"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. " - Groucho Marx
"It is what you read when you don't have to that determines what you will be when you can't help it" -Oscar Wilde
What books are your "best friends"? What do you read when you don't have to?
Share one book that you consider to be a favorite. Something you've read in school or out, recently or long ago, that really means something to you. Give the title and author and briefly tell us a little about it and what you like about it. Don't forget your own name!
Since I'm the first to comment, and someone has to say it, I will say that I am unashamedly an avid Harry Potter fan. I know there are quite a few like me in our English class alone, which is part of the appeal of these books; that there are many people out there who have read the books and discuss it with. I love the characters, story, and entirely believable world that the book inhabits, and I think the Brits are hilarious. Honestly, if I have nothing to read, I just read a Harry potter book.
ReplyDeleteI am enchanted by Edward Cullen. I know I speak for most of the female and perhaps part of the male population of our classroom when I say this. I have read Twilight at least three times now and every time I have been swept higher off my feet. The plot envelops me so much that at one point I found it to be five in the morning and I still didn’t want to put the book down. Sure, there are hundreds of vampire books, but none which relate so much to every individual reader as this. Twilight is the dream we all may think about on a rainy day or fantasize about through the sunny ones; however, I prefer the sunny days because then Edward glows! Whether we hate it or we love it, we must accept that Twilight finds a way into all of our lives…personally, I choose to adore it!
ReplyDelete--Jackie Duhl
One of my favorite authors is Jodi Picoult, and specfically,her novel My Sister's Keeper. This book has an engaging plot and is not a book that can go without being debated with another reader. My sister and I can talk for hours about what the right decision was for the two sisters in the novel. I find that a good book is one that can be discussed over and over, and yet new ideas always surface. Jodi Picoult's novels always have an uncomoftable topic and a contraversal issue. It is almost impossible to decide what the right thing to do was, even after the novel has come to a close. I definately recomend reading Jodi Picoult if you are looking for a great author who will keep you thinking long after you have finished the book.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Emily on the Harry Potter thing. I love Harry Potter as well, but perhaps one of my favorite books of all time is Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. I love the fantasy and craziness of the novel, and it's just one of those books you always catch yourself, truly wondering what the meaning is. Things aren't what it seems in Wonderland, and I love that anything can happen.
ReplyDeleteEverything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer is one of the most entertaining and interesting books of all time. It depicts a young man in the presnet day, also by the name of Jonathan Safran foer, and his journey through the Ukraine to find out about his family's history during WWII. Led by the native Alex, whose broken english and endearing personality keep me hooked, Foer's ancestry is revealed in the present and the past tenses. I think everybody needs to read this book. You will love it.
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ReplyDeleteI am not sure if anyone has heard of it, but the book that I enjoy the most is My Losing Season by Pat Conroy. I quite possibly would have never come across this incredible memoir if my dad had not made me read it during my freshman year. The author tells about his life growing up under a military and abusive father. To accommodate for his father's job, Pat is constantly moving, and his only outlet is basketball. I enjoy this book so much because his experiences are interesting and at the same time frightening. I also happen to be a fan of basketball, but by no means would you have to be a sports fan to enjoy this great story. Perhaps the most captivating part of the book is the relationship Pat has with his abusive father. I am fascinated by this book every time I read it, and I cannot thank my dad enough for showing it to me.
ReplyDeleteAny Kurt Vonnegut book is a good read but one in particular I enjoyed that spoke to me was Cats Cradle. Cats Cradle is a story about John, a slightly ambiguous journalist looking for clues about the life of the inventor of the atomic bomb. The satirical, but still sincere story touches on the root of human relationships and inquires into the depths of religion. Vonnegut as well draws up the controversy and the danger behind the new arms race and revels at its possible powers. A powerful read that changed my entire perspective as a person but still entertained me greatly.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that the book that I really like to think about and go back to every now and then is Thieves Like Us by Stephen Cole. Not only is this book extremely captivating and suspenseful, but it also is very easy to relate to. Overall, the main theme is about fitting in with groups of people in life. In doing so, the main character teaches the reader to just be yourself and then people will like you. Yes, this does sound like a very cliche ending to a suspenseful book, but I also really do enjoy the fact that I can envision myself as this main character who is a cool computer hacker who lives in a mansion with four other people my age. I picture myself as a secret agent or a spy who has this awesome life. The book is mainly about a teenager who is rescued from prison by another group of teenagers who he befriends and lives with. Jonah, the main character, ends up becoming a computer hacker for this team and the book takes the reader through many interesting missions and adventures this team has.
