A Brief History of the Dead
Reviewed by Chung-Yi Chang
What I am reading now is a book called A Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier. When I first saw the book cover, which pictures an invincible man wearing a long black coat with only his hands visible, it truly intrigued me. Although I bought this book before summer began, I haven’t had a chance to read it until now but so far, it has been a page turner for me. I am about two thirds through the book, which has about two-fifty pages.
Let me give you a brief history of A Brief History of the Dead. In the book, between life and death, there is a middle ground where people live called “The City”. The dead live in The City, and they can live there as long as someone alive on earth still remembers them. No one knows how big The City is because no one has seen the edge of it. Also, no one knows where they go after those alive have completely forgotten them. In The City, there are always people arriving each day and The City's only newspaper, run by Luka Sims, brings news from the other side to those living in the afterlife. Recent arrivals tell of a virus call “the blinks” which is sweeping through Asia, and suddenly, The City is quickly overrun by new residents who quickly disappear as all of those who remember them being to die, too.
As the population of the city dramatically declines, a few people remaining, including Luka Sims, find out that they all share a connection - they have all been kept alive in The City because they are all remembered by a woman named Laura Byrd, who is trapped on an Antarctica research station with her supplies running low. Brockmeier fuses two story of the dead and the live beautifully into a romantic novel.
The book also mentions a very interesting point which is how many people could you remember, if you sat down and tried to make a list? We're not just talking about folks you know well, but anyone whose face you can conjure up—your mail carrier, that girl at the coffee shop, an old teacher. One character in the book, Pucket, tries to do just that and comes up with an estimated number around fifty-thousand.
So far it has been a thrilling book, if you like mystery and the struggle between life and death, then A Brief History of the Dead is must read for you in your spare time!
Friday, December 14, 2007
The Bar Code Tattoo
The Bar Code Tattoo
Reviewed by Kelly Wang
I recently finished a book that left me in deep thought. It is titled The Bar Code Tattoo.
The story begins with a girl named Kayla who is having a meeting with her guidance counselor. It is in the future and times have certainly changed and technology is far more advanced. Everyone now has an imprint on their arm... of a bar code. The purpose of the bar code, or so they say, is so people no longer need to carry cash or any form of ID. Also, the bar code is supposed to come in handy when people are rushed to the hospital because all of their medical records would be known immediately.
As Kayla and her counselor discuss her issue about the art college she wants to attend, she can't help but notice the tattoo on his arm. She leaves feeling awfully depressed because she has no chance of getting into the college of her choice because she is bad with computers. After this scene, strange things begin to happen to her family - this is right after her father and mother get their bar code tattoos. Her father gets laid off and her parents start to fight constantly.
One day, Kayla joins a group that is against bar code tattoos. From the other group members, she learns that strange things keep happening to people who have bar code tattoos. Some people from far off countries have been known to try anything to have the tattoos removed. When Kayla returns home from the meeting, she sees her father being loaded into an ambulance. Her mother tells her it was the tattoo that did it, that her father has committed suicide!
In the end, Kayla finds out everything about the power of the tattoo and that information ranges from advanced knowledge of diseases to the fact that the tattoo basically controls everyone who has it! I won't spoil anymore, but I really recommend this book, particularly because it contains, sci-fi, suspense, horror, and even a bit of romance.
Reviewed by Kelly Wang
I recently finished a book that left me in deep thought. It is titled The Bar Code Tattoo.
The story begins with a girl named Kayla who is having a meeting with her guidance counselor. It is in the future and times have certainly changed and technology is far more advanced. Everyone now has an imprint on their arm... of a bar code. The purpose of the bar code, or so they say, is so people no longer need to carry cash or any form of ID. Also, the bar code is supposed to come in handy when people are rushed to the hospital because all of their medical records would be known immediately.
As Kayla and her counselor discuss her issue about the art college she wants to attend, she can't help but notice the tattoo on his arm. She leaves feeling awfully depressed because she has no chance of getting into the college of her choice because she is bad with computers. After this scene, strange things begin to happen to her family - this is right after her father and mother get their bar code tattoos. Her father gets laid off and her parents start to fight constantly.
One day, Kayla joins a group that is against bar code tattoos. From the other group members, she learns that strange things keep happening to people who have bar code tattoos. Some people from far off countries have been known to try anything to have the tattoos removed. When Kayla returns home from the meeting, she sees her father being loaded into an ambulance. Her mother tells her it was the tattoo that did it, that her father has committed suicide!
In the end, Kayla finds out everything about the power of the tattoo and that information ranges from advanced knowledge of diseases to the fact that the tattoo basically controls everyone who has it! I won't spoil anymore, but I really recommend this book, particularly because it contains, sci-fi, suspense, horror, and even a bit of romance.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Ruth, John and Julii
I haven't had a favorite author since I was about nine years old. Back then, it was a writer named Ruth Chew.
Chew wrote books about kids and modern day witches and most of them were set in Brooklyn. I loved Ruth Chew and spent most of my free time reading and re-reading her books. When I wasn't reading her books, I was writing her letters and waiting for her replies and she did reply - with letters written on an old school type writer that concluded with an original hand drawn witch doodled at the bottom.
I loved her books so much that I wrote her often... that is, until she wrote back one last time saying that while she enjoyed my letters, they were keeping her so busy that she didn't have time to write back to any other girls or boys. Heartbroken, I vowed to never again declare a favorite author.
And for a quarter of a century, I didn't.
That changed two days ago when I finished The World According to Garp and made a decision to officially name John Irving my favorite writer. Years ago, while on a trip salmon fishing in upstate New York, I read his bestseller A Widow for One Year and fell in love with it. A decade later, I revisited Irving after Mr. Pellicane told me about one of Irving's bizarre novels, The Hotel New Hampshire. I took his advice and read it that summer and agreed it was bizarre and a bit twisted but interesting and attention grabbing nonetheless.
The Hotel New Hampshire lead me to check out his semi-autobiographical novel Until I find You and WOW! I absolutely fell in love with that book - it had everything in it that I find fascinating: Scotland, tattooing, the Baltic Sea, Canada, Hollywood, novelists, the works! It's the kind of book you wish you'd never read, just so you could read it all over again for the first time.
After Until I Find You, I vowed to read all of his books. I picked up The Fourth Hand at a charity shop in London this past summer but I openly admit it didn't hook me until last week. I picked up the audio book of The World According to Garp at the EBPL a month ago and for a good three weeks, it made my two hour a day commute not only bearable, but highly enjoyable - to the point where I found myself listening in my car in front of my apartment with the engine idling. That's when I decided to officially name John Irving my favorite author and that the next day, I would get one of his most popular novels out of the library that I've been meaning to read.
But I didn't make it to the library the next day because instead, when I walked into my classroom that morning, I found a package of books on my desk. On the top of the pile was Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany and a note from Julii Ritter saying it was her favorite book (I think it's Ms. Nelson's, too!). I was so excited, as it confirmed my decision to declare Irving my favorite author - I mean, if such a smart, voracious reader like Julii loves Irving, how can I be wrong?
Thanks, Julii and thank you John Irving!
Chew wrote books about kids and modern day witches and most of them were set in Brooklyn. I loved Ruth Chew and spent most of my free time reading and re-reading her books. When I wasn't reading her books, I was writing her letters and waiting for her replies and she did reply - with letters written on an old school type writer that concluded with an original hand drawn witch doodled at the bottom.
I loved her books so much that I wrote her often... that is, until she wrote back one last time saying that while she enjoyed my letters, they were keeping her so busy that she didn't have time to write back to any other girls or boys. Heartbroken, I vowed to never again declare a favorite author.
And for a quarter of a century, I didn't.
That changed two days ago when I finished The World According to Garp and made a decision to officially name John Irving my favorite writer. Years ago, while on a trip salmon fishing in upstate New York, I read his bestseller A Widow for One Year and fell in love with it. A decade later, I revisited Irving after Mr. Pellicane told me about one of Irving's bizarre novels, The Hotel New Hampshire. I took his advice and read it that summer and agreed it was bizarre and a bit twisted but interesting and attention grabbing nonetheless.
The Hotel New Hampshire lead me to check out his semi-autobiographical novel Until I find You and WOW! I absolutely fell in love with that book - it had everything in it that I find fascinating: Scotland, tattooing, the Baltic Sea, Canada, Hollywood, novelists, the works! It's the kind of book you wish you'd never read, just so you could read it all over again for the first time.
After Until I Find You, I vowed to read all of his books. I picked up The Fourth Hand at a charity shop in London this past summer but I openly admit it didn't hook me until last week. I picked up the audio book of The World According to Garp at the EBPL a month ago and for a good three weeks, it made my two hour a day commute not only bearable, but highly enjoyable - to the point where I found myself listening in my car in front of my apartment with the engine idling. That's when I decided to officially name John Irving my favorite author and that the next day, I would get one of his most popular novels out of the library that I've been meaning to read.
But I didn't make it to the library the next day because instead, when I walked into my classroom that morning, I found a package of books on my desk. On the top of the pile was Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany and a note from Julii Ritter saying it was her favorite book (I think it's Ms. Nelson's, too!). I was so excited, as it confirmed my decision to declare Irving my favorite author - I mean, if such a smart, voracious reader like Julii loves Irving, how can I be wrong?
Thanks, Julii and thank you John Irving!
Monday, December 10, 2007
Beowulf, Edited by Seamus Heaney
Beowulf as edited by Seamus Heaney
aka "Kicking Shakespeare in the Arse With His Own Left Leg"
Reviewed by Joe Cascia
You know, I've always thought that poems were boring. From Shakespeare to Sylvia Plath (the only reason I remember her name is because she fried herself in an oven), nothing could put me to sleep faster like something in pentameter. Imagine my disappointment, then, when I learned that Beowulf--the ONE thing I had to read for class that I actually looked forward to--was an epic poem. Here I was, expecting a good, old-fashioned Lord of the Rings-style bloodbath, but what I got instead was just a gigantic, overly-glorified haiku. Almost unconsciously, I picked Beowulf off of the shelf and opened it up, now expecting each page to be covered with sleep-inducing "thees" and "prithees."
