“A real book is not
one that we read, but one that reads us.”
-- Auden, W. H.
Books are
very powerful. They can take us to a different world where we may learn about
other people, cultures, lifestyles, etc., but books can also make us learn
about ourselves.
Directions: Think of a book you read this summer where
when you put it down you were full of emotion. It could be anger, jealousy,
shock, happiness, etc. Share with us why that particular book or a situation in
that book had an impact on you.
Please include:
1. Title of the book
2. Author
3. A brief plot summary of the entire
book if you would like to talk about it in
its entirety or a brief summary of a
situation in the book.4. How and why a specific scene, character, passage, situation, or perspective in the book had an impact on you.
5. What you discovered about yourself,
your world, or your perspective.
Title-The Finish
ReplyDeleteAuthor-Mark Bowden
The book is about the hunt for Osama bin Laden, the infamous leader of the terror group al-Qaeda, and the raid that ended his life. Starting with the attacks on the Twin Towers on September 11 and ending with the raid on bin Laden’s compound on May 1, 2011, it describes the path that found his compound and brought SEAL Team Six to Abbottabad, Pakistan.
This book had a very powerful impact on me. It’s certainly a turning point in US history. Bin Laden’s terror group was one of the most powerful and feared groups after 9/11, but it was decimated during the next ten years US forces in the Middle East. The raid on the Abbottabad compound changed the world, and it’s very important that any culturally literate person knows what brought it about and can appreciate how it changed the world.
The book had a very subduing effect on me. Thousands of people were killed by bin Laden’s work, and I realized that without what happened in May 2011 many more might have been as well. However this book taught me a lot more than just that, and more than just the names and dates in it. It taught me to appreciate the global age that we live in, and that the world as we know it can change overnight.
Over the summer, I re-read a book called Looking For Alaska by John Green. The story centers around Miles "Pudge" Halter, and his journey of self discovery as he attends boarding school for the first time. Beginning with his arrival and somewhat awkward first introductions to his soon-to-be best friends at the school, Alaska Young and Chip "The Colonel" Martin; readers instantly fall in love with them along with Pudge as they learn each individual character's personalities, weaknesses, and strengths. Each of Pudge's friends in the book are described very differently, Alaska being described as "gorgeous, funny, self-destructive, and clever," and The Colonel being portrayed as sarcastic, yet extremely loyal. In the middle of the book, there is a shocking twist which leaves the reader feeling a mix of emotions.
ReplyDeleteOne night, Alaska, Pudge and The Colonel were hanging out in one of their dorm rooms, and a few hours after they all had fallen asleep, a phone rings and Pudge realizes Alaska has left the room, although he has no clue where to, it doesn't make much of a difference to him, so he falls back asleep. When she returns, both he and The Colonel are awaken as she slams the door, hysterically crying, and screaming things like, "I have to get out of here," and, "you need to help me." So they, in their half-asleep state, agree to distract the dean so she can make a quick escape from campus in the middle of the night. After she is gone, the two return to their dorm room and immediately fall back asleep, not thinking much of the situation. The next morning, there is a meeting of the school and it is announced that Alaska Young has passed away in a mysterious car crash, leaving all of Culver Creek Boarding School, particularly Pudge and The Colonel, bewildered and in a state of shock.
This book, especially the plot twist discussed above, had a massive impact on me emotionally as a reader. After Alaska died, I was left feeling almost angry at Green for killing her off, however, on the contrary, I was crushed. Reading this book, Alaska was one of those characters that you just get attached to, and since she was such a big part of the book, you learn so much about her, and it's heartbreaking when she is suddenly taken out of the picture. Especially when the circumstances of her death are so mysterious, which left me confused as well, because after her emotional outburst before she left, it is hard to tell whether it was suicide, or if she just wasn't focused on driving because she was so upset, or if it really was just a pure accident.
After Alaska dies, Pudge and The Colonel spend almost the whole book tearing themselves apart trying to figure out if this was their fault, and if not, what it was that really happened to Alaska that night. By doing so, they basically destroy their relationships with each other and everyone around them. That really taught me that sometimes you have to just let things go and let it just be a mystery, rather than investing all your time and emotions into something which should just be left alone. In addition, after going from happy, smiling, laughing Alaska to no Alaska at all, that part of the book left a big impact on my outlook on life in the sense that everything you have can be taken away in a heartbeat.
Kitchen Confidential, by Anthony Bourdain
ReplyDeleteAnthony Bourdain is a popular celebrity chef known for his writing and , more commonly, his appearances on the Travel Channel. The purpose of this novel, according to Mr. Bourdain, was to inform the reader about everything there is to know about a real life professional kitchen. Everything. Every last detail that no one seems to really know or think about. It struck me how, in reality, the life of a restaurant cook or chef is not the glamorous, artsy, pinky in the air experience that most of us tend to assume it is. Bourdain tells us these honest truths by explaining in full detail his experience with food culture and restaurant business beginning during his childhood up until this day.
Towards the end of the novel, Bourdain describes a trip to Tokyo which he took in order to "train" the employees of his restaurant's (Les Halles, located in NYC) sister business. He does little to describe his wok in the restaurant, but speaks more about the fantastic food and culture which he was able to experience while there. Filling up on dish after dish of remarkable sushi and authentic bowls of ramen among many others. I found myself reading this chapter of the novel whilst wearing this ridiculous, goofy grin. I was jealous, yes, but I was excited (and hungry). I went and made myself a tuna sandwich after I finished thinking, "close enough".
Reading this chapter of Anthony Bourdain's book made me realize just how eager I am to try as many new foods as I possibly can and how desperate I am to see as many other cultures and people as there are to be seen. Sure I was jealous, but I don't bear any grudges against those who have seen and tasted more than I have because I know that my turn will eventually come.
“Cruise Confidential” by Brian David Bruns is a candid look into the mysterious life of cruise ship crew. In an effort to be with his Romanian girlfriend, who is already a crewmember, Bruns becomes the first American waiter for Carnival Cruise Lines. Such jobs are almost exclusively filled by foreigners, usually from poor countries, because of the notoriously bad living conditions and salary by Western standards. Nevertheless, Bruns takes the job and explores what crew life is all about.
ReplyDelete“Cruise Confidential” was interesting for me because I read it just weeks before going on a family cruise; I was fascinated to learn some of the behind-the-scenes things that happen on the lower decks of cruise ships. Crew cabins are small and usually shared, shifts are insanely long, and standard crew contracts are typically nine months long. This means that the typical crewmember spends a full nine months away from his or her family.
While the book does have a very fact-based approach, Bruns uses it to convey some deeper thoughts about humanity itself. In an effort to justify the plentiful “casual relationships” (read: sex) that occur between crewmembers, Bruns argues that all people, crewmembers included, need to have that personal, human connection once in a while -- especially in such miserable living conditions. I initially dismissed this as simply an excuse for irresponsible behavior, but I later realized how right the author was.
Picture this: Brian is a head waiter on Carnival Conquest. Dealing with regular passengers is already a lot to handle, but this cruise, him and his assistant, Camilla, have to serve a particularly demanding family. Morbidly obese, loud, and utterly classless, this large (in both respects) family keeps Brian and Camilla busy with orders like, “I want at least sixteen of them shrimp!” and “I ain’t want no risotto. I want the ‘spensive stuff!”
Camilla’s main duty as an assistant waitress is to bring food from the galley back to the dining room to serve to guests. It’s a long walk, and with the amount of food that “the problem family” orders every night, Camilla has her hands full. One night, trying to balance a full fifteen plates of food on the small tray, Camilla slips right before serving the dishes to the family and falls, along with the fifteen plates. The family points, calls names, and absolutely humiliates Camilla. Camilla begins shaking violently and losing control of herself. Camilla is having a nervous breakdown.
Brian quickly realizes that Camilla’s breakdown isn’t fueled just by the rude family, or the grueling workload. It’s the human connection that she’s missing. “I haven’t been home in seven months,” whispers Camilla, the obnoxious family eagerly eavesdropping. “I’m so alone.”
