lee The Great Deluge Douglas Brinkley End of Oil Paul Roberts Guns, Germs and Steel Jared Diamond Making Globalisation Work Joseph Stiglitz What Does China Think? Mark Leonard Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 18 German “This reading / film list contains some interesting themes and historical background. If you want to be taken seriously as students of German, you should extend yourself beyond the AS/A2 course and watch / read these!” Mrs Kereszteny-Lewis Books Der Vorleser (or The Reader) Bernard Schlink Films die Welle (The Wave) Lola Rennt die fetten Jahren sind vorbei (The Educators) Sophie Scholl Das Wunder von Bern Jenseits der Stille The Counterfeiters Klassenfahrt Downfall Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 19 Graphic Design Those students continuing with the course to A2 level are required to identify and develop a topic that will form the structure for Unit 3 ‘Personal Study’. In order to establish such a focus it will be necessary to consider a number of different sources: • Galleries • Companies • Magazines, journals & articles • Books • Interviews • TV and Web based information • Data sets Web resources will vary according to the topic being developed but design related sites of quality would include: www.blueprintmagazine.co.uk http://designobserver.com/ http://www.designweek.co.uk/ http://ajourneyroundmyskull.blogspot.co.uk/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/ Books to read that would help with projects regardless of topic: Just My Type Simon Garfield Great Works Tom Lubbock Information is Beautiful David McCandless Shock of the New Robert Hughes Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 20 History Aspects of International Relations, 1945 - 2004 A2 History: Aspects of International Relations, 1945 – 2004 J Aldred The USA and the Cold War G Edwards International Relations: 1879 – 2004 D Murphy and T Morris Europe and the Cold War, 1945 -1991 D Williamson The Collapse of Yugoslavia A Finlan The Gulf War A Finlan The End of the Cold War: Its Meaning and Implications M Hogan The Cold War JL Gaddis The Fifty Years War R Crockatt Cold War International History Project: www.wilsoncenter.org Triumph and Collapse: Russia and the USSR, 1941 – 1991 A2 History: Triumph and Collapse: Russia and the USSR, 1941 - 1991 John Laver and Sally Waller Stalin and Khrushchev: The USSR 1924 – 1964 (Particularly chapters 3,4,6 and 7) M Lynch Last of the Empires: A History of the Soviet Union 19451991 J Keep The Soviet Union under Brezhnev W Thompson The Khrushchev Era D Filtzer Gorbachev M McCauley The Modernisation of Russia, 1856 – 1985 (parts 2 and 3) J Laver Encyclopaedia of the USSR, 1905 to the Present W Shaw and D Pryce Articles on Stalin: http://hsc.csu.edu.au/modern_history/national_studies/russia/ Sources on the Russian Revolution: http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/mod/modsbook39.asp Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 21 ICT “These resources provide interesting and enriching reading around many of the topics we cover on the course…” Mr Masters Websites www.engadget.com www.wired.co.uk www.computing.co.uk www.guardian.co.uk/technology/computing www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology www.theregister.co.uk www.computerweekly.com Print The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element of Security Kevin Mitnick Steve Jobs – The Exclusive Biography Steve Jobs In The Plex: How Google Thinks, Works and Shapes Our Lives Steven Levy I'm Feeling Lucky: The Confessions of Google Employee Number 59 Douglas Edwards Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution 25th Anniversary Edition Steven Levy The Code Book Simon Singh Multimedia Video: BBC Click http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online Video: This Week in Tech http://twit.tv/show/this-week-in-tech Podcast: Engadget Podcast http://www.engadget.com/podcast Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 22 Maths Items marked * are particularly recommended. Books for exploring beyond the A level syllabus The Num8er My5teries* Marcus du Sautoy The maths which lies behind every aspect of our lives, from internet security to predicting the future Alex's Adventures in Numberland* Alex Bellos From the geometry of the 50p piece to the existence of God, a fascinating insight into real mathematics How to Lie With Statistics Darrell Huff How to use statistics to deceive - and how to spot when someone else is deceiving you! The Code Book Simon Singh Codes and code-breaking through the ages Mathematics of Life Ian Stewart Exploring the increasing collaboration between mathematicians and biologists The Great Mathematicians Raymond Flood and Robin Wilson The characters behind mathematics, from Archimedes and Newton to Florence Nightingale and Lewis Carroll 1089 and All That David Acheson An accessible journey through mathematics, from the history of π to chaos theory For Further Mathematicians Finding Moonshine Marcus du Sautoy A readable introduction to symmetry and group theory, interwoven with a mathematician's autobiography The Music of the Primes Marcus du Sautoy Prime numbers lie at the heart of many mathematical ideas but what is the pattern behind their distribution, and why does it matter? Fermat's Last