One hundred and twenty pages into the poem, I had not encountered any of those damnable words. What I had found instead, to my incredible surprise, was some of the most disgusting and vile gore ever to be lain down in print. Several people are decapitated; another person has their torso ripped off and eaten; the main character (Beowulf, of course) tears a villain's arm, shoulder and all, right off his body with his bare hands--each one of these events is described with a disturbing amount of detail, and the fact that most of the monsters in the story happen to bleed acid makes it so much more gory (and so much more enjoyable, I might add). Beowulf is a likable hero with all his morals and such, but what makes him truly appealing--to me, at least; the same may not be true for those who are sane--is the way he holds on to those morals even though he's tearing things apart like crazy.
In itself, the story is interesting and (mostly) keeps your attention; however, it is irking that the reason the poem is over three thousand lines long is because half of it is dedicated to describing things that have nothing to do with the main plot. Seriously, I think at least fifty of those lines are devoted to a Dane's description of his ham sandwich (or something around those lines; the point is that a lot of the lines are pointless). Reading through all the descriptions of the fungus between Healfdane's toes is worth it in the end, however, as for every hundred lines of random nonsensical gibberish, there are two hundred and twenty-two lines of relentless, entrail-slashing action.
All in all, Beowulf isn't as bad as I thought it'd be--it's bloody, it's fun, and it's probably a hell of a lot better than the new movie. Even though it gets slow in some parts--and I mean guy-with-all-his-limbs-hacked-off-by-a-rusty-sword slow--it's still worth a read, and there's no denying that ripping off a guy's arm with your bare hands is really, really cool.
aka "Kicking Shakespeare in the Arse With His Own Left Leg"
Reviewed by Joe Cascia
You know, I've always thought that poems were boring. From Shakespeare to Sylvia Plath (the only reason I remember her name is because she fried herself in an oven), nothing could put me to sleep faster like something in pentameter. Imagine my disappointment, then, when I learned that Beowulf--the ONE thing I had to read for class that I actually looked forward to--was an epic poem. Here I was, expecting a good, old-fashioned Lord of the Rings-style bloodbath, but what I got instead was just a gigantic, overly-glorified haiku. Almost unconsciously, I picked Beowulf off of the shelf and opened it up, now expecting each page to be covered with sleep-inducing "thees" and "prithees."
One hundred and twenty pages into the poem, I had not encountered any of those damnable words. What I had found instead, to my incredible surprise, was some of the most disgusting and vile gore ever to be lain down in print. Several people are decapitated; another person has their torso ripped off and eaten; the main character (Beowulf, of course) tears a villain's arm, shoulder and all, right off his body with his bare hands--each one of these events is described with a disturbing amount of detail, and the fact that most of the monsters in the story happen to bleed acid makes it so much more gory (and so much more enjoyable, I might add). Beowulf is a likable hero with all his morals and such, but what makes him truly appealing--to me, at least; the same may not be true for those who are sane--is the way he holds on to those morals even though he's tearing things apart like crazy.
In itself, the story is interesting and (mostly) keeps your attention; however, it is irking that the reason the poem is over three thousand lines long is because half of it is dedicated to describing things that have nothing to do with the main plot. Seriously, I think at least fifty of those lines are devoted to a Dane's description of his ham sandwich (or something around those lines; the point is that a lot of the lines are pointless). Reading through all the descriptions of the fungus between Healfdane's toes is worth it in the end, however, as for every hundred lines of random nonsensical gibberish, there are two hundred and twenty-two lines of relentless, entrail-slashing action.
All in all, Beowulf isn't as bad as I thought it'd be--it's bloody, it's fun, and it's probably a hell of a lot better than the new movie. Even though it gets slow in some parts--and I mean guy-with-all-his-limbs-hacked-off-by-a-rusty-sword slow--it's still worth a read, and there's no denying that ripping off a guy's arm with your bare hands is really, really cool.
Hearts in Atlantic by Stephen King
Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King
Reviewed by Donia A.
Currently, I'm reading Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King. I have to admit that I only picked up the book because I was curious to read Stephen King's infamous writing. Of course, this isn't his typical psychological thriller, but it's still an intense read. It delves into a time period, the 1960's, when everything was chaotic. It starts off , before the Vietnam War in 1960, in a very rough town with a rather dysfunctional family of main characters.
The first part is called the Yellow Men in Coats. It's about a young boy named Bobby who lives with his mother. His father died and his mother seems never to miss a day without explaining the horrible state their father left them in. At first, Bobby seems to have normal boy problems- bullying, a girl crushing on him, and discovering the world of reading. However, when a strange old man named Ted moves into the third floor of his building, he brings with him a world of fantasy and danger to Bobby. He befriends the old man quickly and falls in love with the novels the man has in his apartment. Bobby's mother immediately hates the old man, though, because of his appearance, even though the old man is very intelligent.
Through a series of adventures and mishaps, Bobby and his friends go live a difficult life that kills their innocence quicker than usual. Bobby eventually grows up to become an infamous trouble-maker whom even his two closest friends, Carol and Sully-John, don't want to have anything to do with.
I am not quite done with the second part titled Hearts in Atlantis, the title of the book, but honestly, the constant use of the game of hearts as a symbol is getting annoying. It's probably only me, but Stephen King emphasizes it so much that it quickly becomes redundant. However, I do love the characters and their different personalities. I'm also enjoying all the irony portrayed. This part takes place in 1966 and we're following a different narrator named Pete Riley. The two stories connect (so far) through Carol. She was Pete Riley's "temporary" girlfriend and had Sully-John as a boyfriend before. Although, the story is really interesting, as it described the political standpoint of those against the Vietnam War, I find myself waiting for Bobby to appear. So far, I liked the first part a lot better.
Maybe it's because I don't understand the game of hearts well and the majority of the text revolves around its irony and symbolism. Also, I think I enjoyed the first part more because it's more my genre: fantasy mixed with reality. The second part is simply historical fiction and I'm not really that excited to read about the Vietnam War protests.
One thing I'm sure of, though, is that by the time I finish this book, I will love it. I'm not saying it's not a good book now, for what it is, it's wonderful; it's just not an"I must stay up all night and read it until it's finished" kind of book.
Reviewed by Donia A.
Currently, I'm reading Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King. I have to admit that I only picked up the book because I was curious to read Stephen King's infamous writing. Of course, this isn't his typical psychological thriller, but it's still an intense read. It delves into a time period, the 1960's, when everything was chaotic. It starts off , before the Vietnam War in 1960, in a very rough town with a rather dysfunctional family of main characters.
The first part is called the Yellow Men in Coats. It's about a young boy named Bobby who lives with his mother. His father died and his mother seems never to miss a day without explaining the horrible state their father left them in. At first, Bobby seems to have normal boy problems- bullying, a girl crushing on him, and discovering the world of reading. However, when a strange old man named Ted moves into the third floor of his building, he brings with him a world of fantasy and danger to Bobby. He befriends the old man quickly and falls in love with the novels the man has in his apartment. Bobby's mother immediately hates the old man, though, because of his appearance, even though the old man is very intelligent.
Through a series of adventures and mishaps, Bobby and his friends go live a difficult life that kills their innocence quicker than usual. Bobby eventually grows up to become an infamous trouble-maker whom even his two closest friends, Carol and Sully-John, don't want to have anything to do with.
I am not quite done with the second part titled Hearts in Atlantis, the title of the book, but honestly, the constant use of the game of hearts as a symbol is getting annoying. It's probably only me, but Stephen King emphasizes it so much that it quickly becomes redundant. However, I do love the characters and their different personalities. I'm also enjoying all the irony portrayed. This part takes place in 1966 and we're following a different narrator named Pete Riley. The two stories connect (so far) through Carol. She was Pete Riley's "temporary" girlfriend and had Sully-John as a boyfriend before. Although, the story is really interesting, as it described the political standpoint of those against the Vietnam War, I find myself waiting for Bobby to appear. So far, I liked the first part a lot better.
Maybe it's because I don't understand the game of hearts well and the majority of the text revolves around its irony and symbolism. Also, I think I enjoyed the first part more because it's more my genre: fantasy mixed with reality. The second part is simply historical fiction and I'm not really that excited to read about the Vietnam War protests.
One thing I'm sure of, though, is that by the time I finish this book, I will love it. I'm not saying it's not a good book now, for what it is, it's wonderful; it's just not an"I must stay up all night and read it until it's finished" kind of book.
For One More Day by Mitch Albom
For One More Day by Mitch Albom
Reviewed by Giuli Galiano
I never would've thought that I would get so emotional reading a book that my mom requested I read. Usually, the books she reads are long and confusing but For One More Day, by Mitch Albom, is just the opposite. This book is non fiction but makes you feel as if you are witnessing the events at the same time the main character, Charley, goes through them.
This book makes you wonder: if you could take anything back and rewind your life to a certain spot, to which spot would you rewind it? Obviously, you can't give a simple answer to that question and this book makes you realize the challenges life can throw at you.
Charley looses his mother in the book, who is described as a caring woman who always dresses up in style and is the exact match of a "desperate housewife". The detailed writing style of Mitch Albom helps the reader connect to the characters - I picture a typical 1950's mother from the Leave it To Beaver era as Charley's mother in this book. Not only is For One More Day a suspenseful book, but it has humor, mystery, romance and jealousy scattered through out its pages. I rate this book an eight out of ten because any reader can engage in this novel and feel like they are in the narrator's shoes. -Giuli Galiano
Reviewed by Giuli Galiano
I never would've thought that I would get so emotional reading a book that my mom requested I read. Usually, the books she reads are long and confusing but For One More Day, by Mitch Albom, is just the opposite. This book is non fiction but makes you feel as if you are witnessing the events at the same time the main character, Charley, goes through them.
This book makes you wonder: if you could take anything back and rewind your life to a certain spot, to which spot would you rewind it? Obviously, you can't give a simple answer to that question and this book makes you realize the challenges life can throw at you.