At this point, I finally realized what Bruns was saying about the human connection. I initially thought that not seeing family for such a long time is just an inconvenience. Camilla’s breakdown demonstrated to me that being with loved ones isn’t just a want, but a need. It’s a necessity for everybody.
This is something that I’ve never considered before. Sure, the book gave me some insight into the lives of cruise crewmembers. But the biggest thing I took away from it was how important simply being with a loved one, or at least feeling that personal connection, is to a person. It was the lack of this connection that caused Camilla’s breakdown.
In the end, I discovered how wrong I was about my initial reaction. I learned to value how fortunate I am to be around my family each and every day, and I realized that not everybody is as lucky as me.
Title – Ender’s Game
ReplyDeleteAuthor - Orson Scott Card
The book Ender’s Game is about a young boy genius named Ender Wiggin who has been selected by an international military force to save the world. Ender will attend Battle School which is located on ship that is located far away from Earth. Ender’s over excelled skills of using his brain for witty thinking has him already isolated as one of the most promising new recruits in Battle School. Ender is soon hated by many veteran trainees for his growing popularity and attention to many commanders. Ender is then made a commander of Dragon Army for accelerating in both physical and mental tests. He is given the job of teaching new recruits and making sure that they all are successful in Battle School. Ender trains his army to the limits and is soon in numerous of battles, not losing one. With Ender’s excellence in training the Dragon Army he is transferred to Command School. After training with Mazer Rackham former hero of the earth who defeated the bugger invasion Ender is given an entire fleet to command. Ender goes through many simulation battles to prepare for the most important battle against the buggers. One day Ender commands a battle that looks impossible and different than most he has battled against. Defying almost all odds Ender is victorious in his battle, and he soon comes to learn that he was actually commanding a real fleet which saved the world. Ender finds a queen pupa of the buggers and feels compelled to find a new place for the buggers to live without disturbing Earth. Ender decides to make his final mission to find a place for the buggers to live.
One perspective that had an impact on me is that working with others is harder than it looks. When working with other people you must always look for the good in people not the bad. Always use the good in someone and don’t dwell on the bad, ignore the bad and use the good. Ender would use the strengths of everyone in his army to win battles and in fact dominate them. Not everyone in his army was strong but using their brains or strength is what made them win. I applied this to my life when playing football to using the strengths of everyone on the team and ignoring the bad.
This book gave me an aspiring look on how many people can fall apart without good connections from their friends and fellow peers. It made me look that not everyone is good at everything, but there is always some aspect of life that they are good at. If you think negatively at someone you will never see the good in them and how you can use them in a positive and helpful way. The book taught me to always look at the good of people and try not to use the negative.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteTitle: Stealing Freedom
ReplyDeleteAuthor: Elisa Carbone
“Stealing Freedom” is based on the real life of Ann Maria Weems who survived the 1800’s Maryland slave trade. The book mirrors her real life as she goes through the Underground Railroad to make her way to freedom in Canada. Ann Maria Weems was born a slave on the Price’s farm in Rockville, Maryland and worked with her three brothers, Augustus, Addison and Joseph, her sister Catherine, her Mama, and her Papa who was a free man. Papa’s goal was to save up enough money to buy his families freedom and always kept hope because Mr. Price vowed that he would never tear families apart. But eventually Mr. Price did just that, he tore the Weems family apart by selling Ann’s three brothers to the south. With Ann’s brothers gone Papa became infuriated and vowed that if he couldn’t get his family to be “joined together in slavery, then we’ll join back in freedom (Carbone 51)”.
With the aid of an abolitionist, Mr. Bigelow, Mr. Price finally agreed to sell Ann’s Mama, Papa, and sister but her refused to sell Ann. With this shocking news Ann falls into a depression state as the brutal reality hits: All her family is gone. Only with the help of the slave community church does she eventually find hope again and starts to open up to her love interest Alfred Homer.
Then, one night she is kidnapped in the middle of the night and thrown into a carriage that delivers her to a house. With great shock she finds out that it is Mr. Bigelow’s house and he is here to help her through the Underground Railroad. Ann is disguised as a coach boy with the name of Joseph Wright and begins the perilous journey of stealing her freedom where opportunities await her and her life of servitude is no more.
The Character that impacted me the most was Ann Maria Weems. Her story reminded me of the struggles that my people went through all to obtain the freedom, which was stolen from them. Living in a “white” world where blacks are subjected to oppression Carbone vividly describes the hardships of obtaining a freedom that the Whiteman stole from slaves. Sometimes when a historical novel is written the author waters down the bluntness of the subject being talked about but fortunately Carbone did not do that.
The title also impacted me. As said by Mr. Weems “Anyone born a slave gets their freedom stolen the day they’re born (Carbone 19)”. To me the slave owners are Freedom Stealers and the slaves are Stealing Freedom back. I think that its so sad that an entire race of people were denied their freedom, something that everyone is entitled to, and had to escape all the way to Canada to gain freedom.
Another point that the book touched on that impacted me was how once a slave reach Canada they could not re-enter the United States without being arrested, thus they were not able to contact their families to let them know about their whereabouts. In the case of Ann Marie Weems her she was able to contact her family with the help of Mr. Bigelow.
This book really reminded me to seize every opportunity available to me and to also appreciate family because you never know when you could be torn apart from them.
"The City of Bones" by Cassandra Clare
ReplyDeleteThis summer, I finally got around to reading the highly recommended "City of Bones" by Cassandra Clare. This book fits well with our class discussion as the main character Clary finds herself dealing with an identity crisis. Just as she starts to uncover some unknown abilities, Clary's mother Jocelyn gets kidnapped, but not before sending a frantic call to Clary telling her not to come home. When Clary comes home to see if her mom was okay, she is attacked by a demon and as a result, sustains some life threatening injuries. In a haste to heal her, Clary's savior Jace (a mysterious stranger) discovers she is a shadowhunter (like him) and successfully uses runes to bring her back to health. When she wakes up, she is in the Institute (a safe haven for shadowhunters)and immediately learns about shadowhunters, demons, and most importantly, Valentine and the Mortal Cup (used to turn humans into shadowhunters, a dying race). Desperate to save her mother, Clary turns to Jace for help and eventually starts to develop feelings for him.
In this book, Clary has a very unique way of dealing with all the chaos. Unlike some people, she is always one to run towards the danger instead of away from it. For example, when her mother was kidnapped, Clary ran straight home despite her mom's warnings. She is also an incredibly fast thinker and was able to kill the demon that attacked her shortly after by throwing something down its throat. It's quite motivational how much she is willing to put up with in order to protect her loved ones and how headstrong she is. Aside from her journey to save her mother, Clary also risked her life to save both Jace and her best friend Simon. What I find most inspiring about her, is how she always seems to keep in good spirit even in bad situations. A classic example of this, is when she says to Jace humorously, "Is this the part where you start tearing off strips of your shirt to bind off my wounds?" as he is tending to her injuries. This part of Clary's personality brings back memories of a card I once received from a friend that said "Amidst all the chaos, there is chocolate." At first I thought the card was meant for people who like to drown their sorrows in chocolate, but now I realize that the card was meant to say that there is a good side to everything.
If this book has taught me anything, it has taught me that sometimes you can be forced out of your comfort zone whether you like it or not. However, instead of being timid, you should take it as a challenge and an opportunity to do something you've never tried before. For me in particular, this is a challenge because I tend to be careful and stay within my comfort zone (the "new" things I try pretty much go as far as trying new foods). This book has also made me realize how important it is to treat everyone as kindly as possible. Like Jace, some people may seem harsh and unfriendly at first, but its only a matter of time until they warm up to you. In the end, they might end up being more significant in you life than you expect.
