Before we make our spring independent reading selection, let's use our classmates' experiences to guide us. Accordingly, please respond to the following prompts:
1. What did you read? Give the author and work title.
2. To what extent did you enjoy your reading experience?
3. To whom, if anyone, would you recommend this piece? Why?
4. How conducive was this work to the ALIS experience? Consider this question as a reader AND as a writer. In other words, how easy/ hard was this work to write about? Why?
5. What content, if any, did you find objectionable and/ or might others find inappropriate?
1. For my ALIS book, I read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
ReplyDelete2. The Kite Runner was a great book. It was a very easy and quick read. I was not bored, and there was enough action to keep me reading. It is a little long, but I never noticed the length and read it pretty quickly. At parts it was hard to read because the content was sad, but that is also what made the book so interesting.
3. I would recommend this book to both boys and girls, which like reading about people’s lives. It you like sad gripping reads, this would be a good choice. If you don’t like reading about people that have had bad experiences and sadness in their life, then you should probably choose a different book. This book is also about real situations happening in Afghanistan, so if that interests you, this book would be a good choice.
4. This work was very easy for me to write about. I had no trouble finding motifs and themes. There were many themes that applied throughout the whole book. I was also easily able to find quotes that applied to my theme. Because there are many themes in this book I also found it easy to connect to other books I have read. If you are looking for something that is easy to write about, this book is a good choice.
5. The controversial content in this book would be rape. It is not very descriptive, but most of the book does revolve around the rape of a character. There is a mention of suicide, and very brief language. There is also brief violence, but I think most high school kids can handle the controversial content without a problem.
I read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou.
ReplyDeleteI found reading this book to be a very enjoyable experience that allowed me to think about the world as a whole through appreciating the little details within it. It is an interesting look at what it means to grow up, and also explores loneliness and perception. The work flows not only in the writing but also within the characters and the setting. This book is a journey process, and each element is very connected to the rest of the novel and the ideas it discusses.
I would recomend this piece to people who have a more difficult time picking out and discussing elements of literature (Especially similie, metaphor, and imagery), as this novel has an abundance of these and a continuity of them that makes connecting the little ideas and the big picture a little easier.
This work was very conducive to the annotating process, as it allows annotations to flow more easily with the work and come as a natural result of reading Angelou's almost poetic memoir. It was not as conducive to the writing process, as I found it more challenging to separate ideas for an essay. There are, however, an abundance of quotes that would work well within an essay, if you can separate out the ideas.
The book spends some time concentrating on Angelou being raped at a young age and the effect this has on the rest of her life. It also discusses Angelou's feelings of abandonment and loneliness in lengthy and occasionally exorbitant detail. I did not find these elements as detracting from my enjoyment of the work, but rather grew to appreciate them as part of the larger work and Angelou's life as a whole.
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ReplyDelete1:The ALIS book I chose was Enders Game by Orson Scott Card.
ReplyDelete2:I really enjoyed my reading experience. The book I chose was very interesting and kept me engaged. It had twists and a great story line. I also enjoyed the word choice the author used because it provided me with a better picture to place in my mind.
3: I would recommend this book for readers who like a short-medium length book that is easy to follow and comprehend. This book was not to difficult to read and is very well written.
4: This book is very easy to write about. It contains many motifs and symbols that are easy to analyze and digest. While writing my ALIS essay, I never ran out of ideas on what to add to my essay. The ideas in this book were easy to connect to real world situations. I was also able to make text to self connections easily.
5: There is little if any controversial context in this book. I was unable to find any blatant objectionable context while reading this book.
January 3, 2012 2:05 PM
I read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
ReplyDeleteThis reading experience was quite different because I am not used to this style of writing and the dialect that it was written in.
I would recommend this book to those people that enjoy a more challenging book and also one that is funny. This book is a hard read but if you can understand it, you will get the jokes and the little quirks of the people.
This book was fairly easy to write about because there was enough in it to write about. Twain put in enough characters and instances that can be related to other instances and people. Also, going back to the previous topic, you need to understand what is going on in the book to really write about it.
