Please remember to comment!
And enjoy.
“The DaVinci Code” by Dan Brown
I've noticed there's been all this talk revolving around Dan Brown's book, "The DaVinci Code" and the new movie that's been released.
I read "The DaVinci Code" by Dan Brown sometime in my freshman year, and I must admit, the story is very convincing and easily pulls you into the plot. Now, there is much of a commotion about Brown's sources and how much is true or how much is fake.
So I will say this: the book is fictional. As far as its been told, there is no history of a secret society involving Leonardo DaVinci and other popular figures in our history.
Its very important for us to distinguish between fact and fiction in this novel. Granted, Dan Brown clearly states what is true and what is false, however obviously no one has taken any true recognition of such.
I haven't seen the movie yet, but my guess is that it won't be as good as the book. Like everyone else, I question the cast.
Oh, but don't let all the talk in the media scare you off. In fact, its even more reason to read this book. Like Dan Brown, the media often speaks of fact and fiction to enhance their stories.
Maybe a little too much.
“Ariel” by Sylvia Plath
With the days becoming so extremely restless as summer approaches and my mind in more places than one, I find myself retreating into the comfort of peotic literature. And who else should I turn to besides my one and only muse, Sylvia Plath.
Not having read any of her work is practically a deprave; do not do that to yourself. Her writing expresses so much freedom, her bold output.
I leave you all with a poem.
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“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” by Mark Haddon
The school year's finally taken its toll on me. Granted, the first semester was a blur of messy grades, bad attendance and teachers, as well as myself, urging me to improve, but I was able to bring myself up by the first marking period of second semester, and now I'm ready to collapse. With my patience and anxiety hanging over an edge, and ten more days left of classes, not to mention the constant awareness of the two regents approaching, its so good to have a brilliant book at hand.
Since "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller, I haven't embarked on any new books. I know, I know. Shame on me. The fact is, I'm burned out more than ever and feel there's barely enough time to read these days. What’s even worse, I have no recommendations to capture my interest. I'd absolutely love if someone dropped a new book into my hand.
But that isn't the point. Although I haven't begun any new literature, my English class has been reading and discussing "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time", a novel by Mark Haddon about a fifteen year old autistic boy named Christopher Booney. I read this book sometime during my freshman year of high school, however I'm realizing the positives of rereading books.
Christopher Booney's whole world is thrown into chaos when he finds his neighbor's dog, Wellington, lying dead on the lawn of his neighbor's house with a fork stuck in its side. From there, a series of events unfold. All the while Christopher records his "investigation", making himself detective of the case in which he hopes to find who murdered Wellington.
In the end, Christopher discovers much more than who committed the crime, and also his ability to adapt or endure despite his autism, which leaves him somewhat handicap and so unprepared for everything he comes to learn. This book is beyond a doubt a treasure; it becomes more obvious to me our quest for order and purpose, and is enough to remind me why I must continue to brace myself with the ground below so unstable. There is so much hidden between each line, so much planning and detail placed into the story and theme I originally overlooked, and everything eventually ties in for the perfect ending.
“Catch-22″ by Joseph Keller
I've always had the habit of paying much more mind to characters than I do to plots, perhaps because the characters are who I can best relate to, rather than the actual events that follow. None the less, because of this I almost abandoned "Catch-22" by Joseph Keller from my hands.
Why? The novel is packed with military officers and soldiers; men who are either stupid or insane, with the exception of Yossarian, the main character, who doesn't exactly fit the terms. However, the combination of the two creates a comic, brilliant story that leaves passengers on the train staring at me as I sit laughing until my sides hurt, or disappointed that my stop is next and its time to close the book.
As you borrow deeper, its easily noticed that Heller has successfully assigned each character in the story a unique personality. Each of these characters have some sort of impact on Yossarian, who is desperate for the war to end or to be sent home. Colonel Cathcart stands in his way, repeatedly raising the number of missions to be completed before the men may return just as the number is within sight, from twenty to forty to sixty, and so on.
Catch-22 is the Great Loyalty Oath Crusade, the horrible, hysterical rule which says a man is considered insane if he willingly continues to fly dangerous combat missions, but if he makes the necessary formal request to be relieved of such misisons, the very act of making the request proves that he is sane and therefore ineligible to be relieved.
And will Yossarian and the others ever be relieved of their service before suffering the dark effects of war and death? I will say this, the novel is as twisted and unexpectant as you can expect. A definite must-read that I'm proud to possess, for the time being, and almost impatient to know how it will end.
“What Girls Learn”, by Karin Cook
I sat in my bedroom on Tuesday night reading this book from nine to twelve, and cried my eyes out (I don't care how much of a dork that makes me sound).
I wasn't very sure about reading this book, in fact I was afraid it would revolve around a teenage girl finding her first love, or something related which doesn't interest me. However, nothing of that was found in this novel. The book was centered around Tilden, her younger sister Elizabeth and her mother dying of breast cancer, Frances. It exposes the unbreakable relationship between sisters, and the bravery of one mother.
I highly recommend it.
“The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath”
One of my favorite quotes by Sylvia Plath, from the book "The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath":
"from now on when a boy starts telling me about his lost loves
I am going to run in the opposite direction screaming loudly"
Vampires, Adventure, Magic, Thrill and Much More
I’ve recently discovered that two of my fellow classmates and dear friends have blogs relating to books, such as my own. I’d like to share those links, which may benefit you. You can find their blogs here:
BeenBitten@WordPress.com – A blog discussing books based on vampires and other dark, fictional creatures.
Adventhrigicular@WordPress.com – Another blog focused primarily on Harry Potter books.
Hope you enjoy!
“I Know This Much is True”, by Wally Lamb
First and foremost, I must confess my reluctance in committing myself to reading this novel.
The book is heavy reading; eight hundred and ninety-four pages in all. On more than one occasion, for as long as a year's time, I'd notice it on the library's shelf, remove it to inspect the reviews that both praised and acclaimed the story Wally Lamb astonishingly composed, only to return it among the stack of other books. In my mind, there was always that 'someday' I would finally check it out; when I had more time, when I had more patience…
Now that I've completed the novel, I'm so, so glad that I'd finally ventured into beginning it, even still without the time and patience. As I've come to find, neither is needed to sustain you while you read this book.
Told in the main character, Dominick's perspective, the story offers no strain to your eyes or your mind. In fact, Dominick's voice is so forward and easy to relate to that the book's length becomes less of an issue and more of an enjoyment.
Dominick and Thomas Birdsey are identical twins. However, at the age of nineteen Thomas became ill and was later diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic. When their mother died of breast cancer, Dominick, in an effort to finally gain his mother's favoritism, promised her he would care for Thomas, thus taking on his brother's well-being for the rest of his life.
When Thomas spontaneously creates a scene in the local library where he makes some sort of "religious sacrifice", snagging the media's attention in an uproar, Dominick's troubles grow even more intense.
In this story, we witness the love between two brothers. The lengths one goes through for the other, despite his resentment towards his sibling and the many other issues concerning his life. As the tale unfolds, we read about Dominick and Thomas's childhoods, their timid, affectionate mother and abusive step-father, as well as the history of their ignorant grandfather.
This is one book I've read that reminds me how difficult it is for us to admit our fears and the truths that lay beneath them. It's full of irony and surprises; it will leave you in heartache one minute and lift your spirits with the next, all the while provoking thoughts and questions in regards to your own life.
I would highly recommend this book, "I Know This Much Is True" is an inspiring, comic and unforgettable tale set in twentieth-century America that you simply cannot miss.