The Hobbit Reading: Part 1
ReplyDeleteIn "The Hobbit", J.R. Tolkien, a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins was peacefully living in his village when a wizard named Gandalf convinced Bilbo to go with a bunch of dwarfs on a journey. Initially, Bilbo was reluctant to go on this adventure and the dwarfs were skeptical of Gandalf choosing Bilbo to go on this journey with them, but Gandalf managed to get him to go. The Dwarfs wanted to reclaim a treasure from Smaug, who was a dragon. Bilbo and his group encountered a lot of obstacles throughout their quest. The first of these obstacles was when three trolls captured all of them except Gandalf, who tricked them into staying outside during the daytime. These trolls were nocturnal, and they eventually turned to stone. The next problem for Bilbo was when Gandalf and the dwarfs accidentally left him behind when they were escaping from a cave where they were being imprisoned. At that point, Bilbo was lost and he eventually ran into Gollum, a sort of snake-like creature who wanted to eat Bilbo. They decided to have a game of riddles to determine if Gollum got to eat Bilbo. If Bilbo won, Gollum would have to show him the way out, but if Gollum won, he would get to eat Bilbo. Bilbo won, and he found a tunnel which led him out of the mountain. He found the rest of his group, but they were then chased by a group of evil wargs. They were helped to safety by a group of great eagles and Beorn, who could turn from man into a bear. The next thing that didn't go Bilbo's way was that Gandalf left the group before going into a dark forest. Once inside the forest, the dwarfs got caught in giant webs, and Bilbo rescued them with his sword and magic ring. Then, they were captured by wood elves. Bilbo again used his magic ring to save them. Finally, they were in Lake Town, which was where their treasure was. Bilbo encountered the dragon Smaug, who told Bilbo that there was a weakness near his heart. Bilbo stole a golden cup from the dragon, which infuriated him. Smaug was so mad he burnt the whole city down. Bard, who was an excellent archer, learned about Smaug's weakness and shot an arrow at his heart. This killed the dragon, but not before he burned down the whole city. Everyone, humans and dwarfs alike, went up to the mountain to seek their treasure, but the humans wanted a share of the treasure as compensation for their losses. Thorin refused, and the humans trapped Bilbo and the Dwarfs. Bilbo escaped to try and work things out with the humans, but when Thorin found out, he was very angry. Gandalf came back and saved Bilbo from his death. Now an army of goblins and other creatures marched up to the mountain as they wanted the treasure. The humans and dwarfs had to work together to defeat them, and they would have lost if it weren't for the arrival of Beorn and the eagles.
The Hobbit Reading: Part 2
ReplyDeleteOne scene in this book that had an impact on me was when Bilbo encountered Gollum in the caves and won a challenge of riddles. There were so many situations in this book where Bilbo got himself out of trouble, but this one really struck me as being very impressive and inspiring because Bilbo didn't really have any help. When he saved the dwarfs from the webs and the river, he used his magic ring, and Beorn and the eagles saved Bilbo on multiple occasions, but here, he didn't have any help. He won the game of riddles over Gollum and survived by using the very clever riddle: "What have I got in my pocket?"
One thing I discovered about myself was that sometimes fantasy books can teach you lessons. Before reading this book, I didn't really believe that you could get anything except for entertainment out of books like this, but I was proven wrong after reading this book. The most significant thing I learned out of reading this book was that sometimes we have to work together with people we don't like. An example of this in the book was when the humans and dwarfs worked together to defeat the army of Goblins and keep their treasure. Before reading this book, I was reluctant to work with people I didn't really know or didn't like, but now I am willing to work with more people and I think more people have to have this mindset around the world.
After Camelot
ReplyDeleteBy: J. Randy Taraborrelli
Sarah Cook
One situation that I found interesting was the section about Chappaquiddick. Out of all the Kennedy scandals this specific event stood out to me. This event occurred on July 18, 1969. Ted Kennedy was participating in the Edgartown Regatta that was sponsored by the Edgartown Yacht Club. Two of the Kennedy’s boats the Reselute and the Victura were entered in the regatta. After the race a party was held at a cottage in Chappaquiddick. A group of women that had helped with Bobby Kennedy’s campaign also attended the party. Around 11 p.m. Ted and a women named Mary Jo left the party. Ted had offered to give Mary Jo a ride to the ferry. On the car ride to the ferry Ted claims to have made a wrong turn, and next thing he knows he had driven off a wooden bridge. Ted miraculously had escaped. Mary Jo was not as fortunate. Ted said that he dived back into Pocha Pond where this had occurred, to try and save her. Ted was unable to Find Mary Jo. Teds intentions were not to report this to the police. He intended on his cousin to help him cover this whole thing up. His cousin and good friend wanted no part of it and believed Ted should report this to the police. It wasn’t until 8:45 a.m. the next day that the car was pulled out of the pond. About 10 hours later Ted went to the police to report what had happened.
This specific event really surprised me. I never knew that someone would lie to try and keep there well known name clean. Reading about this event has really opened my eyes. I believe that being honest will always be the best choice even at a difficult situation like Chappaquiddick. My perspective on the Kennedy family has also changed from reading this book. The Kennedy family was not as perfect as many people portrayed them as.
Taking Drugs in Go Ask Alice, by an anonymous author.
ReplyDeleteGo Ask Alice Cronologs a teenaged girls spiral into drug use and eventually suicide. Beginning off as a average teen girl, concerned about weight, appearance etc., Alice is innocent and naive and has had no knowledge of drugs or drug related things.
When she first tries drugs, LSD in a coke beverage, she has mixed feelings. “Suddenly he seemed to be repeating himself over and over like a slow-motioned echo chamber. I started laughing, wildly, hysterically. It struck me as the funniest, most absurd thing I had ever heard. Then I noticed the the strange shifting pattern on the ceiling” (28). After Alice figures out that she tried LSD she is horrified at herself and wants to shun all things related. Also though, she is curious about them and wants to try more.
As Alice begins to discover drugs and how they make her feel, the reader will realise that the longer she takes them the more she needs them. “I have to take Dexies(ADHD drug) to stay high at school and at work and on dates and to do my homework, then I have to take tranquilizers to bear up at home” (48). When Alice can not function with her drug use with her family, she plans to run away with a friend to San Francisco.
Six months later, after living in San Francisco and living on the streets-all with heavy drug use, Alice returns to her family with a clean slate and a family that will help her addiction to drugs. Also, Alice herself decided to stop using drugs once and for all. As she spends more time as a responsible person, the pressures of living without a vice get to her until one eventful night when she commits suicide. the circumstances of her suicide were very suspicious though because she never mentions suicide once. She just does it.
Title: The Last Lecture
ReplyDeleteAuthor: Randy Pausch
The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch is a moving autobiography of a professor of Carnegie Mellon University. This novel was written in some of the last moments of the authors life. Randy Pausch was terminally ill with pancreatic cancer and had 10 tumors in his pancreas. In the beginning of this book he was told by the doctor that he only had 3-6 months before he would pass away. The rest of the book tells of his childhood dreams, his accomplishments, his perspective of his current situation and how he spent his last moments. His optimistic disposition even in the situation he was in is truly inspiring. The novel is called The Last Lecture because it tells of his last lecture as a college professor explaining his illness and his life to his class and saying his last goodbyes. Although this an extremely tragic and sad idea, he tells his story in such a manner that I believe he was content with his life, even if it was tragically short. This story was so inspiring to me and made me realize that I wake up every morning and take my life for granted. Now I realize that my life could also be unexpectedly cut short so I need to live my life to the fullest. Although this book was extremely sad, it has a very positive and inspiring side which has changed my perspective of life. Pausch also had two young children and a wife which makes the story even more unfortunate. Pausch explains throughout the book that he wants his children to remember him when he is gone, so throughout the last few months of his life, he spent most of his time making memories for his kids so they would have some memories of their father. The fact that Randy was satisfied with his short 47 years of life is truly amazing and has inspired me to make the most of the time I have.