Theorem Simon Singh How a 358-year old conjecture was finally proved Letters to a Young Mathematician* Ian Stewart What it's like to be a mathematician The Annotated Flatland: a Romance of Many Dimensions Edwin Abbot and Ian Stewart A classic originally written in 1884, it tells the tale of A. Square, who is transported from the comfortable familiarity of his 2d world to The Land of Three Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 23 Dimensions - and beyond. Zero - The Biography of a Dangerous Idea Charles Seife How a seemingly simple concept - zero - has caused enormous controversy over the ages Online resources Plus magazine* www.plus.maths.org Online magazine for 6th form mathematicians - article about maths in real life, puzzles, careers information and much more Maths careers* www.mathscareers.org.uk All the information you need on careers using A level or university mathematics Nrich www.nrich.maths.org Online maths club - puzzles, activities and articles Stem nrich www.nrich.maths.org/stemnrich For budding mathematicians, engineers and scientists Cut the knot www.cut-the-knot.org Interactive mathematical fun, from dividing up a chocolate bar to the goat, cabbage and wolf problem The Num8er My5teries www.fifthestate.co.uk/numbermysteries Interactive website to accompany Marcus du Sautoy's book The Black Chamber www.simonsingh.net/The_Black_Chamber/ Interactive code-breaking website DVD The Story of Maths BBC DVD - Marcus du Sautoy How mathematics has developed through the ages, from building the pyramids to why infinity can be different sizes The Music of the Primes BBC DVD - Marcus du Sautoy Prime numbers lie at the heart of many mathematical ideas but what is the pattern behind their distribution, and why does it matter? Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 24 Music Online Subscription to Spotify premium General Background Grout 'History of Western Music' Set Works Set works are very fully covered in the Rhinegold A level music guide. Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 25 Philosophy General Enquiries regarding Human Understanding David Hume Meditations Descartes Language, Truth and Logic A.J. Ayer The Problems of Philosophy Bertrand Russell Talking Philosophy A.W. Sparks The Philosophers’ Magazine Specifically for A2 Matter and Consciousness P Churchland Introduction to Philosophy of Mind K Maslin Descartes and the Meditations G Hatfield Conversations on Consciousness S Blackmore Epistemology R Audi “Plus!! Everything in the library on Mind, Epistemology and Descartes…” Mr Hough Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 26 Physics Apps and Websites http://physicsworld.com General News and Features The Particle Zoo iPhone app about Particle Physics LHSee Android App about Particle physics Google Sky Map Android – great for astronomy http://www.aip.org/ Website for the American Institute for Physics. Software http://phun.en.softonic.com/ Great Physics Sandbox software. Free. http://store.steampowered.com/app/72200/ Universe Sandbox: Great program for exploring the solar system. £6.99 on Steam. Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 27 Magazines Subscribe through school. A magazine aimed at A-level Physics students, combining AS and A2 topics with extension work, articles and puzzles. Physics Review Scientific American New Scientist Physics World Back issues in S10, see Mr Petts for these General Physics Books Listed below are books that cover a variety of physics at a variety of levels. The Flying Circus of Physics, J Walker Great fun for dipping into. Walker covers the entirety of naked-eye physics by exploring problems of the everyday world. He focuses on the flight of Frisbees, sounds of thunder, rainbows, sand dunes, soap bubbles, etc., and uses such familiar objects as rubber bands, eggs, tea pots, and Coke bottles. Many references to outside sources guide the way through the problems. Now the inclusion of answers provides immediate feedback, making this an extraordinary approach in applying all of physics to problems of the real world. Powers of Ten, P Morisson and P Morisson, Scientific American Library, Freeman Excellent photographs that show the universe from super clusters of galaxies to quarks. Ubiquity: The Science of History, or Why the World Is Simpler Than We Think Mark Buchanan Scientists have recently discovered a new law of nature. Its footprints are virtually everywhere - in the spread of forest fires, mass extinctions, traffic jams, earthquakes, stock-market fluctuations, the rise and fall of nations, and even trends in fashion, music and art. Wherever we look, the world is modelled on a simple template: like a steep pile of sand, it is poised on the brink of instability, with avalanches - in events, ideas or whatever - following a universal pattern of change. This remarkable discovery heralds what Mark Buchanan calls the new science of "ubiquity", a science whose secret lies in the stuff of the everyday world. This book documents the coming revolution by telling the story of the researchers' exploration of the law, their ingeneous work and unexpected insights. Mark Buchanan reveals how the principle of ubiquity will help us to manage, control and predict the future. The Feynman Lectures on Physics, Volumes I, II, III, R Feynman A classic set of lectures for those really interested in physics. Challenging but readable. If you want to go deeper into a topic, this is the book for you. Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 28 Six Easy Pieces, R. Feynman Six of the most interesting and accessible Feynman Lectures. Lively and fascinating. Very readable. Drawn from his landmark text, "Lectures on Physics", this book reveals Feynman's distinctive style while introducing the essentials of physics. The topics explored include atoms, the fundamentals of physics and its relation to other sciences, the theory of gravitation and quantum behaviour. Chaos, J Gleick This book brings together different work in the new field of physics called the chaos theory, an extension of classical mechanics, in which simple and complex causes are seen to interact. Mathematics may only be able to solve simple linear equations which experiment has pushed nature into obeying in a limited way, but now that computers can map the whole plane of solutions of nonlinear equations a new vision of nature is revealed. The implications are staggeringly universal in all areas of scientific work and philosophical thought. Relativity Physics Books Listed below are books that cover relativity at a variety of levels. The Time and Space of Uncle Albert, R Stannard This was written for 12 year olds but anyone can enjoy it! Relativity for the Layman, Coleman, Penguin One of the most accessible books on relativity. Spacetime Physics: Wheeler One of the most accessible but detailed texts on special relativity. Brilliant. Very Special Relativity Sander Bais Good Short introduction to Relativity Albert Einstein and His Inflatable Universe: Mike Goldsmith Yes, even though he's dead, Al's still full of surprises. You can get the mind-blowing inside story with Albert's lost notebook, read the earth-shattering headlines in "The News of the Universe", and find out about the theories that changed the entire cosmos - without making your brain hurt. Quantum Physics Books Listed below are books that cover quantum physics at a variety of levels. Uncle Albert and the Quantum Quest, R. Stannard Exploring quantum physics, this is the third Uncle Albert story for children. Wanting to know what goes on inside an atom, Uncle Albert transports Gedanken via the Thought Bubble into a quantum wonderland, where she encounters a White Rabbit, a Red Queen, and a Cheshire Cat. The Quantum Universe, T Excellent pictures, a great diversity of quantum phenomena. The Quantum Universe is the first popular book to give a non-mathematical pictorial account of quantum physics, the foundation of our current understanding of nature. For so long the Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 29 Hey and P Walters, OUP province of mathematicians and physicists alone, the beauty and significance of quantum mechanics has remained hidden to the non-specialist. Yet its impact on technology has been enormous. The modern electronics industry with the silicon chip that has revolutionised so many aspects of modern life owes its existence to an understanding of the quantum nature of semiconductors. The text explains exactly what quantum mechanics is in a simple nonmathematical way, and is complemented throughout by many superb colour and black-and-white photographs illustrating the varied facets of quantum phenomena. The Quantum Universe will provide a fascinating and accessible introduction to one of the most important scientific disciplines of the twentieth century. Final-year students at school, general readers with an interest in science, and undergraduates in science subjects will all be able to enjoy and benefit from this novel exposition. QED, R Feynman Quantum electrodynamics - or QED, for short - is the revolutionary theory that explains how light and electrons interact. Thanks to richard Feynman and his colleagues, who won the Nobel Prize for their ground-breaking work in this area, it is also one of the rare parts of physics that is known for sure, a theory that has stood the text of time. Based on a series of lectures delivered to the general public at the University of California, Feynman here wittily explains the theory of quantum electrodynamics, the central aspect of much of modern physics. In Search of Schrodinger's Cat, J Gribbin In Search of Schrödinger's Cat tells the complete story of quantum mechanics, a truth stranger than any fiction. John Gribbin takes us step by step into an ever more bizarre and fascinating place, requiring only that we approach it with an open mind. He introduces the scientists who developed quantum theory. He investigates the atom, radiation, time travel, the birth of the universe, superconductors and life itself. And in a world full of its own delights, mysteries and surprises, he searches for Schrödinger's Cat - a search for quantum reality - as he brings every reader to a clear understanding of the most important area of scientific study today - quantum physics. Schrodinger's Kittens, J. Gribbin The sequel to "In Search of Schrodinger's Cat", this book presents the improvements in experimental techniques that have enabled physicians to formulate and test new theories about the nature of light. The theories are described in the form of the fate of two small