Marshmallows for Breakfast, written by Dorothy Koomson, centers around the life of Kendra Tamale, a young woman who is trying to escape her difficult past in Australia by secretly returning to her native England to make a fresh start in her life. She rents an apartment from Kyle Gadsborough, the floundering father of beautiful six year old twins, Summer and Jaxon. While Kendra hopes for peace and solitude to sort through her difficult emotional issues and move ahead with her life, the twins, and eventually Kyle, have other ideas. The twins “adopt” Kendra in their mother’s drunken absence, and Kyle soon realizes that he needs Kendra’s help in coping with single fatherhood. Each of the characters is dealing with a secret in their life, from an assault in Kendra’s past, to Kyle’s impending divorce and the twin’s mother’s alcoholism, each is afraid to confront their secret because of the devastating consequences that will likely result. With every crisis faced by Kyle and the twins, Kendra is pulled deeper into the Gadsborough family and forced to confront issues from her past that she has tried desperately to forget. The book, while dealing with fairly serious issues, was never heavy and depressing reading. The emotional issues dealt with throughout the book caused alternating tears of sadness and joy, and left me constantly caring about what happened to each character. Dorothy Koomson does an incredible job of bringing the characters to life, whether their nature is good or evil. The twins are adorable and crave the love and attention of a “surrogate” mother which eventually makes them blossom. Kyle is frustrated and floundering, looking for someone he can depend on that will love his children and that can possibly love him as well. The twin’s mother and Kyle’s wife Ashlyn tries to drink privately but ultimately always gets discovered because of her negligence and inconsideration towards everybody in her life. Kendra, dealing with deep emotional scars, believes that solitude is what she needs to heal, but quickly learns that her constant involvement with Kyle, the twins, her best friend Gabrielle, and even Ashlyn, is what finally brings healing to her wounded soul and spirit.
Marshmallows for Breakfast is a touching story of what can happen when love demands that we confront the past and embrace the future. It also provides a deep look at relationship failure and how little it takes to bring a glimmer of hope where there appears to be none. It truly is a story of hope, redemption, and finding love in the most unexpected places.
After finishing the book, I found myself still wondering about the characters and imagining how their lives would ultimately turn out. An interesting observation I made about the story was that each character was afraid to share their secret with another person to whom they were otherwise very close, leading me to wonder further what that tells us about the role of secrets in relationships.
I would definitely recommend this book to other readers.
Friday, April 17, 2009
The Sacrifice
The story I chose to blog about was The Sacrifice by Kathleen Benner Duble. I was very interested in this novel the moment I saw it. Not too long ago, our English class read The Crucible, and I enjoyed that book very much. This novel, The Sacrifice is also centered on the unintelligent and immature accusations towards women of being witches. Abigail is the main character and she is a young girl who does not want to follow the strict rules of her fellow Puritans. Abigail refuses to conform to unrelenting rules and their severe punishment. Abigail’s father is ill and he throws random fits, but no one can find the reason why. When Abigail and her sister, Dorothy, are called to the town of Salem she believes they are going there to help the Puritans accuse women of witchery. Little did they know Abigail and Dorothy were sent there because they were accused of being witches? The girls are told that they are accused because of their father’s illness; it is believed that the girls put a spell or curse on their own father. Dorothy and Abigail are put in a jail cell for three months. Their mother does not like seeing her daughters in this kind of condition. The mother decides to convince her daughters to accuse her of being a witch. Luckily for Abigail’s mother she is pregnant, so that will postpone her trial. Thankfully, Abigail and Dorothy are freed from the jail and sent home. Their mother was not released when the girls were but Abigail knew she would be soon.
I was very fascinated with this book. The Sacrifice was a very appealing book to me. While reading I learned about things such as the punishment towards a girl if she were to commit a “horrible sin” such as racing a young man while lifting your skirt and liberating yourself from such a strict lifestyle. I felt these consequences were very ridiculous and uncalled for. When Abigail was caught racing her cousin she suffered from six hours in the stocks. That severe of a punishment is totally uncalled for.
The contents of this novel interested me greatly. I am mesmerized and shocked by the beliefs of the Puritans. These girls were in danger of death because someone assumed they put a curse on their father. During this period the accusations did not need evidence to support their statements and that is unfair. I loved the way this book represented the actual experiences of these people and what could happen to them because of one person or a group of people.
I was also very interested in Abigail’s character and how she lived her life. Abigail was very strong and she would not let her congregation see her weakness. Abigail is very similar to her mother. The title of this novel is The Sacrifice, and I believe that Abigail’s mother made the ultimate sacrifice by telling her daughters to accuse her of being a witch so they could be freed. Her mother’s action shows unconditional love and that was greatly present in this novel.
If you are interested in historical events, such as the Salem Witch Trials, I suggest you read this book because this novel really gives a personnel point of view of daily situations during this time. This book was wonderful and it really helped me look at this time period and these occurrences from a different angle. This book is a magnificent work of literature and can also be a history lesson. I greatly recommend this book.
I was very fascinated with this book. The Sacrifice was a very appealing book to me. While reading I learned about things such as the punishment towards a girl if she were to commit a “horrible sin” such as racing a young man while lifting your skirt and liberating yourself from such a strict lifestyle. I felt these consequences were very ridiculous and uncalled for. When Abigail was caught racing her cousin she suffered from six hours in the stocks. That severe of a punishment is totally uncalled for.
The contents of this novel interested me greatly. I am mesmerized and shocked by the beliefs of the Puritans. These girls were in danger of death because someone assumed they put a curse on their father. During this period the accusations did not need evidence to support their statements and that is unfair. I loved the way this book represented the actual experiences of these people and what could happen to them because of one person or a group of people.
I was also very interested in Abigail’s character and how she lived her life. Abigail was very strong and she would not let her congregation see her weakness. Abigail is very similar to her mother. The title of this novel is The Sacrifice, and I believe that Abigail’s mother made the ultimate sacrifice by telling her daughters to accuse her of being a witch so they could be freed. Her mother’s action shows unconditional love and that was greatly present in this novel.
If you are interested in historical events, such as the Salem Witch Trials, I suggest you read this book because this novel really gives a personnel point of view of daily situations during this time. This book was wonderful and it really helped me look at this time period and these occurrences from a different angle. This book is a magnificent work of literature and can also be a history lesson. I greatly recommend this book.
Desiring God - by John Piper
Desiring God is one of the most popular books written by Pastor John Piper. He is a reformed theologian known for his life-long ministry and the many other books that he has written. John actually grew up in Greenville and went to Wade Hampton High school. He is now currently the senior pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis. The reason that this is one of his most popular books is that in it he basically sums up his entire worldview into one book. The beliefs he explains in this book are the basis for his entire ministry and the way he lives his life. He is best known for his idea of “Christian Hedonism”, which he talks about in Desiring God.
The basis of his beliefs is composed of this Christian Hedonism. At first, the term “Christian Hedonism” sounds very self- contradictory, but Piper explains just the opposite. Christianity says that man’s chief end is to glorify his Creator, God, but the word “Hedonism” generally has the opposite connotation. Hedonism is the practice of seeking only pleasure in life, generally physical, and in hedonism, God isn’t glorified, man is. John Piper’s point in Desiring God is that we should seek to find pleasure and joy, but that we shouldn’t seek to gain it from a fleeting world; we should find our satisfaction and happiness in God and glorify him by doing so.
In Desiring God John Piper goes even as far as to challenge the Westminster Catechism. The Westminster Catechism says that man’s purpose in life is to “Glorify God and enjoy him forever.” Piper’s view of Christian Hedonism says that man’s purpose in life is to “Glorify God by enjoying him forever.” Piper says that God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in him. John Piper reveals that a Christian’s conflict between duty and delight doesn’t truly exist. Delighting in God is our duty. This book is amazing because it tells about how we don’t have to give up joy in life in order to follow Jesus, but in fact He is the only one who can give us joy. Desiring God addresses one of the biggest problems that most people have with living a life for God. We often have a view that Christianity demands that we be miserable and not partake in any of the things in life that we think that will make us happy. Piper’s views show that God wishes to fulfill our desires to be happy, but He doesn’t want us to try to fill those desires with the world, but rather with Himself. Throughout the entire book Piper focuses and elaborates on one main idea: being satisfied with God and finding ultimate purpose and happiness in him.
John Piper clearly illustrates all of his points and gives great insight one biblical truth. I would definitely recommend any of John Piper’s books, but I would especially recommend Desiring God. This book has made me ask myself some great questions and has personally encouraged me.
The basis of his beliefs is composed of this Christian Hedonism. At first, the term “Christian Hedonism” sounds very self- contradictory, but Piper explains just the opposite. Christianity says that man’s chief end is to glorify his Creator, God, but the word “Hedonism” generally has the opposite connotation. Hedonism is the practice of seeking only pleasure in life, generally physical, and in hedonism, God isn’t glorified, man is. John Piper’s point in Desiring God is that we should seek to find pleasure and joy, but that we shouldn’t seek to gain it from a fleeting world; we should find our satisfaction and happiness in God and glorify him by doing so.
In Desiring God John Piper goes even as far as to challenge the Westminster Catechism. The Westminster Catechism says that man’s purpose in life is to “Glorify God and enjoy him forever.” Piper’s view of Christian Hedonism says that man’s purpose in life is to “Glorify God by enjoying him forever.” Piper says that God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in him. John Piper reveals that a Christian’s conflict between duty and delight doesn’t truly exist. Delighting in God is our duty. This book is amazing because it tells about how we don’t have to give up joy in life in order to follow Jesus, but in fact He is the only one who can give us joy. Desiring God addresses one of the biggest problems that most people have with living a life for God. We often have a view that Christianity demands that we be miserable and not partake in any of the things in life that we think that will make us happy. Piper’s views show that God wishes to fulfill our desires to be happy, but He doesn’t want us to try to fill those desires with the world, but rather with Himself. Throughout the entire book Piper focuses and elaborates on one main idea: being satisfied with God and finding ultimate purpose and happiness in him.
John Piper clearly illustrates all of his points and gives great insight one biblical truth. I would definitely recommend any of John Piper’s books, but I would especially recommend Desiring God. This book has made me ask myself some great questions and has personally encouraged me.
The Silver Chair - by C.S. Lewis
The Silver Chair is another one of my favorite books by one of my favorite authors, C.S. Lewis. This novel is just one of the tales in The Chronicles of Narnia. Narnia is a magical land filled with mythical creatures and talking beasts, and is ruled by the mightiest of lions, Aslan. The story starts out by introducing the two main characters, Jill Pole and Eustace Scrubb. Eustace and Jill attend the same school and make their way into the land of Narnia one day in an attempt to escape being bullied by their classmates. Once in Narnia, the two are told to look for signs as they are given a quest that they must complete. They soon encounter many situations that are quite peculiar to them, such as their run-in with Puddleglum (a marsh-wiggle). The three continue on to experience many more interesting encounters with Gentle Giants and Gnomes. The trio is soon taken across the “Sunless Sea” and arrives in an underground city belonging to a maiden known as the “Lady of the Green Kirtle” The silver chair comes into place as they find a man in the underground city. The man says that every night, by the Lady’s order, he must be locked into a silver chair so that he cannot escape on his nightly fits of insanity. At night, the man seems to turn into a completely different person, and begs the three to let him loose. The same man earlier had told them not to release him in the night, no matter how hard he begged, but the three did so anyway as they recognized from the fourth sign given to them that that was what Aslan had meant for them. The man turned out to be the long lost Prince Rilian who was being imprisoned by the evil “Lady of the Green Kirtle”. The Prince and the Lady then fight until the evil woman (now transformed into a serpent) is killed. The story ends with Rilian’s return to his kingdom and the return of Eustace and Jill back to their school where they manage to give the bullies waiting for them a good beating. They were returned only after they had successfully completed the task the Aslan had set for them.
I thought that The Silver Chair was a fascinating book. The many different and odd encounters of Jill and Eustace were very interesting. Another thing that made this book near impossible to put down was the idea of Aslan’s quest. I simply had to find out whether or not the two ended up fulfilling their task. That is what made me want to finish this book.
Also, one of the biggest dilemmas in the story was whether or not Puddleglum, Eustace, and Jill should free the man in the silver chair. The “right-minded” side of the man that they saw in the daytime said one thing, and the “insane” side of the man during the night begged them to let him go, in the name of Aslan. This problem was very interesting and it made the plot. Shortly after followed the climax in the battle between the “Queen of the Underworld” and Prince Rilian. This was one of my favorite parts of the novel.
C.S. Lewis is definitely a very creative writer with loads of imagination. Not only does he write great plotlines and adventures, but he also incorporates biblical allusions into many of his stories, including The Silver Chair. This book is not hard to understand and is great for anytime you want to relax and be captivated by a great story.
I thought that The Silver Chair was a fascinating book. The many different and odd encounters of Jill and Eustace were very interesting. Another thing that made this book near impossible to put down was the idea of Aslan’s quest. I simply had to find out whether or not the two ended up fulfilling their task. That is what made me want to finish this book.
Also, one of the biggest dilemmas in the story was whether or not Puddleglum, Eustace, and Jill should free the man in the silver chair. The “right-minded” side of the man that they saw in the daytime said one thing, and the “insane” side of the man during the night begged them to let him go, in the name of Aslan. This problem was very interesting and it made the plot. Shortly after followed the climax in the battle between the “Queen of the Underworld” and Prince Rilian. This was one of my favorite parts of the novel.
C.S. Lewis is definitely a very creative writer with loads of imagination. Not only does he write great plotlines and adventures, but he also incorporates biblical allusions into many of his stories, including The Silver Chair. This book is not hard to understand and is great for anytime you want to relax and be captivated by a great story.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
In the novel The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins encounters Gandalf, a wizard, and suddenly is on an adventure that takes him all over the land and makes him realize how he is a hero. In the beginning of this novel, Bilbo is a quiet hobbit who lives in his burrow in a comfort zone, but then he meets his friend, Gandalf; and, before he knows it, he is leading a band of dwarves to go steal treasure guarded by the great dragon, Smaug. In my opinion, this book is a book that is a true page turner and worth your time to read. It has a very good plot, good description of the characters and setting, and there is never a dull moment in this book. While reading this novel, I always felt like I was right there with Bilbo Baggins, either when he was battling spiders, wolves, or orcs. A major part of the novel that I found very intriguing is how Bilbo Baggins goes from living in his comfort zone to become an adventure hero and how you see the transformation through out the story. I believe if you compare Bilbo from the beginning of the novel and Bilbo from the end of the novel, you will see major differences how he looks at the world and in life in general. The use of the diverse characters in this tale is also another reason why it is not only a page turner, but one of the best selling books of its time. With all the literary devices found throughout the story, it makes it have a high rereading value! One example of the literary devices is foreshadowing, when the narrator is telling about Took, Bilbo’s mother, and how she has adventure hero “blood,” Gandalf always tells Bilbo that there is more to him than meets the eye, and when Gollum is introduced into the story, he refers to his “precious.” The use of symbols is another example of the literary devices that J.R.R. Tolkien uses to make the novel thought-provoking. An example of symbolism is the naming of the swords because it symbolizes how they help out the dwarves as much as another “person.” In my personal opinion, there is not many ways that this book could perfected in any way. There is a perfect balance of dialogue and action that you, the reader, will never lose interest and want to stop reading the novel. Another major part of the novel that is very compelling to me is the point of view from which the narration of the story is told. It is narrated in third person from the opinion of Bilbo, which helps demonstrate the transformation that he undergoes throughout the entire story. In my opinion, The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien is worth your time to invest and read and if you like to watch the Trilogy, then you will definitely enjoy reading this novel because it explains the first movie completely and it helps give you a better understanding of the first thirty minutes of the first movie, The Fellowship of the Ring.