ReplyDeleteJonathan
I would say that I have two favorite books. The first is Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin. This is a true story of how Griffin, a white journalist from Texas, passes as an African American in the South in 1959.Reading this a completely different experience than learning about this period in history. I was enthralled and shocked by Griffin's bravery and honesty. It was also surprising to read his comparisons because his experiences made me think in an entirely different way.
ReplyDeleteMy other favorite book is Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury.This is a book about two young boys who battle against an evil carnival and end up learning about growth.I am such a fan of Bradbury's style of writing which I try to emulate at times.Once I began the book, I couldn't put it down because I could feel the emotion of the characters (which I think is an important quality in a book) and I made a great connection.
Both books are greatly entertaining and written by talented authors. Of course,I also enjoyed Harry Potter.
I recommend both Local Girls by Alice Hoffman and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith to the girls of the class. The reason is that both novels follow young girls as they grow into adulthood. Boys could read these also, but I do not know if they would identify with the protagonists.
ReplyDeleteFor the boys, tough luck, I have no recommendations. Just kidding! I recommend the Artemis Fowl series. (I figure the majority of boys have already completed the Harry Potter series and have grown tired of the Twighlight hype.)
I too must say my all time favorite author is Jodi Picoult. I have a strange drawing towards dramatic (and often sad) storyline. My favorite Jodi Picoult book is The Pact, which I first read for my 9th grade summer reading assignment. The book is about a depressed girl who asks her boyfriend to kill her so she can be free. He agrees, and must face the consequences. For the unique few who love troubling stories,I very much recommend this book. My second favorite Jodi Picoult book has to be My Sister's Keeper, seeing as I saw the movie twice in one week this summer.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite books has to be The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Its symbolism, dramatic plot, and remarkable depiction of the time period intertwine with a love story that is an adventure to read. Also, because I am a history buff, I really enjoyed The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory. The book follows the journey of Hannah Green, a Jewish Spainard who flees to England during the Inquisition. She is employed in the royal court and becomes involved in the affairs and intrigues of the royals: Edward VI, Mary, and Elizabeth. Finally, I am enchanted by the Harry Potter series because I love a good mystery. I relish my time in Harry's world of magic and conversations about the book with other devoted fans.
ReplyDeleteI will continue the Jodi Picoult following, but my favorite has to be The Tenth Circle. The novel centers on a teenage girl who claims to be raped by her ex-boyfriend. When nobody believes her, her parents decide to fight for their daughter, amidst marital problems. The father is a comic book artist, and his comic (shown between chapters) parallels his life while being based on Dante's Inferno (an idea I always liked).
ReplyDeleteMy favorite books are in the series, Bard Academy. There are three books in the series [so far] - Wuthering High, The Scarlet Letterman, and Moby Clique. In each book, the characters from classic novels come to life and "live" at Bard Academy. Some famous authors such as Virginia Woolf also come back as ghosts. Miranda and her friends, Hana and Samir, have adventures in each book with the characters. Each book represents a classic novel. [There's also tons of romance, which is part of the reason why i love the series :)]
ReplyDeleteAlthough the Harry Potter series, Rohl Dahl's The BFG and The Autobiography of Malcolm X are amongst my favorite books David Sedaris claims the title of "best read". Me Talk Pretty One Day is a collection of essays Sedaris wrote about his life with a humorous spin. His humorous adventures should leave any reader with half a sense of humor laughing hysterically. I have already purchased tickets to hear him speak at The Schubert this month and can't wait for a good laugh.
