Indian Epics Extra Credit Reading

The epics of India are HUGE (we are only reading shortened versions in class), and then there are so many storytelling traditions in India beyond the epics. So, there are lots of extra credit reading options if you want to keep reading more and learning more about the stories of India. Here are some different ways that you can use the extra credit reading option each week:

• Bizzell Comic books on Reserve. There are so many fabulous comic books that are on Reserve in Bizzell, perfect for extra credit reading. The ACK comic books each count as one week of extra credit reading: just pick a comic book, read it, take notes, and then do the extra credit reading Declaration. You can find an inventory of the comic books here: Amar Chitra Katha comic books in Bizzell. Read as many as you want: you can do the extra credit reading Declarations for any week of the semester at any time; just pop open the Modules in Canvas to find the extra credit reading Declaration that is available each week.

• More Bizzell Resources. In addition to the comic books, there are a lots of books and graphic novels that you can find in Bizzell also, on the stacks and/or on reserve: Bizzell Library Resources. If you find a book or graphic novel you want to read, you can do that as extra credit reading at any time during the semester (and these same options will also be available during Weeks 12-13-14-15 at the end of the semester, when you will have free choice of what to read, based on what topics you have enjoyed most during the semester).

• Free books online. In addition to the materials in Bizzell, there are lots of free books online that you can use for extra credit reading; here is a list: Free India Books Online. Depending on how long the book is, it might count for one or two or three or more weeks of extra credit. 

• Cheap Kindle books. You can read Kindle books on your phone or using the web browser on your computer; you don't have to have an actual Kindle device... and there are so many fabulous Kindle books that you can get for very cheap (under $5). Here is a list to browse: India Books on Kindle. Plus, there are many more that I have not listed there. If you have a specific topic of interest, let me know, and I will be glad to see if I can find a relevant Kindle book. 

• Catch up on the week. Another way to use the extra credit reading option each week is to make up a missing reading assignment. So, especially when we are reading the epics during Weeks 3-4-5 (Ramayana) and Weeks 6-7-9 (Mahabharata), you can use the extra credit option to catch up on a regular reading assignment that you skipped during the week. That way you'll be able to stay on schedule in order to complete each epic on time.

Between the reading materials that are available online and in Bizzell Library, there are so many great options — and the more you read, the more you will learn. So, I hope this is an extra credit option you will consider both as a way to deepen your learning, and also as a way to make the class less stressful by accumulating extra credit in the Gradebook too.