In addition to the
book write-up, students should create a short “book review” for each honors
book they read. This review should contain the following information:
·
The author
and title
·
A general
synopsis of the book (but don’t give anything away)
·
A general
recommendation for the book (would you recommend it? Why? Is it challenging?
Informative? Compelling?)
·
What did you
gain from this books?
How The Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents, Julia Alvarez:
ReplyDeleteThis book is really good. Though it may seem like a non-teenage lovers book to read, it will make you laugh and you can relate to many situations that could have happened to you to. Most guys probably wouldn't enjoy it but if you get the chance to, i would read it ;)
Plainsong, by Kent Haruf
ReplyDeleteThis book is about a handful of main characters that go through different situations that many humans go through and how they react and deal with them. The story line is easy to follow; it is more about getting into and understanding the characters. Different problems they deal with range from adults having depression, to teen pregnancy. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read a book they can connect to. You grow a connection to the characters and the problems they deal with. Even though some of the story line is simple, the characters keep it very interesting. This book is a good book for teenagers to read and connect to.
The Help, by Kathryn Stockett
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this book. It tells the story of three woman in Jackson, Mississippi in the mid- 1900's. Aibileen and Minny are maids. Aibileen has a specialty in raising her boss' children. Minny is known for her amazing cooking and sassy mouth. Skeeter is a young, privileged, aspiring writer. As Skeeter, Aibileen, and Minny form an unusual bond, they all begin to question their society. They wonder if the lines drawn between their races are really there at all. The book takes place in the same time as African Americans are holding civil rights movements and Martin Luther King is an up and coming civil rights leader. I strongly recommend reading this book.
On The Road: Jack Kerouac
ReplyDeleteThis book took me by surprise. I'd always wanted to read it and had heard it was good, but I didn't expect to love it as much as I did. It is a semi-autobiographical book following the journey of two fictional characters, Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarty, and their journey through the US and them finding themselves and their interpretation to the meaning of their lives. The book was written by one of the most infamous beat writers and you can definitely see why this is seen as an anthem, if you will, for the Beat Generation. The style of writing is all about the flow and the rhythm of the writing and that is something that really captured my attention in this book. I highly recommend it.
"The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes 'Awww!'"
Everything Is Illuminated: Jonathan Safran Foer
ReplyDeleteA Jewish American named Jonathan, travels to the Ukraine in search of a mysterious woman named Augustine who saved his great-grandfather from the Nazi's during the second world war. He is guided by his translator Alex, along with Alex's grandfather and "seeing-eye bitch" Sammy Davis Junior, Junior. Their search finds them trying to locate the lost city of Trachimbrod, where Jonathans great-grandfather had supposedly lived.
In a second storyline set during the late 1700's. The lives of Jonathan's ancestors are examined, taking place in a Jewish shtetl, called TrachimBrod. This story is filled with equal parts magic realism and existentialism and manages to tie the story together in a way that would not be possible with Jonathan's story alone.
I highly recommend this book, It manages to be both funny and touching. It may not be a very great book, but it is one of the most enjoyable books that I have read in recent memory.
Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
ReplyDeleteTess is sent by her family to "distant relatives" to claim relation in order to gain financial help for her family. Upon arriving a the d'Urberville estate the heir Alec d'Urbervilles become obsessed with Tess. This is the story of Tess life before and after Alec's obsession and affects of this on her life.
This book is challenging but it very good. It is heartbreaking and I think it is especially heartbreaking for women to read since one can really embody Tess. I gain an appreciation for Hardy's writing style from this book and I was really proud to get through the whole book.
Any Human Heart by William Body
ReplyDeleteThe personal dairies of Logan Gonzago Mountstuart, or LGM, as he grows up in England and the world in the 1900. His adolescence to and through adulthood. His journey through personal decisions on religion, school, and love.
I would recommend this book especially to people who enjoy really connecting with a character and understand a character through their own mind's eye. I gained a deeper understand of human weakness through the main character own journey through life and weakness.
In book club, we finished reading Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy.
ReplyDeleteThis book is set up in phases. It explores the life of Tess d'Urberville who lives in the fictional Wessex in England. Tess is sent by her family to wealthy relatives. Upon arriving, she meets Alec d'Urberville, who's obsession over her grows a large extent over time. This book explores her life and challanges as the book goes on.
I enjoyed this book. I really felt bad for Tess, because it seemed as if nothing good EVER happened to her. She is such an innocent, meek person and to have all these things happento her just broke my heart.
I would reccomend this book to anyone who enjoys classic fiction. I would also reccomend this to either sex, but especially to women. I gained a knowledge of the time period and of the inequality and the advantage men took of women.
Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
ReplyDeleteBasically Tess is this girl that "The World Hates". She is constantly being thrown around by two guys. One of these guys is named Alec d'Urberville and he falls in love with Tess. This book has a lot of men dominating over women and taking power over them. I enjoyed this book but I honestly believe that it wasn't the best book ever. It was a very hard read at first until I got used to it. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves reading Thomas Hardy's books, enjoys a challenging read, and mostly to women to relate their lives to Tess's. I feel bad for Tess because she is described as beautiful and some people take advantage of her when she is such a delaicate human being. It's not right for men to take advantage of women for pleasure and power.
