Jessica L. Cormier
Douglas, Kirk.
I Am Spartacus!: Making a Film, Breaking the Blacklist
. New York: Open Road, 2012.
Chapters or selections of this book could be read by students on Days 8-10 to provide a firsthand, primary source account of the social and political implications of
Spartacus
. Kirk Douglas, the actor who played Spartacus, writes honestly in accessible language about the political drama behind the making of the film.
Fast, Howard.
Spartacus
. Armonk: North Castle Books, 1996.
Selections of this book should be assigned for homework at the end of Day 3. Alternatively, depending on time constraints and student engagement, the teacher could also choose to read some of the book aloud to the class or ask students to “popcorn” read. As noted above, I suggest focusing on the book’s dedication and Parts I-III, which hint at the book’s communist undertones, introduce the role of slavery, and provide some foreshadowing for the end of the film.
Schiavone, Aldo.
Spartacus.
Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2013.
This book uses historical facts to tell the story of Spartacus in an accessible narrative style. Sections could easily be read by students as a way of providing background information on the life and actions of Spartacus, the historical figure.
Shaw, Brent D, ed.
Spartacus and the Slave Wars: A Brief History with Documents
. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2001.
The introduction offers a very easily-understood background on slavery and the slave wars in Italy and Sicily, a discussion of the “man and myth” behind Spartacus, as well as an informative guide to reading/interpreting ancient historical sources. The second half of the book contains a curated collection of primary source documents concerning slavery in the ancient world as well as the Spartacus Wars. These should be used during the Activity portion of Day 3’s lesson.
Strode, Woody and Young, Sam.
Goal Dust: The Warm and Candid Memoirs of a Pioneer Black Athlete and Actor
. Lanham: Madison Books, 1990.
Chapters or selections of this book could be read by students on Days 8-10 to provide a firsthand, primary source account of the social and political implications of
Spartacus
. Woody Strode, the actor who played Draba, describes some of the hardships experienced by a “black athlete and actor” in the 1950’s and 60’s. His personal account helps students to understand the social turmoil of racial inequality in America during the early-mid 20
th
century.