Personally, I did not find anything against what we are trying to find objectionable.
I read The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver.
ReplyDeleteI ended up loving this book. It started off a little slow, but over all it was a great read.
I recommend this book to anyone who has strong feelings about family relationships and kids. Most of this book is about how a young adult can adjust to living on her own with a kid she has never met before and only a few dollars. She is forced to make her own family.
I found this piece very easy to write about because I find adoption and family relations very interesting. They are also very important to me. There are many symbols in it and many themes can be drawn out of it.
I did not find any controversial content in this book.
For my Fall ALIS reading, I read The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. My experience with reading this book was very enjoyable because it seemed at any moment the author would surprise you with new twists to the plot, making it so the reader would actually feel agony if they were in the character's shoes.
ReplyDeleteThis piece does not entirely talk of gruesome horror, but to anyone who enjoys thrillers that make you feel like you have gone insane yourself and surprising, disturbing endings, I would suggest it, because this Gothic piece is a classic for a reason.
This piece was not at hard to read and annotate, because it always kept your mind thinking. Yet it was harder to write about any lessons or themes the author might be including, because it seems more like an entertaining piece than an actual project.
There were not many times I found myself reading something controversial in the text. Some, though, may find that the author might be subjecting to the nature of human beings as selfish creatures that might want to take everything for themselves, even if it means hurting others. If you do not agree with reading an atmosphere that makes people go barbaric, it might not be for your taste.
1. I read The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.
ReplyDelete2. The beginning of this book is a little rough and kind of slow. It drags on at certain points and jumps around to memories, friends, etc. When I came towards the end of the book, however, I found that I really enjoyed it. The Bell Jar really seems to pick up within the last 60-100 pages and is intriguing because it is a fictional sort of autobiography as stated in the foreword.
3. I would recommend this book to anyone that is willing to hold out and be patient for a good book. Also someone who is able to take in the mind of someone who is mentally ill. It also has a couple sad/ gruesome parts when Esther, the main character, loses her friend and is in the Psyche ward.
4. I found this work pretty easy and straight forward to write about. It was easy to find motifs and a theme to relate them to with really good evidence. It does take some thinking, but with good annotations, it comes much easier.
5. The only content that others may find inappropriate would be when Ester loses her friend to suicide, nearly bleeds to death, or encounters the electric chair.
1. I read Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer.
ReplyDelete2. I actually really enjoyed this book. It held my interests throughout the plot and made me think deeply about my life and what it means to live. It gets a little slow at some points, but it picks up easily. Definitely a read that makes you think!
3. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good read. It's also different from most novels, pictures and extra markings including! The subject of grief of the loss of a loved one was approached in a manner that I think anyone could appreciate and there are many ideals and lessons to be absorbed through Foer's writing.
4. I think that reading this book and annotating it was a little tricky only because it was hard to select motifs and minor characters due to the sheer amount of them. I found it easier to go back through the book after I read it to fully decide which I would focus on. Other than that, most of the book is great to annotate with syntax, etc. There are definitely many ideas to build off of for essays.
5. The only slightly controversial would be very slight sexual references and situations, but it definitely didn't bother me at all or detract from the great read this is! I think people our age would agree with me.
1. For my fall independent study, I read The Color Purple by Alice Walker.
ReplyDelete2. I enjoyed this book. The book moved at a fast rate, and I didn't feel bored. However, at some times, it was awkward to read some parts of the book simply because of the sexual content.
3. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in feminism and the challenges that we overcome. I feel as though this book would be related and directed towards girls, as opposed to boys.
4. This book was very straight foward and easy to write about. I actually found myself debating over what motifs/minor characters to write about because there are so many ideas to focus on within the book. Because of the harsh feelings the reader gets, the annotating process was also plentiful. One could easily draw self to text, and self to world connections.
5. There is definitely some controversial content within this book. There are sexual situations, as well as physical, and mental abuse. It puts a new perspective on the reader, but in our society today, I don't think the controversial content takes too much away from the good read.
1. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
ReplyDelete2. I enjoyed this book for what it was. It certainly wasn't an easy read but it offered a different perspective to many of the every day things around us and also used situations to represent different emotions that everybody can connect with to some extent. The fundamental writing technique and voice was different than any book I have read before which was very nice.
3. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who thinks that they have interpreting books down, because this book will challenge that and sometimes make you think differently than you did the rest of the book. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who can't step out of their own shoes to read a book or to anyone unwilling to have to reread paragraphs even pages at a time.
4. This book was easy to write about only once you could actually grasp the plot and meaning behind it, which occupies a lot of your time while reading this book. There is an abundance of quotable sections and a variety of different ideas and themes explored throughout the book.
5. I didn't think there was an excess of objectionable content. There were a few sexually related paragraphs but they weren't close to severe enough to detract from the overall feel of the book.
1. During first semester I read the book "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd
ReplyDelete2. I really enjoyed that book! It wasn't too girly and it had a lot of twists and turns in the plot that I wasn't expecting.
3. I would recommend this book to any girls that have read books like "The Glass Castle" or like books with excitement, intense accusations, and a little bit of romance.
4. I found this book very easy to write about in terms of the ALIS prompts. There were many complex characters and different motifs.
5. The book takes place around the time of the civil rights movement so there is racist content in it and a few cuss words.
1. I read On the Road by Jack Kerouac
ReplyDelete2. Personally, I found the ideas in the book were inspirational, however the story was very dry and repetitive.
3. If I were to recommend this book to anyone, it would probably be somebody more interested in the themes and ideas of an optimistic book, rather then the actual story telling.
4. After initially exploring this book for ideas and themes, I found that it really had great themes that were easy to write about. The book was full of many themes as well as great examples for the pros and cons of any theme hidden in the text.
5. The book has many sexual scenes and cussing at points.
1. I read "The Red Badge of Courage" by Stephen Crane.
ReplyDelete2. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. There were many layers of text to delve into as well as many different themes to take out of the book. The book was written in a higher vocabulary than I was used to, so there were many times when I had to stop in order to look up a word in the text, but that didn't end up being a problem at all.
3.I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy war novels (specifically the Civil War), classic novels, and readers who like to use their close reading skills as they go along in the book as there were numerous motifs and themes as well as interesting analogies and personifications throughout the novel.
4. It was a realatively long book, but there were so many motifs, minor characters, and layers to dig apart through that I would say this book is very conducive to the ALIS experience.
5. In different battle scenes there were some very depictive and gory events described, but not too much to handle by any means.
1. I read Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote.
ReplyDelete2. I really liked Breakfast at Tiffany’s. I think it was a fantastic book, however, if you have already seen the movie I don’t recommend reading the book for your ALIS essay. The book is different than the movie so it was difficult to write my essay only using the book. This is because there were so many great things from the movie I would have loved to include. It was a quick read and very interesting. It had many great motifs to choose from and is now one of my favorite books.
3. I would recommend this book to boys and girls. I think everyone would enjoy it. It is a very short book (about 100 pgs.) so I would also recommend it to someone who likes a quick read. There are a lot of motifs, however they are not plainly stated so I would recommend the book to someone who is good at annotating and searching for themes and motifs in the text.
4. Writing my essay was not super difficult but it also wasn’t easy. I had to do a lot of research online about my book and I changed my thesis more than once. If you do choose this book, keep your thesis in mind while you are reading the book and make sure to highlight good quotes, all motifs you find, and write any themes you think the book teaches. Not pointing out themes I found was my mistake, so I think that’s what made writing my essay so challenging.
5. I think Breakfast at Tiffany’s is a relatively appropriate book for our age group. I didn’t find anything objectionable while I was reading.
1. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
ReplyDelete2. I can quite honestly say that this is my favorite book ever. In other words, it was my most enjoyable reading experience ever. Cormac McCarthy is a genius, and one of the best authors of this generation, if not all time. His vocabulary is very extensive, so I had to stop a few times in order to look up a word. Other than that, it was great.