What is the What
ReplyDeleteBy Dave Eggers
What is the What is an autobiography about Valentino Achak Deng that mixes fiction and non-fiction together. It is written by Dave Eggers with Deng’s input. The book tells Deng’s story about his long journey from his hometown, Sudan, to finally end up in the United States. He suffered through starvation, refugee camps, near death experiences, and more.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good, informative, read with a plethora of action. I would also recommend this book to someone who studies Africa and wants to get different accounts of experiences from different people, though it’s not totally non-fictional.
From this book I gained an appreciation for the life I have. I also gained an abundance of new information about Sudan and Africa in general.
What is the What is a work of fiction written my Dave Eggers. It is the story of a young African man, Achak Deng. In the beginning of the book a man and woman rob his house and when Achak kept speaking out, one of the robbers knocked him out with his gun. Achak wakes up to find the thieves gone, but there is a young man, whom the author later reveals to be named Michael, watching TV. Achak attempts trying to converse with him, but Michael doesn’t like it so he covers him up with furniture and makes him stop talking. In his head, Achak begins to tell Michael about his life in Sudan. He tells him of his friends, William K and Moses, his parents and his father’s shop, the militia men on horseback who terrorized his village, of his schooling, and everything about his life.
ReplyDeleteThis book has some very dry areas but parts are also quite compelling. This book is not for someone who wants a quick, fun read. It is more of an informative book about Sudan and what occurs there. While reading What is the What I learned a great deal about Sudanese life, from the perspective of someone who was born and lived there, not from an American perspective. This gives it the touch of reality and actuality that I believe any fictional book needs to possess.
1984, a work of fiction written by George Orwell in 1948, takes place in a futuristic society on the continent of Europe. The main character of this book is Winston Smith, a regular man who works at the Ministry of Truth, which is a governmental building with the duty of censoring anything the public should and should not know. The book is about Winston’s acts of dissent, beginning with buying a journal on the black market. This book is not for anyone who wants a fast easy read. 1984 needs to be read slowly with a lot of analysis so as to not miss key aspects of the events taking place. Parts of this novel are very long and drawn out, however, there are some very compelling scenes. I gained from this book a new perspective about dystopian societies, seeing new ways they are imperfect in addition to the ones I already knew. Those of you who have read Farenheitht451 will certainly enjoy 1984.
ReplyDeleteNarrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave is an autobiography. The book is Douglass’ recollection of his life as a slave. Frederick Douglass describes his masters and how they treated their slaves as well as where he worked and what he did. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning about slavery from a primary source. The narrative provides keen insight into life on a plantation from a slave’s point of view. This, however, is what makes the book so disturbing at times; Douglass describes his own beatings as well those of other slaves. I gained a perspective into American slavery that I never really learned in Social Studies class from the textbooks. This book is very well crafted through description and writing style. It held my interest due to its depth and emotion.
ReplyDeleteIsabella Baeumler
ReplyDeleteWhat is the What
By: Dave Eggers
This book What is the What by Dave Eggers is the life story of Valentino Achak Deng it is heart throbbing though his all of his pain, struggles and his will to never give up. He is a boy who was born in Sudan and his life journey. I would recommend this novel to anyone who is touched but the struggles and pain he has gone though. The ups and downs of his life and the never knowing what will happen next. This book should make a huge impact on the reader and make them appreciate what they have in there life it is one of the many thing you should gain from the book. though this book is not very challenging text wise but it does jump back an forward though out his life which can sometimes be confusing. everyone can get something out of this book.
Margaret Davis
ReplyDeleteCity of Light by Lauren Belfer
Louisa Barrett, the headmistress at an all girl's school in Buffalo, NY at the beginning of the 1900 century, starts to believe murder is afoot with a connect not only to the booming electricity of Niagara Falls but also the pan-American Exposition and to close friends. This book was very good and a pretty easy read. I would recommend it for anyone who enjoy a good mystery. I gained a greater understanding of Buffalo, NY and what it was like in its booming days.
In book club, the first book we read this year was "Persuasion" by Jane Austen. The main character, Anne Elliot, lives with her father and her sister Elizabeth. Both her father and sister are very vain and snobby. Anne most definately feels like the "black sheep" of the family. Her family falls into some financial trouble because of their fathers excessive spending. Not only are they in financial trouble, Anne has never gotten over a romantic dissapointment she had when she was nineteen years old. The mans names was Captain Wentworth. He ends up coming back and has not forgiven Anne for the disapointment. The novel shows Annes life and the impact Captain Wentworhts return has on her and the people around her.
ReplyDeleteI would recommend this book to anyone who has ever read a novel by Jane Austen and thouroughly enjoyed it. I would also recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good love story.
From this book, I gained more of a knowledge of the language of classical writing and even more of an appreciation for Jane Austen and her work.