Post 10: Reading Wishlist

Below are some of the books that I wish to read as the year progresses:

• Paper towns by John Green
• American Sniper by Chris Kyle
• The Martian by Andy Weir
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Book 5: 

For my book 5, I believe I'm going to read The Martian by Andy Weir. It's actually on my wishlist and it's definitely the book I'm most eager to read. After finishing one of my books this year, I went on my phone and searched for new books that I might enjoy. I chose to read a 50 page summary of The Martian, and from the beginning I can already tell I love it. I plan to start reading it as soon as summer hits, and then move on to the next novel on my list. By the end of the year, I hope to have read all of the books currently on my wishlist, plus an extra few ones I find along the way. 

My Book 4 Project: Theme Analysis

My reasoning behind choosing The Longest Ride for book 4 was to investigate all of the hype on it mainly from coming from girls, but also because it's a book I never would have read. Before I even began the book I started to vision a plot line forming in my head, imagining there would be a perfect ending to a perfect love story. And though at times it felt like I might be right, I was completely wrong. The Longest Ride isn't just about one love story, but two. While both are separate from each other in their own lives, the story manages to intertwine them and create a love story like none I have ever read or seen. I can most definitely understand why the book is so popular among the females side of the world. The novel contains all the aspects of a love story that every girl would die to live in, while also throwing in some situations that were completely unexpected. Though it is notable to mention that at times the plot is very predictable, an aspect I was expecting to run across. I feel the reason the book is not mentioned more among the male side of the spectrum is because it's seen as "girly" or any other kind of adjective that makes a man not feel like a man. I guarantee that if a random man picked up this book and read it, he would be able to relate to it in some way and would sincerely enjoy the time he spent reading it. If he were to say otherwise, then he's lying. Prior to finishing The Longest Ride, I thought more about the theme of the book. And though there are many themes to choose from, I feel the theme of love is the best to discuss, even if it is a little cliche.

This novel is a love story. Not only is it a love story about a young couple who find one another in the modern world, it is about a couple who chose one another above all else despite the complications that made their lives different from what they once thought they wanted. 

Ruth and Ira found one another when the world was not the modern one it is today. Ruth was running from the darkness of the Holocaust, trying to find herself in a world she did not understand. Ira was the shy son of a tailor, lacking confidence in his own worth. Together, however, they found a place where they could be themselves, where they could live a life filled with love and adventure. 

Sophia and Luke on the other hand, come together in a world filled with technology and danger. Sophia is stalked by an ex-boyfriend, while Luke faces the loss of the only home he knows. It may not seem like they're the best match for each other, but every situation changes that thought as they display how powerful they are when they're connected.

The main reason this novel differs from most romance novels is because instead of having just one relationship to focus on, the theme of love transitions into another completely separate relationship. They are two very different relationships in their own world, yet somehow they collide and make a bond that pulls the movie into a pleasing close. Most romance novels typically revolve around a certain couple, following all of their ups and downs. Though when talking about The Longest Ride, that aspect does not apply. I believe that is why some many people tend to enjoy this book over another love story. And not to mention the writing style of Nicolas Sparks, which I have to say is close to the best I've ever read. 

Book Talk

Post 7: The Longest Ride Reflection

The reason I originally chose The Longest Ride is to investigate all of the hype on it, particularly coming from girls. I was curious to see if I would end up enjoying the book, since I would never read it. Prior to reading it, I had watched a few of the Nicolas Sparks books, and from the beginning I assumed The Longest Ride would be just like the others. And in a way it was, yet I will admit that I was surprised. While it did contain all of the romantic elements I expected, the story line took a different path. The story itself is actually two different stories of their own that eventually get twisted and intertwined.

The novel begins with Ira Levinson, a man in his nineties, who sets out to fulfill a long standing commitment. It is snowing outside and Ira, who has had problems with his vision, misses a curve and wrecks his car. Throughout the rest of the book, it continues to come back to Ira as he sits in his car, envisioning having conversations with his wife Ruth, who passed away years before. They speak about their life together and flash back to all of the memories they can recall, giving us a glimpse of one of the two relationships in the novel. While this is taking place, the main relationship is brewing.

Sophia, a current college undergraduate, heads off to a party with her friends at a barn. It had been weeks since she last left the dorm for anything besides class, and her friends decided it was time to get her out of her depression from her recent break-up. At the party, she meets a professional bull rider named Luke. From the first instant we meet Luke, it is already evident that Sophia will forget about her ex-boyfriend and soon fall in love with the new starry-eyed cowboy. These parts of the story were very predictable, as Sophia and Luke soon got to know each other and were eventually falling in love before they could realize it. I didn't forget about her ex-boyfriend, Brian, and just as I imagined, he popped back into the story line by fighting Luke. Though, the fight was over soon and Brian wasn't seen much more. All of these little conflicts throughout the story were easy to predict, but what I never expected was how the two relationships would get intertwined. I honestly do not want to spoil it just in case you decide to read it, but I will say that the novel wrapped up a lot better than I had predicted.