3. I would recommend this book to anyone who can handle a sad book. The story is uplifting, yet, at the same time, it is the most depressing thing i have ever read. However, it is the best story I have ever come across, and it is beautifully depicted. If you can handle emotion, read this book.
4.As I mentioned before, Cormac McCarthy is a genius. The entire book is filled to the brim with themes, both overt and covert, motifs, and while they are not many other characters, there is more than enough material for someone to write an essay off of.
5. There are a few very gruesome moments, and foul language is present, but nothing overpowers the essence of the book.
1. I read Kindred by Octavia Butler.
ReplyDelete2. I did enjoy this book very much, because it has so many genres in one. From science fiction to historical fiction Kindred has it all.
3. I would recommend this book to anyone, however girls might enjoy it more that boys because it is from a women's perspective.
4. Kindred was not too hard but not too easy to write about, the perfect amount. Sometimes digging for deep symbols was challenging, but not overly challenging.
5. The book takes place on a plantation during the slave era, so demeaning slang for African Americans was used extremely often.
1. I read Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
ReplyDelete2. I actually really enjoyed the book. After I got past the confusing beginning and began learning who the characters were, the book picked up significantly. Also, the characters spontaneity kept me guessing.
3. I would probably recommend this to girls more than guys. The book mainly follows Holly's unusual perspectives and her love life. Personally, I got a chick flick sort of feel. Although it is from a male perspective, it still has a feminine air.
4. This book was really not hard for me to write about. Knowing people like the characters, it made it easier to figure out what points Truman was trying to get across about society. Also, this book took place during the time of the Vietnam War, so it is close enough to our time where you see lifestyle similarities.
5. The only content that I found extremely questionable was Holly and her men. Although it is nothing that any high schooler hasn't seen by now, it could still be considered controversial.
1. I read The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison.
ReplyDelete2. I really enjoyed this book. There were a few sections in which I had to re-read, but overall I did find the book engaging and interesting. The characters personalities and beliefs definitely added greatly to the plot line and series of events.
3. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes realistic fiction, books about people, but more specifically girls. This is because the book is written from the perspective of the characters, and most of the characters are young girls.
4. I think that as a reader this book may have been harder to annotate, but as a writer it was an excellent read! There were many minor characters that you could expand upon and also tons of themes and motifs hidden throughout.
5. The objectionable or inappropriate material in this book would be the multiple rape scenes and beatings. However, I do not believe this material detracted from the overall story experience.
1. The Chosen by Chaim Potok.
ReplyDelete2. I truly enjoyed reading this book. It brought up some very interesting ideas and issues along with a good plot line. Because of this I was intrigued throughout the book.
3. Since much of this story is about religion, I would suggest this book to those who view religion as a large part of their lives. It brings up some interesting views about moderation and extreme views. It also brings together, in a friendship, two different sects of the same religion. This religious story would be most affective with those who are also religious themselves.
4. Since this story is about religion and God it brought up many interesting and arguable issues that lent itself easily to the writing of annotations and of an essay. This was very useful in the ALIS experience.
5. I did not find any of this content objectionable. Some who have strong feelings about religion or non-religion may find that they do object the content. Outside of this I feel it was totally reasonable.
1. From my ALIS book I read The Haunting of Hill by Shirley Jackson.
ReplyDelete2. I really enjoyed reading this book. It has a creative plot and characters that could connect with. Making the experience more of a journey that a homework assignment. It was also short(200 pages) and easy to understand. Over all a great read.
3. Personally I think anyone could connect with this book but I would recommend this peace to anyone who likes ghost stories. As the tittle suggests this is a book that may send chill down your spine but if you like that this is the book to you. Also Jackson is known for her Gothic literature (like “the Lottery”) and this book defiantly falls into that category. So if you liked our Gothic unity last semester you would enjoy this book as well.