Bet Me by Jennifer Cruise
An awkward and unpredictable love story, Bet Me has a series of twists that keep the readers interested. The story opens with Minn Dobbs and her current love interest, David. The relationship they share is superficial, causing many insecurites for Minn. Throughout the book, Minn comes to the realization that she can find better people if she simply branches out and becomes more outgoing.
As Minn is growing and learning to show herself to others, she meets Cal. The circumstances in which they meet are less than desirable; Minn was approaching him as David is attempting to make a crude bet with Cal. To make things worse, the bet is all about Minn. Cal declines the first bet, but consents to another; one which involves taking Minn out to dinner.In the first few dates shared by Cal and Minn, the reader tastes the hostility, but, as Cal forces Minn to become more confident, she relaxes and comes to trust him. Just as she becomes more confident, Cal's former girlfriend of nine months comes into the picture. She is a successful psychiatrist who is known nationwide as the consultant of love. She is convinced that Cal was ready to marry her, but when she provided him with an ultimatum of marry me, or i'm leaving, Cal honestly and modestly lets her go.
Cal's girlfirend will not accept Cal's infatuation with Minn; the fact that he has started to quickly fall in love with Minn forces her to get in contact with David and try to sabotage the growing relationship. She and David plant seeds of doubt in the lovers' heads, try to make them jealous, and even bring the families into the picture.
Cal comes from a rich family who looks down on him for his dislexia, while Minn comes from a middle class family who looks down on her for her weight. The two help with the other's insecurities and they both become able to live with their families. Without the guilt of being a less than desirable child.
After only two months of this mutual support, Minn realizes that she is in love with Cal; a fact that she can not cope with because she still thinks that Cal only dated her as a bet. Cal attempts over several more weeks to try and convince her that they should be together, but, not knowing why Minn will not see him anymore, all his attempts fail. At Minn's sister's wedding, the truth comes out, and Cal explains that he had declined David's attempted bet, and would never have done anything that crude.
Now that Minn knows the truth, she is forced to let go of all the doubt she has been holding onto, and must accept that she is in love with Cal. The only battle left for their relationship is showing Minn's parents that Cal is, indeed, an acceptable partner. As soon as the pair do that, they are able to relax and, in the end, get married.
Bet Me is a hilarious and unique novel and I recommend it for any optimist who likes to laugh and can appreciate a new type of love story.
Spitting Image
Twelve-year-old Jessie K. Bovey has a lot to worry about. She doesn't know who her father is; her old biddy of a grandmother keeps interfering in her life; her best friend, Robert, desperately needs new glasses that his family can't afford; and mean Dickie Whitten teases Robert until Jessie has no choice but to punch him out. When some New York City reporters show up in Beulah County to research a story about the War on Poverty, Jessie sees a way to solve one of her problems. She can charge money for showing the reporters around town so they can take pictures of the "local color" and use it to help pay for Robert's glasses. But her plan backfires spectacularly, and Jessie learns some big lessons and some big secrets as well.
Jessie begins to wonder about the identity of her own father during this time. Her mother has said for years that she would tell her who her father was when Jessie was older. Well, the time has come and Jessie finds that she's still not getting any answers. She decides to take matters into her own hands and writes a young doctor who was a friend of her mother's. The doctor comes to town after receiving the letter to let Jessie know he isn't her father, although he cares about her very much. As the story progresses you learn that the doctor's friendship with her mother was not well received by many prejudiced people in the southern town. In fact, their friendship was the reason Jessie's mother's home was burned down while she was pregnant with Jessie. In the end, Jessie does find out who her father is, but she finds that knowing his name isn't as important as the family that she already has now.
Author Shutta Crum does an excellent job of taking you into Kentucky during the "War on Poverty". The dialects and dire situations appear quite authentic and almost painfully realistic. Crum deals with difficult topics such as racism and rape very delicately, yet realistically. The book is informative and builds up to a suspenseful conclusion when the father's name is finally released. Although Jessie may not get the father she desired, she does get the family she needs. The grandmother's character is also a very intricate part of the plot as you learn about her many past marriages and how she ends up with a car from each ex-husband after each divorce. Although Jessie and her grandmother don't see eye to eye, they find that they do have a deeper understanding of one another after going through a traumatic event. This is well written novel that tackles serious subjects in an introspective and thought provoking manner.
I believe this is a good novel to read if you are going through hard times with your family or if you just need some excitement. I've read this book before and I just had to read it again. These lines spoke to me: "Finding your place in the world isn't easy. Sometimes you have to push out and clear a space you can claim for yourself. And sometimes, when you're not even thinking about it, a space just opens up and you walk in and meet the outside world that's come looking for you."This book is easy to read and doesn't have very many big words. It also has a sort of historical side to it when it discusses the "War on Poverty". It mentions people such as Dorthea Lange and Walker Evans. I always asked myself "How did Shutta Crum come up with such an enticing novel?" Well I decided to look more into. I found out she based it off an incident in Kentucky in 1967 with some reporters. I was also wondering what exactly a "close-knit" community would be? They are all very close to each other location wise and many of them are good friends, but others are very rude and mean to each other. This would be an excellent novel for someone to read and I highly recommend it.
Jessie begins to wonder about the identity of her own father during this time. Her mother has said for years that she would tell her who her father was when Jessie was older. Well, the time has come and Jessie finds that she's still not getting any answers. She decides to take matters into her own hands and writes a young doctor who was a friend of her mother's. The doctor comes to town after receiving the letter to let Jessie know he isn't her father, although he cares about her very much. As the story progresses you learn that the doctor's friendship with her mother was not well received by many prejudiced people in the southern town. In fact, their friendship was the reason Jessie's mother's home was burned down while she was pregnant with Jessie. In the end, Jessie does find out who her father is, but she finds that knowing his name isn't as important as the family that she already has now.
Author Shutta Crum does an excellent job of taking you into Kentucky during the "War on Poverty". The dialects and dire situations appear quite authentic and almost painfully realistic. Crum deals with difficult topics such as racism and rape very delicately, yet realistically. The book is informative and builds up to a suspenseful conclusion when the father's name is finally released. Although Jessie may not get the father she desired, she does get the family she needs. The grandmother's character is also a very intricate part of the plot as you learn about her many past marriages and how she ends up with a car from each ex-husband after each divorce. Although Jessie and her grandmother don't see eye to eye, they find that they do have a deeper understanding of one another after going through a traumatic event. This is well written novel that tackles serious subjects in an introspective and thought provoking manner.
I believe this is a good novel to read if you are going through hard times with your family or if you just need some excitement. I've read this book before and I just had to read it again. These lines spoke to me: "Finding your place in the world isn't easy. Sometimes you have to push out and clear a space you can claim for yourself. And sometimes, when you're not even thinking about it, a space just opens up and you walk in and meet the outside world that's come looking for you."This book is easy to read and doesn't have very many big words. It also has a sort of historical side to it when it discusses the "War on Poverty". It mentions people such as Dorthea Lange and Walker Evans. I always asked myself "How did Shutta Crum come up with such an enticing novel?" Well I decided to look more into. I found out she based it off an incident in Kentucky in 1967 with some reporters. I was also wondering what exactly a "close-knit" community would be? They are all very close to each other location wise and many of them are good friends, but others are very rude and mean to each other. This would be an excellent novel for someone to read and I highly recommend it.
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
Nicholas Sparks, the author of The Notebook, has managed to create the most beautiful love story yet. This novel depicts the story of Noah Calhoun and Allie Nelson as a young couple caught under the spell of summer love. In a nursing home sometime in the 1990’s Noah begins to read a story to a patient who is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Little do the readers know but Allie and Noah are the main characters in this novel. Noah continues to read Allie this story everyday in hope that she will regain the memory she has lost.
“Read this to me and I’ll come back to you.” –Allie Nelson
The story begins at a 1946 North Carolina Fair. Noah catches Allies eye and decides that he will do anything to accompany the young Allie on a date. In turn Noah decides to hang from a Ferris wheel until Allie in fear of Noah’s life says yes. Friends of Noah and Allie decide to set them up at a movie. At the end of the movie Noah asks Allie if he could walk her home. Noah and Allie discuss life and love during this stroll. All because of that night Allie and Noah become inseparable for the entire summer. Allie’s mother begins to see that Noah is not suit for their family. Noah is a poor construction worker and Allie is the daughter of a “High Society wealthy” southern man. Allie’s mother sees that they are falling in love and decides to leave their summer home a week in advance. Noah continues to write to Allie everyday for an entire year. When Noah hears nothing back from Allie he decides to leave for the war. While Noah is off at war Allie is in Charleston with her new fiancé that has won the approval of Allie’s parents. One day when Noah travels to Charleston to consult a contractor for the house he is building he spots the love of his life Allie. He leaps off the bus and follows her only to see that she is having lunch with her fiancé. Noah finishes the house and decides to put it on the market. One day while trying on her wedding dress Allie picks up a newspaper and sees that Noah has built her dream house that she described to him one day that summer. Allie decides to drop everything and tell her fiancé that she must travel to the town of her summer home and do some thinking. She reassures him that she is having no second thoughts of marriage. Upon arriving at Noah’s house the two once lovers are thrown back into their love. Allie’s mother arrives and hands Allie all the letters that Noah had written to her in Charleston. She has been hiding them from Allie. Allie is forced to decide whether to live her life with Noah or her fiancé. Allie lives a long life with Noah.
Back in the nursing home Allie remembers and asks Noah if it is possible that God will take them away together. The novel ends with the nurse finding Noah and Allie in a nursing room bed passed on together. I would strongly encourage anyone to pick up a copy of this outstanding novel and begin to discover an inspirational romance. This novel has been turned into a motion picture that brings all of its viewers to tears at the conclusion. I encourage you to ask the questions; How does someone find a love like this? Will Noah and Allie end up together in the end? I believe that The Notebook without a doubt will become a timeless romance novel that many future generations will enjoy.
“Read this to me and I’ll come back to you.” –Allie Nelson
The story begins at a 1946 North Carolina Fair. Noah catches Allies eye and decides that he will do anything to accompany the young Allie on a date. In turn Noah decides to hang from a Ferris wheel until Allie in fear of Noah’s life says yes. Friends of Noah and Allie decide to set them up at a movie. At the end of the movie Noah asks Allie if he could walk her home. Noah and Allie discuss life and love during this stroll. All because of that night Allie and Noah become inseparable for the entire summer. Allie’s mother begins to see that Noah is not suit for their family. Noah is a poor construction worker and Allie is the daughter of a “High Society wealthy” southern man. Allie’s mother sees that they are falling in love and decides to leave their summer home a week in advance. Noah continues to write to Allie everyday for an entire year. When Noah hears nothing back from Allie he decides to leave for the war. While Noah is off at war Allie is in Charleston with her new fiancé that has won the approval of Allie’s parents. One day when Noah travels to Charleston to consult a contractor for the house he is building he spots the love of his life Allie. He leaps off the bus and follows her only to see that she is having lunch with her fiancé. Noah finishes the house and decides to put it on the market. One day while trying on her wedding dress Allie picks up a newspaper and sees that Noah has built her dream house that she described to him one day that summer. Allie decides to drop everything and tell her fiancé that she must travel to the town of her summer home and do some thinking. She reassures him that she is having no second thoughts of marriage. Upon arriving at Noah’s house the two once lovers are thrown back into their love. Allie’s mother arrives and hands Allie all the letters that Noah had written to her in Charleston. She has been hiding them from Allie. Allie is forced to decide whether to live her life with Noah or her fiancé. Allie lives a long life with Noah.
Back in the nursing home Allie remembers and asks Noah if it is possible that God will take them away together. The novel ends with the nurse finding Noah and Allie in a nursing room bed passed on together. I would strongly encourage anyone to pick up a copy of this outstanding novel and begin to discover an inspirational romance. This novel has been turned into a motion picture that brings all of its viewers to tears at the conclusion. I encourage you to ask the questions; How does someone find a love like this? Will Noah and Allie end up together in the end? I believe that The Notebook without a doubt will become a timeless romance novel that many future generations will enjoy.
Who Really Cares: America’s Charity Divide Who Gives, Who Doesn’t, and Why It Matters by Arthur C. Brooks
There is a rather ridiculous mainstream belief that liberals compared to conservatives are more compassionate. We know we all should give to charity and we like to think that we do but who really cares? Arthur C. Brooks delivers with stern words the fruits of many painstaking years of research that conservatives are more compassionate than liberals in many ways and what the true definition of charity really is in Who Really Cares: America’s Charity Divide Who Gives, Who Doesn’t, and Why It Matters.
In eight chapters Brooks undermines that compassionate conservatism is an oxymoron. First he guides the readers on the subject of charity and what it really stands for. Charity is derived from the Latin word caritas which means affection. According to Brooks charity is a “personal voluntary sacrifice”. He is quick to dismiss that government taxation spent on charitable programs is charity. Why? Going back to the definition of charity, government taxation spent on charitable programs is not charity because the givers, those being taxed, do not personally volunteer to be taxed for the programs. In Who Really Cares Brooks uses the deep evidences of economics to find out who really cares. As he progresses further in his research Brooks is astonished by the results as a liberal Democrat. Comparison after comparison, the results is still the same, conservatives are compassionate and this shows in how conservatives donate compared to liberals. To quote Harvey Mansfield, William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor of Government, Harvard University, “Arthur Brook’s study of the virtue of charity, a remarkable work of practical philosophy in the plain guise of economics.”
When I picked up this book I expected something special but Arthur C. Brook’s served a slice of truth and clarity into who really cares about charity. I especially liked the intense care Brooks took when researching evidence for his book. Several years of research really produced a great book. Another thing that got my attention was how Brooks too was stunned that conservatives gave more than liberals. He says that he went through all his data over and over believing the initial result was a mistake on his part but came to accept the facts. This really added a layer of authenticity to the book. Far too often are books like this conducted by biased individuals with goals not to find the truth but rather to further advance their personal agenda. None of this can be seen in Brooks. He is earnest to give dues to those who deserve the dues and the criticisms of harsh evidence.