"Is Everyone Hanging out Without me? (And other Concerns)"
ReplyDeleteby Mindy Kaling
Over the summer I engaged in a hilarious, witty yet powerful read. This book centers on a well known comedy writer also known for her role on The Office as Kelly Kapoor. Before reading this I always thought Mindy Kaling was just a funny actress with minor roles, I now know she is much more than that. Mindy enlightened me with real life experiences about her strict upbringing under immigrant workers, bullying, weight struggles, friendships, her deep love of comedy, and her stress of becoming a writer. Being brought up by Indian immigrant parents had an impeccable impact her; she went to a prestigious College (Dartmouth College). Mindy's experiences of bullying started early on from High school when an exchange student from Senegal suggested she looked like a whale and that she would be prettier if she lost weight. Mindy knew that appearances were only half the battle and where you ended up in life is the true reward. She used her impressive knowledge to out-wit most of her peers. She definitely proved the naysayers wrong.
Mindy's upbringing under immigrant parents is similar if not identical to my upbringing. I could definitely relate to her because her parents came to America looking for opportunity and they worked so hard to assimilate and fit into the ever-changing job market. The standards her parents set for her were pretty high. They wanted her to find a job that would pay well enough to support a family like her parents managed to accomplish. My parents are raising me just the same, I have to match up to higher standards to make my parents proud of their decision move to America. Mindy's childhood has shaped her into this successful woman today and without their strictness, she wouldn't have taken all the risks she has taken and accomplished as many goals as she has.
I have learnt many life lessons from this endearing novel. One life lesson I have learnt is to work extremely hard for anything you pursue in life and never give up on your ultimate goal. Even when critics and fellow actors tried to tell her she didn't belong in the comedy writer field of expertise, she didn't listen, she stepped up her game and worked very hard. She always spoke her mind because she always wanted to stay true to herself and be a real person who speaks reality and truth of society. I also learned to never be shy or feel inferior to people more successful than you. Confidence is key in life and if you try hard and succeed, the confidence will ooze out like natural.
Book: Before I Die
ReplyDeleteAuthor: Jenny Downham
Tessa Scott has been diagnosed with Leukemia. Despite her chemotherapy appointments, Tessa has discovered that her health is diminishing, and her doctors said that she does not have a very long time left to live. Zoey, Tessa’s best friend, helps her come up with a list of things to do before she dies. This list includes some risky behaviors that she thinks is necessary in life. At first, Tessa’s dad is hesitant to let her do some of the points on her list, but later gives in because he wants her to be able to enjoy her time she has left to live. Zoey is very excited and supportive of this outrageous list. Tessa’s parents do not get along and they have very different views on her list. Her mother is really cool and joking about it, while her dad just wants to spend some quality time with her, which he thinks is not too much to ask for. Cal, Tessa’s brother, does not like her that much and would always say ‘I hope you die soon’ to her. Tessa’s main goal on her list is to find true love, which she thinks she has with her neighbor Adam. Adam is out when Tessa wakes up early, and since nobody was home, she goes over to talk to him. They talk about what scares them, Adams mom, and about their feelings for each other. Adams says he likes her, but then ruins it by saying there wouldn't be a point to it. As Tessa decided to continue with the list, she finds number two which is to say 'yes' to everything for one whole day. Because of this she takes Cal to the park, to the fair, buys a big bag of raw meat, says 'I love you' to an old man, jumps into a freezing cold river, and then gets yelled at. She feels alive, but it scares Cal, he doesn't understand her crazy behavior. Since Tessa's dad knows that next on her list is fame he sets it up for her. Tessa is going to be on the radio, being interviewed about her disease. She told them about her list and what all she has done on it. She also tells her dad to stop telling her everything is going to be okay, when it's not. As Tessa, Zoey and Adam are all hanging out she has such a good time. Tessa laughs along with both of them, harder and heartier than she has ever done before. This makes her realize that she has to enjoy the little things in life. After this, Tessa is bed-ridden and slowly starts to lose her senses. She lost her vision first, and could only see colors when people are speaking. She then beings to lose her ability to talk, but she can still hear. As she's dying, her Dad, Adam, Zoey and Cal all go and say their goodbyes. Tessa thinks about all the little things in life, she tries to hold on, but she finally doesn't care and knows it's time for her to go, so she gives in.
One scene in the book that impacted me was the very end. As Tessa is dying on the bed, she does not want to leave her loved ones, so she fights against her pain to stay alive. As everyone comes to tell her their last goodbyes, She looks back at the old memorizes, and realizes how important life is. Even though she could not speak, she tries to let out her emotions by screaming. This part of the book made me very emotional because of the way the author expresses the situation. When Tessa is trying to talk, the other characters can only hear her scream, but the readers know what she is trying to say. Also the authors choice of phrases she uses to express the situation, for example “like a tree losing its leaves, I forget even the thing I was thinking.”(Downham 318) is very emotional and impacted me.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this book, I learnt that life is too short and you should make the most out of what you have. Value what you have and do not expect more. Many people are focused on wanting more, that they don’t appreciate what they already have. In Tessa’s case, she only realized the happy memories she had when she was dying, and felt that she did not appreciate everyone and everything to the fullest. I also learned that before you make a decision, you should think twice about it. Tessa made some poor decision in her life that she regrets, and if she could turn back time, she would have changed them. Tessa was only a teenager when she died of cancer, so we should be thankful that we are all healthy and well today.
Title: The Road
ReplyDeleteAuthor: Cormac McCarthy
The Road is book taking place in a post-apocalyptic United States, following the lives of two survivors, only referred to as "the father" and "the son." Early on in the book, it is shown that civilization as we know it has collapsed, and most life on Earth has perished. After the son's mother commits suicide shortly after the unexplained disaster, the father and his son, who was born after the disaster, embark on a journey to the seaside to avoid the harsh winter.
Hopelessness is an often recurring theme in The Road, from the depiction of a desolate, ash-covered landscape to the writing style, separated and with an emphasis on simplicity, similarly to the stanzas of a poem. The man often reassures his son that they are the good guys, and that they are "carrying the fire" in the face of the many obstacles that hinder their journey. These events range from being attacked by a band of cannibals intent on killing the man and the boy, from having to make a meal out of the measly amounts of supplies they can carry in the shopping cart they bring with them. Seemingly hopeful events often turn around and become another grim reminder of the life they are now forced to live. Upon reaching an untapped bunker stocked with all sorts of food, the son tastes his first soda, reminding his father of how far away the past seems to be. We are reminded how blessed we are to live in a society where we have running water, abundant food, and a warm bed. Even with the rare success, there is still the constant reminder of finality as the man is slowly dying, becoming more and more sick as they get closer and closer to their destination. At it's core, The Road is not supposed to be an action-packed adventure in post-apocalyptic wastelands. They have virtually no way of defending themselves, only having a revolver and two bullets, which the father tells his son only to use if he is to fall to cannibals. The Road is a bleak tale of what a father will do for his son.
However, even with the desolate representation of life in The Road, one of the main ideas I got out of the book was that there is always hope in life, even when all is truly lost. The father knew this, that the only hope he had was that his son would survive, and he died knowing that he had done all he could do to make that happen. A few days after the death of his father, the boy is found by a family. This new man claims that he is also a "good guy", and that his family is "carrying the flame" as well. The book ends with the boy leaving with his new family, giving hope for a future. This, I believe, represents the core idea of the book. There will always be "good guys", and with them, there will always be hope for a better future, if not for you, for those you care about.
Into Thin Air
ReplyDeleteBy Jon Krakauer
This book is the true story of an ascent of Mt. Everest which became the most deadly season of climbing in Everest history. The story begins before the author reaches the mountain and ends with his reflection on what happened months after the story took place. The author describes all of the difficulties he faces while climbing the tallest mountain on earth such as oxygen deprivation, lack of sleep, and altitude sickness. He also tells of the mistakes made by leaders of the expedition that caused the deaths of so many of his fellow climbers. He goes into great detail about the events of that day through his own personal memories and the reports of others who were atop the mountain. The story goes beyond recounting the facts and talks about the emotions of sadness and guilt that he felt since he survived when so may others did not.