4. This book is relatively easy to write about. It has clear themes and motifs and there is a lot to analyze within the characters. I did have some difficulty finding quotes to support my ideas in my paper but not impossible.
5. There is not anything controversial in the test. The only reason I would pause before reading it again is the unhappy end and the overall creepy feel of the story.
1. For my fall Alis book I read Breakfast at tiffiany's by Truman Capote
ReplyDelete2. I really enjoyed reading this book and think that Capote is a very god writer and this book was an interesting story that was fairl easy to read.
3. I would recommend this book to girls more than boys. The story is about a feminist character who is trying her best to be independent.
4. I really related to this book so it was interesting as a reader and a writer. I liked the character of Holly Golightly and found her especially interesting.
5. I didn't really find any inappropriate content there was some language here and there but nothing obscene.
I read "We Were the Mulvaneys" By Joyce Carol Oates for my fall ALIS novel. This novel turned out to be one of my very favorite books I've ever read, though it was longer than my usual book choice has been in the past. I also found it extremely easy to write about and annotate. I would most definitely reccommend this book to any girl my age or above. I highly doubt that boys would enjoy this story, due to the content and points of view that the story is told. I can definitely, though, see many girls loving this book.
ReplyDeleteI found this book fairly easy to write about. The subject matter is very serious and sad at times, but I felt passionate about the subject, and about the lessons within the text. Of course this book was still challenging to write about as any book will be, but it was fairly easy compared to others.
"We Were the Mulvaneys" Has some extremely difficult subject matter, including rape, alcohol, violence, and depression. I think these issues are things we hear about every day, so I don't think it's innapropriate for readers such as myself, but I do see how others (parents, adminastrators, other students, etc.) would see it as innapropriate.
It really was a great book, I highly reccommend it!
1. I read A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah.
ReplyDelete2. I really enjoyed this book. It kept me engaged because I couldn't wait to see how the author got where he is today. There was definitely a transformation in him and I loved reading a book that showcased redemption.
3. I would recommend this book to anyone who prefers reality. The author doesn't sugar coat anything so there are some disturbing parts, but the end will inspire you. As long as you can handle the content, everyone should read this book because it will show you that good can come out of even the worst circumstances and everyone can overcome obstacles and succeed.
4.not applicable
5. There were descriptions of very violent situations such as: murder, rape, physical abuse, and drug abuse. I didn't see any of the descriptions as inappropriate but rather as events that just showed the reality of the situation that the author was in making his redemption so much greater.
For my fall reading, I read, "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd. This was one of the best books I've ever read, because of all the personal connections I have with the main character and the place in which it takes place. Anybody can read this book without getting too offended, but it connects the most with girls. The importance of a maternal figure is expressed a lot through the main character, which many girls can relate to. There could be somewhat of a bias between Baptists and Catholics, but then again, main character doesn't really show a true preference between the two. There view in which the story is written is pretty open-minded, especially in the cases of the success of African Americans. It don't think it's that hard to figure the major points of the story, however I had trouble sticking with one aspect to write about because there were so many other themes expressed, and much of the time they were a part of each other.
ReplyDelete1. For my fall independent study I read We Were the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates.
ReplyDelete2. I enjoyed my experience immensely. Although this is a lengthy book, it's well worth it and hard to put down. It's now my favorite book.
3. I would recommend this to anyone who is willing to understand family issues from the inside.
4. I think this book was very compatible with the prompts for the essay. It's context can be easily relatable, and being a lengthy book there is sure to be something you can pick out for an essay prompt.
5. This book can be innaporopiate to some, as the main plot centers around the rape of the Mulvaney daugher, Marianne.
Into the Wild by Jon Krakaeur
ReplyDeleteAs i said in class, i enjoyed this book and this is definitely worth reading. Even though i found myself a little bored at times, McCandless and his story truly intrigues and inspires me. I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy action, philosophical thinkers, and those who enjoy nature/geography (there are 4 maps in the book). Most importantly, those who don't mund NOT having a happy endng.