cats, separated at a tender age and carried to opposite ends of the universe. In this way the book introduces the reader to such new developments as quantum cryptography, in which codes that are permanently unbreakable can be made, and goes on to possible future developments, such as the idea that the "entanglement" of quantum particles could be a way to build a "Star Trek style" teleportation machine Particle Physics Books Listed below are books that cover particle physics at a variety of levels. The Cosmic Onion, F Close, Heinemann An excellent introduction to particle physics. Don't be put off by the first chapter. The Particle Explosion, F Close, M Marten and C Glossy coffee table book like the 'Cosmic Onion'. This guide takes the reader on an illustrated journey into the sub-atomic world discovered by physicists over the past Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 30 Sutton, century. The authors describe the fundamental discoveries and the developments in equipment which have led to our current understanding of the nature of matter in the universe and the forces which govern its behaviour. Non-technical portraits of all major sub-atomic particles are given, from the electron, proton and neutron, through to quarks and muons. The Discovery of Sub-atomic Particles, S Weinberg, Scientific American Readable and clear. In this absorbing commentary on the discovery of the atom's constituents, Steven Weinberg accomplishes a brilliant fusion of history and science. This is in effect two books, cleverly interwoven. One is an account of a sequence of key events in the physics of the twentieth century, events that led to the discoveries of the electron, proton and neutron. The other is an introduction to those fundamentals of classical physics that played crucial roles in these discoveries. Physical concepts are introduced where needed to understand the historical story, and each new concept builds on physics already explained. Throughout the book, connections are shown between the historic discoveries of subatomic particles and work today at the frontiers of physics. A final chapter describes the discoveries of new elementary particles up to the present day. The Quark and the Jaguar: Advendures in the Simple and the Complex, M Gell Mann In "A Brief History of Time" Stephen Hawking described our attempts to formulate the physical laws of the universe. In this work, Nobel Laureate, Gell-Mann, argues that this is only the beginning of what we need to know about our world and ourselves. What if we know those laws? What next? Seeking a unified theory of all matter, whether it is the structure of galaxies or the moment of creative thought in the human mind, this book defines the underlying unity in such diverse fields as linguistics, archaeology, economics and politics. The Elegant universe: Brian Greene String theory proclaims that all of the wondrous happenings in the universe are reflections of one grand physical principle and manifestations of one single entity: microscopically tiny vibrating loops of energy. This text relates the scientific story and the human struggle behind this theory. Probably not a book for the very beginner but anyone who has read popular accounts of particle physics and relativity should gain a lot from reading this book. In places not an easy read, not for style reasons (which was generally very easy) but simply for the difficulty of some of the concepts involved. Superstring theory may or may not be the theory of everything but this book will certainly tell you what we think we know so far. Definitely recommended but don't expect to read it in a weekend. Space Physics Books Listed below are books that cover a variety of space physics at a variety of levels. Black Holes and Uncle Albert, R Stannard Published as a companion to "The Time and Space of Uncle Albert", this book follows Uncle Albert and his niece Gedanken as they make more astonishing discoveries: the exploding universe, wonky jelly space, black holes, shrinking tape measures and how it is that we are made of stardust. In Search of The Big Bang, J. Gribbin Where do we come from? How did the universe of stars, planets and people come into existence? Now revised and expanded, this second edition takes into account developments in cosmology and quantum physics since its first publication in 1986, and traces the historical path which has led physicists to an Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 31 understanding of the big bang, the fireball in which our universe was born. The First Three Minutes, S Weinberg, Fontana Very readable. Deals with the expanding universe and Big Bang theory. Black Holes and Time Warp (Einstein's outrageous legacy), Kip S. Thorne Ever since Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity burst upon the world in 1915, some of the world's most brilliant minds have sought to decipher the mysteries bequeathed by that legacy. Einstein himself was resistant to its implications, but physicists, astronomers and cosmologists have argued over his theory ever since. This volume is a history of Einstein's ideas as they made their way through the increasingly political world of science. The Universe in a Nutshell. Stephen Hawking. The Universe in a Nutshell attempts to address the relative difficulty