Monday, September 12, 2011
Favorite book
I'm giving you folks an easy one this week as a way of easing ourselves into the textual analysis project we'll be starting next week. Pick a favorite book and discuss why it's your favorite, and for the bookworms out there, you're only allowed a maximum of three, so choose carefully. You can choose whatever titles you want, but Twilight fans may get made fun of. This week will be the first time we go by the usual deadlines, which will be to have a 250 word post up by Thursday night (09/15) and a 100 word response up by Sunday night (09/18).
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One of my favorite books I have read is the series The Hunger Games. I loved this book for containing such a creative plot line. I occasionally enjoy futuristic plot lines, but I had heard so many rave reviews from my peers who had previously read the serious, I just had to give these books a shot. Another reason I loved this serious was because of the adventurous nature of it. Throughout the books the main characters travel around the country, face starvation, and learn survival skills. The major part of the story centers on a fight to the death battle, in which excitement never ceases. I also loved how much the author contemplated the morality of a lot of what was going on around them. I loved the simplicity in which the characters live, where the main character illegally hunts, and people are forced to trade for food. I am also intrigued by the idea that humanity as a whole in the author’s eyes regressed back to simpler ways as we behaved in the past. The relationships between the characters are very complex and interconnected in ways sometimes confusing. The series continually forces the audience to think, predict, and imagine a completely different nation. I love that the book is very relatable in its character relationships, but is also extremely far fetched in the way the society, culture, and plot line are focused. The Hunger Game series continually draws in its audience to see what will happen next to both the plot and the characters alike.
ReplyDeleteMost of you, especially the girls, have either seen or heard of the Pretty Little Liars series that recently started on ABC Family. It all began as an 8 book-long series of novels written by Sara Shepard and as virtually any other book/movie combination out there, the two could not be more different. I don’t have a particularly favorite genre that I enjoy reading, but it seems that Sara Shepard found a way to tie in a little of many genres. For any of you who don’t know the story, it is about a group of five friends and what happens to each of them after one goes missing. The girls, Aria, Spencer, Emily, and Hannah begin to receive threatening notes that torment them and know all of their darkest secrets which are simply signed “-A”. The books are so well written that the reader connects with the story and gets the deep sense of fear during the suspenseful parts of the novel. It also ties in a little mystery because every chapter has an exceptionally unexpected twist. It almost seems impossible to explain how surprising these books are because the author does an amazing job at leading you to believe something will happen, or that the series is finally solved, then you come to find out it is far from over and everything you knew is completely wrong. Lastly since the series follows the lives of 4 typical teenage girls, it also intertwines an entertaining and girly aspect into the fear and suspense of the story line.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was younger, I hated to read. I though the main reason was because I couldn't concentrate on something for more than 10 minutes. I have now realized the reason I didn't like reading was because I couldn't find a genre that I was interested in. After hearing one of my friends talk about how much she loved this one book, I thought I should try it out and see if I like it. After reading it, it became one of my favorite books and turned me on to reading again. Before I Die writing by Jenny Downham was about a teenager who was diagnosed with cancer. With only months to live, Tessa decided to make a list of 10 things to do before she dies. This list rangers from trying drugs, loosing her virginity, to falling in love and having her parents get remarried. Because Tessa does not have a great relationship with her family, she also tries to fix her relationships with everyone, but mostly her little brother and the boy next door. Another book I loved was Go Ask Alice, which was anonymously written, and also a true novel by a teenager. This book is the journal of a young girl, and her experiences through high school. In this story you see all of the affects that drugs has on a person, and how much they can hurt you. Both of these books are very suspenseful, and I would defiantly recommend them to everyone!. Both of these books are funny, but also tearjerkers.