A hard read for me, as i enjoy happy books with happy endings, and was a bit too
wordy to decipher how to annotate. It was a bit easier to write about, but still challenging to find one specific theme, as the story of Chris McCandless is open to interpretation.
Some questionable/inappropriate/controversial material: References to alcohol/drugs/smoking, violence, sex, Contains profanity, contains intense/frightening scenes. Frightening even more so that it is based on a true story.
But I'm not trying to scare you away with this! It truly is a good read.
1. My Fall ALIS book was "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents" written by Julia Alvarez.
ReplyDelete2. I thouroughly enjoyed my reading experience because the book was written 'backwards' in the sense that the story started with the main characters as adults and then progresses to them being small children.
3. I would reccomend this story to those who find human behavior interesting as well as anybody who finds other cultures interesting to read about, especially Latin American cultures. The way the book is written builds on the characters and points toward why they do what they do and how their culture plays a part of their pshychology.
4. This book was fairly easy to write about because of all of the details that the novel entails, but it was a little disorienting trying to pull together the supporting facts from the story because of its reversal of time progression.
5. The story speaks of drugs and has some very mild sexual content as well as curse words, but otherwise this book was very safe to read.
1. I read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou.
ReplyDelete2. I did enjoy the book a lot. It's an autobiography that takes places during the civil rights movement. She has a lot of voice and uses humor to lighten the mood in tougher situations.
3. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a non fiction book about the realities of life.
4.I found that this book was pretty easy to write about and annotate. Shes uses a lot of figurative language so it is easy to analyze.
5. The book does deal with rape, racism, and substance abuse, so parents and the school might find it inappropriate, but it is a really good book.
1. I read Ender's game by Orson Scott Card.
ReplyDelete2. I really enjoyed reading this book. It kept me intrigued and I liked it enough to go purchase Speaker for the Dead. The author also uses great word choice so it was easier to picture what was going on in book in my head.
3. I would recommend this book to people who like science fiction novels. I would also recommend this book to people who like books that straightforward and to the point.
4. It was good for my ALIS experience because it was different then anything I had read before and I got really into the book, so I was able to read it quickly. This book was more challenging for the writing because there isn't much, if any, figurative language to analyze, but I was still able to find motifs to write my essay.
5. The only thing that might be objectionable/controversial in this book is the age the kids are trained to be soldiers.
1. I read Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote.
ReplyDelete2. I don't think the book was for me. I felt like it dragged on and after a while got a little boring.However, I did like the message it sent across.
3. I would recommend this book to someone who likes the idea of fighting for what you want.
4. Finding a thesis was pretty easy but finding quotes was a little more challenging. As a reader, to connect ideas in the book is pretty simple as long as you take good notes.
5. The main character is said to sleep around a lot and there is some cussing I believe.
1. Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
ReplyDelete2. I really enjoyed reading this book. First I can relate to it. Also, it is a very engaging story with a great plotline. The language was familiar and clear.
3. I would recommend this book to anyone, though I think it is geared more toward male readers. Even if you don’t use it for ALIS, it’s a great read. I don’t think I emphasized this point enough. READ THIS BOOK. Okay, I’m done.
4. I found this book easy to write about. It abounds with excellent motifs and themes which are easily applicable to ALIS essays and annotations. (Evidently, I adore alliteration).
5. The only content you could possibly call controversial in this book is an occasional mild obscenity called out while converse characters converse with contempt.
1. I read "All the Pretty Horses" by Cormac McCarthy.
ReplyDelete2. I really enjoyed this book because it was a very adventurous story that had a lot of twists and turns and I often found myself completely absorbed in the text because nearly every page was a cliff hanger.
3. I would recommend this book to someone who enjoys the idea of the Wild West as well as someone who enjoys a piece of literature that is very unpredictable and personal. I felt as though I was in the main characters shoes as I was reading.
4. This book was an awesome one to write about. As I was reading, I identified multiple motifs and significant minor characters. I actually found enough of these pieces to fill an entire page! I think most of the motifs are great to write about because there is lots of evidence and many ways to interpret those elements.