Despite Brooks’s book opening my eyes to the truth I am still left with questions. Why do people the majority of people still believe that liberals are more compassionate than conservatives? What also amazes me is the irony involved in this. One would expect the opposite of the results.
I must confess that no review can summarize the work of Arthur C. Brooks. If you need evidence for a political platform, for research, or just want to discover the truth Who Really Cares: America’s Charity Divide Who Gives, Who Doesn’t, and Why It Matters is the book for you.
In eight chapters Brooks undermines that compassionate conservatism is an oxymoron. First he guides the readers on the subject of charity and what it really stands for. Charity is derived from the Latin word caritas which means affection. According to Brooks charity is a “personal voluntary sacrifice”. He is quick to dismiss that government taxation spent on charitable programs is charity. Why? Going back to the definition of charity, government taxation spent on charitable programs is not charity because the givers, those being taxed, do not personally volunteer to be taxed for the programs. In Who Really Cares Brooks uses the deep evidences of economics to find out who really cares. As he progresses further in his research Brooks is astonished by the results as a liberal Democrat. Comparison after comparison, the results is still the same, conservatives are compassionate and this shows in how conservatives donate compared to liberals. To quote Harvey Mansfield, William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor of Government, Harvard University, “Arthur Brook’s study of the virtue of charity, a remarkable work of practical philosophy in the plain guise of economics.”
When I picked up this book I expected something special but Arthur C. Brook’s served a slice of truth and clarity into who really cares about charity. I especially liked the intense care Brooks took when researching evidence for his book. Several years of research really produced a great book. Another thing that got my attention was how Brooks too was stunned that conservatives gave more than liberals. He says that he went through all his data over and over believing the initial result was a mistake on his part but came to accept the facts. This really added a layer of authenticity to the book. Far too often are books like this conducted by biased individuals with goals not to find the truth but rather to further advance their personal agenda. None of this can be seen in Brooks. He is earnest to give dues to those who deserve the dues and the criticisms of harsh evidence.
Despite Brooks’s book opening my eyes to the truth I am still left with questions. Why do people the majority of people still believe that liberals are more compassionate than conservatives? What also amazes me is the irony involved in this. One would expect the opposite of the results.
I must confess that no review can summarize the work of Arthur C. Brooks. If you need evidence for a political platform, for research, or just want to discover the truth Who Really Cares: America’s Charity Divide Who Gives, Who Doesn’t, and Why It Matters is the book for you.
1984 by George Orwell
In the year 1948, George Orwell wrote a book called 1984. Since its release, the book became widely known as a warning to all people and governments of the world. The appeal of the book is not only due to the fact that 1984 is written so expressively, movingly, and with such foresight into the future, but also because it makes a bold statement about humanity — humans must have the freedom to think rationally and independently.
The main character of 1984 is Winston Smith. Winston is a man who doubts the righteousness of the totalitarian government (led by the imaginary Big Brother) that rules Oceania. Oceania is one of three superstates in the setting of 1984. The book begins with Winston realizing that he despises the government, the party, and Big Brother. Winston works in the Records Department, which is an institution that literally erases history through its communication, whether it is books, magazines, art, films, etc. The object of erasing and changing history is so that anything that the Party considers unorthodoxy is to be wiped out of existence, or vaporized. For example, if a person is vaporized, than the records department has to make sure that any record of that person is filtered and changed to make it so that person never existed in the past. The government of Oceania runs on the principle of “Ingsoc”, or English Socialism. The method of governing that the Party uses to retain power is by keeping a constant watch over its citizens via the Thought Police. Oceania has telescreens and hidden microphones in every public place, and every citizen’s dwelling. Thus, every citizen in Oceania is constantly watched day and night, every word, action, and even thought. Thoughts are being monitored for thoughtcrime, the worst crime of all. Thoughtcrime is the crime of thinking about anything against the Party. Oceania is at continuous war with the other two superstates, Eastasia and Eurasia, and needs to channel the thoughts of its citizens against the enemies. The government has also developed its own language, Newspeak, which is the official language of Oceania, and has its sole purpose in abolishing all unorthodox thought. Newspeak is derived from Standard English, and most vocabulary and grammar is eliminated so that the stream of one’s thinking is narrowed, making it impossible to commit thoughtcrime.
Orwell was very good at foretelling the future. He was obviously warning the people living in democratic societies about the control of totalitarian governments. The people needed to know about the cruel and unfair dictatorship of totalitarian leaders, such as that of Stalin. Later in the book, Julia (Winston’s coworker) and Winston become lovers and eventually confess their feelings of rebelliousness to O’Brien, a fellow coworker of the Inner Party who is believed to be a member of a rebel group, the Brotherhood. O’Brien gives a book to Winston and Julia that they must read in order to be members of the Brotherhood. In 1984, there are two chapters from the book that was given to Winston and Julia, which in my opinion fill fifty long and boring pages in 1984. I think that is was completely unnecessary for Orwell to include those excerpts from the book because everything that was stated in those excerpts was realized and narrated by Winston throughout 1984. Winston and Julia are then caught by the Thought Police, being betrayed by a seemingly trustworthy friend, and are sent to the Ministry of Love, never to see each other again. The Ministry of Love is the torture center and prison of Oceania, where all the thought criminals are taken to be vaporized. Winston is tortured in the Ministry of Love by O’Brien, who admits that he has been spying on Winston for the last seven years. The object of the torture is to get Winston to understand the Party’s motives, to accept the Party’s mannerisms, and to love Big Brother. "’Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else,’ says O’Brien. ‘. . . In the mind of the Party, which is collective and immortal. Whatever the Party holds to be truth is truth.’" After months of torture, Winston is strolling through one of the halls in the Ministry of Love, where he finally admits to himself that he loves Big Brother, and is promptly shot in the back of the head.
At the end of the book, Orwell has included an Appendix, which explains the grammar and formation of words in Newspeak. Newspeak has already been thoroughly described in the actual story, so I don’t understand why Orwell needed to include this part. These thirty pages of the book are very boring and they would induce glazed eyes of the younger generation of readers.
Overall, I very much enjoyed 1984. Orwell was very skilled at making a mental picture in my mind on what things would really be like if this had really happened. Not only was it completely realistic and capable of happening, but Orwell’s use of the right words and phrases made me feel the Winston’s agony in prison and during his torture. Though the book was dry at times, I could not put it down because of its level of interest. My biggest question is what would the world have been like if Orwell had not written 1984? Political tragedies, such as this, are published all of the time, but 1984 is one of the few that has remained timeless and will always be seen as visionary. The book reminds us of all that has gone wrong, all that can go wrong, and what will go wrong when government becomes all-powerful. It is because of this political and social insight that 1984 is, in my opinion, one of the best books ever to written.
We see some of Orwell’s foresights come true even in our present democratic society. There is tapping of phone lines and surveillance of public affairs. I think that Orwell’s prediction might come true — that the full invasion of privacy is inevitable. As our technology becomes better and better, and terrorism is occurring more often, the government will need to spy on its own citizens in case of future terrorist attacks. However, I think that the US government will be trying to protect the people and not its own power (since it’s a democracy). No matter the threat, I still believe that it’s wrong to monitor the citizens’ every move, the surveillance is necessary but only to a point. The real debacle is over whether people want to be secure but have their freedom taken away, or whether they want their total freedom.
I think that it is necessary for people to have the capacity for rational, critical thinking. The greatest threat is when people are brainwashed by ideologies, political and revolutionary leaders, corrupt and totalitarian governments, and they lose the ability to think for themselves. This could be the take-home message that we could take from the book, and it is still relevant, even after the collapse of communism worldwide. Even in our democratic society, we should be on a lookout for factors that suppress our freedom of thought and expression.
The main character of 1984 is Winston Smith. Winston is a man who doubts the righteousness of the totalitarian government (led by the imaginary Big Brother) that rules Oceania. Oceania is one of three superstates in the setting of 1984. The book begins with Winston realizing that he despises the government, the party, and Big Brother. Winston works in the Records Department, which is an institution that literally erases history through its communication, whether it is books, magazines, art, films, etc. The object of erasing and changing history is so that anything that the Party considers unorthodoxy is to be wiped out of existence, or vaporized. For example, if a person is vaporized, than the records department has to make sure that any record of that person is filtered and changed to make it so that person never existed in the past. The government of Oceania runs on the principle of “Ingsoc”, or English Socialism. The method of governing that the Party uses to retain power is by keeping a constant watch over its citizens via the Thought Police. Oceania has telescreens and hidden microphones in every public place, and every citizen’s dwelling. Thus, every citizen in Oceania is constantly watched day and night, every word, action, and even thought. Thoughts are being monitored for thoughtcrime, the worst crime of all. Thoughtcrime is the crime of thinking about anything against the Party. Oceania is at continuous war with the other two superstates, Eastasia and Eurasia, and needs to channel the thoughts of its citizens against the enemies. The government has also developed its own language, Newspeak, which is the official language of Oceania, and has its sole purpose in abolishing all unorthodox thought. Newspeak is derived from Standard English, and most vocabulary and grammar is eliminated so that the stream of one’s thinking is narrowed, making it impossible to commit thoughtcrime.
Orwell was very good at foretelling the future. He was obviously warning the people living in democratic societies about the control of totalitarian governments. The people needed to know about the cruel and unfair dictatorship of totalitarian leaders, such as that of Stalin. Later in the book, Julia (Winston’s coworker) and Winston become lovers and eventually confess their feelings of rebelliousness to O’Brien, a fellow coworker of the Inner Party who is believed to be a member of a rebel group, the Brotherhood. O’Brien gives a book to Winston and Julia that they must read in order to be members of the Brotherhood. In 1984, there are two chapters from the book that was given to Winston and Julia, which in my opinion fill fifty long and boring pages in 1984. I think that is was completely unnecessary for Orwell to include those excerpts from the book because everything that was stated in those excerpts was realized and narrated by Winston throughout 1984. Winston and Julia are then caught by the Thought Police, being betrayed by a seemingly trustworthy friend, and are sent to the Ministry of Love, never to see each other again. The Ministry of Love is the torture center and prison of Oceania, where all the thought criminals are taken to be vaporized. Winston is tortured in the Ministry of Love by O’Brien, who admits that he has been spying on Winston for the last seven years. The object of the torture is to get Winston to understand the Party’s motives, to accept the Party’s mannerisms, and to love Big Brother. "’Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else,’ says O’Brien. ‘. . . In the mind of the Party, which is collective and immortal. Whatever the Party holds to be truth is truth.’" After months of torture, Winston is strolling through one of the halls in the Ministry of Love, where he finally admits to himself that he loves Big Brother, and is promptly shot in the back of the head.
At the end of the book, Orwell has included an Appendix, which explains the grammar and formation of words in Newspeak. Newspeak has already been thoroughly described in the actual story, so I don’t understand why Orwell needed to include this part. These thirty pages of the book are very boring and they would induce glazed eyes of the younger generation of readers.
Overall, I very much enjoyed 1984. Orwell was very skilled at making a mental picture in my mind on what things would really be like if this had really happened. Not only was it completely realistic and capable of happening, but Orwell’s use of the right words and phrases made me feel the Winston’s agony in prison and during his torture. Though the book was dry at times, I could not put it down because of its level of interest. My biggest question is what would the world have been like if Orwell had not written 1984? Political tragedies, such as this, are published all of the time, but 1984 is one of the few that has remained timeless and will always be seen as visionary. The book reminds us of all that has gone wrong, all that can go wrong, and what will go wrong when government becomes all-powerful. It is because of this political and social insight that 1984 is, in my opinion, one of the best books ever to written.
We see some of Orwell’s foresights come true even in our present democratic society. There is tapping of phone lines and surveillance of public affairs. I think that Orwell’s prediction might come true — that the full invasion of privacy is inevitable. As our technology becomes better and better, and terrorism is occurring more often, the government will need to spy on its own citizens in case of future terrorist attacks. However, I think that the US government will be trying to protect the people and not its own power (since it’s a democracy). No matter the threat, I still believe that it’s wrong to monitor the citizens’ every move, the surveillance is necessary but only to a point. The real debacle is over whether people want to be secure but have their freedom taken away, or whether they want their total freedom.
I think that it is necessary for people to have the capacity for rational, critical thinking. The greatest threat is when people are brainwashed by ideologies, political and revolutionary leaders, corrupt and totalitarian governments, and they lose the ability to think for themselves. This could be the take-home message that we could take from the book, and it is still relevant, even after the collapse of communism worldwide. Even in our democratic society, we should be on a lookout for factors that suppress our freedom of thought and expression.
PRIVATE by Kate Brian
Private, a novel written by Kate Brian, is a very entertaining book and contains many realistic elements, such as problems at home and the pressure to follow the crowd, in which an average high school student can relate. This book focuses on a simple fifteen-year-old girl named Reed Brennan who has suffered from the pain and hurt of her pill-popping, nagging, and drunkard mother throughout her life in Croton, Pennsylvania. Winning a scholarship to Easton Academy in Connecticut is an answer to Reed’s prayers because she feels that the time has finally come for her to start a new life, completely free from her family issues. But within the first few seconds of her arrival at the boarding school, Reed is filled with fear and intimidation when seeing the extremely self-confident, sophisticated, and gorgeous girls with their expensive designer clothes and Louis Vuitton luggage. Noticing these great contrasts to her simple life, Reed knows that being accepted by Easton Academy will be a very difficult task. “The Billings Girls” are the most popular, glamorous, and envied girls on the entire campus with a reputation of prestigious success and honor. Ready to participate in a new, exciting lifestyle, Reed Brennan has never wanted anything more than to become part of the Billings Girls “inner circle” and does whatever she has to throughout the novel to fulfill this goal.
My eye has always been drawn to books about high school life and its relationships within. Therefore, finding this book about teenage pressures, romance, and social events during high school years sparked my interest to read it. I felt that Kate Brian did a great job in connecting her audience’s feelings to her characters’ emotions in the novel. Like Reed, every teenager wants to fit in and have a lot of friends in high school. Putting yourself out there and moving out of your comfort zone are sometimes necessary steps in becoming more sociable and well-known. However, Realizing that Reed was so obsessed with being a Billings Girl that she didn’t even care that the popular crowd mocked, snickered, and demanded her to perform selfish errands made me question the dignity of individuals. It made me recognize how ridiculous it is for people to go to such drastic measures and degrade themselves for the sake of others in order to gain high social status and a cool title. Disappointment struck over me when Reed caved in too easily and took her boyfriend back, even after he treated her badly and made several mistakes. This made me feel that girls should be firm and strong in their decisions, involving not only their relationships but also all aspects of life, and not take the easy way out. An emphasis on the importance of money and materialistic items also plays a big factor throughout the novel.