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite book is called The Shack. I read this my sophomore year of high school and did a project on it. It is truly unlike any other story that I have read. It is a story of true courage and faith. The Shack starts off with a detailed story about the kidnapping of Mac Philips young daughter while him and his three children went on a camping trip. Sadly the only evidence found is a dress that she was wearing soaked in blood. The evidence was found in a shack in the woods. After years of sadness the main character of the story still hasn’t buried his daughter. If I’m correct his family (wife and two other children) leaves for the weekend or the week. The main character then embarks on a fascinating journey. In that journey he visits a shack. I can’t remember if he visits the shack that his daughter may have been killed in or not. In the process of going to the shack he finds God there literally. As well as the son, Jesus, and the holy spirit. He spends the weekend with the Trinity of Christianity. Each part of the trinity shows him lessons and teaches him new things about himself. They give him strength and since before his daughter died he finds happiness again. I think author did a great job with using the characters as symbols in the story. The story is beautifully detailed and quite sad but I highly recommend the book. Even if you aren’t religious it is still a good story.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite book to this day is still A Child Called “It” by Dave Pelzer. It is his incredible story of his encounter with cruel child abuse. It is a true story of Pelzer’s childhood and has been deemed the worst case of child abuse in California. Throughout certain circumstances, he learned to survive beatings and starvation from his emotionally ambiguous, alcoholic mother. His book was brutally honest and opened my mind to the tortures of child abuse. Some of the things his mother did to him was so awful that it was hard to believe. For example, I recall his mother at one point holding his arm over an open flame on a stove. Reading about his experiences led me to a vast appreciation of things most people take for granted like friends and family. I find his story fascinated because it was able to reach me and show how people can overcome difficulties in life and what the power of courage can do. Although I never had to encounter what Dave Pelzer did, his courage and determination amazed me because it’s what kept him alive. He is a perfect example that everyone has the capability to better themselves no matter what challenges they might face. I believe Pelzer’s life symbolized hope and the immense power of internal motivation. Throughout the book, he goes through stages of fear and loss, to isolation and rage, and eventually hope. His awful phenomenon taught me that people can rise from less than humble beginnings and make something of their self.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who knows me even just a little bit knows that I DESPISE reading. However, I occasionally will find a book or SHORT series that I actually enjoy. A few of my favorites include Goodbye Lemon, Nobody's Daughter, and the Outsiders. However, my favorite book is Girl With a Pearl Earring. I LOVED reading this book. I loved it so much that when I finished reading it in school, I went a bought my own copy so that I could read it again and write in it, and eventually, read it again. I even bit the bullet and watched the movie version, which was not all that bad. I love the book so much because it is a story about a teenage girl who basically has to help support her family by living with and working for a completely different one. Griet, the main character, really loves her family and is willing to basically be reduced to nothing in her employer's household just to help them as much as she can. It is a coming of age story that is accessible to people of all different ages because when it comes down to it, Griet has to make a choice between the life she has known, or a life that she had never even dreamed of, which is a common crossroads that everyday people come upon. It is a quick read which I enjoyed because, like I said, I loathe reading. So for me to read this multiple times for my own personal enjoyment, it must be sort of worth checking out.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up, I’ve always loved to read. Drama, romance novels, biographies, memoirs… For the past few years, I have been really into memoirs. They are full of emotion, and can really evoke a reaction because they are true stories. I also find memoirs inspiring because no matter what the author went through, how hard times got, they obviously survived to write about it. One book that has really made an impact on me was Not Without Hope by Nick Schuyler. It is the story of a man who went on a fishing trip out in the Gulf of Mexico with three friends and was the only one to return. While out fishing, a storm unexpectedly hit and in an attempt to bring up the anchor, the four men flipped the boat. The waves were huge and the water was freezing. Left without any food or water, and only one life jacket, the four men did their best to cling on to the half of the boat that was remaining afloat. After a day it became unbearable, and gradually, the other three men would become less and less conscious, until they couldn’t hold on anymore and they drifted off into the gulf. However, Schuyler miraculously held on to the motor of the boat, enduring frigid water, starvation, and both physical and mental exhaustion. Finally, after several days, a boat spotted him and called for a helicopter, which responded quickly and saved his life. Nick’s story teaches the importance of perseverance.
ReplyDeleteHe could easily have given up, as most people would have done, but he was insistent that he would survive to see his mother and explain to the other men’s families what had happened. He does an amazing job telling the story that creates suspense while still being sensitive to the other men’s families who were not so fortunate.