ReplyDeleteAlong with Kim, one of my favorite books is My Sisters Keeper by Jodi Picoult. The novel touches many controversial topics. My Sisters Keeper questions the worth of living a life in which everyday is a painful struggler. This book was by far the most moving novels I have ever read and I hope that many others take the opportunity to enjoy Jodi Picoults writing.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite books of all time would have to be the Harry Potter series. It is incredible the amount of detail J.K. Rowling puts into each book and how intricate the plot is. Not only is the plot amazing, J.K. Rowling weaves in aspects of human nature such as love, good vs. evil, and loyalty that help me relate even more with the novels. These books are truly powerful in that they can make me laugh and cry. The more times I read the books, the more I wished that I went to Hogwarts with Harry and his friends.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite books is Farhenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. It is about in the near future where firemen are people who start fires instead of putting out fires. They are ordered by the govt to burn all books along with their owners and their houses. Because free thought is looked down upon. Guy Montag, the protaganist is a fireman who discovers the last copy in existence of the bible and begins to understand that books can open up amazing new worlds for him and are not as bad as the government made them out to be. The book burnings in the story are similar to the way Nazi's burned books back during WWII. Ray Bradbury is trying to depict what he thinks will happen in the future. This book is very similar to Orwell's 1984 and any fan of that book should definitly read 451.
ReplyDeleteAlso out of obligation I must mention The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. This four part epic is on of the most famous of the twentieth century. I know that the movies are probaly the best book to movie iteration i have seen. Still you owe it to yourself to read about the journey Bilbo and eventually Frodo go on. Yes it will consume many hours to read but it is worth it. Any one who has about 20+ hours to burn and enjoys this genre this is a great read. Even those who dont enjoy fantasy books maybe just the journey and the epic will move you in awe. I greatly reccomend this trilogy
-Zev Kupfer
-Zev Kupfer
I must say that I have a ton of books that I could definitely read over and over again. One
ReplyDeleteof these books is called Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith. As you can probably tell, it's a fantasy novel, but I'm not ashamed to say that my favorite stories take place in a world
other than our own, where there are brave heroes, magical creatures, and exciting battles! Not to mention a little romance! But what is really great is that there are also a few lessons that can be learned from this novel, which might not be something one would expect from a story like this. Although Crown Duel may not be the greatest piece of literature out there, it is most definitely a book that can capture a person's interest and warm his/her heart in the end. I've read it three times, and I still enjoy it!
- Kristina Karabinos
I had my doubts when I selected A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith from the Amity Summer Reading List two years ago, but it has grown to be my favorite book. This book’s style of writing sets it apart from others. Francie Nolan takes the reader from her free-spirited youth into adulthood. Her increasing maturity is not only noted in her actions but through the writing. For me, the most important element of a book is having characters that are relatable and Francie’s narration provides for a more personalized experience. I felt like I was growing up alongside Francie. Francie starts off with tales of childhood innocence sharing her sheer joy of being in a toy store. These accounts later fade into her family’s financial woes and father’s eventual death. This change between a carefree child and a responsible adult is something every reader can connect to. If you are looking for a memorable read that is sure to make you nostalgic, pick up a copy of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
ReplyDelete- Emma Spiegel
As Oscar Wilde once wrote, "the books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame." This quote gives us the significance of books focused on realism that have been criticized thoroughly throughout history. Among those books of realism are the works of John Steinbeck, including his most famous piece, The Grapes of Wrath. The novel's crisp, vivid descriptions, which portrays the hardships of poverty that plagued the lower class during the Great Depression, provides the readers with a vicarious understanding. Though burned and banned when it was first published, the book is a must read because of its ability in keeping the issues of inhumanity and selfishness far from being esoteric.