I really enjoyed reading about the growing relationship and secret encounters of Reed and her crush, Thomas Pearson. I also admired the great determination and persistency continually exhibited in Reed’s thoughts and actions throughout the book. Proving the lesson of the story, Reed conveys that one should never give up trying to accomplish their goal and that anything is possible if you set your mind to it. Though it may appeal more to the female audience, Private is such a fun and easy book to read. I thought it was an excellent book and look forward to reading the sequels in the future!
My eye has always been drawn to books about high school life and its relationships within. Therefore, finding this book about teenage pressures, romance, and social events during high school years sparked my interest to read it. I felt that Kate Brian did a great job in connecting her audience’s feelings to her characters’ emotions in the novel. Like Reed, every teenager wants to fit in and have a lot of friends in high school. Putting yourself out there and moving out of your comfort zone are sometimes necessary steps in becoming more sociable and well-known. However, Realizing that Reed was so obsessed with being a Billings Girl that she didn’t even care that the popular crowd mocked, snickered, and demanded her to perform selfish errands made me question the dignity of individuals. It made me recognize how ridiculous it is for people to go to such drastic measures and degrade themselves for the sake of others in order to gain high social status and a cool title. Disappointment struck over me when Reed caved in too easily and took her boyfriend back, even after he treated her badly and made several mistakes. This made me feel that girls should be firm and strong in their decisions, involving not only their relationships but also all aspects of life, and not take the easy way out. An emphasis on the importance of money and materialistic items also plays a big factor throughout the novel.
I really enjoyed reading about the growing relationship and secret encounters of Reed and her crush, Thomas Pearson. I also admired the great determination and persistency continually exhibited in Reed’s thoughts and actions throughout the book. Proving the lesson of the story, Reed conveys that one should never give up trying to accomplish their goal and that anything is possible if you set your mind to it. Though it may appeal more to the female audience, Private is such a fun and easy book to read. I thought it was an excellent book and look forward to reading the sequels in the future!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
Although The Chronicles of Narnia have been around for a long time and I’ve read the books many times over, I find myself continually going back to reread C.S. Lewis’s beautiful words and illustrations in these novels. C.S. Lewis believed in embedding powerful theological truths and principles in fiction books for young minds. He fully believed that fairy tales stick in the minds of children and if the stories contain characters that are representative of good and evil, or Jesus and Satan, then the readers begin to understand the philosophical ideas at a young age. Good and Evil are classic themes in many of today’s works, but no one portrays the truths reflecting the Gospel in such lovely, flowing words like Lewis does. The four children Lucy, Edmond, Susan, and Peter represent the broken sinners, like the people in our world. They are separated from their parents due to the world war, and being sent to a rich benefactor far from home, they find refuge in a magical world that lies behind the doors of a chestnut wardrobe. The world of Narnia is currently in a deep winter that has stricken coldness and fear into the Narnians. The four children find out that this fear and coldness is due to the rule of the evil White Witch, who is representative of Satan. Each of the children feels the temptations of the witch’s sinful traps, especially Edmond. Upon meeting the White Witch, Edmond chooses to follow her, and he helps her by giving valuable information as to where his siblings are and their purpose in Narnia. The Narnians tell the other three children that the witch has ruled for the past few decades and they are all waiting for the return of their beloved king, Aslan, who represents Christ. Eventually Aslan returns, and a war ensues, involving Aslan and his Narnians versus the White Witch and her evil minions. However, before the war begins, the White Witch accuses Edmond of his treachery to the Narnians. She declares that Edmond must die, because that is the consequence for traitors. Aslan offers his body as a sacrifice to the witch in the place of Edmond and the other Narnians who would undoubtedly die in battle. The scene in which Aslan is cruelly murdered on a stone alter is my favorite scene from the book. Lewis uses the imagery from this scene to show the reader the endless compassion and mercy Aslan had for those he loved in contrast to the evil hatred inside the White Witch’s heart. When children read this, it is obvious which side they would be rooting for. Lewis created the great contrast in this scene so that children are able to understand the true meaning of a sacrifice. A sacrifice is a gift of mercy which is undeserved by those receiving it, but it is given in love in order to save the otherwise hopeless people. There is no way the Narnians could have won the war against the White Witch alone, just as there is no way we sinners could win the battle against Satan and his temptations. But Aslan, like Jesus saved His people because He is the only way to have life. Although the life that Aslan offers is a physical life, Jesus gave the world eternal life. If we know that we are sinners, believe in His perfect sacrifice, and accept Him as our Lord and Savior, we are offered more in eternal rewards than this earth could ever give. Aslan’s sacrifice is followed by great sorrow but also a promise that he will rise once again in his glory. A few days later, Aslan does return from the dead, as a true king, and he defeats the White Witch. This is reflective of the truth in the Bible that Jesus was resurrected three days after His death, and He will be back once again to defeat Satan on Earth.
This book was amazing when I was in elementary school, it’s amazing now, and I will hopefully be able read it to my children in the future. I think C.S. Lewis is an awesome author and I would recommend this book to people of any age.
This book was amazing when I was in elementary school, it’s amazing now, and I will hopefully be able read it to my children in the future. I think C.S. Lewis is an awesome author and I would recommend this book to people of any age.
All Quiet On The Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
On the cover of my copy of this novel it reads “The Greatest War Novel of All Time.” Ironically, this novel is an antiwar novel. I guess you are confused about how this could be. The novel does talk about war, all 296 pages, but it talks about war to emphasize the importance of peace.
The main character, Paul Bäumer, is a young soldier in WWI. He voluntarily enlists with his classmates as soon as he is old enough --just like young men across the pond. Paul also is a German soldier. His elders had told him of the glories and satisfaction of war and he believed them enough to enlist in the German army. At first Paul and his classmates are excited to enlist, full of romantic notions about war. When they start training, they realize that the army does not care for these notions or for their intelligence. All the army wants from them are drills and “a renunciation of personality.”
“We are not youth any longer. We don’t want to take the world by storm. We are fleeing. We fly from ourselves. From our life. We were eighteen and had begun to love life and the world and we had to shoot it to pieces. The first bomb, the first explosion, burst in our hearts. We are cut off from activity, from striving, from progress. We believe in such things no longer, we believe in the war.”
Paul and his comrades fight and kill at point blank range. The soldiers spent countless hours in the trenches throwing bombs or hiding from bombs themselves. They become closer then lovers in the companionship created by daily risking their lives. They dreamof visiting their homes and families. Some of the soldiers get injured and lose hope of living. Paul and his comrades are separated for a bit as some are in the hospital and others like Paul are given leave.
Strangely enough when Paul goes home, he finds he does not belong in that atmosphere anymore. He feels like an outsider in his own home. The war has changed Paul to the point thathe feels more comfortable on the front line, then in the peaceful town he grew up in. To me, Paul feeling as an outsider makes me dreadfully sad. I even cried a little.It made me think of what kind of future was in store for him if he ever returned permanently. The psychologic damage of the war could cause Paul to suffer depression. I wonder how many veterans felt like this when they first went home and how many still fill like this.
Paul is relieved to return to the line enters another cycle of fighting and killing. He gets wounded twice and recovers well. Some of his friends are not so lucky. Paul and his remaining have some moments of happiness like finding good food in an abandoned town . At one point, Paul guards a prisoner camp full of Russians and recognizes that these men are no different then him ; Paul no longer understands why he is fighting them. He shakes off these feelings enough to go back to the line again.A few years pass by and Paul ends up being one of the last of his group of friends . He has no hope, no dreams,no feelings left . He is just tired of life.
The novel doesn’t end there but of course I want you to read the ending for yourself.
Erich Maria Remarque fought in World War I, like Bäumer. Because of this, Remarque describes everything from the whistling of shells and the gruesomeness of wounds in stunning detail. I am not the writer Remarque is and cannot do his descriptions justice, so you must read the book .
This book might not be for those with vivid imaginations. I know I was haunted by some of the images Remarque presents to you but I could not put the book down. Like a bad dream, the images went away, but then all I could think of was how hard it would be for those images be your daily visions or daily nightmares.
Remarque concentrates especially on the horrors of the war and how they made people inhuman. Focusing on those aspects of war, Remarque seems to be advocating an end to wars, peace—which I couldn’t agree with more. In my opinion, Remarque’s technique of describing to the reader war so vividly is very effective in turning the reader to the antiwar side. This book made me feel disgusted with humanity for ever raising a weapon against each other.
Despite the images and the emotions I saw and felt when reading this book , I did truly like it. It gave me a better appreciation for veterans ,who can function in society, because I do not know if I could do that in their shoes. I connected with Paul and realised that I am never going to face something as horrendous in my life—I should count myself lucky. I was also surprised to find the message of peace in “the greatest war novel of all time .”
Maybe if enough people read this novel there would be less war.
On the cover of my copy of this novel it reads “The Greatest War Novel of All Time.” Ironically, this novel is an antiwar novel. I guess you are confused about how this could be. The novel does talk about war, all 296 pages, but it talks about war to emphasize the importance of peace.
The main character, Paul Bäumer, is a young soldier in WWI. He voluntarily enlists with his classmates as soon as he is old enough --just like young men across the pond. Paul also is a German soldier. His elders had told him of the glories and satisfaction of war and he believed them enough to enlist in the German army. At first Paul and his classmates are excited to enlist, full of romantic notions about war. When they start training, they realize that the army does not care for these notions or for their intelligence. All the army wants from them are drills and “a renunciation of personality.”
“We are not youth any longer. We don’t want to take the world by storm. We are fleeing. We fly from ourselves. From our life. We were eighteen and had begun to love life and the world and we had to shoot it to pieces. The first bomb, the first explosion, burst in our hearts. We are cut off from activity, from striving, from progress. We believe in such things no longer, we believe in the war.”
Paul and his comrades fight and kill at point blank range. The soldiers spent countless hours in the trenches throwing bombs or hiding from bombs themselves. They become closer then lovers in the companionship created by daily risking their lives. They dreamof visiting their homes and families. Some of the soldiers get injured and lose hope of living. Paul and his comrades are separated for a bit as some are in the hospital and others like Paul are given leave.
Strangely enough when Paul goes home, he finds he does not belong in that atmosphere anymore. He feels like an outsider in his own home. The war has changed Paul to the point thathe feels more comfortable on the front line, then in the peaceful town he grew up in. To me, Paul feeling as an outsider makes me dreadfully sad. I even cried a little.It made me think of what kind of future was in store for him if he ever returned permanently. The psychologic damage of the war could cause Paul to suffer depression. I wonder how many veterans felt like this when they first went home and how many still fill like this.
Paul is relieved to return to the line enters another cycle of fighting and killing. He gets wounded twice and recovers well. Some of his friends are not so lucky. Paul and his remaining have some moments of happiness like finding good food in an abandoned town . At one point, Paul guards a prisoner camp full of Russians and recognizes that these men are no different then him ; Paul no longer understands why he is fighting them. He shakes off these feelings enough to go back to the line again.A few years pass by and Paul ends up being one of the last of his group of friends . He has no hope, no dreams,no feelings left . He is just tired of life.
The novel doesn’t end there but of course I want you to read the ending for yourself.
Erich Maria Remarque fought in World War I, like Bäumer. Because of this, Remarque describes everything from the whistling of shells and the gruesomeness of wounds in stunning detail. I am not the writer Remarque is and cannot do his descriptions justice, so you must read the book .
This book might not be for those with vivid imaginations. I know I was haunted by some of the images Remarque presents to you but I could not put the book down. Like a bad dream, the images went away, but then all I could think of was how hard it would be for those images be your daily visions or daily nightmares.
Remarque concentrates especially on the horrors of the war and how they made people inhuman. Focusing on those aspects of war, Remarque seems to be advocating an end to wars, peace—which I couldn’t agree with more. In my opinion, Remarque’s technique of describing to the reader war so vividly is very effective in turning the reader to the antiwar side. This book made me feel disgusted with humanity for ever raising a weapon against each other.
Despite the images and the emotions I saw and felt when reading this book , I did truly like it. It gave me a better appreciation for veterans ,who can function in society, because I do not know if I could do that in their shoes. I connected with Paul and realised that I am never going to face something as horrendous in my life—I should count myself lucky. I was also surprised to find the message of peace in “the greatest war novel of all time .”
Maybe if enough people read this novel there would be less war.
The Count of Monte Cristo
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas mainly takes place in the south of France during the Bonaparte Era, when Napoleon had been exiled to the island of Elba, the king had returned to power, and when there were still many people who were loyal to Napoleon and wanted his return.
The story begins with the main character, a young sailor named Edmond Dantes, who had just come back from a long voyage. When he arrived to Marseilles, his hometown, the first thing he did was visit his father, a poor, generous, loving man and the only live member of his family. After visiting his old man, Edmond ran to Mercedes’, his fiancé’s, house. At that time, Edmund felt like the luckiest man in the world; he had even been told by Monsieur Morrel, the owner of the ship for which Edmond worked for, that there was a big possibility of him being promoted to captain of the ship! However, Edmond had secret enemies who were jealous of him and of his luck. The first secret enemy was Danglars, who was a pursuer of the ship and who also wanted the role of captain. The second was Caderousse, a tailor who was Danglars’ friend. Finally, the third secret enemy was a young Catalan named Fernand who was in love with his own cousin, Mercedes.
These evil men got together one day, and plotted a scheme to get rid of Edmund. They decided to declare him a Bonapartist by stating that they had seen Edmond take a letter from a man in Elba, which had the purpose of bringing Napoleon back to power.
Edmund, oblivious to all the evil surrounding him, was at his betrothal feast, when suddenly; the police came in and arrested him. Edmund was taken to an examination, where he was questioned by Villefort, the judge. In the beginning, Villefort told Edmond not to worry because the evidence was in Edmond’s favor. However, after having read the letter addressed to M. Noirtier which had been found between Edmond’s belongings, the judge appeared a little bit nervous, and abruptly change his mind about Edmond’s sentence. He told Edmond that this letter had been the main cause of his imprisonment; therefore he was going to burn the letter. Then, Mr. Villefort told Edmond that if he firmly denied the existence of the letter, Edmond would be saved.
Edmund spent one day in a small cell in Paris. The next day, was then taken to the Chateau d’If, a State prison only used for important political offenders which was on an island. Then, when Edmund asked why he was being taken there even if he had done nothing wrong and if the judge had promised him freedom; the only response he got from the guards was “We are forbidden to give you any explanation”. Edmund became really frustrated due to this injustice and was starting to go a little bit crazy inside his cell; he even thought about suicide through starvation since there was nothing else in his cell with which he could himself with.