of Hawking's first foray into popular science, A Brief History of Time. While this sold in its millions, few readers got past the first few chapters. Helpfully, this new work is full of beautifully prepared colour illustrations and decorations, and has a "tree-like" structure, so that readers can skip from chapter to chapter without losing the thread. History and Philosophy Physics Books Listed below are books that cover a variety of physics at a variety of levels. Many are in the school library. Theories of Everything, J Barrow A journey through physics to metaphysics, mathematics to philosophy, and mythology to theology, in search of the "theory of everything" - the single set of equations that will describe all forces of nature and all particles in one package, which Einstein vainly sought throughout his life. The Mind of God, P Davies This sequel to "God and the New Physics", explores the fascinating questions of modern physics such as why does maths, an abstract system of logic invented by man prove to be so useful in understanding the laws of nature and is the existence of intelligent life a random chance or in some sense an inevitable and essential part of the cosmos? Longitude by Dava Sobel The thorniest scientific problem of the 18th century was how to determine longitude. Many thousands of lives had been lost at sea over the centuries due to the inability to determine an east-west position. This is the engrossing story of the clockmaker, John "Longitude" Harrison, who solved the problem that Newton and Galileo had failed to conquer, yet claimed only half the promised rich reward. The Sleepwalkers, A Koestler A History of Man's Changing Vision of the Universe. Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 32 Biographical Physics Books Listed below are books that cover the lives of physicists. Isaac Newton, the Last Sorcerer; Michael White According to traditional accounts, Newton was the first modern scientist. As creator of the theory of gravity, calculus, modern theories of light and devisor of the three laws of mechanics, his methods are perceived as the genesis of modern science. Yet the traditional version of his life fails to tell the full story. How, for example, could Newton's apparent empiricism be married with his interest in alchemy and magic? What had inspired him in his discoveries? Genius, J Gleick A very lively and readable biography of Richard Feynman which also touches on many of the more bizare and radical new ideas developed by physicists in recent decades Stephen Hawking, A life in Science, M White and J Gribbin Born in 1942, Stephen Hawking is no ordinary scientist. With a career that began over thirty years ago at Cambridge University, he has managed to do more than perhaps any other physicist to broaden our basic understanding of the universe. This skilful portrait of an indefatigable genius traces the course of Hawking's life and science, marrying biography and physics to tell the story of a remarkable man. As the New Statesman said of the first edition in 1992: 'A gripping account of a physicist whose speculations could prove as revolutionary as those of Albert Einstein. Its combination of erudition, warmth, robustness, and wit is entirely appropriate to their subject.' Surely You' re Joking Mr Feynman, R Feynman Autobiography of a Nobel Prize winning physicist. Fun and interesting. Winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1965, Richard Feynman was also a man who fell, often jumped, into adventure - as artist, safe-cracker, practical joker and storyteller. He solved the mystery of liquid helium, was commissioned to paint a naked (female) toreador, explained physics to the likes of Einstein and Von Neumann, accompanied ballet on the bongo drums, and was judged mentally deficient by a US Army psychiatrist. Over a period of years, Feynman's conversations with his friend Ralph Leighton were first taped and then set down as they appear in this book, little changed from their spoken form, to give a selfportrait of a remarkable man. Science - A History, John Gribbin Recent history of science that presents the subject through the lives of famous scientists Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 33 Politics Most of your work in the post AS period should be focused on the multi-layered timeline which has been set as preparation for the A2 course in ideologies. The timeline is due in during the first lesson back after the summer holidays. However, I suggest that you also watch some movies! The following movies all have some relationship to the issues we will be discussing during the A2 course in Political Ideologies. Political Movies Waitress (2007) FEMINISM Jenna is a pregnant, unhappily married waitress in the Deep South. She meets a newcomer in the town and sees a chance to escape from her domineering husband. Skin (2008) NATIONALISM True case of Sandra Laing, a girl with African features born to 2 white Afrikaner parents in 1950s South Africa. Mr & Mrs Iyer (2002) NATIONALISM Hindu women and Muslim man encounter nationalist thugs and indifferent police. V for Vendetta (2005) ANARCHISM East is East MULTICULTURALISM 1971 Salford fish and chip shop owner George Khan expects his family to follow his strict Pakistani Muslim ways, but the children and their English born mother don’t agree. Together SOCIALISM Hippies and the Cultural Revolution. Working class mum with 2 children moves into hippie commune and conflicts with their Marxist, collectivist, free loving, pot smoking, vegetarianism ways Awesome ABBA soundtrack. Funny, touching and clever. Pursuit of Happiness CONSERVATISM A movie in defence of capitalism and the free market. Roger and Me CONSERVATISM / SOCIALISM Michael Moore movie examining Socialism v Capitalism An Inconvenient Truth. (2006) Al Gore ENVIRONMENTALISM 2 Oscars and the highest ever box office gross for a film Wall-E (2008) ENVIRONMENTALISM Pixar movie about what might happen if man’s of its kind. unsustainable habits continue unabated. Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 34 Religious Studies Books The Puzzle of Ethics Peter Vardy and Paul Grosch Check with tutors for essential chapters. Living Philosophy – An Introduction to Moral Thought Ray Billington Chapters 8 and 14 are essential for A2. An Intelligent Person’s Guide to Ethics Mary Warnock This short and easy to read refresher is essential reading. Applied Ethics Peter Singer Ethics in Practice Edited by Hugh LaFollette Particularly chapters 8 and 34. Articles are quite difficult and require time and effort but are excellent. Ethics: the Classic Readings David E. Cooper Environmental Ethics Joe Walker Christian Ethics Robin Gill The Moral Philosophers Richard Norman Ethics, the Big Questions James Sterba Matters of Life and Death John Wyatt Fundamentalism: A Very Short Introduction Malise Ruthven Essential reading: a very important introduction to the final synoptic paper. Religion and Modern Thought Victoria Harrison Selected pages focussing on the Nature/History of Fundamentalism are essential reading. Relevant examples are included in the notes. Behind the Exclusive Brethren Michael Bachelard Interesting overview of one group for study – be aware of bias, however. Particularly chapter 2. Chapter 7 is essential for A2. Essential reading for A2: chapters 6; 7; 22; 25-30. Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 35 Spanish Suggested Reading La casa de Bernarda Alba Federico García Lorca Los de abajo Mariano Azuela El otro árbol de Guernica Luis de Castresana Las bicicletas son para el verano Fernando Fernán Gómez Réquiem por un campesino español Ramón Sender El túnel Ernesto Sábato Como agua para chocolate Laura Esquivel El coronel no tiene quien le escriba Gabriel García Márquez Crónica de una muerte anunciada Gabriel García Márquez Cien años de soledad Gabriel García Márquez Spanish Films Volver (2006) Pedro Almodovar Hable con ella (2002) Pedro Almodovar Todo sobre mi madre (1999) Pedro Almodovar Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios (1987) Pedro Almodovar ¿Qué he hecho yo para merecer esto? (1984) Pedro Almodovar El laberinto del fauno Guillermo del Toro El espinazo del diablo Guillermo del Toro El orfanato Guillermo del Toro Cronos Guillermo del Toro Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 36 ¡Ay, Carmela! Carlos Saura La mitad del cielo Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón Planta 4ª Antonio Mercero Yoyes Helena Taberna Secretos del corazón Montxo Armendáriz María llena eres de gracia Joshua Marston La Belle Epoque Fernando Trueba Las trece rosas Emilio Martínez Lázaro Mar Adentro Alejandro Amenábar El Bola Achero Mañas Newspapers El Pais ABC El Mundo Marca Websites: Periódicos www.elmundo.es One of the main Spanish newspapers. This site will give you all the information you need about current affairs and an insight to aspects of Spanish society. www.elmundo.es/elmundo/ultimas.html This is a good summary of all the news on one page. www.lelpais.es Another one of the main Spanish newspapers to keep up to date with what is going on. Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 37 Websites: Televisión www.telecinco.es/ Watch the latest news bulletin in Spanish reporting from around the world! www.rtve.es/television/ More access to Spanish television. www.bbcmundo.com This is also worth checking out! Websites: Gramática www.colby.edu/~bknelson/SLC/index.php The best grammar site in the world…ever! www.studyspanish.com Good verb practice online, including a quick debrief on how to conjugate verbs. www.espanol-extra.co.uk/ Great for ‘fun’ grammar practice and oral practice and it also has a really useful AS/A Level section with resources and articles about Spain and Spanish culture. Websites: Radio http://www.listenlive.eu/spain.html You can listen to all the radio stations you could possibly imagine in Spain. (Be sure to tune into ‘Los 40 Principales’ for latest hot hits!) Otras Páginas Útiles http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/lj/itinerary.shtml A hands on approach to language learning with authentic material. http://www.landoflinks.com/languages/spanish.html Provides a list of Spanish resource websites. http://www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/ontheline/index.html A very formative website that includes cultural articles and grammatical exercises in Spanish. www.bbc.co.uk/languages Yet another very informative website for all Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond 38 languages, useful for AS and A2. Subject Specific Reading Lists for A2 and Beyond