ReplyDeleteFor readers that prefer deep sentiments and philosophical analysis over the lucid but plain styles of realism, the works of War and Peace, by Tolstoy, and Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky are must reads that are inimitable in my opinion. Both of these masterpieces bring into context the numerous social and political implications of our world while explaining their causes through philosophical reasoning. Tolstoy's War and Peace focuses on life through issues such as free will vs. pre-determination and revelations through love and death while Crime and Punishment describes the impact of nihilism and the guilt of immoral actions. Though both novels are quite lengthy and tedious to read they are well worth the time due to the profound insights of human nature within. As much of the writing in the pieces will have consummate effects, Tolstoy's writing should come across as no less than illustrious.
"The changes in our life must come from the impossibility to live otherwise than according to the demands of our conscience not from our mental resolution to try a new form of life." -- Leo Tolstoy
It's of course difficult to choose which book would be my "favorite", but one book that always sticks in my memory is Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.
ReplyDeleteThe story is based in the future, in which humanity has barely survived two prolonged conflicts with a hostile alien race. With an anticipated third conflict on the horizon, the governments of the world begin recruiting young children with high IQ's and bringing them to a specialized school with the goal of producing a military leader that can lead humanity to defeat the aliens - the next Napoleon, or Alexander the Great. The book chronicles one of the students of the school, a young boy named Ender.
It's not a long book, nor a book wrought with beautiful prose - but that doesn't prevent the novel from being deep philosophically. One of the most intriguing aspects of the book is its question of the morality of survival and its depiction of the human race.
What I couldn't get over was the sheer humanity of the characters - how real they seemed, how human they seemed, despite the fantastical plot.
The ending of the book will surprise you - it's a sad story, but at the same time a story of redemption, and it left me riveted even up to its final page.
As soon as I finished the last word, I went back to page one and read The Outsiders again.
ReplyDeleteS.E. Hinton's story of a group of teenage boys growing up together where "things are rough all over" is my favorite book because of its memorable characters. The Curtis brothers and their pals are so diverse and have so many unexpected dimensions that it's impossible for readers not to identify and become attached to at least one, if not all, of them. Hinton draws readers into the characters' world causing them to experience heartbreak, joy, anger and triumph alongside the boys until the very end, where it's okay to be a greaser after all.
And, yes. I too am hopelessly devoted to Harry Potter.
My favorite book of all time is Water For Elephants, by Sara Gruen. It is a touching story of a man and his life as the circus veterinarian. The reason I liked this book so much is because it is truly a "feel good" story. It isn't magical and made up, and although it is fiction, it is a very believable life like story of not only the man, the main character, but all of the circus folk. It gives the reader a look into the "real world" and the fears and other obsticals these people had to deal with, but at the same time it is a great and touching story with a happy ending. Not only do i feel like a better person for reading it, it also put me in a great mood when i finished it.
ReplyDelete-Kelly
I am proud to say that have a variety of friends. I have friends that I speak to each day in class and others with whom I merely exchange a smile and a wave in the hallway. I have friends from dance classes and rehearsals, as well as friends from clubs that I am involved in. This sense of variety is also true with books I enjoy to read. I, like a vast majority of girls my age, have found myself enchanted by Edward Cullen from Alice Sebold’s Twilight series. I have, too, found myself drawn to books written by Jodi Picoult. I find that there is something about the way Picoult crafts her novels that envelops me to the point that I am still up reading at the crack of dawn when the rest of my family is waking up and starting their day. Although I value each of my friends and “book friends” immeasurably, I have that one best friend that I have the tendency to turn to and share everything with -- that one book that I read over and over again. I am not ashamed to admit that "my best friend" is neither a challenging nor classic literary masterpiece; I am proud to be a devout Harry Potter fan. I began reading J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series back in the second grade and I continually turn to reread these books each time I have a few minutes to spare. Each time I reread these books I am immersed in an alluring world full of magical spells, Quidditch, adventure, and characters I love -- a world where I feel perfectly at home. As I read, I find myself relating to the characters and learning from their actions. I laugh and I cry, and feel true emotion. For those who have not met Harry Potter and experienced the magic, I can’t even begin to describe how you have missed out.