Luckily, while in jail, Edmond had the pleasure of meeting Abbe Faria, an old Italian prisoner who was seeking freedom by digging a tunnel; but who had failed miserably since he had ended up in Edmond’s cell instead of out in the sea. The two men end up becoming great friends so the abbe teaches Edmond all he knows, and helps Edmond figure out the reason for his imprisonment. Before his death, the abbe reveals Edmond, the location of a huge treasure.
After the abbe dies, Edmond took the old man’s body through the tunnel into his own cell and placed himself inside the bag where the priest’s body was supposed to be, with nothing but a knife. The next day, the guards came in and threw him into the sea. Once inside the sea, he waited a couple of minutes so that he wouldn’t risk being seen by the guards; and after 14 years of imprisonment, escaped.
A couple of days later, Edmond went to the island of Monte Cristo for the treasure and changed his name to The Count of Monte Cristo. Then, he went to his father’s house but soon learnt that his father had died from starvation several years ago. The same day, he also learnt that Mercedes thought that Edmond had died, so she had married Fernand.
After a few sad days for Monte Cristo, he looked for those who had been good to him like Monsieur Morrel, and secretly helped them and their families by taking care of all their financial problems. After having completed this task, Monte Cristo decided to seek vengeance, by tracking down the men who had taken his freedom and his happiness away from him and making them pay.
In this part of the story, the author provides the reader with the most brilliant and complicated schemes any man could come up with.
Finally, at the end of the story, Monte Cristo married a young and beautiful princess. Then, he realized that he went a little bit far with some of his schemes so he asks his wife and friends for their forgiveness for taking lives and material possessions from people as he pleased.
I really enjoyed reading this book because I, as the reader, had to pay attention to all the details in the book which seemed insignificant in the beginning, but as the story went on, became more and more important. Therefore, it kept my imagination and my memory working throughout the whole story making this book very entertaining! The only question that I had after reading this story was whether Monte Cristo plotted his schemes while in prison or after, because they were extremely detailed and precise.
The story begins with the main character, a young sailor named Edmond Dantes, who had just come back from a long voyage. When he arrived to Marseilles, his hometown, the first thing he did was visit his father, a poor, generous, loving man and the only live member of his family. After visiting his old man, Edmond ran to Mercedes’, his fiancé’s, house. At that time, Edmund felt like the luckiest man in the world; he had even been told by Monsieur Morrel, the owner of the ship for which Edmond worked for, that there was a big possibility of him being promoted to captain of the ship! However, Edmond had secret enemies who were jealous of him and of his luck. The first secret enemy was Danglars, who was a pursuer of the ship and who also wanted the role of captain. The second was Caderousse, a tailor who was Danglars’ friend. Finally, the third secret enemy was a young Catalan named Fernand who was in love with his own cousin, Mercedes.
These evil men got together one day, and plotted a scheme to get rid of Edmund. They decided to declare him a Bonapartist by stating that they had seen Edmond take a letter from a man in Elba, which had the purpose of bringing Napoleon back to power.
Edmund, oblivious to all the evil surrounding him, was at his betrothal feast, when suddenly; the police came in and arrested him. Edmund was taken to an examination, where he was questioned by Villefort, the judge. In the beginning, Villefort told Edmond not to worry because the evidence was in Edmond’s favor. However, after having read the letter addressed to M. Noirtier which had been found between Edmond’s belongings, the judge appeared a little bit nervous, and abruptly change his mind about Edmond’s sentence. He told Edmond that this letter had been the main cause of his imprisonment; therefore he was going to burn the letter. Then, Mr. Villefort told Edmond that if he firmly denied the existence of the letter, Edmond would be saved.
Edmund spent one day in a small cell in Paris. The next day, was then taken to the Chateau d’If, a State prison only used for important political offenders which was on an island. Then, when Edmund asked why he was being taken there even if he had done nothing wrong and if the judge had promised him freedom; the only response he got from the guards was “We are forbidden to give you any explanation”. Edmund became really frustrated due to this injustice and was starting to go a little bit crazy inside his cell; he even thought about suicide through starvation since there was nothing else in his cell with which he could himself with.
Luckily, while in jail, Edmond had the pleasure of meeting Abbe Faria, an old Italian prisoner who was seeking freedom by digging a tunnel; but who had failed miserably since he had ended up in Edmond’s cell instead of out in the sea. The two men end up becoming great friends so the abbe teaches Edmond all he knows, and helps Edmond figure out the reason for his imprisonment. Before his death, the abbe reveals Edmond, the location of a huge treasure.
After the abbe dies, Edmond took the old man’s body through the tunnel into his own cell and placed himself inside the bag where the priest’s body was supposed to be, with nothing but a knife. The next day, the guards came in and threw him into the sea. Once inside the sea, he waited a couple of minutes so that he wouldn’t risk being seen by the guards; and after 14 years of imprisonment, escaped.
A couple of days later, Edmond went to the island of Monte Cristo for the treasure and changed his name to The Count of Monte Cristo. Then, he went to his father’s house but soon learnt that his father had died from starvation several years ago. The same day, he also learnt that Mercedes thought that Edmond had died, so she had married Fernand.
After a few sad days for Monte Cristo, he looked for those who had been good to him like Monsieur Morrel, and secretly helped them and their families by taking care of all their financial problems. After having completed this task, Monte Cristo decided to seek vengeance, by tracking down the men who had taken his freedom and his happiness away from him and making them pay.
In this part of the story, the author provides the reader with the most brilliant and complicated schemes any man could come up with.
Finally, at the end of the story, Monte Cristo married a young and beautiful princess. Then, he realized that he went a little bit far with some of his schemes so he asks his wife and friends for their forgiveness for taking lives and material possessions from people as he pleased.
I really enjoyed reading this book because I, as the reader, had to pay attention to all the details in the book which seemed insignificant in the beginning, but as the story went on, became more and more important. Therefore, it kept my imagination and my memory working throughout the whole story making this book very entertaining! The only question that I had after reading this story was whether Monte Cristo plotted his schemes while in prison or after, because they were extremely detailed and precise.
Shooter: The Autobiography of the Top-Ranked Marine Sniper
Shooter is, as the title mentions, an autobiography of the top ranked marine sniper. This retired marine is Jack Coughlin. This book was written with Capt. Casey Kuhlman and Donald A. Davis. This autobiography tells most of Jack’s military experience in Iraq, after of which he retired. This book to me was amazing; it had the kind of action you would not expect from an autobiography, and the kind of humor you would expect form well, a comedy. It was one of the best books I have ever read, because I could laugh at the humorous parts of his experience one minute, and then become solemn the next as some of the horror of was revealed. There was a perfect blend of the comedy and seriousness, and the book seemed to guide itself along without any confusing or boring sections. The book in its entirety was interesting and fun, never stopping during the whole ride. Shooter tells of events happening in Jack’s life that seems almost fictional. During the beginning, Jack explains how as a child, he was blinded in his shooting eye, his right eye. This eye eventually healed, but healed to the point where it became 20/10 vision. This book tells of many hardships he faced, and faces. He faces abnormal problems, such as the whole marine thing, and normal problems, his marriage, for example. This is not a book about all of Coughlin’s achievements, or a book to brag about his kill tallies, it is a book about what obstacles Jack faced, and how he attempts to get through them. In his book, he never brags about the things he had done, what Jack does, is he tells the truth about his experience. In my opinion, this book is defiantly worth reading, though only if you enjoy books about war. I would recommend this book because of its humor, and ability to tell a story without stretching or bending the truth of the story. The book is also fairly short, with easy font. There is not a great deal of difficult words which makes the book all the more enjoyable, without being confused. I liked the fact the book was real; it made the story better by far. When you can read a book, and then know everything in the book happened in real life, it makes the book so much more awesome. One other point I liked about the book was the fact that he never bragged about the shots he made, or the number of kills he had, and he was a real person. He had problems, just like the rest of the people of the world, I liked that he wasn’t some super human, but thought like the normal people would think. The reason I picked this book out was the title. I thought it was really cool that I had found a book that was not only true, but also about a marine sniper. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes war books, because this book beats them all. It was one of the most awesome books I have every read.
Taylor Swift...Ruining Country Music
"Murder on Music Row: Taylor Swift? Cute little kids? What has happened to country?"
These are the first words I read in the article by Steve Tuttle, who claims he is “fed up with contemporary country music”. I believe this man needs to broadcast his own music station, or turn to satellite radio. I am personally in love with country music. It tells a story, and most songs have good moral views. One song, “Songs about Me,” by Trace Adkins explains country perfectly in my view. The lyrics state the country is “songs about me, and who I am; Songs about loving and living and good hearted women, and family, and God.”
Steve Tuttle’s article goes on bashing other country artist such as Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Rodney Atkins, Miranda Lambert, and Heidi Newfield. Tuttle explains that he believes country music is all about the sweet little voice, and a pretty face. I think that Tuttle is wrong, yes many country stars are very pretty or handsome, but many other genres go by the “pretty factor” or sex appeal. Rap is inappropriate, and only talks about disgusting things in exhilarating beats- you can hardly call rap music…music.
Tuttle accuses country music stations overlooking the main focus in music…the lyrics. Many contemporary country music is about love, happiness, heartbreak, or fights. The lyrics give people examples they can relate to. It applies to the old and young, giving us tales about life. The music, I must agree, does revolve on the young female and male voices. Being a country music fan I like the old and new. I believe the reason so many listen, and love the new much more is the new generation. The singers of this time will be our Johnny Cash, or June Carter of our day. They will be there singing when we are old. The young singers relate with the upcoming generation who will be the presidents, fire fighters, police, lawyers, teachers, and so on of the future. They sing of what life is like now, the sadness and heart breaks of high school and college, not what life was like fifty years ago.
Tuttle’s article main focus is that country music is about looks. This statement does agree with society’s views- you fit in if you are pretty in society. But the statement does not agree with my views. I believe that the singers of country music are popular because they sing of what is going on in our world now, not the past. They will be the ones singing in the future also. The “pretty little faces” have views and morals. They sing about something everyone wishes they have, something everyone wishes they could say in real life. I often find myself telling someone the lyrics to a Taylor Swift song, because I don’t have the courage to say it in my own words. I can tell someone that I love them, or they’re beautiful, or why did you hurt me like that in a song. The songs of the singers who are “ruining country music,” as Tuttle says, help me get my words across clearly. I think that Tuttle is absolutely mistaken when he says that Carrie Underwood, or Taylor Swift are people who are ruining country music. Its people like Lil’ Wayne and other rappers who are ruining music itself.
These are the first words I read in the article by Steve Tuttle, who claims he is “fed up with contemporary country music”. I believe this man needs to broadcast his own music station, or turn to satellite radio. I am personally in love with country music. It tells a story, and most songs have good moral views. One song, “Songs about Me,” by Trace Adkins explains country perfectly in my view. The lyrics state the country is “songs about me, and who I am; Songs about loving and living and good hearted women, and family, and God.”
Steve Tuttle’s article goes on bashing other country artist such as Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Rodney Atkins, Miranda Lambert, and Heidi Newfield. Tuttle explains that he believes country music is all about the sweet little voice, and a pretty face. I think that Tuttle is wrong, yes many country stars are very pretty or handsome, but many other genres go by the “pretty factor” or sex appeal. Rap is inappropriate, and only talks about disgusting things in exhilarating beats- you can hardly call rap music…music.
Tuttle accuses country music stations overlooking the main focus in music…the lyrics. Many contemporary country music is about love, happiness, heartbreak, or fights. The lyrics give people examples they can relate to. It applies to the old and young, giving us tales about life. The music, I must agree, does revolve on the young female and male voices. Being a country music fan I like the old and new. I believe the reason so many listen, and love the new much more is the new generation. The singers of this time will be our Johnny Cash, or June Carter of our day. They will be there singing when we are old. The young singers relate with the upcoming generation who will be the presidents, fire fighters, police, lawyers, teachers, and so on of the future. They sing of what life is like now, the sadness and heart breaks of high school and college, not what life was like fifty years ago.
Tuttle’s article main focus is that country music is about looks. This statement does agree with society’s views- you fit in if you are pretty in society. But the statement does not agree with my views. I believe that the singers of country music are popular because they sing of what is going on in our world now, not the past. They will be the ones singing in the future also. The “pretty little faces” have views and morals. They sing about something everyone wishes they have, something everyone wishes they could say in real life. I often find myself telling someone the lyrics to a Taylor Swift song, because I don’t have the courage to say it in my own words. I can tell someone that I love them, or they’re beautiful, or why did you hurt me like that in a song. The songs of the singers who are “ruining country music,” as Tuttle says, help me get my words across clearly. I think that Tuttle is absolutely mistaken when he says that Carrie Underwood, or Taylor Swift are people who are ruining country music. Its people like Lil’ Wayne and other rappers who are ruining music itself.
Twilight
Many people believe that Stephanie Meyers' Twilight is overrated, but it is definitely one of the best novels I've ever read. In Twilight, Bella Swan moves out of her mother's house in warm, sunny, Phoenix, Arizona to the small town of Forks, Washington. Here, in Forks, she lives with her father, and this town rains almost every day of the year. Bella didn't expect much change when she moved, but then she met the beautiful, mysterious, Edward Cullen who is not like anyone she has ever met. He understands her, and in very little time, the two are head over heels for each other. Bella knows that Edward is different, and she has her suspicions, but soon she learns that Edward Cullen, and his entire family, are vampires. The thought of this should scare any other teenager, but not Bella. She is completely intrigued by this boy, and the mere fact that he is a vampire seems not to matter to her. Edward is a different vampire though, he doesn't have fangs, and as his family's chosen lifestyle, they don't drink human blood. It becomes harder between the two lovers as they grow closer to each other because the more in love with Bella that Edward falls, the more of a chance he may not be able to control himself and accidently hurt her. Their seemingly perfect relationship is interrupted when another vampire, without the human saving views of the Cullen's comes to the town of Forks. One of these vampires, James, is a hunter, and he has smelled Bella's scent. This insane vampire will not stop until he has Bella's blood. Edward feels incredibly heartbroken because he knows he has put Bella in the worst situation, and could possibly be the cause of her death. Bella is more scared about losing Edward than her own life. Edward and his family come up with a plan to destroy James and to keep Bella safe. Unfortunately, Bella is endangered in this process and is tricked by James. He uses an old home video to make Bella believe he has her mother held hostage. She goes alone and risks her life to meet James in an old familiar place. But soon, she finds out it is all a trick, and he attacks. Bella is rescued by the Cullen's, but only after she has been bitten. Edward has to suck the venom out of Bella's bite, and incredibly he overcomes his urge to drink more of her blood than needed. This is a huge struggle for Edward, but he conquers it, showing his true, deep love for Bella. After returning to Forks, Edward and Bella go to prom together, and at the end of the night Bella tells Edward that she wants to become a vampire. In the end, Edward does not let this happen. This incredible, mysterious, teenage love story is not only for young readers. Many elements of this novel appeal to adults as well. After reading this novel, Stephanie Meyer's sequel, New Moon is a great way to find out what happens to Bella and Edward. This novel was such a joy to read, I could hardly put it down. I definitely recommend Twilight to anyone who wants a different love story that will keep you turning the pages for more!
