AP English Literature & Composition: Example Textbook List

The list below represents examples of textbooks that meet the curricular requirements of AP English Literature and Composition. The list below is not exhaustive and the texts listed should not be regarded as endorsed, authorized, recommended, or approved by the College Board. Not using a book from this list does not mean that a course will not receive authorization. Syllabi submitted as part of the AP Course Audit process will be evaluated holistically, with textbooks considered along with supplementary, supporting resources to confirm that the course as a whole provides students with the content delineated in the curricular requirements of the AP Course Audit.

The specified editions of the following textbooks meet the AP English Literature and Composition Course Audit curricular requirements. Earlier editions of these texts or other textbooks not listed here may meet the AP Course Audit curricular requirements if supplemented with appropriate college-level instructional resources. For discussions regarding the usefulness of these texts and other teaching materials in the AP English Literature & Composition classroom, please consult the Teachers' Resources section of AP Central.

Index of Textbooks

Abcarian, R., and M. Klotz, eds. Literature: The Human Experience. Bedford/St. Martin's.

Arp, Thomas, Greg Johnson, and Laurence Perrine, eds. Perrine's Literature: Structure Sound and Sense. Harcourt.

Baym, Nina, ed. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Norton.

Booth, Allison, Kelly J. Mays, and J. Paul Hunter, eds. The Norton Introduction to Literature. Norton.

Charters, Ann, and Samuel Charters, eds. Literature and Its Writers. Bedford/St. Martin's.

Damrosch, David, and Stuart Sherman, eds. The Longman Anthology of British Literature. Longman.

DiYanni, Robert, ed. Literature: Reading Fiction Poetry and Drama. McGraw-Hill.

Greenblatt, Stephen, ed. The Norton Anthology of English Literature: The Major Authors. Norton.

Hunt, Douglas, ed. The Riverside Anthology of Literature. Houghton Mifflin.

Jago, Carol, Renee H. Shea, Lawrence Scanlon, and Robin Dissin Aufses. Literature & Composition: Reading, Writing, Thinking. Bedford/St. Martin's.

Kennedy, X. J., and Dana Goia, eds. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Longman.

Kirszner, Laurie G., and Stephen R. Mandell, eds. Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing. Thomson/Wadsworth.

Landy, Alice, ed. The Heath Introduction to Literature. Heath.

Lawall, Sarah N., ed. The Norton Anthology of Western Literature. Norton.

Lawall, Sarah N., ed. The Norton Anthology of World Literature, 2nd Edition. Norton.

McMichael, George, ed. The Anthology of American Literature. Prentice Hall.

McQuade, Donald, ed. The Harper American Literature. Longman.

Meyer, Michael, ed. The Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Thinking, Writing. Bedford/St. Martin's.

Roberts, Edgar J., and H. Jacobs, eds. Literature: Introduction to Reading and Writing. Prentice Hall.

Schwiebert, John E, ed. Reading and Writing from Literature. Houghton Mifflin.

Poetry Anthologies

Arp, Thomas, Greg Johnson, and Laurence Perrine, eds. Perrine's Sound and Sense. Harcourt.

DiYanni, Robert, ed. The McGraw-Hill Book of Poetry. McGraw-Hill.

Ferguson, Margaret, ed. The Norton Anthology of Poetry. Norton.

Hunter, Paul J., ed. The Norton Introduction to Poetry. Norton.

Macmillan Literature Heritage — The English Tradition: Poetry. McGraw-Hill.

Meyer, Michael, ed. Poetry: An Introduction. Bedford/St. Martin's.

Pinsky, Robert, and Maggie Dietz, eds. An Invitation to Poetry: A New Favorite Poem Project Anthology. Norton.

Ramazani, Jahen, et al., eds. Norton Anthology of Modern and Contemporary Poetry. Norton.

Strand, Mark, and Eavan Boland. The Making of a Poem: A Norton Anthology of Poetic Forms. Norton.

Vendler, Helen, ed. Poems, Poets, and Poetry. Bedford/St. Martin's.

Fiction Anthologies

Arp, Thomas, Greg Johnson, and Laurence Perrine, eds. Perrine's Story and Structure. Harcourt.

Beaty, Jerome, ed. The Norton Introduction to the Short Novel. Norton.

Bohner, Charles H., and Lyman Grant, eds. Short Fiction: Classic and Contemporary. Prentice Hall.

Cassill, R.V. ed. The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction. Norton.

Cassill, R.V., and Joyce Carol Oates, eds. The Norton Anthology of Contemporary Fiction. Norton.

Charters, Ann, and Samuel Charters, eds. The Story and Its Writer. Bedford/St. Martin's.

DiYanni, Robert, ed. Literature: Approaches to Fiction. McGraw-Hill.

Guides to Writing about Literature

Axelrod, Rise B. St. Martin's Guide to Writing. Bedford/St. Martin's.

Barnet, Sylvan, and William E. Cain. Literature for Composition. Pearson/Longman.

Barnet, Sylvan, and William E. Cain. A Short Guide to Writing about Literature. Pearson/Longman.

McMahon, Elizabeth. Literature and the Writing Process. Prentice Hall.

Ramage, Joseph, et al. Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing. Allyn & Bacon.

Roberts, Edgar J. Writing about Literature. Prentice Hall.

Schwiebert, John E., ed. Reading and Writing from Literature. Houghton Mifflin.

Trimmer, Joseph F. Writing with a Purpose. Houghton Mifflin.