ReplyDelete--- Jen Dalecki
Among the best books I have ever read is An Ordinary Man. Written by Paul Rusesabagina, on whom the movie Hotel Rwanda is based, it is his personal account of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Despite his insistence that his is simply "an ordinary man," his heroic efforts saved thousands of lives. A luxury hotel manager, he sheltered civilians while fighting raged on outside the walls. He even denied his own chance to escape, refusing to leave the less fortunate behind. I had the honor to meet Mr. Rusesabagina and hear him tell his riveting and remarkable tale. The book is the next best thing. At times it is painful to read in its horrific detail and deeply moving to tears. It is an unbelievable book that is truly impossible to forget.
ReplyDeleteI also love the fiction short stories published in the New Yorker. They are consistently excellent, distinctly unique, and usually by well-known authors. Always thought provoking and fantastic, I constantly want to share them with everyone I know. Unfortunately, my sorry retellings don't ever live up the real thing.
-Evan Horwitz
If someone asks me what my favorite book is I'll automatically reply "Harry Potter!" but in my world there is no such thing as a "favorite book." There are absolutely too many that I love to read. However, in terms of never getting sick of it, my favorite book is Ella Enchanted (I assure you it's nothing like the sort-of-cute-but-extremely-cheesy movie). The things I love about it are the characters, the magic, and the romance. I'm totally transported into Ella's world and I really relate to the message it sends readers about perseverance. Ella overcomes a curse that forces her to be obedient throughout the course of the book, and after reading it I feel like I can do anything too. For those who want a good quick read I definitely recommend it, but I'm pretty sure girls will like it more than boys. Maybe I'll be surprised though. :)
ReplyDeletePS- Now I have a ton more books to read because everyone makes their book sound so good! Oh, and Jen... Stephenie Meyer wrote Twilight. Alice Sebold wrote "The Lovely Bones" (and probably others). Typo? :)
As I was thinking about this question, many book titles kept popping up in my head: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott...and the list goes on. But out of all the books I have read, I would have to say--like many other of my classmates--that the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling are my ultimate favorites. Whenever I read a Harry Potter book, I am so wrapped up into the storyline that it seems as if it is my own reality. The storyline and characters never get old, even though I have read the series countless of times. Harry Potter also played a big role in my childhood when my friends and I would pretend we were witches and wizards and run around with sticks in our hands (a.k.a. wands). It also acted as a fervid conversation topic between my dad, brothers, and me when the later books came out and we would discuss and argue over our different theories. I can honestly say that I was disappointed when I did not get a letter from Hogwarts the summer after I turned eleven.
ReplyDelete~Brenna Lilley
It's exceedingly difficult for me to narrow down exactly what my favorite book is. And even after I've narrowed the possibilities down to a few books, I still can't quite explain why I like them so much. But, in the end, (though, I'll probably change my mind halfway through writing this and spend another half hour trying to decide again)I think Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, qualifies as my favorite. The book's about Holden Caulfield's experiences in New York City after he's been expelled from his school, Pencey Prep. I love the story itself, as it details Holden grappling with his rapidly approaching maturity and the "phoniness" that accompanies it, but what really catches my attention about the book is Salinger's writing style. The authenticness of the (for lack of a better word) voice Salinger assigns to Holden is amazing, and I continuously find myself thinking that Holden is a real, living, breathing person who I know personally. And that holds true for all of Salinger's works. In Franny and Zooey, I got goosebumps while reading a letter that one character had written to another. If I'm ever in need of a book to read, I'm without a doubt skewed towards one of Salinger's works, because no matter how many times I've read it, it still feels like I'm sitting down to have a conversation with a good friend.