The deaths of the people written about in this book were very upsetting to me. The author makes you feel attached to them like any good author does with characters, but these were real people. Obviously the death of any character in a book is upsetting, but these were real people with real families and friends and the fact that they died doing something that they loved, and that their deaths were caused by someone else's bad decision broke my heart. The failure of others caused these innocent people to die and so many more people were affected, not just those who died, but their loved ones as well. This thought terrifies me because so often in life you put decisions and actions in other peoples hands and if they fail it can be detrimental to you as well.
Into Thin Air taught me that the world can be a dangerous place if you aren't careful. People often find themselves in situations where there is no one to help them or where they are unable to help others. This book is a great example of this. When certain climbers needed help, others knew that it could cost them their life to save them. Obviously it was a hard decision to leave these people behind, but sometimes it is better to fend for yourself. This can be true in less dramatic situations in every day life. There are times when you have to put yourself first but there are also times when you need to stop and help others. This book is a great example of how a team works and what can happen when one or a few members of the team fail. In this case, the team failed to work together and it cost a lot of people very dearly. Teamwork is a skill that every person has to learn and it is vital to living in today's world. You are almost never working completely alone and you have to know when it is important to put the team before yourself as an individual.
Queen of Kentucky
ReplyDeleteBy Alecia Whitaker
Queen of Kentucky is about 14 year old Ricki Jo Winstead, a small town country girl who is ready to change herself for the sake of being popular. As she enters her freshman year of high school Ricky Jo decides she wants to be called “Erika”, she wants cooler clothes and she picks up her Seventeen magazine instead of her bible every night. “Ericka” ditches her old friends, and her best friend Luke, for new ones and because of those new friends, she finds herself in some sticky situations. Despite her interest in the newspaper club she joins cheer leading. Ricki Jo doesn’t realize that having a true friend is more important than popularity until she almost loses him forever.
The relationship between Riki Jo and Luke had a big impact on me; I think this is because a major theme in this novel is friendship, something anyone can relate to. It made me realize the importance of knowing the difference between a true friend and a fake friend. Throughout the novel, Luke is trying to show Ricki how she has changed for the worst. She sacrifices the things she loves in order to fit in, cheats on homework, and participates in reckless behavior because of her new friends. All the while, Luke is looking out for her despite the instability in his own life. Riki knows that Lukes father was an alcoholic and that the whole time she should have been there for him and told someone else before it put Luke in the hospital.
This novel taught me that schools everywhere are all similar, because all schools have their clicks and drama. I think it’s safe to say that Niskayuna is no exception to this either. As a student who sees people make mistakes and try almost too hard to fit in then reads about it in a novel written by someone who went to a small school in Kentucky, I find it amazing how they can be so similar. I also thought of the movie The Breakfast Club while I was reading this, and yet again realized that even though that movie takes place in the 80’s and things were so different back then, but at the same time the root of every teenagers problems are the same. It doesn’t matter what time period it is or where you are, teenagers everywhere strive to fit in and will go to extreme measurements to do so.
ReplyDeleteTitle: Dogtripping
Author: David Rosenfelt
Plot Summary: David Rosenfelt moves from Southern California to Maine with twenty five dogs in tow. There are stories throughout the book of how he acquired these rescue dogs throughout the years, and how he manages to get them across in RV’s with much needed help from friends/volunteers. It’s a heartfelt story of the road trip of a lifetime and how the authors “family” came to be.
Impact: Being an animal lover, my Mom recommended this book (one of her colleagues had read it). I didn’t know it would be as saddening yet completely upbeat as it was. I was truly moved by the author’s devotion to rescuing animals and he impacted me greatly. I have since decided to try volunteering at an animal shelter. I hope to also be as good a person as he, and to not only care but take action when it comes to anything you love.
Discover: I discovered that the world is filled with many, many heartless people. This fact is true and expressed throughout the book in good detail which of course is a sad thing to think/read about especially when the book depicts real people. However, there are always good hearted people out there like the author and the volunteers in the book who seem to almost make up for that and help ease the hurt these people can cause.
Across the Universe
ReplyDeleteBy Beth Revis.
17- year old Amy Martin chooses to be cryogenically frozen aboard the ship Godspeed for 300 years along with her parents in the hopes of colonizing a new found planet. But Amy is suddenly awakened from her icy slumber and almost drowns within her frozen tank. She learns that she was the only one woken up, 50 years ahead of the planned arrival time on the planet. Amy encounters the inhabitants of Godspeed who were originally placed upon the ship to make certain it continued to function properly. The society upon the ship is completely different than the one she left back on earth; Godspeed is run by a tyrant-like leader called Eldest. Amy befriends the future leader of the ship, Elder, and a mad artist, Harley. The other individuals frozen since leaving earth are gradually being slaughtered one by one, most likely by the being that tried to kill Amy. Amy, with the help of Elder, must find out who is killing the frozens before Amy’s parents are the next victims, while uncovering the secrets within Godspeed.
A scene in the novel that emotionally impacted me was Harley’s suicide. Harley was an artist and a close friend to Elder and Amy. After the suicidal drowning of his girlfriend, Kayleigh, he was never the same. When Eldest, the leader of Godspeed, announced that they would land on the planet in 75 years, instead of 50 years, the news was devastating to Harley because he thought he would never see the planet that was to be his home. Elder goes down to the lower level of the ship to find Harley and he sees him in the space hatch about to be launched out into space. Elder pleads with Harley to not throw his life away but he does it anyway in an attempt to be free and is sucked into space. I was very saddened about losing Harley, my favorite character in the book and how he just threw his life away but I realized that Harley was in a deep stage of depression. Learning that he would never live to see the home he was promised was the last straw.
The book gave me a new perspective on what it would be like to be confined to a small living space, unable to escape. Knowing that you were born in this closed space and condemned to never leave it until your last breath, for me at least it would be very difficult to endure. It made me thankful that we aren’t restricted to one location and that we can experience the outside world.
The Twelve
ReplyDeleteJustin Cronin
This book is the third in a trilogy that has yet to be completed that is all about a scientific experiment gone wrong. In the first book, the U.S. military is trying to utilize a virus to create a super-soldier, using death-row inmates as guinea pigs. In the beginning the virus is very unstable, giving too much power to its host. Combined with the killer nature of the inmates, those infected are murderous and bloodthirsty. The virus also gives strange telepathic powers to those infected, allowing them to control others from a distance. The convict infected with the most unstable version of the virus takes control of one of the janitors who works in the facilities and makes the janitor free all 12 infected inmates. The infected inmates pass on the virus to 1/10 people in all of North and South America, turning them into similar (although not as powerful) vampire like creatures whose memories have been taken from them telepathically by the original Twelve. Having no memories, these virals join the Twelve in the mass destruction of civilization in the Americas. This book follows the story of a variety of characters in two different times. One part of the story follows groups of survivors in Colorado just after the breakout, and then moves to the future where characters from the previous book are staying at a military colony in Texas. In the first part of the story that follows the group of survivors after the breakout, The U.S. government sets up a “safe point” for all survivors. What the survivors don’t know is that they are merely bait for the infected “virals.” The government plans on drawing as many of the virals towards the safe point and then detonating a nuclear bomb in an effort to kill those infected and stop the virus from spreading. 4 survivors, a bus driver, a boy with his step-sister, a veteran sniper, and various other briefly mentioned survivors arrive at the safe point after a difficult and disturbing journey through a war-torn Colorado, driving through areas that the virals have literally massacred.
When the four survivors get to the safe zone, only to find out that they will, without a doubt die unless they make it onto the last bus, I felt almost sick. To have seen the people they were change into the characters they become, it was slightly disturbing to find out that it was all for nothing. Actually, the bus driver and the step-sister get onto the bus, so their journey wasn’t exactly purposeless, but it was still saddening that the sniper and the younger brother don’t make it onto the bus. What was even worse was that the younger brother got lost in the crowd at the safe zone, thus forcing the veteran to search for him. The veteran could have gotten on the bus and lived, but instead died, along with the boy, when the bomb was dropped on the virals. I’ve always been interested in apocalyptic settings, a setting which has recently come into many different forms of media; TV, books, videogames. The question is, of course, whether people would divide harshly or come together. The fact that the veteran dies trying to help another random person when he could have just saved himself was especially gut-wrenching.
