book reviews
Reviews of books by relationship gurus, dating experts, and cautionary tale-tellers.
White Fragility by Robin Diangelo: On the Crest of a Wave, or Sinking Ship?
Dr. John McWhorter, Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University, did a piece for the The Atlantic last year, in which he stated that White Fragility is a "dehumanizing condescension toward Black people."
By Peter Spering5 years ago in Humans
The Message of The Gift of the Magi
“The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry is a very simple short story that contains a very important message. The message is perfect for the story that O. Henry is trying to tell, a story about an incredibly poor couple who sells their most important possessions in order to buy a perfect gift. The message in this story could not have been delivered in a better way; the message is also the entire theme of the story, and it is interwoven into the plot of the story and the actions of the characters. The mentions of the Magi are not even part of the most important message that the author is trying to get across; they are just there to make the real point of the story stronger. The real point and theme of this story are that it is not the value of a gift that matters, but rather the thought behind it that really makes it special.
By Jamie Lammers5 years ago in Humans
Characteristics of Chris McCandless
Into the Wild author Jon Krakauer mentions in the book how he tried to find his purpose in life by climbing the Devil’s Thumb in Alaska (Krakauer, 133-156). In his book, he documents the trip of 23-year old man Chris McCandless, otherwise known as Alexander (or Alex) Supertramp, across the United States. He eventually settles in an abandoned Alaskan bus for 16 weeks and passes away after eating a large amount of slightly poisonous seeds. This journey into Alaska in order to find a purpose is eerily similar to Krakauer’s journey. Knowing what he wanted to do in order to find his purpose in life, Chris was successful in that mission; the book mentions how his purpose finally feels fulfilled after travelling the entire country, and that at the end of his life, he writes a note saying “I have had a happy life and thank the lord. Goodbye and may god bless all” (199)! In order to find meaning, however, Chris had to have certain characteristics in order to survive travelling cross-country and eventually settling in the barren-cold wilderness of the Frontier State. Chris McCandless was a determined, compassionate, and resourceful man, and without these characteristics, he would not have been able to go as far as he did.
By Jamie Lammers5 years ago in Humans
Conflict in The Most Dangerous Game
“The Most Dangerous Game,” the most famous story by Richard Connell, was originally published in 1924 by the American magazine Collier’s. The plot focuses on the main character, Rainsford, finding himself trapped on an island with an insane general who loves hunting, and finds the new thrill of hunting people after hunting begins to bore him. The story is enthralling, gripping, and intense, keeping your attention throughout the entire plot and making you wonder what the outcome will be. Part of the quality of the story involves the conflicts brought upon the characters throughout the story. These conflicts develop our characters, especially Rainsford, giving them motivation for their actions and making the reader want their stories to be resolved. Of these conflicts, “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell illustrates three main ones: man vs. man, man vs. nature, and man vs. self.
By Jamie Lammers5 years ago in Humans
Maturing in Shabanu
Suzanne Fisher Staples’ book, Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind, covers incredibly difficult subjects to talk about and refer to. These include: one’s attitude towards life is what really matters; difficult sacrifices could be best for the entire family and not just you; and everything in life comes with a price. The theme that is most evident in the book, however, is the theme of maturation and how it is an amazingly confusing road to go down. Staples writes this theme in many different, unique, and interesting ways, talking about both literal and metaphorical maturation and how it affects the main character, Shabanu’s, life as the story progresses. It is this change in her body, her decision-making, and her opinion of the world around her that makes her relatable to teenage girls around the world, even though she lives in 1980’s Pakistan. In Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind, Staples reveals the theme of the hard road of maturing by showing how Shabanu goes through puberty, makes amazingly hard choices, and realizes that the world around her is flawed.
By Jamie Lammers5 years ago in Humans
Artist from Montmartre by Olga Levitzki
Artist from Montmartre by Olga Levitzki is a simple love story set in the heart of Paris. If you’re looking for a cute romance novel set in France, or consider yourself a francophile, then this book might be something you enjoy. The book took me back to my childhood because when I was younger, I loved Paris and would enjoy anything set in Paris. I like Olga Levitzki‘s light and lyrical is a good writer, and I find it admirable that she can speak in 6 languages. Sometimes I wonder if some things get lost in translation or had the use of other translators, put as far as I know, there’s just this English version.
By Chloe Gilholy5 years ago in Humans
'Those Winter Sundays': the haunting of remorse
‘Those Winter Sundays’ was written by the poet Robert Hayden and tells the story of his father. It tells us about how, even on his days off, his father would wake up early before the sun and go out to work to chop wood in what he dubbed the “blueblack cold” in trying to keep the house warm. To keep the fire going, blazing and winter at bay. How Hayden’s fathers hands would ache from the non-stop labor to allow Hayden to sleep in for a few extra minutes, so he did not have to be awake in the cold. To break down this poem down like Hayden’s fathers broke down wood one swing at a time
By Liv Atterson5 years ago in Humans
Weaving Bales with Bytes: A Case for Cotton Digitalization
Cotton has been a profitable crop for the past 7000 years otherwise our ancestors would have dropped it. It is one of the most sustainable fibre. For a very long time, India was known for cotton fabrics, while the rest of the world clad in wool. Today, cotton is cultivated in about 80 countries around the globe. India ranks no. 1 in cotton production, contributing to 33.23% in the total area of the world. One in every four hectares of cotton grown around the world comes from India.
By Isabella peter5 years ago in Humans
Jane of Battery Park
2020’s so far has been a crazy part of my life. Things that I used to take for granted have now gone and are slowly coming back. The weirdest thing about this pandemic is that any country could become the next dystopian empire with their own crazy rules if power falls into the wrong hands. I’ve always loved reading books and I’ve been reading more now than I ever did when I was younger. It’s one thing that’s been keeping me sane over the years, by reading books.
By Chloe Gilholy5 years ago in Humans