ReplyDelete-Nick Barillier
My favorite book is constantly changing, but right now I would have to say it's The Bean Trees, by Barbara Kingsolver. My favorite books are ones where I can look up to and admire the characters, which is why Taylor Greer completely makes this book for me. I like her because she's bold and funny. Taylor could've easily fallen to the same fate as all of the other girls in her town, who got pregnant and dropped out of school. But Taylor didn't because she's so determined. I also like her because she's funny. In most books that I've read, I haven't really encountered very many funny characters (or maybe I just haven't been able to pick up on their humour). That's why I always like it when a character makes me laugh.
ReplyDelete-Alisha Roopchand
I would have to say Dan Brown is one of my favorite authors, my favorite book by him being Angels and Demons. Brown caught my attention right from the first page; the way he incorporated religion and science into one murder-mystery novel captivated me. Every other chapter follows two different story lines, but the end of every chapter is a cliff-hanger, so you are forced to keep reading to find out what happens in both story lines until the two stories merge together at the end. I found myself not catching up on sleep over April vacation, like I had planned to, because I stayed up so late every night reading Angels and Demons! Also, Brown's descriptions of Vatican City were incredible, and the research he must have put into writing the novel is just phenomenal. As soon as I finished the book, I told my parents I did not care what it took, but I had to get into the Vatican to see for myself everything that Brown wrote about. I highly recommend this book to everyone, or rather, I recommend all Dan Brown books!
ReplyDelete~Gabi Arons
My favorite author is also Jodi Picoult. Her books are not exacly literary masterpieces, but as Kim said earlier, they are very thought provoking. My Sister's Keeper is also my favorite book, and i actually just saw the movie yesterday. I also really enjoyed The Pact. I think the reason why i enjoyed these stories so much is because they made me question right and wrong. Like Kim, i really enjoy a book that I can discuss. If you are looking for a read that will really make you think, then i would definitely recommend a Jodi Picoult novel.
ReplyDelete-Jodi
Like many other classmates, I would have to say that the Harry Potter series are my favorite books. Harry Potter has action, adventure, humor, and many other elements I enjoy together in one story. I love all the characters, from the Marauders to Trevor the toad, and they are all interesting and unique. I have grown up with Harry Potter and every time I reread these novels they are as (if not more) exciting than they had been the first time I read them. Even though these stories are just fiction, I feel as though I could just turn a corner and enter Hogwarts. I'll be waiting for anything J.K. Rowling writes in the future, whether the story is about the Harry Potter universe or not.
ReplyDelete-Carrie Stevens
I guess this might be cheating a little, but my favorite "book" that I have read is actually a play called "The American Plan" by Richard Greenberg. I actually read it this weekend, and it is simply fascinating. The play follows a young man, Nick Lockridge, on his vacation in the Catskills when he comes across a girl across the lake and quickly becomes enamored by her. It seems simply, yet the story turns out wildly more complex than I could have imagined by the summary on the back of the script. Throughout the entire story there is something in the characters that you can actually feel while reading the script, but can't quite place. As the plot progresses though, the layers of the characters slowly come off and what everything I thought about them instantly changed. I guess finding the right balance between a character-driven story and a plot-driven story is really what I search for. In this case though, I found one where the plot truly interacts with the characters, which is why it is now my favorite. Then again, practically everything I read is my favorite until I read something else. "Spring's Awakening" by Frank Wedekind is a close second.
ReplyDelete-Zach Small
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favourite authors in Chuck Palahniuk. With every book of his I read, the way I view the world and it's creature completely changes in a way I never thought possible. My favourite book by him, amongst many close competitors, is Choke. Choke follows the life of Victor Mancini as he cons money from unsuspecting people when he pretends to choke on his meal in the middle of a crowded restaurant. Chuck Palahniuk’s odd mix of dark humour and nihilism set him so far apart from other authors I have trouble finding books that come close to being as cleverly written as his. I would recommend any and all of his books to anyone who is looking to read something different and remarkable.