In the end, The Longest Ride contained predictable elements that seem to occur throughout all Nicolas Spark books. Though, what was not evident to occur was the aspect of intertwining two separate relationships. Viewing the book through the eyes of a girl, I can understand all of the hype about the book, as it did turn out to be a very well written love story. But even looking at it through my own eyes, I believe guys could actually relate to it and enjoy the book. The main reason guys don't is because society tells us that it is meant for girls, while in reality there is not one specific gender for the book.

Post 6: 5 Ways Christopher Displays His Struggle to Become Independent

5 Ways Christopher Displays His Struggle to Become Independent

One night, Christopher Boone finds his neighbor's dog dead in their front yard, with a pitchfork sticking out of it. He becomes very curious in the incident and decides to write a book in which he tries to figure out who killed the dog, almost like a murder mystery novel. Christopher's teacher follows him along the journey and helps guide his writing as clues begin to appear. While it may start off as a mystery, Christopher side tracks to many other events in his lifetime, which in part helps the reader learn more about him. In an odd, yet fascinating mystery and humor novel, the reader will obtain more knowledge on life lessons and modern-day topics than originally thought.

1. Christopher's Condition

          Because of his condition, Christopher cannot be as independent as he would like. Since he has trouble understanding other people, dealing with new environments, and making decisions when confronted with an overload of information, for instance, he has difficulty going places by himself. When feeling frightened, Christopher has a tendency to shut down, curling himself into a ball and trying to block out the world around him. “I rolled back onto the lawn and pressed my forehead to the ground again and made the noise that Father calls groaning. I make this noise when there is too much information coming into my head from the outside world” (15).

2. Rebellion against his Father

 Christopher, like most teenagers, has the desire to do what he wants and to take care of himself, which leads to him rebelling against his father and disobeying his orders. The book starts off with Christopher’s dad having to come pick him up from the police station after hitting a cop. This event adds on top of the tension that are already exists between the two as novel soon reveals that Christopher’s mother left his Father, and it’s very clear that Christopher is not happy. There are time periods mentioned by Christopher where he explains that he went months without speaking one word to his father, and when speaking about it, it seemed almost as if it was normal and easy for him.

3. Christopher's Dreams & Visions
We also see this desire for independence in Christopher's dream of being one of the few people left on Earth as he plans for college, and in it he explains his wants to live by himself. "And I go into other people's houses and play at being a detective and I can break the windows to get in because the the people are dead and it doesn't matter" (280). There are multiple times throughout the story where Christopher explains the desire for independence within his dreams. Though outside of dreams, he also mentions numerous times how he wishes that there was no one on the Earth besides him. This feeling becomes apparent when Christopher is faced with a difficult situation and tries to block it out by curling himself into a ball.

4. Gaining Self-Confidence
Christopher's struggle to become independent involves him gaining the self-confidence needed to do things on his own and most past the barrier of his comfort zone. Solving Wellington's murder comes into play in his efforts to be independent in that it forces Christopher to speak with numerous people that he has never met, which he finds more than uncomfortable, and it gives him confidence in his ability to overcome problems by himself. In school, Christopher also has decided to take an A-level math test which allowed him to express his independence. By passing the test, Christopher can use it to get into college, and eventually live on his own.

5. Trip to London
Finally, Christopher's adventurous trip to London serves as his greatest step toward independence. The main reason behind his planned adventure is that his Mom moved and is now living in London with a new boyfriend, and Christopher decides that it would be best for him to live with his Mother and not his Father. The trip throws out everything in the world that causes Christopher stress, such as dealing with social interactions, navigating new environments, and feeling overloaded with information. "And I didn't want to talk to either of them because I was tired and hungry and I had already talked to lots of strangers, which is dangerous, and the more you do something dangerous the more likely it is that something bad happens" (261). By overcoming these obstacles, he gains confidence in his ability to face any challenge on his own.

Towards the beginning of the book, Christopher is just a lone sole who only desires to be on a planet where it is him, and him only. In society today there are many people who feel the same way as Christopher, wanting to be as independent as possible. Though, through his experiences in the story Christopher actually learns to adapt and become more independent on his own by overcoming obstacles he once was afraid. With people facing struggles such as the ones Christopher faced, challenging themselves and coming to face to face with the obstacles they fear will indirectly help lead them into their desire of wanting to become more independent. While we may not all have this feeling, the lesson Christopher learns is a universal one that can be used to solve many problems in today's society. 