Charley looses his mother in the book, who is described as a caring woman who always dresses up in style and is the exact match of a "desperate housewife". The detailed writing style of Mitch Albom helps the reader connect to the characters - I picture a typical 1950's mother from the Leave it To Beaver era as Charley's mother in this book. Not only is For One More Day a suspenseful book, but it has humor, mystery, romance and jealousy scattered through out its pages. I rate this book an eight out of ten because any reader can engage in this novel and feel like they are in the narrator's shoes. -Giuli Galiano
"Teen Angst...Naaah" by Ned Vizzini
Teen Angst... Naaah by Ned Vizzini
Reviewed by Brianna Bicho
Teen Angst... Naaah, a "quasi-autobiography" by Ned Vizzini, is the shiznit (I heard that on a TV show once... I'm not sure if we're allowed to say it. If not, I'm sorry). This book, which consists completely of random stories from the author's high school life will make you laugh until you can't see the words anymore because your eyes are tearing up!
Ned was classified as a total loser, but he is so easy to relate to and down to earth that you can't help but love him. He talks about everything from Magic: The Gathering, to coming home intoxicated, to going to Hooters with his dad and little brother on a family vacation. See, I knew you'd be interested.
Eventually, Ned does get a girlfriend, but you have to read the book to fully appreciate his thought process through the many complications and dare I say "bumps in the road" along the way. This book is awesome and if you - as Mr. McEvoy would say - "have a fascination with other people's misfortunes" (who doesn't?) then you should most definitely read it. I guarantee you'll love it... unless, of course, you know... you don't.
Reviewed by Brianna Bicho
Teen Angst... Naaah, a "quasi-autobiography" by Ned Vizzini, is the shiznit (I heard that on a TV show once... I'm not sure if we're allowed to say it. If not, I'm sorry). This book, which consists completely of random stories from the author's high school life will make you laugh until you can't see the words anymore because your eyes are tearing up!
Ned was classified as a total loser, but he is so easy to relate to and down to earth that you can't help but love him. He talks about everything from Magic: The Gathering, to coming home intoxicated, to going to Hooters with his dad and little brother on a family vacation. See, I knew you'd be interested.
Eventually, Ned does get a girlfriend, but you have to read the book to fully appreciate his thought process through the many complications and dare I say "bumps in the road" along the way. This book is awesome and if you - as Mr. McEvoy would say - "have a fascination with other people's misfortunes" (who doesn't?) then you should most definitely read it. I guarantee you'll love it... unless, of course, you know... you don't.
The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult
The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult
Review submitted by Deanna Acosta
Right now, I am still reading the book The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult. This is the third book that I have read by her and if you read her too, then you know why I keep reading her books! I'm pretty far into the book and so far, much has happened.
I chose to read this book because everyone who has read it told me it was their favorite of her books. I can not wait to finish this book and find out what happens because Picoult is known for her surprise endings!
My predictions for this book are as follows:
1. Jason Underhill will not be guilty of rape.
2. Mr. and Mrs. Stone will get a divorce and Mrs. Stone will go back to Seth (the man she had an affair with, who is one of the students in her college seminar).
3. As for Trixie, well, I think her life is going to take even more of a turn. Her relationship with her father will still stay strong but she will turn completely against her mother. She is never never going to speak to her best friend again, and she might even run away!
There are times in the story when I just can't put the book down - oh wait, that’s every time I read one of her books! I find something new and exciting with each turn of the page that just adds to the problems or “drama” between the characters in the book.
During my day it is hard for me to find time to read but when I am reading a book by Jodi Picoult, I will everything else and read read read!! The Tenth Circle is such an amazing book; I can not wait to finish it. When I'm done, I will be able to tell the ending to those in my class who want to know and I'll be able to discuss it with a few of my friends who have read the book, too. And of course, the day after I finish, I will pick up another book by Jodi Picoult! Hopefully, I will get those books done by the end of the quarter, too.
Review submitted by Deanna Acosta
Right now, I am still reading the book The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult. This is the third book that I have read by her and if you read her too, then you know why I keep reading her books! I'm pretty far into the book and so far, much has happened.
I chose to read this book because everyone who has read it told me it was their favorite of her books. I can not wait to finish this book and find out what happens because Picoult is known for her surprise endings!
My predictions for this book are as follows:
1. Jason Underhill will not be guilty of rape.
2. Mr. and Mrs. Stone will get a divorce and Mrs. Stone will go back to Seth (the man she had an affair with, who is one of the students in her college seminar).
3. As for Trixie, well, I think her life is going to take even more of a turn. Her relationship with her father will still stay strong but she will turn completely against her mother. She is never never going to speak to her best friend again, and she might even run away!
There are times in the story when I just can't put the book down - oh wait, that’s every time I read one of her books! I find something new and exciting with each turn of the page that just adds to the problems or “drama” between the characters in the book.
During my day it is hard for me to find time to read but when I am reading a book by Jodi Picoult, I will everything else and read read read!! The Tenth Circle is such an amazing book; I can not wait to finish it. When I'm done, I will be able to tell the ending to those in my class who want to know and I'll be able to discuss it with a few of my friends who have read the book, too. And of course, the day after I finish, I will pick up another book by Jodi Picoult! Hopefully, I will get those books done by the end of the quarter, too.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Bookshelf excerpt
It's probably no surprise to any of you but I read three or four books at a time. Wait, that's not true - I read three or four books at a time and listen to an additional one or two. I know some of you have expressed concern with that concept and have asked how it's possible to get involved with more than one novel at a time and my response is always this: Do you watch more than one television series each season? Well, reading more than one book at a time is not much different than watching episodes of House, Grey's Anatomy, and Curb Your Enthusiasm all in the same week.
Your mind is capable of moving from one idea to the next idea at an alarming rate of speed - after all, don't you switch gears constantly throughout the day, transitioning easily from Mr. Brown's Humanities class to Mrs. Ambrosy's Psychology class to Mr. Markot's math class?
Just as our appetite cravings vary from one moment to the next, so do our emotional and intellectual desires. By providing a bit of variety in your reading life, you'll find it's easier to satiate those cravings; in turn, your reading life will be well fed and able to take root. For those of you who are reluctant readers, you may find yourself looking forward to spending more time in your reading world because it's the one place you can travel to without moving your feet!
Having said that, here's a list of what I'm currently reading:
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides:
The book begins with "I was born twice: first, as a baby girl, on a remarkably smogless Detroit day of January 1960; and then again, as a teenage boy, in an emergency room near Petoskey, Michigan, in August of l974". 'Nuff said?
Ps. This is the book where I got the quote about marriage taking place in circles
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro:
This is the book I'm currently listening to and I'm not kidding when I say that it's the reason I leap out of bed in the morning - I can't wait to get in my car and find out what's happening in the messed up, dystopian world of Never Let Me Go. The characters are intriguing and the setting is brilliant. The writer reveals plot elements just in time to keep the reader from going mad while veiling the novel's dark message in a tale of childhood friendship set in a seemingly ideal location. Don't let the author's easy style and subtle clues trick you into thinking this is just another novel about boarding school!
Every Secret Thing by Laura Lippman
Having read her novel, What the Dead Know, I was excited to read another of Lippman's books. I chose this one because the cover looked kind of creepy and I like creepy!
Here's a blurb I found online about this novel: "Two little girls banished from a neighborhood birthday party take a wrong turn down an unfamiliar Baltimore street -- and encounter an abandoned stroller with an infant inside. What happens next is shocking and terrible..."
Well, I must admit - it's not so shocking and terrible that I haven't been able to put the book down. To be honest, since I started Middlesex, I really haven't paid too much attention to this book but I'm not worried. It's a paperback, so it will either get shoved in my purse and read while I wait in my dentist's waiting room or I'll pick it up before bed on one of the few nights I haven't gluttonously watched 4 straight hours of crime shows.
The Murder Room by P.D. James
This one doesn't really count as current because I finished it last week but I'm going to bend the rules and include it on this list. P.D. James wrote Children of Men - a GREAT novel but not such a great movie (sorry, Gaby!) but most of her novels are not science fiction ones like C of M; instead James is famous for her murder/mystery novels. In The Murder Room, James once again evokes her effective formula, summoning Commander Adam Dalgliesh "and his team to investigate the murder of a trustee of the Dupayne, a small private London museum dedicated to the inter-war years and an establishment locked in a battle over its future" The team "find their probe complicated by a second corpse, as the case threatens to destroy Dalgliesh's growing relationship with Emma Lavenham".
I love murder/mystery novels, particularly ones set in Great Britain, and James is, in my opinion, a masterful writer whose characters are so intricately woven one can't help but feel they are real. Not only that, there's a hint of romance between characters; it's just enough to keep the characters realistic without being treacle. In fact, the way the novel is written speaks volumes of the differences between the way Americans and Britains conduct themselves and between the societies themselves.
Hmm, what else am I reading? I can't even remember - I know there are at least one or two other titles, one being a John Irving novel (The Fourth Hand), but I'm not deep enough in them to report on them just yet, therefore I'll stop here...
After all, it is time for Cold Case!
Your mind is capable of moving from one idea to the next idea at an alarming rate of speed - after all, don't you switch gears constantly throughout the day, transitioning easily from Mr. Brown's Humanities class to Mrs. Ambrosy's Psychology class to Mr. Markot's math class?
Just as our appetite cravings vary from one moment to the next, so do our emotional and intellectual desires. By providing a bit of variety in your reading life, you'll find it's easier to satiate those cravings; in turn, your reading life will be well fed and able to take root. For those of you who are reluctant readers, you may find yourself looking forward to spending more time in your reading world because it's the one place you can travel to without moving your feet!
Having said that, here's a list of what I'm currently reading:
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides:
The book begins with "I was born twice: first, as a baby girl, on a remarkably smogless Detroit day of January 1960; and then again, as a teenage boy, in an emergency room near Petoskey, Michigan, in August of l974". 'Nuff said?