ReplyDeleteI always hate having to answer the question of what book I consider to be a favorite because I know that I have been absolutely mesmerized by so many that fade into the back of my mind over time. However, for the sake of choosing a book, one does come to mind. For me, a good book must be something that will hold my attention. Nothing has done a better job keeping me in suspense than The Guardian, by Nicholas Sparks. I can honestly say that this book kept me up later than any other has been able to, as I can recall seeing 6:30am roll by as I neared the end.
ReplyDeleteNicholas Sparks is commonly known for his romance novels, and although this book does include a bit of romance, it’s really more of a mystery novel. The story tells of a woman named Julie whose husband dies and leaves her with a Great Dane who soon becomes her best friend and proves to be there for her when she needs him most. When Julie decides to start dating again, she finds herself in trouble as she falls in love with one man and discovers that another might be a threat. Overall, this novel goes through many twists and turns that can cause any reader to laugh, cry, and possibly even stay up all hours of the night to finish.
--Gabby Cella
The first book that I can remember really being obsessed with is Ella Enchanted. For me, it just seemed different than all the other books that I had read at that point in time, and I really liked the overall tone, characters, ideas, and plot of the story. It was the first story that I had read that really had some very original ideas that I thought were inspiring. Ella Enchanted is a twist on the classic Cinderella story. The author, Gail Carson Levine, adds so much of her own wit and ideas to the story that I can't help but read it again and again and... well... you get the idea.
ReplyDeleteIt may not be a great book of American Literature, but I love the novel all the same.
********************
Rachel
It just came to me that I mistakenly identified the author of the Twilight series as Alice Sebold. I just want to clarify that the author actually is Stephanie Meyer. Just moments before posting my blog I was watching a preview for the upcoming movie based on Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones and somehow things got a bit shuffled in my mind. I apologize for the mistake.
ReplyDeleteAs I try to remember the books I've read in the past few years, The Great Gatsbhy, which we read late last school year, struck me differently than other books. In The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the tensions which make the world a sophisticated place are presented. The conflicts between the wealthy and the poor, dreams v. reality, past v. present and future, are tensions which I feel we struggle with all the time in real life. The Great Gatsby, very much like the Book of Job we are studying now, forced me to deepen my understanding about the tensions which make the world; I appreciate works of literature which force me think in a deep way and further my understanding of life on a personal and worldy level.
ReplyDeleteI know it is very cliche, but I have to say that I absolutely love the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. I have a very short attention span so it is difficult for me to read some books that draw on and on (such as The Remains of the Day), but Harry Potter is extremely suspenseful. I could read about the magical land of Hoqwarts for days on end, and I sometimes do.
ReplyDelete-Peter Amadeo
I just skimmed through all the posts...for those of you who were obsessed with Ella Enchanted, you have found another fan right here. I absolutely ADORED that book. In general, I always go for either a) feel good books about i) inspiring people, ii) inspiring feats, iii) romance/friendship, which seem to generalize many of the books people listed above. I try to stay away from Jodi Picoult- but i loved the Tenth Circle- because her books are too sad and I am an easily depressed person because I think too much. Even books that only subtly hint at the darker and duller side of life are too much for me, such as White Teeth by zadie smith.
ReplyDeleteI also absolutely love books that are full of suspense and smart action; for that reason I am an avid reader of Dan Brown as well. Books that open my eyes to the world around me (Ordinary Man looks fascinating) are always good reads as well. 1984 by George Orwell is one of my favorite books that I always forget to mention, but his mixture of a completely out of this world prediction for our society is strange yet plausible and echoes some of my own opinions. if I'm going to read, I go for either books that are comforting, inspiring, informing, enthralling, or eye-opening.
I have to say that it is very hard to pick a favorite book, there are just so many. However, the first one that comes to mind right now is Just Listen by Sarah Dessen. I adore Dessen's books and love her writing style. I think her books have real story lines and amazing characters who I can imagine in real life. The story lines keep me engrossed for hours at a time, until I finally come to the end.
ReplyDeleteNicole DeChello