Summer Reading List of upcoming Fall Semester!!! Reading:  Students should have read all of the following books in order to gain a significant understanding of the themes we will be covering over the fall semester.  The Comparative reading may be done during the winter break as this course will not begin until the spring semester. AP U.S. Government and Politics: "Eye Witness To Power" by David Gergen, this book will give some great insight into how the Executive Branch (White House Staff) operates under varying presidents.  David Gergen presently is most famous as a political analysis for CNN but he has served mainly has an Communications/Speech Writer for Presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and G.H.W. Bush, and advisor to Clinton. "Hardball" by Chris Matthews, this book is fairly short but give great insight into the world of politics between and within the legislative and executive branches.  This book was written prior to his stardom on the same named political talk show on CNBC.  Chris Matthews draws on many famous political moves throughout the last half of the twentieth century and from his own experiences as Chief of Staff for former Speaker of the House Tip O'Neil. "Inside the Nine: Secret World of the Supreme Court" by Jeffery Toobin, this book gives the most recent insight into all the current justices of the Supreme Court and there different histories and experiences.  Also, concludes the possible legacy left by recently deceased William Rehnquist and recently retired Sandra Day O'Connor.   AP Comparative Government: "How Soccer Explains the World" by Foer, this book uses soccer as an avenue to explore many different cultures and how they are adapting to the idea of globalization.  Globalization is a major theme of Comparative Government. Tentative reading would be "The Lexus and the Olive Tree" by Thomas Friedman.  This famous economist and author of the best seller "The World is Flat" will give the students a more analytical look at globalization and its intended and unintended consequences.  This is a tentative read due to the fact that I am still reading and reviewing this book.