Ps. This is the book where I got the quote about marriage taking place in circles
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro:
This is the book I'm currently listening to and I'm not kidding when I say that it's the reason I leap out of bed in the morning - I can't wait to get in my car and find out what's happening in the messed up, dystopian world of Never Let Me Go. The characters are intriguing and the setting is brilliant. The writer reveals plot elements just in time to keep the reader from going mad while veiling the novel's dark message in a tale of childhood friendship set in a seemingly ideal location. Don't let the author's easy style and subtle clues trick you into thinking this is just another novel about boarding school!
Every Secret Thing by Laura Lippman
Having read her novel, What the Dead Know, I was excited to read another of Lippman's books. I chose this one because the cover looked kind of creepy and I like creepy!
Here's a blurb I found online about this novel: "Two little girls banished from a neighborhood birthday party take a wrong turn down an unfamiliar Baltimore street -- and encounter an abandoned stroller with an infant inside. What happens next is shocking and terrible..."
Well, I must admit - it's not so shocking and terrible that I haven't been able to put the book down. To be honest, since I started Middlesex, I really haven't paid too much attention to this book but I'm not worried. It's a paperback, so it will either get shoved in my purse and read while I wait in my dentist's waiting room or I'll pick it up before bed on one of the few nights I haven't gluttonously watched 4 straight hours of crime shows.
The Murder Room by P.D. James
This one doesn't really count as current because I finished it last week but I'm going to bend the rules and include it on this list. P.D. James wrote Children of Men - a GREAT novel but not such a great movie (sorry, Gaby!) but most of her novels are not science fiction ones like C of M; instead James is famous for her murder/mystery novels. In The Murder Room, James once again evokes her effective formula, summoning Commander Adam Dalgliesh "and his team to investigate the murder of a trustee of the Dupayne, a small private London museum dedicated to the inter-war years and an establishment locked in a battle over its future" The team "find their probe complicated by a second corpse, as the case threatens to destroy Dalgliesh's growing relationship with Emma Lavenham".
I love murder/mystery novels, particularly ones set in Great Britain, and James is, in my opinion, a masterful writer whose characters are so intricately woven one can't help but feel they are real. Not only that, there's a hint of romance between characters; it's just enough to keep the characters realistic without being treacle. In fact, the way the novel is written speaks volumes of the differences between the way Americans and Britains conduct themselves and between the societies themselves.
Hmm, what else am I reading? I can't even remember - I know there are at least one or two other titles, one being a John Irving novel (The Fourth Hand), but I'm not deep enough in them to report on them just yet, therefore I'll stop here...
After all, it is time for Cold Case!
Help! What Should I Read Next?
By Shirley Li
What should I choose to read next? I'm halfway through The Bourne Identity and feel I need a change in genre, perhaps to one I don't usually read. A mystery sounds good even though I was never a huge fan of the Nancy Drew series or any of those detective books. On the other hand, there's hundreds of genres that I haven't had the chance to read much from yet.
My point is this - I want to move away from the typical types of books that I usually slide off of the shelves. Any suggestions? Whether they are autobiographies or "light", easy and quick to read novels, I would really appreciate some suggestions. Following Bourne's character around makes my head swim with facts and subtle details that I have to struggle keep up with, Everyone Worth Knowing bored me, and 1984 was just plain confusing until the end, so a lighter read sounds good.
It's not just the genre that I'm interested in, though. I'm big on how real the characters feel to me and should stress the fact that they should continue to develop throughout the story. Not only that, but the plot should be understandable yet unpredictable and interesting. The books that I tend to read more than once, often fulfill these expectations.
Also, as I have said before, I need to stray away from the action/thriller, chick-lit, classic, and "On the New York Times Bestseller list for..." books I've been reading the past few months... any suggestions?
What should I choose to read next? I'm halfway through The Bourne Identity and feel I need a change in genre, perhaps to one I don't usually read. A mystery sounds good even though I was never a huge fan of the Nancy Drew series or any of those detective books. On the other hand, there's hundreds of genres that I haven't had the chance to read much from yet.
My point is this - I want to move away from the typical types of books that I usually slide off of the shelves. Any suggestions? Whether they are autobiographies or "light", easy and quick to read novels, I would really appreciate some suggestions. Following Bourne's character around makes my head swim with facts and subtle details that I have to struggle keep up with, Everyone Worth Knowing bored me, and 1984 was just plain confusing until the end, so a lighter read sounds good.
It's not just the genre that I'm interested in, though. I'm big on how real the characters feel to me and should stress the fact that they should continue to develop throughout the story. Not only that, but the plot should be understandable yet unpredictable and interesting. The books that I tend to read more than once, often fulfill these expectations.
Also, as I have said before, I need to stray away from the action/thriller, chick-lit, classic, and "On the New York Times Bestseller list for..." books I've been reading the past few months... any suggestions?
Books I Want to Read by Jamie Farber
Books I Want to Read - A Blog
By Jamie Farber
Ever since the new “freedom of choice” summer reading program, I have realized that I actually enjoy reading. This is especially the case if there isn't homework attached to reading the book. Reading a book just for the sake of reading allows me the freedom to analyze as much or as little as I want, and eliminates the anxiety of worrying if I have the "right" answers the teacher expects. Unfortunately, due to homework, college applications, work, and other restraints, I don't have a lot of time to read - even though I've found myself stealing moments when possible. That's why I've decided to keep a list of future reads - the following is a list of the books I would like to read on my own time when I get the chance.
1 – Night by Elie Wiesel – This is an autobiography about the author’s experiences as a young Jewish person during the Holocaust.
2 – Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips – This is a story about a woman and man who meet unexpectedly and spend time together driving to Tennessee.
3 – Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld – Prep is a story about a girl who goes to private school for the very first time. Also, the many intricate relationships that form between the girl and teachers, friends, and boyfriends are discussed.
4 – Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold – I am currently reading Alice Sebold’s Lucky and it is such an interesting book that I want to read another one of Sebold’s novels when I finish Lucky. Lovely Bones is a mystery about a murder that takes place and leaves the reader guessing to answer questions like why the character was killed and who murdered her.
5 – The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini – I know that this story takes place in Afghanistan and I really think it would open my eyes to a different culture. Also, several teachers and friends have recommended this book to me!
6 – My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult – This is a story about a girl whose main purpose in life is to keep her older sister alive. Her parents only gave birth to her to serve as a donor to their other daughter - her sick sister. The book sounds interesting because it poses the question of “how far is too far?” in terms of distressing the life of one to save the life of another.
7 – The Pact by Jodi Picoult – In this story, a boy is accused of killing his girlfriend. It's told through the trial and details the affects that the accusation has on the two families, who used to be friends.
8 – High Fidelity by Nick Hornby – All I know about this story is that it has to do with music and “top five” lists. Since I am really interested in music, I figure I should at least start the book because I might really enjoy it.
9 – Dear Zoe, by Philip Beard – Originally, I was excited about reading this story, but after hearing a little about it from my sister, it sounds a lot like another book I read over the summer, The Usual Rules. Both books involve the attacks of September 11, 2001 and the impact that death has on the remaining family members, except that in Dear Zoe, the character dies in a hit-and-run car accident, not in the twin towers. Right now, I’m just not sure if I really want to read it anymore but I'll keep it on my list.
10 – The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie – I’ve read Agatha Christie’s mysteries before and they are always good. In this story, three people are found dead ; their letters are A, B, and C, in order of when they were found. Throughout the story, the reader tries to solve the murder mystery and prevent the next person (D) from being killed.
11 – My Brother’s Image by E. Pogany – This story is about two brothers who are born Jewish but raised Catholic during World War II. One brother becomes a priest and the other continues to follow his Jewish faith. I think this book would enlighten me on the differences between the two religions.
By Jamie Farber
Ever since the new “freedom of choice” summer reading program, I have realized that I actually enjoy reading. This is especially the case if there isn't homework attached to reading the book. Reading a book just for the sake of reading allows me the freedom to analyze as much or as little as I want, and eliminates the anxiety of worrying if I have the "right" answers the teacher expects. Unfortunately, due to homework, college applications, work, and other restraints, I don't have a lot of time to read - even though I've found myself stealing moments when possible. That's why I've decided to keep a list of future reads - the following is a list of the books I would like to read on my own time when I get the chance.
1 – Night by Elie Wiesel – This is an autobiography about the author’s experiences as a young Jewish person during the Holocaust.
2 – Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips – This is a story about a woman and man who meet unexpectedly and spend time together driving to Tennessee.
3 – Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld – Prep is a story about a girl who goes to private school for the very first time. Also, the many intricate relationships that form between the girl and teachers, friends, and boyfriends are discussed.
4 – Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold – I am currently reading Alice Sebold’s Lucky and it is such an interesting book that I want to read another one of Sebold’s novels when I finish Lucky. Lovely Bones is a mystery about a murder that takes place and leaves the reader guessing to answer questions like why the character was killed and who murdered her.
5 – The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini – I know that this story takes place in Afghanistan and I really think it would open my eyes to a different culture. Also, several teachers and friends have recommended this book to me!
6 – My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult – This is a story about a girl whose main purpose in life is to keep her older sister alive. Her parents only gave birth to her to serve as a donor to their other daughter - her sick sister. The book sounds interesting because it poses the question of “how far is too far?” in terms of distressing the life of one to save the life of another.
7 – The Pact by Jodi Picoult – In this story, a boy is accused of killing his girlfriend. It's told through the trial and details the affects that the accusation has on the two families, who used to be friends.
8 – High Fidelity by Nick Hornby – All I know about this story is that it has to do with music and “top five” lists. Since I am really interested in music, I figure I should at least start the book because I might really enjoy it.
9 – Dear Zoe, by Philip Beard – Originally, I was excited about reading this story, but after hearing a little about it from my sister, it sounds a lot like another book I read over the summer, The Usual Rules. Both books involve the attacks of September 11, 2001 and the impact that death has on the remaining family members, except that in Dear Zoe, the character dies in a hit-and-run car accident, not in the twin towers. Right now, I’m just not sure if I really want to read it anymore but I'll keep it on my list.