Once A Runner...
Once A Runner by John L. Parker Jr. is a fictional story about Quenton Cassidy. Cassidy (as he is referred to in the novel) is a college runner who is a miler. Cassidy has an unquenchable thirst for the competition of running. It starts with Cassidy returning after graduation to his old college’s track where he sees others working and is a little surprised since he came at such a late hour, but regardless he imagines how it used to be running there, the surging adrenaline as you’re standing on the line, the pounding of feet behind and in front of you, only thinking of staying ahead or catching up. The world slows down as you take everything in and in an instant the race is over. Cassidy, being a miler, focuses all his energy into that one 1600-meter race. And being on the track again brings back the memories of his college years.
Cassidy is out early in the morning for his first run of the day with his friend Jerry Mizner (also referred to by his last name) who is as equally serious about running as Cassidy. While they’re out they run by several of their teammates including a newly recruited runner (Jack Nubbins) who always takes the unspoken challenge of matching the pace of anyone who tries to pass him. With this knowledge in mind Cassidy and Mizner pick up their pace and indirectly force Nubbins to match their incredibly fast pace. After the workout ends Cassidy and Mizner joke with each other as Nubbins slowly hobbles off to go stretch. They both agree that breaking the new guy wont be easy but it will be completely worth it.
As the story progresses after several pranks are pulled on Nubbins and he is finally considered “part of the team” a new problem arises where a power-hungry football coach decides to issue a hair length rule, this bothers all athletes, Cassidy included. As an aspiring lawyer, Cassidy at the suggestion of many bothered students creates a petition asking to remove the hair length standard. A simple solution one would think. But the Dean and football coach take it to far and it ultimately results in Cassidy’s suspension from college sports.
In shock Cassidy’s first reaction is disbelief, but as he realizes nothing is going to change he is forced to make a decision on what he wants to do with his life. At the urging of his friend who suggests that Cassidy should take some time off school, and just run like he’s never run before and show them that they made the mistake of throwing him out. As Cassidy goes through the process he learns himself how cruel life can truly be and just like in running you have to push through.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, being a runner myself and having the unique experience of being able to relate to almost every part of this novel. Cassidy shows the dedication that I aspire to have and he has the ability I believe every runner wishes to have as well. I would recommend this book to not just runners but to anyone who likes a story with a clear idea that, sometimes you just have to keep going despite the circumstances.
Men see bikini-clad women as objects- cnn.com
I recently read an article on cnn.com. The article was about studies that were recently carried out that proved men objectified women. The article describes men’s instinctive attraction to women in order to spread the male’s genes. The article explains how most men see a woman in a bikini and think about first person verbs rather than third person verbs, which were associated with pictures of clothed women. The first person verbs are similar to “push”, “handle”, and “grab” rather than “pushes”, “handles”, and “grabs.” The fact that men use first person verbs to describe women in bikinis, leads scientist to conclude that men objectify women.
I have a plethora of feelings about this article. Some of my feelings are contradictory but with an abundance of responses to this article I believe that it is understandable. My first problem with this article is that this article suggests that all hetero-sexual men objectify women because of male genetics. I find this very untrue because many men don’t objectify women. On the contrary, men objectifying women can’t only be blamed on genetics; pop-culture plays a big role in the objectification of women, with music, movies, and television. I believe that men objectifying women is a genetic thing because as members of the animal kingdom, we have an instinct to further our gene pool and continue our lineage and species. I also believe that man has evolved over the ages and not all men objectify women.
I like this article because it proves that science is everywhere and it proves that science is common sense with out realizing that it proves these two points. I love science and this article finally gives me hope that I can end up with a career in science. If it takes a team of scientist to figure out that men are more attracted to women in bikinis rather than women that are fully clothed, think about how great I could be. Seriously though, this article was very interesting. The article explained how if a man views images of a highly sexualized woman, then has a conversation with that woman, the man is more likely to have sexual words on his mind. Women might think that this research is demeaning but they have a lot to learn from this research. If a woman wants to be seen for the person she really is, she shouldn’t go looking for a date while she is at the beach and in her bikini. Now this might seem like common sense to some of you women, but there are those of you all that think this is a perfectly acceptable situation for finding a serious boyfriend. Im not insulting the intelligence of those women who go to the beach to find a date, but the facts prove that a lot of men won’t see these women for the beautiful women that they are, men will see the women for the “hot chicks in the bikinis” (there is nothing wrong with that if women are okay with that).
The article goes on to state that men view women for their fertility and youth whereas, women might look at men as instruments in terms of the male’s social status or resources. I’m not sure whether I like this article or not. I like talking about women, so that was a plus, but I dislike a lack of common sense, so I was somewhat turned off by this article. I wouldn’t recommend this article to anyone else because it is simply common sense, yet there are those of my peers that would enjoy reading this article; therefore I cannot in all honesty say that I don’t recommend reading this article.
I have a plethora of feelings about this article. Some of my feelings are contradictory but with an abundance of responses to this article I believe that it is understandable. My first problem with this article is that this article suggests that all hetero-sexual men objectify women because of male genetics. I find this very untrue because many men don’t objectify women. On the contrary, men objectifying women can’t only be blamed on genetics; pop-culture plays a big role in the objectification of women, with music, movies, and television. I believe that men objectifying women is a genetic thing because as members of the animal kingdom, we have an instinct to further our gene pool and continue our lineage and species. I also believe that man has evolved over the ages and not all men objectify women.
I like this article because it proves that science is everywhere and it proves that science is common sense with out realizing that it proves these two points. I love science and this article finally gives me hope that I can end up with a career in science. If it takes a team of scientist to figure out that men are more attracted to women in bikinis rather than women that are fully clothed, think about how great I could be. Seriously though, this article was very interesting. The article explained how if a man views images of a highly sexualized woman, then has a conversation with that woman, the man is more likely to have sexual words on his mind. Women might think that this research is demeaning but they have a lot to learn from this research. If a woman wants to be seen for the person she really is, she shouldn’t go looking for a date while she is at the beach and in her bikini. Now this might seem like common sense to some of you women, but there are those of you all that think this is a perfectly acceptable situation for finding a serious boyfriend. Im not insulting the intelligence of those women who go to the beach to find a date, but the facts prove that a lot of men won’t see these women for the beautiful women that they are, men will see the women for the “hot chicks in the bikinis” (there is nothing wrong with that if women are okay with that).
The article goes on to state that men view women for their fertility and youth whereas, women might look at men as instruments in terms of the male’s social status or resources. I’m not sure whether I like this article or not. I like talking about women, so that was a plus, but I dislike a lack of common sense, so I was somewhat turned off by this article. I wouldn’t recommend this article to anyone else because it is simply common sense, yet there are those of my peers that would enjoy reading this article; therefore I cannot in all honesty say that I don’t recommend reading this article.
Holes By: Louis Sachar
Although I read this book awhile back, It has always remained one of my favorites. Many of you have probably seen the movie, which is very good, but the book is great also. Holes, by Louis Sachar, is based on a teenage boy, Stanley Yelnats, who always seems to have the worst of luck. His family says that the bad luck is caused by a curse on his great-great- grandfather. The curse is said to be because of the great-great-grandfather not following the directions of Madame Zeroni. She told him to carry a pig up the mountain everyday so that it could drink from the stream to become strong and once he could do that to come back to her and carry her up the mountain so she could do the same, but if he doesn't he will be cursed. The Stanley is sent to Camp Green Lake as punishment for a crime he didn't commit and occurred because of his curse of bad luck. Camp Green Lake is in the middle of the desert and its "campers" are made to dig holes everyday. The camp is said to be a great place, although there is a huge secret and scandal revolving around it. The Warden of the camp is searching for something and will not stop making the boys dig holes until they find it. At the camp, Stanley has a very hard time making friends until he meets Zero who's real name is Hector Zeroni, the best digger at the camp and is thought to be dumb. When actually, he is very smart and just unable to read. Stanley teaches Zero how to read while Zero helps Stanley dig his holes. They immediately connect because of the hardships that each of them have had to face. Stanley and Zero become very close friends eventually finding out that the Warden is hiding something and they want to find out what it is. They also look into Zero's life discovering that he is Madame Zeroni's great-grandson. They learn about the past of Green Lake and the old scandal between Kate Barlow, a teacher in the town of Green Lake long ago, and Sam, a black farmer who Kate falls in love with, but is later murdered by the white men of the town. Stanley and Zero spend their time during the novel piecing together the mystery and at one point escaping from the camp, finding something incredible and that will change their lives forever. So what is this that they find? And does Stanleys bad luck ever go away? And what exactly is the Warden hiding and what really happened to the town of Green Lake and why?
I really enjoyed reading this novel. It keeps your attention the whole time even though it is very long and detailed. Sachar does a great job making you feel connected towards the characters and being able to relate to the hardships they have faced. This novel is all about friendship and trust. It teaches you a lot about following your heart, being happy, and believing in yourself. This book is great for many ages and is decently easy reading. There is mystery, humor, and love all in one book. I would definitely recommend reading this book!
The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfield
In the book, The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfield, Jessica Day moves with her family to Bixby, Oklahoma after her mother gets a job offer at a high-tech aerospace company. Soon after the move, Jessica awakens to find time frozen and rain stopped in mid air. Although she thinks it is a dream, she is suspicious when she wakes to find her clothes wet. The next night, it happens again. This time she leaves her room, and she finds that her family is frozen, and the only other living thing is a cat, which leads her out of her house before transforming into a snake, revealing that it is really a slither. This slither, with the help of more snakes and a darkling in the form of the cat, attack her. Jessica is rescued by the "Midnighters.” These “Midnighters” are Dess, Rex, and Melissa. They chase away the animals with thirteen letter words and steel.
The next day, they explain to Jessica that in Bixby time freezes for an hour, and only the “Midnighters”, people born at the moment of midnight, can enter it. In this Secret Hour live creatures known as darklings, who hate people, and fear new inventions, like steel, and the number thirteen. It was the darklings who took one hour out of each 25-hour-day and hid inside it, where people couldn't get to them, and technology does not work. They also explain that each Midnighter has a special power. Dess is a polymath, Rex is a Seer, and Melissa is a mind caster. They don't know what Jessica's power is, except that it isn't the same as any of theirs.
The next midnight, Jonathan, a boy from Jessica's school, arrives outside her house, and takes her flying with him. Jonathan is an Acrobat, and in the Secret Hour gravity does not have a strong hold on him. Jonathan and Rex don't get along, and the other Midnighters avoid talking about him. After flying for most of the hour, the pair are chased by a darkling, and narrowly escape. They are then arrested by policemen enforcing Bixby's eleven o'clock curfew. Jessica is grounded for the rest of the month. Meanwhile, the Midnighters are becoming suspicious about why the darklings, who normally avoid Midnighters, want to kill Jessica?
Rex decides to take Jessica out to the Snake Pit, a place the badlands, where he will be able to discover her power. Unfortunately, the badlands are also the home to the darklings. Dess sets up protection beforehand, and the Midnighters plan to be inside it before the Secret Hour arrives. However, they are all late, and rely on Jonathan to fly them inside the protection. The darklings are so desperate to attack Jessica that they suicidally attack the defenses, weakening them considerably. Just before the defenses collapse, Rex discovers Jessica's power is Flame-bringer, but none of the group knows how they can make a fire. As the defenses are breached, Jessica realizes that this means she can bring technology to the Secret Hour. She uses a flashlight to kill the darklings, and the Midnighters leave safely.
When I read about this book, I thought I would really enjoy it, but it didn’t turn out to be what I thought it was going to be like. I’m not the type to really enjoy science fiction books, and this book is like a science fiction book. I would recommend this book for anyone that does like science fiction books. One question I had for Scott Westerfield was only the people who were born at midnight midnighters or were people born at 12:15 also midnighters?
The next day, they explain to Jessica that in Bixby time freezes for an hour, and only the “Midnighters”, people born at the moment of midnight, can enter it. In this Secret Hour live creatures known as darklings, who hate people, and fear new inventions, like steel, and the number thirteen. It was the darklings who took one hour out of each 25-hour-day and hid inside it, where people couldn't get to them, and technology does not work. They also explain that each Midnighter has a special power. Dess is a polymath, Rex is a Seer, and Melissa is a mind caster. They don't know what Jessica's power is, except that it isn't the same as any of theirs.
The next midnight, Jonathan, a boy from Jessica's school, arrives outside her house, and takes her flying with him. Jonathan is an Acrobat, and in the Secret Hour gravity does not have a strong hold on him. Jonathan and Rex don't get along, and the other Midnighters avoid talking about him. After flying for most of the hour, the pair are chased by a darkling, and narrowly escape. They are then arrested by policemen enforcing Bixby's eleven o'clock curfew. Jessica is grounded for the rest of the month. Meanwhile, the Midnighters are becoming suspicious about why the darklings, who normally avoid Midnighters, want to kill Jessica?
Rex decides to take Jessica out to the Snake Pit, a place the badlands, where he will be able to discover her power. Unfortunately, the badlands are also the home to the darklings. Dess sets up protection beforehand, and the Midnighters plan to be inside it before the Secret Hour arrives. However, they are all late, and rely on Jonathan to fly them inside the protection. The darklings are so desperate to attack Jessica that they suicidally attack the defenses, weakening them considerably. Just before the defenses collapse, Rex discovers Jessica's power is Flame-bringer, but none of the group knows how they can make a fire. As the defenses are breached, Jessica realizes that this means she can bring technology to the Secret Hour. She uses a flashlight to kill the darklings, and the Midnighters leave safely.
When I read about this book, I thought I would really enjoy it, but it didn’t turn out to be what I thought it was going to be like. I’m not the type to really enjoy science fiction books, and this book is like a science fiction book. I would recommend this book for anyone that does like science fiction books. One question I had for Scott Westerfield was only the people who were born at midnight midnighters or were people born at 12:15 also midnighters?