I discovered something about people from this book. It is that people will go to the extreme in extreme situations. However, the extreme is not always terrible. Using the passage I mentioned above, the veteran goes to the extreme to save a boy he practically knows will be impossible to save. He goes to the extreme to save some random kid who got lost. So overcome by emotions, adrenaline and fear, he gives up his life for nothing. The government killing its own citizens at an attempt to overcome an extreme event. These are both extreme actions brought on by extreme events, but are both two very different types of extreme. I also discovered that it is always the good versus the bad in human beings. The extreme situation merely brings one of those two traits out.
"Gone" by Michael Grant
ReplyDelete"Gone" is a story about a fourteen year old boy, Sam Temple, who finds himself quickly immersed in a terrifying new world in the blink of an eye. One day at school, every single adult vanished in one quick moment. This left every infant, child and teenager below the age of fifteen alone in a new environment. At first the kids took advantage of their freedom. They raided stores, taking candy and running freely throughout the town. In a couple of days, people started to realize the adults weren’t coming back. Terror started to sink in, as babies and toddlers were left alone without any guidance. Bullies started to take over the town, and the older kids were forced to take care of the young. There still weren’t any sort of rules set up, and there was much to take care of. Sam and his friends decided to find the reason for the vanishing of the adults, and they ended up with the idea that it was from a power plant near the town. If that wasn’t enough, there was a dome-shaped barrier cutting the town of Perdido Beach off from the rest of the world. No one could get out, and no one could get in. Even worse, animals, and some of the children were mutating, getting various talents that were inhumanly possible. Sam, who also had one of these talents, was elected leader, and was chosen to make rules and keep the town safe.
I was genuinely surprised by what happened in the book, because before reading it, I didn’t think the situation would get as bad as it did. Of course, the author added in the inhuman talents for more suspense, but even without that, there were bullies using violence to gain power, resulting in many children getting seriously hurt, and even killed. “Gone” reminds me of the book “Lord of the Flies” because they both deal with children surviving on their own. In “Gone,” there was a constant power struggle between two of the schools in the town, and things quickly turned sour once weapons were found. Kids were finding baseball bats, kitchen knives, and even guns to protect themselves and gain power. I was surprised to see how quickly fear can creep into your mind and drive you to go to such extremes in order to keep yourself alive and on top. At the same time, I felt like if that happened in real life, some of the same things would happen, because once the rules and enforcement disappear, so does logical thinking. Everything would turn to chaos, and most people would only be thinking about their own personal safety instead of forming a group and planning together.
I discovered how important rules and enforcement are, and also how important it is to use logical thinking in any situation. Even though this couldn’t happen in real life, it has still led me to thinking about how well I would survive if it did. I also realized how important it is to enforce rules, because rules don’t matter without any enforcement.
Title: The Host
ReplyDeleteAuthor: Stephenie Meyer
The book The Host is about an alien species that is invading the human race and Wanderer, the soul placed in a host body had discovered that the body's original soul, Melanie Stryder has refused to fade away. Melanie teaches Wanderer love by filling her mind with memories of her little brother Jamie and her love Jared. It is Wanderer's job to used Melanie's memories to help the aliens find the few remaining humans so they can be captured. Melanie persuades Wanderer to go on a journey to find Melanie's family but to live among them and not to reveal their location. Wanderer and Melanie constantly have conflicts over deciding what to do because although it is Wanderer's job to help capture the humans, it is Melanie's will to protect her family. Wanderer and Melanie discover where the humans have been hiding and Wanderer has been convinced to keep their location a secret. Wanderer also finds love and decides to be put into a new body so that Melanie can be with Jared and she can live her own life.
After reading this book, I felt relieved that Melanie and her family survived. I grew attached to Melanie's character because she represented humans and the love she had for her family allowed her to overcome the obstacle of Wanderer who was fighting against her in the beginning. The lesson I learned in this book was that human morals and true determination is so powerful. After Wanderer had more insight on the emotions, specifically love, that humans have for each other she no longer wanted to destroy them but she wanted them to survive. Melanie stopped at nothing to protect her family that she loved and because of her determination she succeeded. It shows how special humans are and how important it is to have morals.
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ReplyDeleteTitle: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters
ReplyDeleteAuthor: Rick Riordan
This summer I re-read the second book of the Percy Jackson series. Percy was just a normal 6th grader until one day changed his life. As most people have read this series you may already know that on this day Percy found out that he is, in fact, the son of a Greek God and therefore he is a demi-god or half-blood. In order to be safe from the monsters that hunt down demi-gods, Percy along with many other heroes stay at Camp Half-Blood during the summertime. In the second book of the series Percy just finished his seventh grade year of school and went back to Camp Half-Blood for his second summer there. That summer Percy’s best friend Grover, who is a Satyr, goes on a quest to find Pan. Percy later finds out that Grover has been taken Captive by the Cyclops Polyphemus and is in grave danger. Also, Thalia’s tree was poisoned and so the wall protecting the camp from monsters is getting weaker and weaker. So Percy, his friend Annabeth and his half-brother Tyson go to save Grover and plan to retrieve the Golden Fleece from Polyphemus in order to save Camp Half-Blood. On this quest Percy and his friend have to travel though the Sea of Monsters and encounter many dangerous creatures and experience countless potentially fatal events. In the end they save Grover and get the fleece to save Camp Half-Blood.
This book, specifically Percy’s and Grover’s relationship, had an impact on me. It opened my eyes to what friendship really is. Grover and Percy had been friends since before Percy even knew he was a half-blood and the summer prior this this one, they had been through a lot together. The lengths that Percy went to in order to save Grover were tremendous. He fought sea monsters, passed through the island of Sirens, and even had to fight a full grown Cyclops just for Grover.
This book made me think of my friends, what I would do for them and what they would do for me. Through this book I discovered how great a friendship can be and it made me realize how lucky I am to have friends like I do. Above all this book teaches you what a real friend is and how to look at the world and see all the great relationships in it.
Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson
ReplyDeleteEver since I was a young kid, I have always been fascinated by the stunning products that Apple has been able to produce. From the Apple I, to the brand new iPhone 5S, Apple has consistently been able to produce products which were years, if not decades, ahead of their time. Throughout this biography, Isaacson does the perfect job in describing the many events that would lead Jobs to create the products that we know and love today.
There were many different reasons why it was Steve Jobs, who became the person that would build “the most valuable company in the world.” Among all the characteristics that Jobs had however, the most important one to his success was his persuasive ability. It seemed that Jobs had the capability to convince anyone to agree with him. For example, Jobs could suggest a completely preposterous idea to his team, but then convey and deliver it in such a way so that they too would begin to support it. However, once Jobs left, and left the team alone to think about it, they suddenly came to reality and thought: “What the hell was he thinking about?” Jobs was also able to do this with people; he could persuade almost anybody to join the Apple team. In 1987, when Jobs was trying to get John Sculley, founder of Pepsi Co., to accept the position as CEO of Apple, Sculley was dubious. When Sculley was explained to Jobs why he was hesitant about joining, Jobs countered back: “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water or do you want a chance to change the world?” Jobs then left Sculley to contemplate it, and without a doubt, Jobs received a call from Sculley the next day, saying that he would accept.
In addition to this, there was another aspect of Jobs’ personality that would allow him to create Apple: his desire for perfection and to give the world a product they’ve never seen before. When Jobs was still a kid, his father told him: “Whatever [you] do should always be perfect, even the smallest details.” Throughout his lifetime, Jobs followed his father's advice and paid attention to even the slightest and most minuscule details, asking himself questions such as “How many micrometers (yes, micro) should the length of the software chip be, or “What font should the advertisement for the iPhone 4S be in.” Even outside of the company, Jobs would be demanding; he complained that the lighting in a restaurant was “too dark” or that the piano was “misplaced.” However, even though Jobs could be extreme at some points, the result of this perfectionism was clearly visible in the products that Apple produced.