10 – The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie – I’ve read Agatha Christie’s mysteries before and they are always good. In this story, three people are found dead ; their letters are A, B, and C, in order of when they were found. Throughout the story, the reader tries to solve the murder mystery and prevent the next person (D) from being killed.
11 – My Brother’s Image by E. Pogany – This story is about two brothers who are born Jewish but raised Catholic during World War II. One brother becomes a priest and the other continues to follow his Jewish faith. I think this book would enlighten me on the differences between the two religions.
A Time to Kill by John Grisham
A Time to Kill by John Grisham
Reviewed by Anthony Rossi
I am still continuing to read the story A Time To Kill by John Grisham and I must admit, it's probably one of the best books I have ever read. Currently, I am on page 313 and plan to finish the book this weekend in hopes of presenting my classroom Book Talk on Monday. Almost every person I've spoken with who has read the book has given me positive feedback and also recommends that I watch the movie when I finish reading the book. I'm going to due just that, even though I can already picture the fictional characters in my mind, based solely on details from the story. Except for one, that is - I can only imagine Carl Lee portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson... that's probably because I keep seeing Jackson's face on the cover of my book. Plus, I admit to reading about Jackson's roll as Carl Lee in online movie reviews!
My predictions for the story are as follows: I think Carl Lee will not be convicted of capital murder for murdering the guys who killed his daughter, but will instead face a sentencing for accidentally shooting the leg off of DeWayne Looney, a peace keeping officer who got caught up in the crossfire. In addition, I predict that Carl Lee's lawyer, Jake, will become famous from this case - just as he hoped - and will gain many more clients to defend.
I must admit, however, that there are times in the story I feel the action and plot sequences could move faster and at times it bothers me that the author stresses details that the reader became aware of chapters back. That gives me another reason as to why I want to watch the movie when I finish reading this book - so I can compare which details the director decided to focus on and which details he chose to omit. I'm interested in seeing if the director's choices change the mood of the story evoked by the writer's words.
After reading this book, I hope I can read another book and do another book review. However, the first marking period is coming to an end, so I am not sure if I will be able to be finish another book in time to share with the class. As a result, I am looking into reading some essays, ones long enough to be informative and interesting for the whole class to learn about.
Reviewed by Anthony Rossi
I am still continuing to read the story A Time To Kill by John Grisham and I must admit, it's probably one of the best books I have ever read. Currently, I am on page 313 and plan to finish the book this weekend in hopes of presenting my classroom Book Talk on Monday. Almost every person I've spoken with who has read the book has given me positive feedback and also recommends that I watch the movie when I finish reading the book. I'm going to due just that, even though I can already picture the fictional characters in my mind, based solely on details from the story. Except for one, that is - I can only imagine Carl Lee portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson... that's probably because I keep seeing Jackson's face on the cover of my book. Plus, I admit to reading about Jackson's roll as Carl Lee in online movie reviews!
My predictions for the story are as follows: I think Carl Lee will not be convicted of capital murder for murdering the guys who killed his daughter, but will instead face a sentencing for accidentally shooting the leg off of DeWayne Looney, a peace keeping officer who got caught up in the crossfire. In addition, I predict that Carl Lee's lawyer, Jake, will become famous from this case - just as he hoped - and will gain many more clients to defend.
I must admit, however, that there are times in the story I feel the action and plot sequences could move faster and at times it bothers me that the author stresses details that the reader became aware of chapters back. That gives me another reason as to why I want to watch the movie when I finish reading this book - so I can compare which details the director decided to focus on and which details he chose to omit. I'm interested in seeing if the director's choices change the mood of the story evoked by the writer's words.
After reading this book, I hope I can read another book and do another book review. However, the first marking period is coming to an end, so I am not sure if I will be able to be finish another book in time to share with the class. As a result, I am looking into reading some essays, ones long enough to be informative and interesting for the whole class to learn about.
ESPN Magazine Article Review
By Michael Ignasiak
I recently read an article in ESPN Magazine entitled "Happiness is a Warm Gun". The article is about a football player named Tank Johnson who found himself in a bit of a predicament last football season when he was sent to jail for violating parole and possession of guns. One of the most talented defensive tackles in the NFL, Johnson was released by the Chicago Bears due to his bad record and subsequently picked up by the Dallas Cowboys. Now trying to start over, Tank Johnson is getting a chance to play ball for a great team, a team that happens to have one of the best defensive lineups in the NFL. A well written story, the ESPN magazine article was packed full of interesting details and shed light on one of the NFL's most controversial characters.
ESPN Magazine is my favorite magazine - not just because each month it contains numerous sports articles to satisfy even the most avid sports fan, but because those articles are well written and provide factual information about the most pressing issues in the sports world today. If you are a sports fan who normally steers clear of reading, give ESPN Magazine a try, you'll be surprised at what a good job it does going "Outside the Lines"*.
* Outside the Lines is one of ESPN's sports talk television broadcasts
I recently read an article in ESPN Magazine entitled "Happiness is a Warm Gun". The article is about a football player named Tank Johnson who found himself in a bit of a predicament last football season when he was sent to jail for violating parole and possession of guns. One of the most talented defensive tackles in the NFL, Johnson was released by the Chicago Bears due to his bad record and subsequently picked up by the Dallas Cowboys. Now trying to start over, Tank Johnson is getting a chance to play ball for a great team, a team that happens to have one of the best defensive lineups in the NFL. A well written story, the ESPN magazine article was packed full of interesting details and shed light on one of the NFL's most controversial characters.
ESPN Magazine is my favorite magazine - not just because each month it contains numerous sports articles to satisfy even the most avid sports fan, but because those articles are well written and provide factual information about the most pressing issues in the sports world today. If you are a sports fan who normally steers clear of reading, give ESPN Magazine a try, you'll be surprised at what a good job it does going "Outside the Lines"*.
* Outside the Lines is one of ESPN's sports talk television broadcasts
The Usual Rules by Joyce Maynard
The Usual Rules by Joyce Maynard
Review by Jamie Farber
The flyer reads, “Last seen on her way to… Tower 1… eighty-seventh floor. Brown hair, hazel eyes… Any information at all,” but this flyer is no different than the other bulletins in the city posted by people searching for their missing loved ones (Maynard 41).
Thirteen-year-old Wendy, her step-father, Josh, and her half-brother, Louie, are torn apart by the news of the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, especially since Wendy’s mother works in one of towers. After a stagnant seven-week period since her mother’s “disappearance,” Wendy comes to the realization that her mother is no longer “missing,” but instead dead, like the majority of the missing victims of the attacks.
It is at this point in the novel that Wendy is faced with a tough decision: continue to live with Josh and Louie during this critical time of emotional healing or move miles away to live with her “real” father who abandoned her years ago. After much soul searching, she decides to visit her father, Garrett, in California.
Attempting to cope with the death of her mother while living far away from her remaining East coast family and friends, Wendy skips school, wanders the city, and befriends a kind bookstore owner. More importantly, however, during this time in California she realizes that her “real” father is not Garrett, her birth-father; instead, she finally makes the connection that her stepfather Josh owns that role and it's Josh and her brother whom she needs in order to navigate through the tough times after her mother’s death. Remaining in California, however, by the end of the school year, Wendy manages to forge a stronger relationship with Garrett while gaining a better understanding of the family dynamics between her, Josh and Louie back home in New York.
The character Wendy in The Usual Rules by Joyce Maynard is a personable girl in a realistic plot about coping with death. Throughout the novel, Maynard's writing style allows the reader to easily identify with the struggles in Wendy’s life. Maynard successfully allows the two settings of the story, Brooklyn and California, to reveal the many interesting characters who influence Wendy and who help her most in her time of need.
Review by Jamie Farber
The flyer reads, “Last seen on her way to… Tower 1… eighty-seventh floor. Brown hair, hazel eyes… Any information at all,” but this flyer is no different than the other bulletins in the city posted by people searching for their missing loved ones (Maynard 41).
Thirteen-year-old Wendy, her step-father, Josh, and her half-brother, Louie, are torn apart by the news of the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, especially since Wendy’s mother works in one of towers. After a stagnant seven-week period since her mother’s “disappearance,” Wendy comes to the realization that her mother is no longer “missing,” but instead dead, like the majority of the missing victims of the attacks.
It is at this point in the novel that Wendy is faced with a tough decision: continue to live with Josh and Louie during this critical time of emotional healing or move miles away to live with her “real” father who abandoned her years ago. After much soul searching, she decides to visit her father, Garrett, in California.
Attempting to cope with the death of her mother while living far away from her remaining East coast family and friends, Wendy skips school, wanders the city, and befriends a kind bookstore owner. More importantly, however, during this time in California she realizes that her “real” father is not Garrett, her birth-father; instead, she finally makes the connection that her stepfather Josh owns that role and it's Josh and her brother whom she needs in order to navigate through the tough times after her mother’s death. Remaining in California, however, by the end of the school year, Wendy manages to forge a stronger relationship with Garrett while gaining a better understanding of the family dynamics between her, Josh and Louie back home in New York.
The character Wendy in The Usual Rules by Joyce Maynard is a personable girl in a realistic plot about coping with death. Throughout the novel, Maynard's writing style allows the reader to easily identify with the struggles in Wendy’s life. Maynard successfully allows the two settings of the story, Brooklyn and California, to reveal the many interesting characters who influence Wendy and who help her most in her time of need.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Reviewed by Sumedha Guha
I have tried reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin many times. I always stopped, though, and never made it very far. The first time put it down, it was because I couldn't understand the language. The second time, it was because I started another book (because I didn't have this one with me) and was side tracked and never got back to it. The third time I stopped reading, however, was because of Mrs. Bennett - she annoyed me so much I put down the novel in frustration!