My favorite book is probably the first Jurassic Park book. It is definitely better than the movie because it’s much more descriptive and makes you feel like you are actually there with the characters. Jurassic Park is about this company called In Gen and they find dinosaur DNA in the blood of a mosquito that had been fossilized. They fill in the missing parts with frog DNA and create many species of dinosaurs. They then put them all on an island off Costa Rica and create an amusement park for tourists to come visit. The story line is about a few mathematicians and scientists who visit the island before it is ready and their journey through the island trying to escape from the dinosaurs when things go wrong. One character named Ian Malcom is a mathematician and he tries to explain why the park will end up to be a disaster through something called Chaos Theory. It’s a very good book if you are interested in science and if you like suspenseful stories. I love this book because it had me rapidly turning the pages to find out what was going to happen next. It has a lot of relatable characters whom you will fall in love with by the end and you will definitely want to check out the second book: The Lost World. I have read a lot of books for school and for pleasure (I have a kindle and absolutely love it) but I have to say that Jurassic Park is my favorite. It’s pretty long but is a great story, and is very nicely written.
ReplyDeletem sure like most of us students, I have not fully read many books in my life. In fact, if I am able to be enthusiastic about a book at all, it must be a very good book. One novel that had stood out to me in my high school career was called White Noise. This book presented a story about how the fear of death along with identity and the saturation of technology and media has taken over our world these days. As the novel unfolds, the concept of fear of death is evident. People in the town in which the story takes place are always looking to prolong their lives after a previous evacuation from the spill of toxin. One main character's reaction to this is a continuous fear of death. To deal with this fear, she decides to take a new and illegal medication in order to cure this. She even goes to the extent of cheating on her husband in order to obtain this drug. The media is also seen as a cause of fear of death and identity by creating false conceptions of the world. Typical advertisements are seen that tell individuals that they cannot live without the product being presented. The reason for why I found this book so intriguing is the connection it has to our world today, especially the media's role. Almost every commercial that comes on either the t.v., the radio, or even billboards is something to improve your life. They offer the message that one is always going to be missing out on something in life and it must be obtained instantly.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite books to this day has to be My Sisters Keeper by Jodi Picoultt. There are many reasons it’s my favorite but I mostly love it because I can connect my life to it. The story is about a teenager dying of cancer and how her family handles it. The way that it is written, it tells the story backwards. The audience sees what is going on in the present and goes over the struggle of each family member throughout the chapters. The main idea of the story is about the younger sister who was scientifically developed to help her older sister survive and fight leukemia. Her whole childhood consisted of bone marrow transplants and surgeries that got her sick and made her weak. Her older sister knows that it’s her time to die but her mother won’t let her give up. Therefore, she tells her younger sister to sue her mother for rights to her own body. The audience doesn’t find that out until later in the book. This story line really made me want to keep reading and made it an easy read because you always wanted to know what happened next. I connected to this text because my friend mother was dying of breast cancer while I was reading it. I understood that her mom wasn’t the only one fighting her battle; my friend, her older sister and brother, and father were fighting their own battles too. Nobody wants to lose a family member, but it’s definitely a learning experience, which the book and my friends struggle both taught me.
ReplyDeleteOut of all the books that I have read during my high school career I have to say that The Tale Of Two Cities was probably one of my favorite books. Even though it took place during the French revolution it was still a good book. The plot of the story was more adventurous and it was somewhat historical. I also liked the characters in the story. One character Sydney Carton was a man that went from a low life to an honorable man. While the other character Charles Darney was a noble man, but he was persecuted by the common folk for being rich. As the story goes along you are able to tell that something bad will happen to Charles and that Sydney will come in and save the day. The foreshadowing is somewhat obvious but it was still a good story. the ending was probably my favorite part of the story. Sydney basically takes the place of Charles and is executed by the guillotine. While Charles is rescued and reunited with his family. The ending showed that anyone can make a sacrifice for something good even if the person that did it was not really a good person at all. People are determined by their actions and Sydney died a good man. Overall I would say that this was a good book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and if you haven't read it yet I would recommend that you do read it. It was great.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever read a book that helps and guides you with problems and situations you are facing, and also contains words of inspiration, poetry, prophecy and history at the same time? Well, I have. My favourite book is so much more than a book. It is my road map to the everyday journeys that I face in my life. It is my comfort when I am upset and it is my strength when I am weak. My favourite book is written by both known and unknown authors. It also has two parts to it, the old and the new, and each part has many books within them. The old has thirty-nine books and the new has twenty- seven books. My favourite book is a collection of stories that were written at different times and in different places. The earliest accounts were written about 3500 years ago. My favourite book is the Bible. I love reading the Bible. It is a reminder that God is always there and all I need to do is follow His word and stay close to Him. My favourite books in the Bible are Proverbs and Revelation. Proverbs gives me good counsel for living a fair and decent life by giving examples and guidelines for dealing with my family, my friends, and even my enemies and Revelation, last book, explains the last days. It tells how close we are to the end, and shows ahead of time what to look for to know that we are in the last days.