Blog Post 5:

When reading non-fiction books, I am not the biggest critic on whether or not I believe the material presented. If it's very obvious to tell that something is a lie, I still go along with the book and do not complain or express my opinion like other people do. In all honestly, I do not classify books or read them for the genre they are placed in. Rather, I simply read the book because I think that it's interesting and I will be satisfied with it. In essence, I feel that a non-fiction book does need to stay true to the main points and important parts of the book, but within more irrelevant things I believe it's okay to make something up in order for the book to be more enjoyable. For example, with the incident involving Frey, I still think his book is most likely a good story even if it's the half-truth. If an author decided to write a non-fiction book and wrote the entire story exactly correct, the book would not be enjoyable. While it might seem bad to add little things that did not happen here and there, it actually is what keeps you interested in the story. Going back to David Shields, I feel that we do need to label something fiction or non-fiction so the readers are not confused, yet I think people should be less harsh on whether the entire book is true or if there are little lies scattered throughout. With a lenient audience though, I would suggest that the author does stick to the truth for the most part as they write their book. So overall, I do not feel that a book needs to be entirely correct if it is labeled as non-fiction, though I do feel the author should remain honest and incorporate mostly true events so they do not steer their audience in the wrong direction.

Post 4: Adapting World War Z

If you don't already know, World War Z is a story about an interviewer who talks with people from all over the world as they share their story of what happened in the "Great Panic". Essentially, that nickname refers to the time period when a new disease struck the Earth, causing dead humans to come to life and attack every living thing.

 The best adaptation for this story would have to be a TV series. My reasoning behind this is that a movie would not be able to come even close to covering all of the details displayed in the book. A television show would allow you to go in depth and actually cover most of the story that was told from all of the perspectives. The show would definitely have to show how the creation of disease and where it originated from (China), and also the path it took while spreading across the globe. It's acceptable to take out some stories from the book that might not carry essential information, but it's important to keep a lot of the stories to provide different views and backgrounds to help you fully understand how the world was reacting at the time of the outbreak. It would most likely be a benefit for the producer to also add in new scenes and stories to the show just to give it some originality and so that it doesn't follow the book exactly.

To make it successful, hand picking actors from recent shows that either are categorized as action or thriller genres would be a good idea because the story has a lot of action and heart-racing moments. I'm not sure that using anyone from the cast of The Walking Dead would be appropriate in the reason that fans might get upset that they're appearing on another zombie show. Though, I feel using a cast that has a background in thrilling and upbeat productions would really help to make the show successful.

For the soundtrack portion of the show, choosing songs that have a fast tempo or beat to it would fit perfectly into spots where it's a heart-racing scene. Though, slow and sad songs would also work well in scenes that display more emotion and heart-breaking obstacles.

A uniqueness about the book is that it's in the perspective of an interviewer, and that we never know who the interviewer really is. It's very important to capture the interviewing process in the show by allowing it to start out with an interview, and then fade into a flashback of the story the person is telling us. I also feel showing the interviewer at the very end of all the seasons would be a good way to close and recap the show.

Fan Experience

Have you just finished reading The Shack and are upset that the story is over? Well, don't be upset any longer! Get in your car, go to the store and pick up the brand new and highly addictive board game; The Shack. Once you open the box and see the contents, you'll immediately feel the same rush you had when you were reading the book. Forgot some of the important things that happened in the story? No problem! This board game will not only bring back all your favorite memories, but enhance each one, making the book even more enjoyable. Even your friends who have never read The Shack before will get a great understanding of the story and will most likely being fallen into reading it once the game is over. As you make your way around the game board in sort of a Candy Land fashion, it will also help you visualize the incredible scenery you once imagined in your mind as you read the text, written perfectly by William P. Young.

Mack, the main character, was on a camping trip when his daughter was kidnapped. They traced evidence to a shack deep in the forest where her bloody dress was found, but nothing else. After continuation of searching, they finally gave up and pronounced her to be dead. Mack then received a note sent to him that read: "Mackenzie, it's been a while. I've missed you. I'll be at the shack next weekend if you want to get together." The note was signed with the name "Papa", which is the nickname Mack's wife gives to God. After further thinking, Mack decides that he will go back to the shack, but does not tell his wife of his plan. As he rolls up to the shack, the scene is a dark and snowy afternoon, with the damp and barely visible shack in the distant. After entering, Mack finds everything to be the same as it was the last time he came, no one was in the house but him. Slamming the door in frustration, Mack plunges into the snow and begins to walk back to the car when he hears a noise. With a slow turn, he sees that everything has transformed. The scene is now a warm spring afternoon, with the sun kissing the horizon as it slowly fades away. And for the shack, it has completely transformed into a wonderful little house with smoke blowing out of the chimney. "Instead of the dark forbidding overgrowth of brush, briars, and devil's club, everything Mack could see was now postcard perfect. Smoke was lazily wending its way from the chimney into the late-afternoon sky, a sign of activity inside." As Mack re-entered the shack, he was greeted by three people. There was a sturdy looking man, and young black woman, and a middle-aged Asian woman. After quick discussion and much confusion, it was revealed to Mack that they were God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit standing right in front of him. Of course, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Thoughts tumbled over themselves as Mack struggled to figure out what to do. Was one of these people god? What if they were hallucinations or angles, or God was coming later? That could be embarrassing." Though, it did not take long for the three to prove to Mack that was he was envisioning was actually reality and that they were there with him. The rest of the story takes place at the shack and the surroundings of the shack, as Mack struggles over the intentions of God and why everything happened.