Review of Radiohead's In Rainbows by Mark Pytlik
Today, I read a review of the album In Rainbows from the band Radiohead. Unlike other reviews I have read recently, I very much agree with it. The reviewer, Mark Pytlik, has a remarkably similar opinion to my own. He expresses his slight disappointment in Radiohead for some albums released prior to In Rainbows: Kid A, OK Computer, and Hail to the Thief. Radiohead tried so hard in their beginning years to pull from a very predictable stream of old news in music a beautiful new style that nobody had ever seen. In the beginning, their style was very innovative and they dazzled the industry. Pytlik tells that with each new album, they improved on the last with bright ideas and wonderful surprises. However, by their later albums, their hectic electronica had begun to become old hat. When In Rainbows came out with very little advertisement and glamour, a notion fairly uncharacteristic of their previous albums, their fans were pleasantly surprised. With the sneaky release, Radiohead’s loyal followers had their guard down, ready for another new album with the old flaws. Luckily, Radiohead impressed. The album again put Radiohead ahead of their time. Pytlik states that the band’s most distinguishing quality is their “sudden willingness to embrace their capacity for uncomplicated beauty.”
I heartily agree with almost everything Mark Pytlik has to say about Radiohead. I can’t identify with him completely, though, because I didn’t start my journey with the band as early as he did. By the time I became a fan, Radiohead’s constant innovation was just catching up to them, but had not quite surpassed them, and they were almost old news. However, it was pretty new to me, and I was very impressed by their style. When the new releases were more of the same, I was beginning to feel the same disappointment that the old fans did. Therefore, like them, I was stunned by the sneaky release of In Rainbows.
Mark Pytlik knows a lot more about Radiohead than I do. His review included information about them that made me appreciate the album and the new sound of the band even more. I learned that the singer, Thom Yorke, recently launched his solo career, and that Pytlik thinks Yorke’s venture into new venues may have provided the out for his electronic ideas that cluttered up Radiohead’s old sound. Pytlik thinks that Yorke’s solo work may be the reason for Radiohead’s rebirth, and I agree.
I enjoyed reading Pytlik’s review. He effectively describes how In Rainbows fits into Radiohead’s history and changed their sound hopefully forever. He tells the reader why In Rainbows was so remarkable and why it sold so well. He goes into an in-depth study of the album track by track, and analyzes each one very nicely. He makes comparisons of some of the songs to respected oldies and commends Radiohead for their originality with ties to the classics. If you are interested in listening to the album, or have listened to it before, I highly recommend reading this review. It perfectly summarizes the style of In Rainbows.
I heartily agree with almost everything Mark Pytlik has to say about Radiohead. I can’t identify with him completely, though, because I didn’t start my journey with the band as early as he did. By the time I became a fan, Radiohead’s constant innovation was just catching up to them, but had not quite surpassed them, and they were almost old news. However, it was pretty new to me, and I was very impressed by their style. When the new releases were more of the same, I was beginning to feel the same disappointment that the old fans did. Therefore, like them, I was stunned by the sneaky release of In Rainbows.
Mark Pytlik knows a lot more about Radiohead than I do. His review included information about them that made me appreciate the album and the new sound of the band even more. I learned that the singer, Thom Yorke, recently launched his solo career, and that Pytlik thinks Yorke’s venture into new venues may have provided the out for his electronic ideas that cluttered up Radiohead’s old sound. Pytlik thinks that Yorke’s solo work may be the reason for Radiohead’s rebirth, and I agree.
I enjoyed reading Pytlik’s review. He effectively describes how In Rainbows fits into Radiohead’s history and changed their sound hopefully forever. He tells the reader why In Rainbows was so remarkable and why it sold so well. He goes into an in-depth study of the album track by track, and analyzes each one very nicely. He makes comparisons of some of the songs to respected oldies and commends Radiohead for their originality with ties to the classics. If you are interested in listening to the album, or have listened to it before, I highly recommend reading this review. It perfectly summarizes the style of In Rainbows.
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
In the book Nineteen Minutes, Peter Houghton is a seventeen year old boy that doesn’t quite fit in. Peter Houghton is a geek that goes to Sterling High School, located in Sterling, New Hampshire. When Peter is first introduced, we see him as an innocent little boy that doesn’t know how to stick up for himself. We see this when Peter is in kindergarten when an older kid on the bus throws Peter’s lunchbox out the window of the bus, and Peter doesn’t know what to do about it. Peter’s father introduces Peter to guns when he is a little boy. Peter has an idea of what to do with the guns, but doesn’t know how to completely use them. Peter’s only friend at this age is Josie Cormier. Josie often sticks up for Peter when people start picking on him. Josie accepts Peter for who he is, but as they get older, their friendship slowly breaks apart. When Josie and Peter enter into high school, they are no longer friends because Josie has become one of the popular kids. She no longer cares about Peter, and she leaves him behind just like everyone else. Josie starts to make fun of Peter, and Peter cannot believe that Josie would do this. Peter doesn’t know what to do. Peter creates a video game to escape his problem. In this video game, the jocks are the target. This video game gives Peter the idea which ruins the lives of many people at Sterling High School. Peter plans an attack on his school. He first plants a grenade in the parking lot at the high school. The grenade blows and the students become scared. Peter grabs four guns out of his car and heads inside of the school. Peter shoots at everyone he sees. Peter begins shooting in the cafeteria and then he makes it all the way to the gym locker room. In all Peter kills ten people and wounds nineteen. Out of the ten people he killed, nine were students and one was a teacher. Detective Ducharme finds Peter in the gym locker room, at the end of his rampage, with unconscious Josie and Matt Royston, Josie’s boyfriend. What was unusual about Matt was that he had been shot twice, in the stomach and in the head. Later, we find out that Peter didn’t shoot Matt in the stomach. Josie shot him. Josie is then sentenced to five years in the woman’s penitentiary. Peter, in the mean time, is being tried for the murders. He is sentenced to life in prison, but one month later he commits suicide in his jail cell.
This novel contains flashbacks from up to seventeen years before the shooting. The most important settings in the novel are Sterling High School, where the shooting happens, and in the court, where Peter’s trial is at. I really enjoyed reading this book. This book made me think about how fortunate I am that this hasn’t happened to me. This book also made me realize that this good happen to anyone at anytime.
One question I had about this novel was why does Jodi Picoult switch timeframes throughout the novel?
This novel contains flashbacks from up to seventeen years before the shooting. The most important settings in the novel are Sterling High School, where the shooting happens, and in the court, where Peter’s trial is at. I really enjoyed reading this book. This book made me think about how fortunate I am that this hasn’t happened to me. This book also made me realize that this good happen to anyone at anytime.
One question I had about this novel was why does Jodi Picoult switch timeframes throughout the novel?
New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
“I felt like I was trapped in one of those terrifying nightmares, the one where you have to run, run till your lungs burst, but you can’t make your body move fast enough.”
New Moon is the sequel to Stephanie Meyer’s first novel, Twilight. In my opinion, this is the worst book in the Twilight series, mostly because I’m a huge Team Edward fan! The book begins as it is Bella Swan's 18th birthday, and unlike the rest of her high school classmates, she has been dreading this day for months. While unwrapping a gift, she gets a paper cut. Edward's brother, Jasper, is overwhelmed by her blood's scent and tries to attack Bella. After this, Edward grows increasingly distant with Bella. Suddenly, he drops a bombshell -- he is leaving Bella forever, finally embracing his vampire characteristics and no longer, as he tells her, “pretending to be something I'm not.” Disappearing unexpectedly into a dark and moonless wood, Edward leaves Bella utterly alone, confused, and scared: "I hoped that I was fainting, but, to my disappointment, I didn't lose consciousness. The waves of pain that had only lapped at me before now reared high up and washed over my head, pulling me under." After this occurrence, Bella becomes severely depressed and only resurfaces when her father threatens to send her to see a psychologist or to live with her mother. Bella and Jacob develop a close friendship and Bella soon realizes that thrill-seeking activities, such as cliff diving, help her to remember Edward more clearly. When she commits to these activities, she can sometimes here Edward’s velvet smooth voice. Bella also learns that Jacob is a werewolf. He and his fellow werewolves begin to protect Bella from the vampire Victoria, who seeks revenge for her mate, James, whom the Cullens killed in Twilight. Meanwhile, a series of miscommunications leads Edward to believe that Bella has died. Distraught over her supposed death, Edward flees to Italy to provoke the Volturi, peace-keeping vampires who would be able to kill him. Bella and Alice rush to Italy to save Edward and arrive just in time to stop him. Before they leave Italy, the Volturi tell them that Bella, a human who knows of the existence of vampires, must either be killed or changed into a vampire. After they return to Forks, Edward explains to Bella that he only left to protect her and she forgives him. But Bella finally understands everything that will be at stake if she makes the ultimate choice to give up her humanity and live, like the vampires, forever. The book ends with the Cullens voting in favor of Bella being transformed into a vampire after her graduation, much to Edward's dismay.
There are many great moments in New Moon, but ,in the middle, the story sometimes drags and readers may long for the vampires' return. After reading this New York Times Bestseller, you will certainly be longing for more. I highly recommend this book if you are a Team Jacob fan.
Our Auto Industry-Based on An Article By Jeff Green and Serena Saitto
Hopefully most of you are aware of the extreme recession that our country is currently facing. If not there is a good chance that you are unaware of the fact that the great United States of America was the first to the moon. Anyway some of you may or may not know the dire conditions of our automotive industry here in the United States of America. Allow me to fill you in on our current predicament.
First Chrysler and General Motors are in trouble, big trouble. Both of these giant corporations are on the brink of bankruptcy or in Chrysler’s case, closing completely. As we speak both companies are operating off of bailout money from Barrack Hussein Obama. The unpredictable recession that has overcome the world’s economy has had massive effects on the auto industry. Neither of these companies were able to foresee and prepare for this current downfall. Both companies have been forced to make signigant budget cuts. The reason for all this commotion is that car sales are in the toilet. This means that these companies are not getting the operating income that they require. Also, as if the economy was not enough of a challenge for American car companies our (insert sarcasm here) outstanding government has taken one more step toward socialism and created the CAFÉ standards. For those that are unfamiliar with this policy I will give a brief overview. CAFÉ stands for Corporate Average Fuel Economy. CAFÉ standards demand that the average miles per gallon of all a car companies cars sold must be above thirty miles per gallon by the year I graduate (2011). This is causing car companies to spend more money in research and development during a time when money is scarce.
Currently both companies are operating on cash that was given to them under the terms that the companies must be viable in: sixty days for General Motors. thirty for Chrysler. It is key to the survival of our great nation that General Motors survives. If General Motors closes its doors about ten percent of America will instantly be unemployed. Needless to say this would have catastrophic effects on our economy.
Now here’s the part that really gets me angry. The ignorant monkey that America has elected President has taken an extremely socialistic approach to this problem and has essentially taken control of General Motors. Just a few weeks ago our (insert sarcasm here) great friend, Mr. Barrack Hussein Obama, created a master plan to take control of General Motors. How you ask? Our President fabricated a plan from his comfortable free housing in Washington D.C. (now days D.C. stands for District of Communism, not District of Columbia) in which now former General Motors Chief Executive Officer Rick Wagoner would “step down” from his post and be replaced by Mr. Fritz, the former Chief Operating Officer of General Motors.
This is a very critical time in American history and I am very worried that 52% of America has chosen the wrong leadership to lead us through these tough times. Needless to say there will be much change in the near future at your local Chevy, Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac, Saturn, GMC, Saab and Hummer dealerships.
First Chrysler and General Motors are in trouble, big trouble. Both of these giant corporations are on the brink of bankruptcy or in Chrysler’s case, closing completely. As we speak both companies are operating off of bailout money from Barrack Hussein Obama. The unpredictable recession that has overcome the world’s economy has had massive effects on the auto industry. Neither of these companies were able to foresee and prepare for this current downfall. Both companies have been forced to make signigant budget cuts. The reason for all this commotion is that car sales are in the toilet. This means that these companies are not getting the operating income that they require. Also, as if the economy was not enough of a challenge for American car companies our (insert sarcasm here) outstanding government has taken one more step toward socialism and created the CAFÉ standards. For those that are unfamiliar with this policy I will give a brief overview. CAFÉ stands for Corporate Average Fuel Economy. CAFÉ standards demand that the average miles per gallon of all a car companies cars sold must be above thirty miles per gallon by the year I graduate (2011). This is causing car companies to spend more money in research and development during a time when money is scarce.
Currently both companies are operating on cash that was given to them under the terms that the companies must be viable in: sixty days for General Motors. thirty for Chrysler. It is key to the survival of our great nation that General Motors survives. If General Motors closes its doors about ten percent of America will instantly be unemployed. Needless to say this would have catastrophic effects on our economy.
Now here’s the part that really gets me angry. The ignorant monkey that America has elected President has taken an extremely socialistic approach to this problem and has essentially taken control of General Motors. Just a few weeks ago our (insert sarcasm here) great friend, Mr. Barrack Hussein Obama, created a master plan to take control of General Motors. How you ask? Our President fabricated a plan from his comfortable free housing in Washington D.C. (now days D.C. stands for District of Communism, not District of Columbia) in which now former General Motors Chief Executive Officer Rick Wagoner would “step down” from his post and be replaced by Mr. Fritz, the former Chief Operating Officer of General Motors.
This is a very critical time in American history and I am very worried that 52% of America has chosen the wrong leadership to lead us through these tough times. Needless to say there will be much change in the near future at your local Chevy, Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac, Saturn, GMC, Saab and Hummer dealerships.
The Match: The Day the Game of Golf Changed Forever By Mark Frost
The Match: The Day the Game of Golf Changed Forever, by Mark Frost, is based on a true story of the golf match between the teams of Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan, and Ken Venturi and Harvie Ward in the year of 1955. This match was an exhibition match put on by two wealthy men who had bet on which team would win. The two men who made the bet, Eddie Lowery and George Coleman, picked two players in the world to play against the other’s two best players in an 18 hole best ball golf match. Bryon Nelson and Ben Hogan were the two most dominant professional golfers at that time, and Ken Venturi and Harvie Ward were both up and coming amateurs. The two professionals had no idea what they were getting into when a crowd of at least two-thousand showed up to watch the match. The two young amateurs took the professionals to the last hole where Ben Hogan, one of the professionals, drained a ten foot putt to clinch the win. This match is known as “the day the game of golf changed forever.” Though the two amateurs were not able to pull out the win, the match showed that amateurs were still able to play at the same level as professionals.
I really enjoyed reading this book, and I think it is one of the best books that I have ever read. I love the game of golf, and I was able to really connect with what was going on in the book. Mark Frost did a very good job in painting a picture of the match so the reader can feel as if he was at the match when in occurred. Frost portrayed the match in a vivid sense telling of each and every shot that was made that day.
I thought it was interesting how Mark Frost set up the chapters in the book, The Match. After the match began, in the story, Frost split the story up into the present and the past. After he wrote a chapter about the match, Frost would tell about the career of one of the players in the golf match. It was very interesting how he did that because by separating the parts of the match, I was able to learn much about the golfers competing in the match. His decision also provided a break from the exhilarating action that was occurring in the match.