ReplyDeleteThe only book i’ve personally gone out purchased, read in my free time and been captivated by, is one entitled “the 48 laws of power” I stumbled upon it in a weird way, when the rapper Drake said in song “Read 48 laws if you’ve never read it, its the single main reason that I’m level headed” so being obsessed with his music at that time I researched the novel, then went and bought it. From the first page I was hooked.
ReplyDeleteIts a book of well researched laws that if followed and executed perfectly will increase your success and power in everyday situations. It tells the stories and philosophy of great leader over the last few hundred years such as Machiavelli, Sun-Tzu, Carl Von Clausewitz and may other inspirational leaders.
Some of my favorite laws are Law 9 “win through your actions never through argument” Law 16 “use absence to increase respect and honor” law 18 “don't use fortresses to protect yourself, isolation is dangerous” and law 40 “despise the free lunch
The author Robert Greene uses situation from war and con artistry but you can use these laws in any everyday situation and since reading this book I subconsciously live by these 48 laws.
My favorite book is “Blink” by Malcolm Gladwell. Actually I only started reading books this summer because I was suffering from boredom. I went to the bookstore for the solution and ended up picking this book off the shelf. The book is about how people tend to make decisions rather quickly, no longer than it takes to blink, and then come up with the explanation and not the other way round. Though out the book the author uses real life example, such as policemen deciding what to do in certain situations and art experts being able to say if a piece of work is real or fake without looking at it for more than a split second. Malcolm Gladwell also talks about the positives and negatives of making such decisions based on instincts and “gut feelings”. In the example using the policemen, he stated a case in which four policemen shot an innocent civilian thinking he was dangerous. While running from the armed policemen the victim turned his body sideways n reached into his pocket, from past experience the four policemen empty their clip firing a total of forty one shots and killed him on the spot, to their surprise, he was trying to take out his wallet. On the positive side of making instinct decisions, he states how athletes make passes, shots plays with in one hundredths of a second and then say explain why they didn’t make another play.
ReplyDeleteOut of all books I have read in my life, no other book has stood out more than A Child Called ''It': One Child's Courage to Survive by Dave Pelzer. it is a true story about Pelzer's abused childhood. It is written in great amount details and also very descriptive that I felt as if I was part of the story, watching everything that was happening to him as a helpless bystander. He survived many bizarre and horrifying abuses whether it's mental, verbal, or physical by his own mother. Some of the abuses were so severe that it was hard to keep on reading. He would get abused almost everyday such as starvation, forced to drink ammonia and even got stabbed. I cried every time I turned to the next page. I have never read a book that captivated me as much as A Child Called "It" and it is by far my favorite book so far. It made me appreciate my life and the family that I had even more. It amazes me how a child could take that much of abuse and still survive. He is definitely one of the most inspirational people that I look up to because even though he was severely abused almost every day, he never gave up and had faith in life and the desire to live. I have read this book multiple times and to this day i never get bored of it. It not only made me realize not to take life for granted but also made me want to help out unfortunate kids and raise awareness. During the summer, I volunteered at a children's foster home where kids were either abused or abandoned. It was the most incredible experience i have ever done and made me look at life in a whole different perspective. I would like to do more volunteering helping out abused kids and raise awareness in the future.
ReplyDeleteThe number one book, which evidently sticks out in my mind, is the autobiography of Ted Beckman. The book is appropriately named ‘My Son’ and its contents reveal his child ‘David’ extraordinary rise to stardom. The book was recommended to me by my Grandfather who said (in his deep Scottish accent) ‘Read this Son and you’ll realise what it takes to become a footballer takes.’
