Captain America: The Winter Soldier debuted in theaters this weekend opening to the tune of $37 million dollars on its first day alone. It’s an entertaining new installment to the Marvel universe and one that has certainly shaken up the status quo for subsequent movies and the ABC television show SHIELD. There are lots of amazing articles on the interwebs that can speak to the awesomeness of this movie, its post-credit introduction to the second Avengers film and the many theories about this all means for the Marvel-verse going forward.
Since they pretty much have the movie and the film/comic nerd analysis covered for us, I thought it would be fun to create a “What would they read?†list for some of our favorite Captain America characters from Winter Soldier.
- Steve Rogers aka Captain America – The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (2007 Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults)
Death narrates this story from World War II where he tries to understand the horrors of human nature while also relating to Liesel, a young German girl who steals books and tells stories to sustain her friends and family during the war. Given that the Captain has missed out on years of popular culture, it seems like he would be the type of reader to relish the historical fiction novels more. This one might especially appeal to him since it is based in a time period he can actually remember. There is also a nice connection to be made between Death trying to understand the human race in the novel and the Captain trying to understand this new world that he finds himself in. - Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow – Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger
This steam punk version of 19th century England follows Sophronia on her first days of what she thinks is finishing school. As she soon finds out, this is no ordinary finishing school– Sohphronia was recruited to one for spies and assassins where her etiquette lessons are just as important as the ones on deceit and diversion. Our mysterious Black Widow could certainly relate to the characters’ espionage lessons, and she might even see a little of herself in the sassy protagonist. - Sam Wilson aka Falcon – Ghosts of War: The True Story of a 19-year-old GI by Ryan Smithson
The memoir of Ryan Smithson who joined the Army Reserve when he was 17 and was subsequently deployed to Iraq two years later as an Army Engineer. When we first meet Wilson in the new Captain America book, he has just returned from war and is working with the local VA. This seems like the type of book that he would be reading and referencing in his meetings with other returned veterans. - Bucky Barnes, aka The Winter Soldier – The Maze Runner by James Dashner (2011 Best Fiction for Young Adults)
Thomas wakes up with no memory other than his name, and soon finds that he is in a group of boys whose memories are also gone. They are stuck and the only way out is through an ever-changing maze that no one has survived. Poor Bucky ended up surviving his deadly fall from the first Captain America film, only to have his memory wiped and to be turned into a super soldier for evil. He doesn’t even remember his best friend when he finally sees the Captain! This book definitely seems like the perfect fit for our amnesiac Winter Soldier.
- Nick Fury, Director of SHIELD – Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by SteveSheinkin (2013 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults)
Fury seems like a pragmatist, and the type of reader who only wants nonfiction. Bomb is the story of how the atomic bomb covering all of the deceit and genius that went into its creation. Well, this one seems like it would be the perfect fit for the head of a super secret government organization trying to protect the people– but sometimes making monumental mistakes with severe repercussions, all in the name of security
What about you readers– did you enjoy Captain America: The Winter Soldier? Do you have any other reading recommendations for our favorite characters? Let us know in the comments.
-Katie Shanahan Yu, currently reading The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp
I love this! I saw the movie this weekend and everything is spot on for each character. I’d like to do this sort of thing for our library’s teen blog.