In my reading of the book, The Match, I learned so much about how the game of golf was played back in the 1950s. Now, the game of golf is played with much newer equipment which allows the players to rip the ball over 300 yards. Today’s game also allows for players to still be able to reach the green with a chance for birdie even if they hit the ball into the woods. Back in the 1950s, the new equipment that we have today was not available. The players were forced to play the ball down the middle of the fairway every time they teed the ball up. If the ball was not in the fairway, the player would have to have a great third shot to have a chance for a par. This book showed me firsthand how much the game of golf has changed over the years.
I would definitely recommend the book, The Match, to anyone who enjoys the game of golf or to anyone who would like to read about a tremendous story. The two young amateurs changed the game of golf forever because of the heart that they had for the game that they loved. The only question that I had, while reading the novel, was either of the two amateurs, Ken Venturi or Harvie Ward, ever won a major championship. The book talked about the amateur championships that they won but never if either of the two one a major. This book is a fairly easy read, and I once again encourage everyone to read this fantastic book.
I really enjoyed reading this book, and I think it is one of the best books that I have ever read. I love the game of golf, and I was able to really connect with what was going on in the book. Mark Frost did a very good job in painting a picture of the match so the reader can feel as if he was at the match when in occurred. Frost portrayed the match in a vivid sense telling of each and every shot that was made that day.
I thought it was interesting how Mark Frost set up the chapters in the book, The Match. After the match began, in the story, Frost split the story up into the present and the past. After he wrote a chapter about the match, Frost would tell about the career of one of the players in the golf match. It was very interesting how he did that because by separating the parts of the match, I was able to learn much about the golfers competing in the match. His decision also provided a break from the exhilarating action that was occurring in the match.
In my reading of the book, The Match, I learned so much about how the game of golf was played back in the 1950s. Now, the game of golf is played with much newer equipment which allows the players to rip the ball over 300 yards. Today’s game also allows for players to still be able to reach the green with a chance for birdie even if they hit the ball into the woods. Back in the 1950s, the new equipment that we have today was not available. The players were forced to play the ball down the middle of the fairway every time they teed the ball up. If the ball was not in the fairway, the player would have to have a great third shot to have a chance for a par. This book showed me firsthand how much the game of golf has changed over the years.
I would definitely recommend the book, The Match, to anyone who enjoys the game of golf or to anyone who would like to read about a tremendous story. The two young amateurs changed the game of golf forever because of the heart that they had for the game that they loved. The only question that I had, while reading the novel, was either of the two amateurs, Ken Venturi or Harvie Ward, ever won a major championship. The book talked about the amateur championships that they won but never if either of the two one a major. This book is a fairly easy read, and I once again encourage everyone to read this fantastic book.
The Birthday of the Infanta by Oscar Wilde
The Birthday of the Infanta is one of Oscar Wilde’s fantastic and truly meaningful fairytales. This fantastic story takes place in one of the most special days for the entire Spanish kingdom, the twelfth birthdays of the young and beloved Princess Infanta. The whole of the kingdom and all of the servants are prepared for the young girl’s special day. Absolutely no expense is overlooked when it comes to the young girl’s celebrations. The only one in the whole kingdom who seems to be in sorrow, even on such a special day is the father and king of the princess. The King has been in grieving since the Princess was young. His lovely wife has died after only six months of becoming a mother. On this day he is especially upset as he looks at the girl and he remembers his beloved wife.
Thought the King may be in a sad mood the whole of the Princess’ party, including her cold hearted uncle, moves to great tents where the young girl is treated to a wonderful show including a dance performance by a little dwarf who previously lived in the woods. The dwarf, oblivious of his appearance which the others find monstrous and mock, believes that everybody laughs for his amazing dancing. The princess is so amused that she gives the dwarf a white rose which he treasures as a gift of her love. In a brief moment in the gardens after the show the beautiful flowers are disgusted by the dwarf’s appearance. Yet the birds and the lizard can see the dwarf’s real inner beauty. When the dwarf finds his way into the palace he is shocked when he finally discover that a monster he encounters is actually his reflection. Once the Princess and her friends find him in his sulking they laugh to the point where the dwarf falls dead. Unaware of the dwarf death the princess calls her uncle to tell the dwarf to keep dancing. The coldhearted uncle tells her he has died of a broken heart. The princess is quick to retort that, “For the future let those who come to play with me have no hearts,”
Oscar Wilde is known for his simple fairy tales that hold so much meaning and real life value. I really appreciated this work and I think The Birthday of the Infanta shows the harsh treatment of those who are not seen as being worth respect. Perhaps my favorite part of this story is the scene in the garden when the rooted flowers are appalled by the dwarf’s appearance. The flower who are not able to move, can only see the dwarf’s outer appearance and are unable to dig deep to see his truly kind and simple nature. The birds in contrast fly quickly around him and speak of the dwarf as a kind and beautiful thing. The birds have had experience with the dwarf and have seen his kindness as he feed them in his previous home in the woods. I think the flowers represent those people who are not able to move form what their eye show them and the birds represent the people who are able to look deeper into the soul of a human being.
The Birthday of the Infanta shows how society sets standard of what is beautiful and what is monstrous. Even thought the dwarf contains all the qualities that we would consider to make a good and kind hearted person, he is treated as a freak and is put on exhibition to be laugh at. In the final moments of his life even he asks why he was made so ugly and even goes as far as asking why his own father did not take his life when he saw how ugly he was. In complete contract the ugly hearted and evil spirited princess is seen as the embodiment of beauty and all that is good, while she is really a mean and spoiled creature who only cares about her own satisfaction. Her words at the end show her interest is in solely her own entertainment.
Thought the King may be in a sad mood the whole of the Princess’ party, including her cold hearted uncle, moves to great tents where the young girl is treated to a wonderful show including a dance performance by a little dwarf who previously lived in the woods. The dwarf, oblivious of his appearance which the others find monstrous and mock, believes that everybody laughs for his amazing dancing. The princess is so amused that she gives the dwarf a white rose which he treasures as a gift of her love. In a brief moment in the gardens after the show the beautiful flowers are disgusted by the dwarf’s appearance. Yet the birds and the lizard can see the dwarf’s real inner beauty. When the dwarf finds his way into the palace he is shocked when he finally discover that a monster he encounters is actually his reflection. Once the Princess and her friends find him in his sulking they laugh to the point where the dwarf falls dead. Unaware of the dwarf death the princess calls her uncle to tell the dwarf to keep dancing. The coldhearted uncle tells her he has died of a broken heart. The princess is quick to retort that, “For the future let those who come to play with me have no hearts,”
Oscar Wilde is known for his simple fairy tales that hold so much meaning and real life value. I really appreciated this work and I think The Birthday of the Infanta shows the harsh treatment of those who are not seen as being worth respect. Perhaps my favorite part of this story is the scene in the garden when the rooted flowers are appalled by the dwarf’s appearance. The flower who are not able to move, can only see the dwarf’s outer appearance and are unable to dig deep to see his truly kind and simple nature. The birds in contrast fly quickly around him and speak of the dwarf as a kind and beautiful thing. The birds have had experience with the dwarf and have seen his kindness as he feed them in his previous home in the woods. I think the flowers represent those people who are not able to move form what their eye show them and the birds represent the people who are able to look deeper into the soul of a human being.
The Birthday of the Infanta shows how society sets standard of what is beautiful and what is monstrous. Even thought the dwarf contains all the qualities that we would consider to make a good and kind hearted person, he is treated as a freak and is put on exhibition to be laugh at. In the final moments of his life even he asks why he was made so ugly and even goes as far as asking why his own father did not take his life when he saw how ugly he was. In complete contract the ugly hearted and evil spirited princess is seen as the embodiment of beauty and all that is good, while she is really a mean and spoiled creature who only cares about her own satisfaction. Her words at the end show her interest is in solely her own entertainment.
New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
New Moon
Kelly Honea
As all the hype wound down about the new movie and book, Twilight, my criticism and aversion to the series did as well. I never thought that a romance novel about vampires would ever be as intriguing as, it seemed, everyone had found it to be. Despite my warnings that I would complain and mock throughout the entire movie, my friend convinced me to watch it, certain that I would become just as enthralled with it as she was. My friend was right. Twilight was one of the most gripping movies I had seen. I became so interested in the movie that I actually did what I never thought in a million years I would do—I read the book. After finishing the first novel I became so engaged in the story that I had to know how it was resolved. I surrendered to my opposition to the series and picked up the second book.
New Moon is the fascinating sequel to twilight. The two main characters, Edward Cullen, a vampire, and Isabella Swan, an eighteen year old girl who is “unconditionally and irrevocably” in love with Edward continue their struggle against the world—which blatantly rejects the idea of a mortal and a vampire falling and love. The Cullens are a rare clan among their species; they are “vegetarian vampires,” meaning they are able to abstain from drinking human blood. Instead, they hunt large animals such as bears. When Edward realizes that he is subjecting Bella to constant danger, he lies and tells Bella that he no longer loves her and moves away. After having her heart broken beyond repair Bella spirals into a depression where she becomes a self-proclaimed “living zombie.” Only when she is threatened with being sent to live with her mother in Florida does Bella snap out of her trance-like state and becomes friends with her old friend Jacob, a member of the Quileute Native American tribe on the La Push reservation. Jacob helps Bella restore two old motorcycles. Bella secretly hoped that by riding the motorcycles she would have another astonishingly vivid hallucination of Edward’s musical voice. After seeing a group of Quileute teenagers jumping off a cliff into the distant ocean for recreation, Bella sees another opportunity to hear Edward. Edward’s sister, Alice, who can see the future, saw Bella jump and assumed she had committed suicide. Edward found out about her vision and was so torn by the thought of living in a world without Bella that he decided to kill himself. Because there are very few ways to kill a vampire, he went to Italy to taunt the dangerous Volturi family who would destroy him forever if he exposed his secret. Guided by Alice’s visions, Bella and Alice travel to Italy to save him from his self-destruction. Meanwhile, Bella’s friend Jacob became a werewolf, as legend stated. He and four other boys his age became werewolves to protect their people from the vampires. When Edward and Bella return, Bella demands that she is transformed into an immortal vampire in order to stay with Edward forever. Edward, being very protective of Bella’s soul, blatantly refuses. Bella then decides that since the Volturi are going to ensure that her heart stops one way or the other and that another vampire is planning on murdering her, she put her transformation to a vote with the Cullens. The vote is synonymous and the date is set for after Bella’s graduation. Edward is extremely opposed to Bella becoming a vampire and offers to make a deal with her. If she marries Edward, he will transform her into a vampire, instead of Edward’s extremely self-controlled father figure, Carlisle Cullen. New Moon ends with Edward and Bella’s deal remaining unresolved, and an understanding between Bella and Jacob that absolute enemies cannot remain best friends.
I recommend New Moon because it is endearing and captivating. The characters in the novel are interesting, detailed, and very easy to relate to. The plot is equally interesting and detailed, as well as unpredictable. One cannot help but become absorbed by Edward’s perfectness and empowered by Bella’s bravery and odd immunity to the powers of supernatural creatures. The greatest lesson I learned by reading this book is not inside the pages, but on the outside—never judge a book by its cover. A week ago I opposed the entire idea of books about vampires and now I am a strong advocate of Stephenie Meyer’s series.
Kelly Honea
As all the hype wound down about the new movie and book, Twilight, my criticism and aversion to the series did as well. I never thought that a romance novel about vampires would ever be as intriguing as, it seemed, everyone had found it to be. Despite my warnings that I would complain and mock throughout the entire movie, my friend convinced me to watch it, certain that I would become just as enthralled with it as she was. My friend was right. Twilight was one of the most gripping movies I had seen. I became so interested in the movie that I actually did what I never thought in a million years I would do—I read the book. After finishing the first novel I became so engaged in the story that I had to know how it was resolved. I surrendered to my opposition to the series and picked up the second book.
New Moon is the fascinating sequel to twilight. The two main characters, Edward Cullen, a vampire, and Isabella Swan, an eighteen year old girl who is “unconditionally and irrevocably” in love with Edward continue their struggle against the world—which blatantly rejects the idea of a mortal and a vampire falling and love. The Cullens are a rare clan among their species; they are “vegetarian vampires,” meaning they are able to abstain from drinking human blood. Instead, they hunt large animals such as bears. When Edward realizes that he is subjecting Bella to constant danger, he lies and tells Bella that he no longer loves her and moves away. After having her heart broken beyond repair Bella spirals into a depression where she becomes a self-proclaimed “living zombie.” Only when she is threatened with being sent to live with her mother in Florida does Bella snap out of her trance-like state and becomes friends with her old friend Jacob, a member of the Quileute Native American tribe on the La Push reservation. Jacob helps Bella restore two old motorcycles. Bella secretly hoped that by riding the motorcycles she would have another astonishingly vivid hallucination of Edward’s musical voice. After seeing a group of Quileute teenagers jumping off a cliff into the distant ocean for recreation, Bella sees another opportunity to hear Edward. Edward’s sister, Alice, who can see the future, saw Bella jump and assumed she had committed suicide. Edward found out about her vision and was so torn by the thought of living in a world without Bella that he decided to kill himself. Because there are very few ways to kill a vampire, he went to Italy to taunt the dangerous Volturi family who would destroy him forever if he exposed his secret. Guided by Alice’s visions, Bella and Alice travel to Italy to save him from his self-destruction. Meanwhile, Bella’s friend Jacob became a werewolf, as legend stated. He and four other boys his age became werewolves to protect their people from the vampires. When Edward and Bella return, Bella demands that she is transformed into an immortal vampire in order to stay with Edward forever. Edward, being very protective of Bella’s soul, blatantly refuses. Bella then decides that since the Volturi are going to ensure that her heart stops one way or the other and that another vampire is planning on murdering her, she put her transformation to a vote with the Cullens. The vote is synonymous and the date is set for after Bella’s graduation. Edward is extremely opposed to Bella becoming a vampire and offers to make a deal with her. If she marries Edward, he will transform her into a vampire, instead of Edward’s extremely self-controlled father figure, Carlisle Cullen. New Moon ends with Edward and Bella’s deal remaining unresolved, and an understanding between Bella and Jacob that absolute enemies cannot remain best friends.
I recommend New Moon because it is endearing and captivating. The characters in the novel are interesting, detailed, and very easy to relate to. The plot is equally interesting and detailed, as well as unpredictable. One cannot help but become absorbed by Edward’s perfectness and empowered by Bella’s bravery and odd immunity to the powers of supernatural creatures. The greatest lesson I learned by reading this book is not inside the pages, but on the outside—never judge a book by its cover. A week ago I opposed the entire idea of books about vampires and now I am a strong advocate of Stephenie Meyer’s series.
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