ReplyDeleteI’m glad I took his advice. The book coveys the story of how Ted Beckhams child reached his ultimate goal in life. The story is evidence of how even the most unfortunate can reach greatness with simple but vital tools such as determination, will power and talent.
The book is particularly appealing to me as I could easily relate to the character and situations. These included the strict training schedule and sacrifices that had to be made in order to succeed. While reading the book it became obvious to me of how passionate both the author and his son are about the game. The book carefully described the ups and downs both father and son shared together and the emotions, which were felt. It was interesting to get an insight to what Davids family had to go through in both positive and negative situations in his career so far. Reading of how David went from a small schoolboy living in Essex, England, to a worldwide football star playing for one of the top teams in the world. Even as this happened, it was made obvious how Ted made sure his sons attitude and values remained constant.
This book has had a noticeable effect on my life and the purpose of the text, encourage young aspiring athletes, still remains a poignant message to myself.
In response to Tyler Blackwood, I have to admit I am also an avid fan of Drake’s music. I’ve heard the line in which you have stated and also wanted to purchase the book. However I never got around to finding and buying it, but I’m pretty glad to hear that it is an interesting book full of lessons from historical and inspirational figures such as Machiavelli, Sun-Tzu and Carl Von Clausewitz. Now that you have advised us to read this book I may actually put some effort into finding so I can read it and learn its many lessons.
ReplyDeleteIn response to LMccarthy, I have read all the books in the series and I also watched all the episodes on the television show of Pretty Little Liars and both of them were good. I personally liked reading the books more than watching the episodes on the television show because the books give you much more details than show. I would recommend reading the books because then you will be able to picture the story in your head even though you picture Aria Montgomery as Lucy Hale and Ezra as Ian Harding. The only thing that I didn’t like is that when I read the book and then watch the series of show I got turned off at how different they made it.
ReplyDeleteIn response to amypar, I have heard so many positive reviews for that series from bookworms to non-readers, so I really think I should check it out. I too love when a story is relatable because it makes it so much easier for me to become invested in the story. Sometimes I'll even try to imagine that I am that person so that I can get the full effect of the story being told. I often like futuristic stories because it is interesting to me how the author imagines each and every scene. I will definitely be adding this series to my "list to read" but that list is pretty lengthy, and I don't read for enjoyment all that often, so it may be a while before I actually get to it.
ReplyDeleteIn response to EmilyTan, I agree, My Sisters Keeper is a very powerful book. Even though i didn’t have a personal connection to it, it still moved me, and i think i even may have cried at the end. Even though the sister’s life is in the balance, and the younger sister despises helping anymore, all she wants is to be her own person. The story focuses on the family as a whole, not just the eldest daughter. The story line is so full of turmoil and will defiantly shock anyone. However all of Jodi Picoult's books are powerful and if no one has read any of them you should. She is an author that can really toy with your emotions.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Kaylajohnson, I was always the exact same way. I used to resent reading because I hadn’t yet come across a book that I had really enjoyed. It wasn’t until I discovered a genre that I loved that I began to read more and more often. I haven’t heard of Before I Die but it sounds like a book that I would read. Because of our age, I enjoy reading about teenagers because it makes them much more relatable. Also, when a book is not blatantly fantasy and has some verisimilitude, I enjoy it much more because I can grasp on and connect with the story.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Aclare16- I completely agree that The Shack is a great book. I love how this book was written. It was so detailed yet easy to follow and read. It is definitely one of those books that aren’t easy to put down once you’ve picked them up. It’s a beautiful book, and I agree that whether you are religious or not the story itself is great. The character in the book is taught hard lessons along his journey. Lessons that provide him with better clarity than he had before. Regardless of religion, it’s really just about this character finding himself and bettering his life. I think it’s a great book and I would highly recommend it also.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Lairdy10 I am a huge David Beckham fan, and is an idol of mine. I never have read his fathers autobiography although I have read his. I have also watched TV shows which show exactly where he came from. Humble beginnings to world super stardom. Normally this changes a man but in Davids case he has remained level headed and I'm guessing this is down to his father, and strong family base. he is a great example. Not only for young athletes, but all young children. He has taken the strong family bond he was given, and made one himself.