After reading this book, I have developed a new perspective on what it takes to become successful and change the world. Previously, I have always thought that if you merely try to do something that is “better than average,” then you would be able to be successful in life. However, in order to make a big difference, you must always strive for perfection. Another important thing that I learned when I read this book is the fact that you should always try to do or learn something that is new. In his Stamford Address, Jobs reflected back to a year in college when he saw a calligraphy class (not a required class) that really interested him, and decided to take it "just for fun." Who would’ve known that it would be that class that would teach Jobs all he knew about different typefaces and fonts. The lesson: you should always try new things.
"Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom
ReplyDeleteOver the summer I read the memoir "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom where the author recalls his last months with his college professor. This book is narrated by Mitch Albom where, after getting caught up in his career and life, he completely forgot about his old college professor, Morrie. This all changed when he saw Morrie discussing life, death and his suffering from the fatal ALS illness on the first of an eventual three part series of interviews on "Nightline". ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease kills the person slowly until their body is withered and only the mind is left untouched. Upon hearing of his imposing death, Mitch darts off to Massachusetts to visit Morrie. They reconnected and decide that Albom will visit every Tuesday, just as they did when he was in college. At these visits, Morrie tells Mitch his views on life, death, and everything in between. They turned these visits in lessons on how to live. There was a variety of topics, including love, family, marriage, fear, regrets, aging and more.
The scene that really touched me was when Morrie passed away. You knew that he was going to die the whole time yet it was still very sad after everything. Morrie went into a coma a few days after Mitch and him had their last class together, where Morrie could to little more than squeeze his old friend's hand, say how much he loves him and wishes Mitch could be his 3rd son. During the coma Morrie wife and sons stayed by his side but when they all left the room for a moment to grab coffee, Morrie passed away. Mitch believed that Morrie did this purposefully so nobody would see him die.
Morrie Schwartz has made a very big impact on my take of life and death. "The thing is, once you learn how to die, you learn to live" (Albom, 82) I believe this means that once you accept that you will die, you can really start to enjoy being alive. He viewed death as a natural part of life, something you shouldn't be afraid of even though everybody is. Instead of being angry at the world for his disease, Morrie accepts death and decides live it as best he can, while making a lesson out of it for all of his loved ones. This lesson, and all of his other ones have affected my view on life.
A Corner Of The Universe by Ann. M Martin
ReplyDeleteThis book was rediscovered in my basement over the summer and I decided to give it a read after having read it many times in 6th grade. The story revolves around a 12 year old protagonist and her mentally disabled uncle. Hattie lives in a quiet town where she is pressured to live under her grandmother's rules. Hattie has to shape herself to fit into the character template her insensitive grandmother has provided for her. She constantly struggles with her grandmother and wants to live as her heart desires. As summer passes along, Hattie receives the news that an uncle she's never heard of is coming to live with them as he got dismissed from his school. Hattie has never heard of Adam and is eager to meet him. Adam's arrival is a surprise for Hattie as she realizes why he was kept a secret, Adam is mentally disabled and very childlike despite being 21 years old. She starts spending time with Adam and realizes that behind what people as a "freak" is passionate, curious and very clever mind. Hattie experiences many great along with Adam and believes he is just like her, an "outcast". As Adam's life is briefly described in the book, it is also told that he falls in love with a girl named Angel Valentine who is staying at their boardinghouse. Angel doesn't take in consideration as she sees Adam as nothing but a child. Adam finds Angel with her boyfriend as he is about to go confess his love for her. He is devastated and commits suicide by hanging himself in the shed. Hattie speaks at his funeral telling everyone that Adam was not a "freak.
I am glad I found this book again as a 6th grade me didn't think of it as anything but a reading assignment. What I missed the first time I read this book is the way the author conveys the message of identity and perception. Adam and Hattie were both perceived to be what their environment and company was indoctrinating them to be. Adam tells Hattie to "lift the corners of our universe." I along with Hattie didn't fully comprehend that message. "It's all about changing what's handed to you, about poking around a little, lifting the corners, seeing what's underneath, poking that. Sometimes things work out, sometimes they don't, but at least you're exploring.And life is always more interesting that way."(pg.189) At that point in my life I wouldn't have thought much of this perspicacious message. I finally realized how the author is portraying and in a way influencing the reader to accept individuality and to look beneath the surface as there is always something more compelling underneath, and in this case, a different person that the world doesn't see.
Earlier this summer I read the Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Fredrick Engel, mostly for the historical and political significance of the book. It describes the goals of the communist party and a persuasive argument for the formation of the communist regimes. The book tells of how the bourgeoisie helps create the nations of the world by building the foundation for every country. It says that the oppression delivered by the reigning bourgeoisie is essential for the foundation of the country, but once the basis for a strong nation is there, the bourgeoisie should step down and let an era of peace and equality, that focuses on the proletariat gaining privileges, rights, and social, national, and financial security, rise.
ReplyDeleteUp until I read this book I only had a brief idea what communism meant, but I knew of the great impact it had on the world. I never understood why millions of people would follow Marx, Lenin, or Stalin with what seemed like a naturally oppressive movement. However, once I read the book, I was prepared to follow this man to the ends of the earth. Everything in the book seemed to click and make sense. Everything in the book was compatible with my left-wing liberal ideology and without knowing that the idea of an incorruptible communist government doesn't exist and without my love for my own personal property, I would have declared myself a communist then and there. His ideas seemed sound and reasonable. Abolition of child labor, increase of women's rights, better conditions for the proletariat, distribution of wealth and property, and the destruction of a rich king-like regime all seemed like incredibly good ideas.
Communism doesn't work, we all know that, but his persuasiveness forced me to marvel and understand what would drive millions of people to become members of the communist party. However, even Marx was against the outcome of his masterpiece. The rebellions leading to the formation of the Soviet Union weren't what he set out to create. They weren't representative of an era of piece and equality, but of bloodshed and ambition. He even said "If this is Marxism, then I am not a Marxist." His book made me think about our own society and how it could change. People have already begun to rally, with Occupy wall-street being a prominent example. While reading this I was in awe at his persuasiveness and his ability to rally the population and I understood why this book became an essential part in this world's history.
The Last Guardian
ReplyDeleteBy: Eoin Colfer
This is the final book in a series of 8 fantasy/sci-fi books titled “Artemis Fowl.” The main character in this series is a 15-year-old criminal mastermind from an old, rich Irish family, who in book 1 decides to kidnap and ransom a “fairy” to save his dying empire. The fairies in question are a high-tech race with many sub-species (including dwarves, elves, pixies, trolls, centaurs and others) who were driven underground by the humans thousands of years ago. The fairy he kidnaps is an elf named Holly Short who works for the LEPrecon (a section of the Lower Elements Police) and as the series progresses, and they share adventures, they slowly (yet grudgingly) become friends. In the final book, their nemesis Opal Koboi has killed her past self (who came from the past in the 6th book) to make herself a being with incredible magical power (there is a lot of science/explanation behind this which I will not get into). She uses this power to resurrect an army of ancient fairy warriors buried on the site of Artemis Fowl’s manor hoping to exact revenge on Artemis and his friends for imprisoning her (in the 4th book). The warriors’ souls inhabit the surrounding living creatures, which include Artemis’s twin brothers, his bodyguard’s sister, and various animals, all of whom are controlled by Opal. She was able to resurrect them using a gate with two locks: the first which resurrected the warriors, and the second which would bring an armageddon to the human race. Using a clone of Opal (which she herself made in the 4th book to aid her escape from a mental institute) Artemis and his friends are able to close the gate, preventing an armageddon and allowing the fairies surrounding the gate to enter the afterlife (including the warriors and Opal Koboi). However, Artemis also dies, as he had a fairy eye (he swapped an eye with Holly in the sixth book). But, since Artemis was still mostly human, his soul remains at the site of his death and doesn’t pass on, so using his DNA his friends create a clone of him, which his soul then inhabits. However, his soul has suffered extreme memory loss so in the return home, Holly begins to tell him what he has forgotten, starting with the first few lines of the very first book. “It all started in Ho Chi Minh City in summer…”
The ending of this book actually made me a bit nostalgic, because to have the ending tie back to the beginning brought back memories for me of reading and re-reading this series and cracking up again and again at the jokes even though I had read them numerous times. Also, to make Artemis Fowl fight against his two baby brothers, and to have his bodyguard battle his own sister seemed like more of a psychological fight than a physical one, and was not at all what the author has done in the past books. Another thing, having Artemis Fowl die was a surprising thing, which I didn’t expect at all. The author made us believe that Holly Short had died in the fifth book, but since this was the final book and the author has killed off other important characters, I wasn’t sure if he would end the series by killing Artemis Fowl, so I was on the edge of my seat for the last chapter. Mostly though, the ending just made me happy, as it ended with Artemis being surrounded by those he loves when he comes back to life, and to have them tell him about their adventures and all the good times they had.