Well, I'm trying again. This time, I was inspired because I just saw the movie (the newest version) a few days ago and I decided to give it another go. Fortunately, this time I'm really getting into it. Pride and Prejudice is about a girl named Elizabeth Bennett, who goes by Lizzie, living in the eighteenth century. One day, Mr. Bingley, a rich bachelor, along with his sisters and his best friend, Mr. Darcy arrive in Lizzie's town. Mr. Bingley falls in love with Jane, who is Lizzie's eldest and closest sister and that's where the fun begins.
Admittedly, I haven't gotten too far - I am up to the part right after Jane and Bingley fall in love, the part where Mr. Darcy starts taking an interest in Lizzie. While I'm reading, I keep picturing the actors from the movie as the characters. Well, except for Mr. Darcy, who I envision as Colin Firth because of the six hour television version of Pride and Prejudice and who also acted in the film version of Bridget Jones' Diary in the role of Mark Darcy. I can't tell if the character casting going on in my head is good thing or not yet, but I do really like the book this time and think I might finally finish it!
Reviewed by Sumedha Guha
I have tried reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin many times. I always stopped, though, and never made it very far. The first time put it down, it was because I couldn't understand the language. The second time, it was because I started another book (because I didn't have this one with me) and was side tracked and never got back to it. The third time I stopped reading, however, was because of Mrs. Bennett - she annoyed me so much I put down the novel in frustration!
Well, I'm trying again. This time, I was inspired because I just saw the movie (the newest version) a few days ago and I decided to give it another go. Fortunately, this time I'm really getting into it. Pride and Prejudice is about a girl named Elizabeth Bennett, who goes by Lizzie, living in the eighteenth century. One day, Mr. Bingley, a rich bachelor, along with his sisters and his best friend, Mr. Darcy arrive in Lizzie's town. Mr. Bingley falls in love with Jane, who is Lizzie's eldest and closest sister and that's where the fun begins.
Admittedly, I haven't gotten too far - I am up to the part right after Jane and Bingley fall in love, the part where Mr. Darcy starts taking an interest in Lizzie. While I'm reading, I keep picturing the actors from the movie as the characters. Well, except for Mr. Darcy, who I envision as Colin Firth because of the six hour television version of Pride and Prejudice and who also acted in the film version of Bridget Jones' Diary in the role of Mark Darcy. I can't tell if the character casting going on in my head is good thing or not yet, but I do really like the book this time and think I might finally finish it!
What to read to succeed...
What to Read to Succeed in the World of Business - Three Books to Get Your Business Going
By Eric Revich
Business ethics play a huge role in the success of any company and I am here to tell you which books you should read to learn how to successfully navigate through the vast world of business ethics.
Fish will change the way you think. No, I am not talking about the one that swims though water, I am talking instead about the widely popular book. Let’s face it - “People are dying to bring their passionate, authentic selves to their jobs”, however their jobs won’t let them. According to this book, passion is the key component for success. Whether you are a stockbroker or a high school student, if you don’t show passion you will not succeed. Most organizations are based on the successes of its individuals. What if there was a way for people to show their true, passionate selves in their work environment and still maintain a controlled workplace? Well, the novel Fish may explain just how to do that.
To stay competitive in the business world, you must play Hardball. This book tackles the struggles of competing against other companies and reveals strategies that can help you “win the game.” There is no compassion in the world of business, so clever strategies must be employed to beat the competition. Hardball focuses on looking back on the great businessman of the past in order to stay ahead of the competition of tomorrow. The book examines the clever tactics of great men such as Henry Ford and William Carnegie. If you’re looking to compete in the business world and want to study models of success, then pick up this book.
Many companies fail, but there are ways you can prevent this from happening to yours. The book Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't takes an interesting look into why some companies become successful and others just flat out fail. This book states that neither technology nor CEO’s are the sole reason for the success of a company; instead, it's the people who work for the company that drive its success. If the employees have a good work ethic and talent, then a company can go far.
If you are looking to someday start a company, or perhaps you're already running your own small business, then look into buying any of these books. They are great reads to get a sense of what it takes to have a successful business.
By Eric Revich
Business ethics play a huge role in the success of any company and I am here to tell you which books you should read to learn how to successfully navigate through the vast world of business ethics.
Fish will change the way you think. No, I am not talking about the one that swims though water, I am talking instead about the widely popular book. Let’s face it - “People are dying to bring their passionate, authentic selves to their jobs”, however their jobs won’t let them. According to this book, passion is the key component for success. Whether you are a stockbroker or a high school student, if you don’t show passion you will not succeed. Most organizations are based on the successes of its individuals. What if there was a way for people to show their true, passionate selves in their work environment and still maintain a controlled workplace? Well, the novel Fish may explain just how to do that.
To stay competitive in the business world, you must play Hardball. This book tackles the struggles of competing against other companies and reveals strategies that can help you “win the game.” There is no compassion in the world of business, so clever strategies must be employed to beat the competition. Hardball focuses on looking back on the great businessman of the past in order to stay ahead of the competition of tomorrow. The book examines the clever tactics of great men such as Henry Ford and William Carnegie. If you’re looking to compete in the business world and want to study models of success, then pick up this book.
Many companies fail, but there are ways you can prevent this from happening to yours. The book Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't takes an interesting look into why some companies become successful and others just flat out fail. This book states that neither technology nor CEO’s are the sole reason for the success of a company; instead, it's the people who work for the company that drive its success. If the employees have a good work ethic and talent, then a company can go far.
If you are looking to someday start a company, or perhaps you're already running your own small business, then look into buying any of these books. They are great reads to get a sense of what it takes to have a successful business.
About a Boy by Nick Hornby
Review by Lizz Bailey
I’m reading About A Boy by Nick Hornby. So far, I'm really enjoying it but the characters frighten me because they're so realistic.
Will makes my physically ill, particularly when I think about the way he plays with women so he can get, what - Love? Acceptance? I can't quite pinpoint the reason he lies. If he wants to be needed, accepted, or loved and be seen as the "good guy", then he should be one, not play the role of one. Knowing he is playing with the emotions of single mothers, who are in my opinion the most vulnerable human beings on the planet, infuriates me!
The way Marcus's character is treated also annoys me. A gawky, awkward, lonely, new kid with too many problems at home, Marcus's peers make fun of him to the extreme point that even the crowned "nerds" refuse to hang out with him. That makes me, well, physically ill. I never thought people actually went to that extreme just to make another person feel like crap, but I suppose they do and I've just never noticed. Now that I think of it, though, it reminds me of my history class freshman year - one girl got made fun of everyday and no one talked to her. Granted, I thought she was extremely annoying but no one deserves to be trashed like that on a daily basis. I eventually stood up for her and told everyone to stop because they were being obnoxious. Although it didn't really do any good, I did it a few more times in an attempt to get them to stop. Remembering this makes me want to give Marcus a hug - yep, that's what it's come to, I want to hug a fictional character in a Nick Hornby novel.
While I'm on the subject, I also wouldn't mind hugging Marcus's mother, then shaking her until her head snaps back into place. She's clearly and obviously depressed. Marcus is attempting to be a normal kid which is next to impossible to achieve with no friends, no father, and a mother who's completely absent because of the depression eating at her.
I'm compelled to continue reading About A Boy because of the characters. Despite that the situations surrounding Will and Marcus make me physically ill for two very different reasons, and even if Marcus's mother aggravates me, I want the best for them.
I have a feeling the Will will actually develop a relationship with Marcus, as he tries to develop one with Suzie (a friend of Marcus's mother). I also think that eventually, Marcus will figure Will out. Or maybe Marcus's mother will become romantically involved with Will, which seems logical especially after Will gets tired of dancing around Suzie and pretending he has a two-year-old son for reasons I just can't understand.
__________________________________________________
I’m reading About A Boy by Nick Hornby. So far, I'm really enjoying it but the characters frighten me because they're so realistic.
Will makes my physically ill, particularly when I think about the way he plays with women so he can get, what - Love? Acceptance? I can't quite pinpoint the reason he lies. If he wants to be needed, accepted, or loved and be seen as the "good guy", then he should be one, not play the role of one. Knowing he is playing with the emotions of single mothers, who are in my opinion the most vulnerable human beings on the planet, infuriates me!
The way Marcus's character is treated also annoys me. A gawky, awkward, lonely, new kid with too many problems at home, Marcus's peers make fun of him to the extreme point that even the crowned "nerds" refuse to hang out with him. That makes me, well, physically ill. I never thought people actually went to that extreme just to make another person feel like crap, but I suppose they do and I've just never noticed. Now that I think of it, though, it reminds me of my history class freshman year - one girl got made fun of everyday and no one talked to her. Granted, I thought she was extremely annoying but no one deserves to be trashed like that on a daily basis. I eventually stood up for her and told everyone to stop because they were being obnoxious. Although it didn't really do any good, I did it a few more times in an attempt to get them to stop. Remembering this makes me want to give Marcus a hug - yep, that's what it's come to, I want to hug a fictional character in a Nick Hornby novel.
While I'm on the subject, I also wouldn't mind hugging Marcus's mother, then shaking her until her head snaps back into place. She's clearly and obviously depressed. Marcus is attempting to be a normal kid which is next to impossible to achieve with no friends, no father, and a mother who's completely absent because of the depression eating at her.
I'm compelled to continue reading About A Boy because of the characters. Despite that the situations surrounding Will and Marcus make me physically ill for two very different reasons, and even if Marcus's mother aggravates me, I want the best for them.
I have a feeling the Will will actually develop a relationship with Marcus, as he tries to develop one with Suzie (a friend of Marcus's mother). I also think that eventually, Marcus will figure Will out. Or maybe Marcus's mother will become romantically involved with Will, which seems logical especially after Will gets tired of dancing around Suzie and pretending he has a two-year-old son for reasons I just can't understand.