ReplyDeleteIn response to JSarikas, I have to agree, reading has not always been my favorite thing to do either. I too really enjoyed The Outsiders and Goodbye Lemon but have never read The Girl with a Pearl Earing. Noting the fact that JSarikas read it for school and loved it so much she purchased it to read on her own makes me think it may be a book I would like. I also really like books with movies so I can read and then watch the movie version. It’s fun to see which I enjoy more, the book usually wins.
ReplyDeleteMy response is to haley.k. I agree completely that the book was better than the movie because the book was more descriptive and certain parts of the book were missing from the movie. Also certain events were different in the book then in the movie. Overall I would say the movie was pretty good and Jurassic Park is a classic. However the book was better than the movie, and I can say it has been a while since I have read the book and seen the movie. I would also recommend others to read the book if you haven't already because the book is really good.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Aclare16, I too have read The Shack, and it too is amongst my favorite books. The book is very moving, descriptive, and motivating. In response to her question, she was correct in saying that Mac visited the shack that his daughter was murdered in. I found myself taking a deeper look into the trinity of Christianity, the relationships within the trinity, and what that means about relationships with our peers. I found Mac’s personal growth throughout the book very inspiring given all he had been through. The author addressed very deep, thought-provoking questions throughout the novel.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Kaylajohn, I also read Go Ask Alice by an anonymous teenager and I really enjoyed it. It was such a powerful book. Although I have never read the novel Before I Die by Jenny Downham, I would love to read it because I enjoy those types of psychological and realistic young adult novels because you can relate. As much as books such as Harry Potter Series & the Twilight sagas are interesting to read, ultimately they're all fantasy and will mostly likely to never happen so it's hard to connect with the novel. I agree that Go Ask Alice was a real tearjerker but I definitely recommend everyone reading it!
ReplyDeleteGrowing up, I read books frequently. The book that stands out in my mind and is my favorite book to read every year is The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom. It is a riveting tale about a man’s life and how the challenges of everyday life can take a toll on a person’s mind. It’s one of my favorite books for many reasons, some of these reasons include the style of writing and how the author formatted the book. Through-out the book the author gives a detailed image of what heaven could be for people and while at the same time, the author lets you read about special events that have happened on the main characters birthday. Mitch Albom even adds a third dimension which entails the world that Eddie (the main character) left behind. My favorite part of the books, are the authors detailed description of heaven. Another aspect of the book that I really enjoy is the message that the book sends to the reader. The main point of the book is to enjoy life and the author demonstrates this by telling this amazing tale of this simple man’s life. I also really like how the author shows the reader that everyone changes another person’s life at one point or another and the choices we make not only shape out lives but people around us as well. I highly recommend this book to anyone, its very enjoyable and well-written. Once you open this book you will not be able to put it down until it is finished.
ReplyDeleteIn response to haylee.k. I completely agree that the books are often better than the films. When I read the book I can create my own imagery in my head and visualize what the places and people look like. Having said that I also won’t change the channel whenever Jurassic Park is on TV. More time than not I am discourage when the film maker’s point of view doesn’t match how I imaged it from reading the book. Another benefit from reading the book instead of just watching the movies is that you often get more information than the movies. The movies tend to skip small bits of information.
ReplyDeleteIn response to miya.a, A Child Called “It” is definitely a book that tears at your emotions. I read part of it a few years ago but never read the entire story. My one friend talked about it and how disturbing it was so I tried it but it was too much for me to handle. Now that I am older I really want to try and read it again because I have heard it is quite an amazing story. I love to read and I currently have a list of books I want to get, and your post has reminded me to add A Child Called “It” to my list. I hope that everyone who thinks they can handle it will try and read this book.
ReplyDeleteIn response to haley.k, the story of Jurrasic Park has also become a personal favorite of mine. The story line is one that has always deeply fascinated me. The suggestion that the age of Dinosaurs could be recreated is evidently impossible but nonetheless intriguing. This period in history has always mesmerized me and I see the book as a way I could possibly satisfy this notion. I have always intended to read the book after watching the films numerous times. Others have made me aware of noticeable events in the book which that the film surprisingly misses out on. I also understand there is no substitution for the flawless and creative description a book can produce compared to a simple scene in a film.