ReplyDeleteI discovered that these books were a key and essential part of my childhood. Starting in elementary school, I began to read the series at the behest of my older sister and fell in love with the characters and the humor. I read all the books that were out at that time, and through middle school and last year, there was always a continuous excitement for the next addition to series. First for my sister to have gone off to college, and then for the series to have ended, really drives home that this era of my life is over and my childhood is coming to an end. My sister would always talk about how for her, having the Harry Potter books and movie series end was crushing since waiting and being excited about the next Harry Potter book or movie coming out was an essential part of her childhood and I feel the same way about Artemis Fowl. Although I will never again feel that same anticipation and excitement of another Artemis Fowl book coming out, I am also happy that it was a part of my life, because some of the way I speak and think has definitely been influenced by my favorite characters from these books. I really do pity and envy those who will come after me, (including my children) as they will never have that feeling of waiting for months or years to know what happens next. There was a definite feeling of closure that I experienced, which was amplified by the fact that the last sentence was the same as the first few sentences of the whole series. Now that it’s over, I’m not sure what else to do except wait for the movie (which I’ll most likely hate on anyway, because it won’t be perfectly faithful to the book).
“Witch and Wizard: The Fire,” by James Patterson, is an exciting tale of two siblings who must overcome everything imaginable to restore order in the world. The story begins in a bombed-out city where half of the population is dieing from the deadly Blood Plague. Whit, gifted with the power of healing, is trying to save his sister, Wisty, gifted with the power of fire and electricity, from the Blood Plague. They are trying to defeat The One, a twisted, evil dictator, and his New Order, which is trying to hunt down and kill Whit and Wisty. After a few close encounters with some New Order goons, Wisty recovers and the siblings go to Mrs. H to seek advice on how to stop The One. Mrs. H tells Wisty that she must go to the New Order’s headquarters and deal with The One herself, while she tells Whit he must go to the Shadowland to find his parents, who were supposedly murdered by The One. Wisty confronts The One and temporarily paralyzes him with her magic. Thinking she killed him, she goes back to the Shadowland to find her brother. Whit, narrowly escaping death by the Undead, finds some of his long lost friends and ventures onward until he finds his parents at the edge of a river, where he learns they are unable to cross over to the afterlife because of The One. Wisty catches up to her brother, just in time for The One to magically appear and cause chaos. In a series of epic battles, The One is defeated at the hands of Whit and Wisty, and true order is restored in the world.
ReplyDeleteThe character Whit impacted me throughout the novel. The imagery was so amazing that I could really feel every joyous and painful moment in the novel. This helped me to walk in Whit’s shoes and experience the story as he did. Whit had to go through countless battles and fight through numerous obstacles. He was knocked off his feet on so many occasions, but he always found the strength to stand up again. When his opponent thought he was defeated, Whit would spring up and deliver the decisive blow. His determination deeply impressed me, and it reminded me of how important it is to have a strong will. He demonstrated that if you never give up, you will find a way to succeed, which really stuck with me after reading the novel. When I come across a challenging situation that I can't seem to overcome, I keep on trying instead of giving up, something I might not do had I not read this novel. This novel gives me inspiration to do things I never imagined I could do, and its lessons will most definitely stick with me my entire life.
Title: Slaughterhouse-Five
ReplyDeleteAuthor: Kurt Vonnegut
This summer, I read the book Slaughterhouse-Five, also known as The Children’s Crusade, by Kurt Vonnegut. The book opens with the narrator, a former WWII soldier, planning to write a book about his war experiences. However, the protagonist of the story is Billy Pilgrim, who was drafted at a young age into the army. While in the army he is clueless and naive, and he ends up captured by the Germans as a prisoner of war. While he is a POW, he is forced to do labor work, and he lives in an abandoned slaughterhouse. The slaughterhouse saves Billy’s life during the Dresden bombing, and Billy survives the end of the war. He eventually goes back to America, gets a job, and gets married. After the war, he is hospitalized, meets other war veterans, and is kidnapped by aliens, who teach him about time, or so Billy claims. Later in life, after a plane crash, Billy tells people about his abduction and the things he learned from the aliens, and is assassinated while giving a speech about his alien abduction. Throughout the story, Billy time-travels to different parts of his life, and as a result, the story is told in in fragmented sections.
I really liked the way the story was written, and Billy’s time traveling meant that I never knew what part of his life I would hear about next. Going from the middle of the war in one chapter to an alien planet in another kept me interested in the story. One perspective that really stood out to me was the way Billy viewed war and time. During the war, Billy refused to kill anyone, and despite his commander’s orders, he did not shoot the enemy. Another odd war perception he had was when Billy was being shot at, he did not move, because he thought that giving the enemy a second chance to shoot him was only fair. Billy was also convinced that the information about time given to him by the aliens, called the Tralfamadorians, was correct, and would not listen to people (humans) who tried to help him. Billy also believed that everything happened at the same time, and that death was not permanent, but just another event that one would live through multiple times.
His colleagues and even his daughter considered Billy crazy, and his daughter tried to stop Billy from talking about his alien abductions on the radio. It was interesting to see how Billy coped with the war, both during and afterwards, with his ideals. I personally found it strange that Billy was able to remain mild-mannered, even when other people were trying to restrain him and tell him he was wrong. It made me realize that if I have a different perspective of something, it’s important to stick with what I believe is true, no matter what other people say. In our world, people conform to fit into social molds, and do not like breaking the status quo. People like Billy are labeled “crazy” , and are dismissed as radical thinkers. I learned from this that if I believe in something, I should not let others deter me from my beliefs.
Noah Daviero
ReplyDeleteOver the summer I read the book Charlie Wilson’s war by George Crile. The book Charlie Wilson’s war is about the Cold war and how we basically won it against Russia in Afghanistan. The book is about two people, Charlie Wilson, a Senator from Texas, and Gust Avrakatos, a CIA agent from Pennsylvania. The two people teamed up to help the Afghanistan freedom fighters regain their homeland from the Soviet Union. Charlie Wilson used his power in Congress to gain hundreds of millions of dollars for the war, and Gust distributes the money with the help of a genius co-worker to destroy a large part of the soviet army and eventually win the war.
In the book, the character Gust Avrakatos had an impact on me because of his story. He was born in the mining town of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, which was a town that housed lots of immigrants of all nationalities. All of these people, including Gust’s father, worked in the steel factory. Gust grew up with his father working hard and he worked hard so that he could get out of the town of Aliquippa and into a better place. This determination made an impact on me because I realized how good people in Niskayuna have it compared to a person like that.
Some things in this book that I learned and discovered that I never knew before was that we (the United States) fought a secret war in Afghanistan supporting the Afghans. Also, I learned that this was how we won the Cold War, because it depleted the Soviets army. Another thing was that in a way, we equipped the Afghans with weapons that they eventually used against us as terrorist activities.