__________________________________________________
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Student Review: Charmed Thirds by Megan McCafferty
Charmed Thirds by Megan McCafferty
Reviewed by Julii Ritter
I don’t read too many chick books but this author got me hooked with her first two books Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings. Unfortunately, I was extremely disappointed by Charmed Thirds, her third book of the series. Jessica Darling, the main character of the installments, attends Columbia University against her parent’s wishes. Going from the valedictorian of a small town school to a savvy but hopelessly poor city girl, Jessica discovers social, academic, and mental troubles she never thought she would experience. The innocence she preserved in the first two novels is destroyed by the excess of sex she has after breaking up with her soul-mate(ish) boyfriend. Her character in this book changes for the worse and the book rushes through three years of college in under 400 pages. McCafferty left out a lot of important details as to what happens in Jessica’s life with college.
Supporting characters in the novel also turn out to be a less than satisfying. The theme of maturity and self-discovery is quickly lost as Jessica tumbles into an unfamiliar world of bad boyfriends and quickies. The writing in this book feels rushed and I found myself rolling my eyes multiple times as the old lovable Jessica Darling hardens into a whiny sex machine. Her character does not develop gracefully or maturely and actions that she takes snowballs to utter disappointment. If I would have known how different the series turned out to be, I would have saved myself the trouble and stopped at Second Helpings. McCafferty just released Fourth Comings the newest book in the installment and I am less than curious to see what happens.
By Julii Ritter
Reviewed by Julii Ritter
I don’t read too many chick books but this author got me hooked with her first two books Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings. Unfortunately, I was extremely disappointed by Charmed Thirds, her third book of the series. Jessica Darling, the main character of the installments, attends Columbia University against her parent’s wishes. Going from the valedictorian of a small town school to a savvy but hopelessly poor city girl, Jessica discovers social, academic, and mental troubles she never thought she would experience. The innocence she preserved in the first two novels is destroyed by the excess of sex she has after breaking up with her soul-mate(ish) boyfriend. Her character in this book changes for the worse and the book rushes through three years of college in under 400 pages. McCafferty left out a lot of important details as to what happens in Jessica’s life with college.
Supporting characters in the novel also turn out to be a less than satisfying. The theme of maturity and self-discovery is quickly lost as Jessica tumbles into an unfamiliar world of bad boyfriends and quickies. The writing in this book feels rushed and I found myself rolling my eyes multiple times as the old lovable Jessica Darling hardens into a whiny sex machine. Her character does not develop gracefully or maturely and actions that she takes snowballs to utter disappointment. If I would have known how different the series turned out to be, I would have saved myself the trouble and stopped at Second Helpings. McCafferty just released Fourth Comings the newest book in the installment and I am less than curious to see what happens.
By Julii Ritter
Student Review: Everyone Worth Knowing by Lauren Weisberger
What I'm Reading: Everyone Worth Knowing by Lauren Weisberger
Review by Shirley Li
I started reading this book in class last week and I'm almost finished reading it, but to tell you the truth, in my opinion Everyone Worth Knowing is not worth reading. Ok, ok - I'll admit that I liked it the beginning and even thought the plot was pretty catchy, but c'mon, the storyline is tedious and the number of characters became more than I could handle, to the point where I felt I couldn't keep up. In some novels, a large number of characters works, but in this "chick-lit" novel, the number just adds to the monotony. For some reason, I do want to finish it since I've already invested this much time but it isn't a book that I look forward to completing.
This book is the second novel by Weisberger, who wrote The Devil Wears Prada, and it starts off with Bette Robinson, a banker working for UBS who barely has a social life. Bette spends most of her social time with her best friend Penelope, who just got engaged to frequent party goer, Avery. Things change, however, when she quits her job, gets a new one at a party planning company, and starts partying at the hottest clubs in NYC. Sounds like a good start, right? Well, that's exactly what I thought until the events began to go the way events go in most of these novels - Bette gets so caught up in her new life that she forgets her best friend and has to "find herself" again. A lot of sub-plots occur, but listing them would go on for several pages. There's no surprise twist, no creativeness, no originality; it reminds me of The Devil Wears Prada- just a really bad version of it.
Although I was kind of interested in the beginning, now I just want to get this book over with. If you liked Weisberger's The Devil Wears Prada, then don't pick this one up. It ruins her "best-seller" streak, unfortunately. There are definitely a lot of better books out there, so go and grab one of those instead.
-Shirley Li
Review by Shirley Li
I started reading this book in class last week and I'm almost finished reading it, but to tell you the truth, in my opinion Everyone Worth Knowing is not worth reading. Ok, ok - I'll admit that I liked it the beginning and even thought the plot was pretty catchy, but c'mon, the storyline is tedious and the number of characters became more than I could handle, to the point where I felt I couldn't keep up. In some novels, a large number of characters works, but in this "chick-lit" novel, the number just adds to the monotony. For some reason, I do want to finish it since I've already invested this much time but it isn't a book that I look forward to completing.
This book is the second novel by Weisberger, who wrote The Devil Wears Prada, and it starts off with Bette Robinson, a banker working for UBS who barely has a social life. Bette spends most of her social time with her best friend Penelope, who just got engaged to frequent party goer, Avery. Things change, however, when she quits her job, gets a new one at a party planning company, and starts partying at the hottest clubs in NYC. Sounds like a good start, right? Well, that's exactly what I thought until the events began to go the way events go in most of these novels - Bette gets so caught up in her new life that she forgets her best friend and has to "find herself" again. A lot of sub-plots occur, but listing them would go on for several pages. There's no surprise twist, no creativeness, no originality; it reminds me of The Devil Wears Prada- just a really bad version of it.
Although I was kind of interested in the beginning, now I just want to get this book over with. If you liked Weisberger's The Devil Wears Prada, then don't pick this one up. It ruins her "best-seller" streak, unfortunately. There are definitely a lot of better books out there, so go and grab one of those instead.
-Shirley Li
Monday, October 15, 2007
Student Review: I am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe
I am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe
Review written by Jamie Farber
Although this book may certainly scare away some readers due to the thickness of its spine, I am Charlotte Simmons is actually a fast-paced novel with many interesting characters. I promise - every reader is sure to relate to at least one character. For me, this character is the protagonist Charlotte therefore when I read the chapters told from her point of view, the pages fly by!
The story is about a high school girl named Charlotte Simmons, the sheltered Valedictorian of Allegheny High School, who leaves her small town and protective parents behind to attend prestigious Dupont University. After her residential assistant assures her that no alcohol is permitted in the dormitory, Charlotte experiences several vulgar comments from drunken boys (with beer bottles in hand) who are in the same dorm building. So much for the alcohol free assurance! During her “adventure” at college, Charlotte attracts attention from both a nerdy tutor in the library and the number one basketball star of Dupont, however she can’t seem to befriend or even make conversation with her snobby roommate, Beverly. Many incidents occur; unfortunately Charlotte is unprepared to deal with them due to her small-town mentality toward everything academic, emotional, and social.
Tom Wolfe writes this novel so that each chapter is from a different character’s point of view. While at first this style may make it difficult to see why a specific chapter was placed in its order, all of the connections between characters start to make sense after getting further into the novel. This is a book that is great for seniors going off to college or people who want a closer look at what college life is really like. An older teenage reader can appreciate the realistic events of college life in the novel. The book can be found at the East Brunswick Public Library or any bookstore near you!
Review written by Jamie Farber
Although this book may certainly scare away some readers due to the thickness of its spine, I am Charlotte Simmons is actually a fast-paced novel with many interesting characters. I promise - every reader is sure to relate to at least one character. For me, this character is the protagonist Charlotte therefore when I read the chapters told from her point of view, the pages fly by!
The story is about a high school girl named Charlotte Simmons, the sheltered Valedictorian of Allegheny High School, who leaves her small town and protective parents behind to attend prestigious Dupont University. After her residential assistant assures her that no alcohol is permitted in the dormitory, Charlotte experiences several vulgar comments from drunken boys (with beer bottles in hand) who are in the same dorm building. So much for the alcohol free assurance! During her “adventure” at college, Charlotte attracts attention from both a nerdy tutor in the library and the number one basketball star of Dupont, however she can’t seem to befriend or even make conversation with her snobby roommate, Beverly. Many incidents occur; unfortunately Charlotte is unprepared to deal with them due to her small-town mentality toward everything academic, emotional, and social.
Tom Wolfe writes this novel so that each chapter is from a different character’s point of view. While at first this style may make it difficult to see why a specific chapter was placed in its order, all of the connections between characters start to make sense after getting further into the novel. This is a book that is great for seniors going off to college or people who want a closer look at what college life is really like. An older teenage reader can appreciate the realistic events of college life in the novel. The book can be found at the East Brunswick Public Library or any bookstore near you!
- Jamie Farber
Shopaholic and Sister by Sophie Kinsella
Review written by Vicky Tsai
I read this book over the summer and it completely changed my opinion on reading! It’s about a fashionable shopaholic, Becky Brandon, who finds her long-lost sister after 26 years. Becky is ecstatic to find out that she has a sister and plans tons of activities for them to do together. Becky’s husband, Luke, tries to convince her not to get too overjoyed because after all, the two sisters may not be similar after all. Needless to say, when the sisters finally meet, Becky finds out that her sister hates shopping! How can her sister hate shopping? Are they even sisters? These are just some of the questions Becky asks herself as she tried to forge a relationship with her long lost sister.
This is a great, light hearted read. I remember staying up late at night to finish this book; I couldn’t stop reading it because it’s hilarious and such a page-turner!
If you love shopping or if you just have a sister who's nothing like you, then you will definitely enjoy Shopaholic and Sister by Sophie Kinsella. There are a series of Shopaholic books and I can’t wait to read the rest of them!
- Vicky Tsai
Review written by Vicky Tsai
I read this book over the summer and it completely changed my opinion on reading! It’s about a fashionable shopaholic, Becky Brandon, who finds her long-lost sister after 26 years. Becky is ecstatic to find out that she has a sister and plans tons of activities for them to do together. Becky’s husband, Luke, tries to convince her not to get too overjoyed because after all, the two sisters may not be similar after all. Needless to say, when the sisters finally meet, Becky finds out that her sister hates shopping! How can her sister hate shopping? Are they even sisters? These are just some of the questions Becky asks herself as she tried to forge a relationship with her long lost sister.