ReplyDeleteOne if my favorite books is Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. It follows the life of a boy from birth to young adulthood. The book itself is a coming of age novel and it had a big plot twist at the end. I read this book my junior year of high school and really liked it. The author did a good job of describing the characters in detail and felt like I could create a good mental picture of the world he wrote about. At first I thought that it was an outdated book that I would have a hard time connecting to because it was written more then a hundred years ago but many of the social problems the main character Pip has to overcome are universal and timeless. The story takes place in late 17-century England and revolves around a boy named Pip who comes from a very poor family of blacksmiths. He receives a large sum of money from a secret benefactor and is educated. However he is not well liked by some of his peers because he is new money. At the end of the story Pip and the reader are very surprised as to who his benefactor really was. If your looking for a new book to read I would recommend this book because it is a real page turner and I think it has something for everybody.
ReplyDeleteIn response to dkrell I have never read a tale of two cities but it sounds like a good book. I am a fan of Charles Dickens and I’m sure I would like a tale of two cities. The book seems like it would most likely be written similarly to my favorite book witch is by the same author. The only problem is his books tend to be very long and to be honest I don’t know if id have time to read it Maybe if I get the chance ill read it.
ReplyDeleteAlmost all the required reading in high school that I have had to read has been painfully horrible. I honestly barely would finish reading school books and when I did they would not affect me in any way. One book did though, it actually was the first book I ever had to read for high school. The summer going into freshman year I read, They Cage The Animals At Night by Jennings Michael Burch, who tells the story of his childhood. This book is a true story about a little boy who spends his childhood in and out of several foster homes. He was neglected by his family and treated horribly by the people who worked and lived at the homes. One of the foster homes introduces him to what became his best friend, a stuffed animal named Doggie. Their relationship was so special because it was the only consistent relationship that he had. At the end of the book in the epilogue, the author reveals that he still has Doggie with him.
ReplyDeleteAnother amazing story, and one of my favorite books, has also been a book that I had to read for school. I had to read Sarah’s Key by Tatiana De Rosnay for a research paper and I have never been so hooked on a book before. It was a story told in the present and in the past, during the holocaust, and there ends up being a connection between the two. The story in the past is about how a young girl lives through the holocaust and the concentration camps and ends up escaping. It is an amazing story that has truly influenced my life.
In response to LMccarthy, I have never read any of the Pretty Little Liars books, but I am obsessed with the television series. I have always wanted to read the books because every one that has read them, like you, has been hooked to the books. It is such an addicting story and an intense mystery. I would like to read the books to see how the author is able to grab you like the show does. It is so suspenseful, I feel that I would not be able to put the book down if I started to read it.
ReplyDeleteIn response to muteb, I also read The Five People You Meet in Heaven and it made a profound impact on me. I love the way Albom tells the story from several different dimensions. It gives the reader room for interpretation, which is important as heaven is what someone wishes it to be. It also stimulates the reader to think about what they believe heaven to be. This book encourages a reader to enjoy life and live it to the fullest. If your life were to end tomorrow, how would you have wished to spend your last day?
ReplyDeleteIn response to these posts, my initial statement of not reading many stories in my life has been proven. In fact, I have not read a single book stated above. While this is somewhat discouraging, it also motivates me to go and diversify myself in the world of literature. Being a well rounded individual in the literary world is very important as one's education continues. Some books that had caught my attention above are the titles, A child called "It", Blink, and The Shack. Also, some other books in the stores that have caught my attention are "The girl with a dragon Tattoo", along with John Grisham's series.
ReplyDeleteIn response to LMccarthy, I have also read another book written by the same author that I loved. The lying game was about two twins that didn't know the other existed. It was once of the first couple of books I read, which made me into more books by Sarah Shepard. Recently, they have actually just turned that book into a T/V show which I believe will be airing soon. After finishing that book, I read the Pretty Little Liars series also. Also, in response to natalie.queirolo and muteb I have also read the book The five people you meet in heaven.
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