A game board in the style of Candy Land is perfect for The Shack because not only will you learn more about the book, but it is enjoyable for all ages. Even if you have not read the book, you can still play the game just as if it was Candy Land, and you might even end up reading the book. To play the game, you draw a card from the pile and read the description. The text will either represent something good, or something bad, propelling you forward, or pushing you back. The cards will be descriptions or quotes of things that happened in the book, or possibly a broad lesson that The Shack teaches people. Besides direct things from the text, there was also be a few random yes or no trivia questions about the author. It is likely that you will not know the answer, but the intense moment of flipping the card over to see if you are right makes the game more enjoyable. There will also be shortcuts, just like in Candy Land. For example, in the book Mack walks across water because he is with Jesus. So, on the board there is the lake from the story, and if you land on the correct spot, you will be able to walk across the water to the other side. The board game will not only connect readers who miss The Shack, but will also draw new attention to the book from people who have never read it.

Post 2: What is a book?

A book is a strong wind full of life that brings emotion and other various elements affecting you in some sort of way. A believe a book is merely elements of thought and emotion put into words, and is not characterized by the actual presence of it. I'm not saying that I prefer Kindles or iPads, but I do think they are the same as the hard copy edition. I agree with Joe Meno on how he describes that these electronic devices are just variations of a need we have as a civilization to use our imagination. A piece of writing should not be defined by the way it's presented, but by what it speaks. Now, I will agree with Nancy Jo Sales on the statement of the physicality of a book, and how there is a certain smell. I have read many books that I can physically hold, and I can tell you that there is a smell there that you do not get with the electronic version. Though, electronic versions have benefits over paper versions, making them equal in my mind. For some, the experience of going out and buying the book may factor into the affect the book has on that person, but for me, going out to get the book will have the same effect as pushing a button to download it on my phone.

I won't lie, the past 3 books that I've chosen to read without getting it from my classroom have all been on my phone and downloaded from iBook’s. If I had to choose a side, I would most likely chose the electronic versions because I feel that they actually encourage me to read more, especially since they're on my phone. Since I always have my phone on me, whenever I am done with something I can simply take out my phone and pick up where I left off. I cannot get the same effect with an actual paper book because I do not always have that with me, which causes my mind to forget about it. Another little thing I like about the electronic books is that you can read it in any kind of light without having to worry. Is the sun too bright? All you need to do is adjust your brightness level. Is it completely dark out? That's no problem because your screen provides light. I know that many people may be against me on this, but that's alright. I am not a huge reader or book-lover, but whenever I get the chance I do like to read stories. I’m not saying here that the physicality determines a book, I am just merely stating that if I had to choose which I like more, it would be the electronic books.

Overall, I feel a book is a piece of writing full of emotion and other various elements, such as thought, that affect us in some sort of way. I like the way Victor LaValle writes about with topic, using sarcasm to display how he feels. In his thoughts he says,” Some man or woman spent weeks or months or years or a lifetime bleeding on the page!” While some may take that line seriously, Victor’s actual intent is to be funny in order to represent his thoughts, which is that it’s not the book that makes them so dear, but the idea of the book. While we all may have different approaches on what a book is, we can all agree that books bring life to the world.

Post #1: Why I read

My life, as well as almost everyone else's life is very busy and chaotic. There is always places to go and things to do; the tasks never stop. The main reason I read is to break away from my chaotic life and relax a little. Whenever I'm reading, my stress levels go down and I push everything else out and just focus on the book. It's almost as if the book I'm reading is a paradise loophole, making me feel like I'm on the beach with my feet in the sand. The only thing that can get better is actually being at the beach and reading. I also like to read because it opens my mind to imagination, rather than thinking about how to solve a problem for math. One thing I like about books is you never know what you're going to read. One book could be about the life of a race car driver while the next could be about a different universe in which we live. The possibilities of stories are endless. Overall, the main reason I like to read is to get away from everything and have some time to myself. I feel that if you don't jump out of your hectic schedule every once in a while you'll eventually go insane. I do agree that some books can be boring, but overall they help us relax and bring out our imagination.