This is a great, light hearted read. I remember staying up late at night to finish this book; I couldn’t stop reading it because it’s hilarious and such a page-turner!
If you love shopping or if you just have a sister who's nothing like you, then you will definitely enjoy Shopaholic and Sister by Sophie Kinsella. There are a series of Shopaholic books and I can’t wait to read the rest of them!
- Vicky Tsai
Two Student Posts: Foundation by Isaac Asimov
Foundation by Isaac Asimov
Review written by Steve Wei
I don't read all that much but when I do read, however, I read what I like. When I first picked up this book and started reading it a year ago, I put it down immediately. A year later when I picked it up and started it again, however, I realized my tastes in reading must have changed, because after a kind 0f boring introduction, it hooked me.
So, what is Foundation? Well, it all started several thousand years in this 'Galactic Empire', which, coincidentally, is exactly what it sounds like. This dude Hari Seldon developed a scientific theory called Psycho-History to the point where he can predict the future in terms of social, political, and economical changes 10,000 years in the future, and honestly he thinks it's going to fail. Really bad. He forces the government to let him set up a Foundation at the edge of the galaxy (where the Empire isn't threatened) on the pretense that they will preserve the knowledge they have now and shorten the Dark Age to come by 9,000 years.
Without going into too much detail, let me just say that this whole Foundation idea turns out to be a complete farce and all along, Seldon had other plans for Foundation. It's still meant to save the galaxy, but not the way it was presented. The rest of the story follows the characters who keep Foundation from being destroyed - characters who, by the way, are killed off every couple of chapters.
By nature, you may not want to read this book if you like a character driven story or if you're uninterested in politics, because it's mostly about politicians getting killed off/usurped. However if you like sci-fi, if you like challenging books, or if you hate the long-winded descriptions given by writers such as, say, Tolkien, then you may very well enjoy Foundation and its sequels - one of which I'm reading now.
- Steve Wei
Foundation by Isaac Asimov
Review written by John McLean
I must have picked up and put this book down three times in the past four years. My uncle gave this book to me more as a “Here, I don’t want this anymore, I thought you might like it” present, but I never got around t0 reading it. It seemed I always would pick it up around 11 o’clock at night, when I was dead tired and every time, without fail, I would fall asleep within the first three pages. My initial impression was that the book itself was putting me to sleep, so I gave up on reading it. Much to my surprise, however, I actually started carving into the book last night with a renewed intensity and to my surprise and delight, i discovered it’s fantastic!
Gaal Dornick, a mathematician from Synnax, travels to Trantor, the center of the Galactic Empire. Trantor is one giant city where the law-making decisions of the Empire are decided. It is also in Trantor that Hari Seldon, a renowned mathematician and psycho-historian, is attempting to lessen the impact of what he proves mathematically to be the unstoppable downfall of the Empire.
Although I’m not too far into the book, I can tell it's going to be fantastic and I can’t wait to complete the entire trilogy.
If you’ve ever read Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card or seen the movie I, Robot starring Will Smith, read this book. It’s not some "boring book" - it begins right in the middle of all the action and is exciting from the get- go! Just make sure you don't start reading it when you're exhausted!
- John McLean
Review written by Steve Wei
I don't read all that much but when I do read, however, I read what I like. When I first picked up this book and started reading it a year ago, I put it down immediately. A year later when I picked it up and started it again, however, I realized my tastes in reading must have changed, because after a kind 0f boring introduction, it hooked me.
So, what is Foundation? Well, it all started several thousand years in this 'Galactic Empire', which, coincidentally, is exactly what it sounds like. This dude Hari Seldon developed a scientific theory called Psycho-History to the point where he can predict the future in terms of social, political, and economical changes 10,000 years in the future, and honestly he thinks it's going to fail. Really bad. He forces the government to let him set up a Foundation at the edge of the galaxy (where the Empire isn't threatened) on the pretense that they will preserve the knowledge they have now and shorten the Dark Age to come by 9,000 years.
Without going into too much detail, let me just say that this whole Foundation idea turns out to be a complete farce and all along, Seldon had other plans for Foundation. It's still meant to save the galaxy, but not the way it was presented. The rest of the story follows the characters who keep Foundation from being destroyed - characters who, by the way, are killed off every couple of chapters.
By nature, you may not want to read this book if you like a character driven story or if you're uninterested in politics, because it's mostly about politicians getting killed off/usurped. However if you like sci-fi, if you like challenging books, or if you hate the long-winded descriptions given by writers such as, say, Tolkien, then you may very well enjoy Foundation and its sequels - one of which I'm reading now.
- Steve Wei
Foundation by Isaac Asimov
Review written by John McLean
I must have picked up and put this book down three times in the past four years. My uncle gave this book to me more as a “Here, I don’t want this anymore, I thought you might like it” present, but I never got around t0 reading it. It seemed I always would pick it up around 11 o’clock at night, when I was dead tired and every time, without fail, I would fall asleep within the first three pages. My initial impression was that the book itself was putting me to sleep, so I gave up on reading it. Much to my surprise, however, I actually started carving into the book last night with a renewed intensity and to my surprise and delight, i discovered it’s fantastic!
Gaal Dornick, a mathematician from Synnax, travels to Trantor, the center of the Galactic Empire. Trantor is one giant city where the law-making decisions of the Empire are decided. It is also in Trantor that Hari Seldon, a renowned mathematician and psycho-historian, is attempting to lessen the impact of what he proves mathematically to be the unstoppable downfall of the Empire.
Although I’m not too far into the book, I can tell it's going to be fantastic and I can’t wait to complete the entire trilogy.
If you’ve ever read Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card or seen the movie I, Robot starring Will Smith, read this book. It’s not some "boring book" - it begins right in the middle of all the action and is exciting from the get- go! Just make sure you don't start reading it when you're exhausted!
- John McLean
Student Post: Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
I recently started reading the book Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk, and I can't stop! It's about an unnamed narrator who hates his job and his life. The narrator works for a car company recalling cars, but only if the recall is cost effective. He suffers from insomnia and the only days he can sleep are the days he goes to support groups - recommended by his doctor so he can see real suffering - and is allowed to cry and listen to other peoples' misery.
The narrator becomes addicted to support groups and starts attending them every day. These support groups focus on dealing with issues such as brain parasites, testicular cancer, and tuberculosis. This continues until he meets Marla Singer. She attends all the support groups he attends and for some reason because of her, he can't cry anymore and also can't sleep.
But wait - I'm getting ahead of myself. Before this happens, the narrator meets Tyler Durden, a man who works all kinds of night jobs. The narrator asks Tyler if he can move in with him because his (the narrator's) condo exploded. Tyler agrees but only if the narrator does him one favor which is "to hit me as hard as you can" (Palahniuk 37).) This is how Fight Club is formed.
I can't wait to finish this novel - I'm already half-way through and so far it's been better than the movie by the same name, which was amazing! Check out Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk.
The narrator becomes addicted to support groups and starts attending them every day. These support groups focus on dealing with issues such as brain parasites, testicular cancer, and tuberculosis. This continues until he meets Marla Singer. She attends all the support groups he attends and for some reason because of her, he can't cry anymore and also can't sleep.
But wait - I'm getting ahead of myself. Before this happens, the narrator meets Tyler Durden, a man who works all kinds of night jobs. The narrator asks Tyler if he can move in with him because his (the narrator's) condo exploded. Tyler agrees but only if the narrator does him one favor which is "to hit me as hard as you can" (Palahniuk 37).) This is how Fight Club is formed.
I can't wait to finish this novel - I'm already half-way through and so far it's been better than the movie by the same name, which was amazing! Check out Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Ugg! Frustration!
I didn't get a chance to finish my book last night! I'm so frustrated - I taught PSAT class until 830, got back to my apartment at 930 and by the time I ate dinner, caught up on school work and took care of some housekeeping details, I was too tired to read!
Actually, I started to read and despite my best efforts, I fell asleep! To add to my frustration, I forgot my book at home this morning so I can't even read it over my lunch break. Ugh. The first thing I'm going to do when I get home tonight - before I eat or look at the mail - is sit down and finish my book!
Actually, I started to read and despite my best efforts, I fell asleep! To add to my frustration, I forgot my book at home this morning so I can't even read it over my lunch break. Ugh. The first thing I'm going to do when I get home tonight - before I eat or look at the mail - is sit down and finish my book!
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
What I'm reading
What The Dead Know by Laura Lippman
I started this book a few days ago and it's a real page turner! It's the story of two sisters, the Bethany girls, who disappeared 30 years ago without a trace from a Baltimore shopping mall. At the beginning of the book, a woman is involved in a traffic accident and when questioned by the police, claims to be the younger Bethany sister. Although at first she is reluctant to answer the questions everyone wants answers to (where has she been for 30 years? Who kidnapped her? What happened to her sister?), eventually she tells her tale... which investigators discover is full of dead ends.
Who is this woman and why has she come forth after all of these years? Well, that's what I'll hopefully find out tonight when I finish the book - the suspense is driving me crazy!
If you like to watch shows such as "Without a Trace", "CSI", or "Cold Case", then you'll love "What the Dead Know" by Laura Lippman - it's available at the East Brunswick Public Library!
I started this book a few days ago and it's a real page turner! It's the story of two sisters, the Bethany girls, who disappeared 30 years ago without a trace from a Baltimore shopping mall. At the beginning of the book, a woman is involved in a traffic accident and when questioned by the police, claims to be the younger Bethany sister. Although at first she is reluctant to answer the questions everyone wants answers to (where has she been for 30 years? Who kidnapped her? What happened to her sister?), eventually she tells her tale... which investigators discover is full of dead ends.
Who is this woman and why has she come forth after all of these years? Well, that's what I'll hopefully find out tonight when I finish the book - the suspense is driving me crazy!
If you like to watch shows such as "Without a Trace", "CSI", or "Cold Case", then you'll love "What the Dead Know" by Laura Lippman - it's available at the East Brunswick Public Library!
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