5. Controversial material in this book would include minor sexual references, harsh language, and a lot of violence.
1) I read "The House on Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros.
ReplyDelete2) On a scale of 1-10 my reading experience was about a 6. It wasn't great because the book didn't turn out like it thought it would. It was easy to read but the story was not consistant. But its a great book, don't get me wrong, it's a cute book with many aspects that relate to real world situations. This particular book also keeps your brain alive, you always have to keep thinking about what is going on and what might happen next.
3) I would recommend this book to any reader who enjoys short stories and short ideas. This book has many short stories about specific times in the protagonists life, some of them relate to eachother and unfortunately others do not, but I suppose that gives the book its personality.
4) This book was difficult to write about, in my opinion. Other readers of this book might argue otherwise. Due to the short stories and incomplete ideas, finding a constant motif to write about was easier said than done.
5) The content of this novel wasn't exactly inappropriate. The story was set in a place that experienced crime and other cruel offences in that particular time, so it would be expected.
1. I read In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
ReplyDelete2. I enjoyed this book a lot most of the time because of the adventure and mystery aspects of the piece. At some points, more towards the middle, however, some of the details of the crime were too long and not so interesting to read.
3. Anyone who likes a little bit of darkness and analyzing deep, disturbed characters would like this book. There are several layers to these people in the story which was interesting to me because I love questioning why some people have certain characteristics, for example the need to kill.
4. This was a pretty challenging book to use in ALIS work. The nonfiction aspect of it did not always help in finding metaphorical usage or simple motifs to support one theme. The prompts we had to write about were difficult to answer because there were not many quotes to clearly back up one theme.
5. Obviously there is some twisted thinking in the killers' heads. The crime is told in detail at several points so it may get some people a little queasy and upset. The only questionable things are the murders and a small portion where one character is revealed to be a pedophile.
I read Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Johnathan Foer.
ReplyDeleteThis book is now one of my favorite books. It is first of all very well written and has lots of interesting writing styles in which make it more interesting. This story is also very motivational and provides the message that no matter what hardship you endure you can persevere through anything.
I think that anyone who likes a great story about finding ones self and overcoming hardships in life then they would love this book. It is an pretty easy read with some cool pictures that relate to the text too.
This book has lots of interesting writing style and deep thinking questions as the book progresses. It contains many motifs and interesting connections to other texts as well as information about the world. Many similes and metaphors are used and can be thought about in many ways. While writing there are a variety of quotes to support a variety of themes too.
At times there are some sexual comments by the main character but they are minor as well as few and far between.
This was a fantastic book that anyone could and should read!!!!
1. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
ReplyDelete2. I loved this book, but it took a while for the story to get going. I am not usually a fan of nonfiction, but Capote's style reads like fiction which deepens the disturbing nature of the story.
3. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys nonfiction or exploring the psyche of criminals. It is not for the faint hearted because the content becomes quite disturbing on many occasions.
4. As both a reader and writer, this book is challenging to use as an ALIS book because it is a nonfiction account. It took a great amount of effort and further analysis for me to be able to find motifs and write an essay about them. For the writing we did, this book must be broken down and analyzed both before and after reading; motifs and themes are interlaced within the text, but it takes a fair share of looking.
5. The story is based around a brutal murder of four people and the scenes are described in detail (like I said, this book is not for those who are easily disturbed). Sex is also referenced a few times and one of the main characters has pedophilic tendencies.
I read Into the Wild by John Krakauer. Overall, I thought it was a well-written book with an engaging plot and interesting ideas. I would recommend the book to people who enjoy adventure stories, the outdoors, and who are OK with a sad ending.
ReplyDeleteThe book was very conducive to the ALIS experience, as Krakauer uses many interesting literary techniques and elements to tell the story.
There was no content that was particularly objectionable.
I read Red Bage of Courage by Stephen Crane
ReplyDelete1.I enjoyed this book. It was very well written and once the battle started it was pretty exciting. However, it is a bit dull at the start of the book when he spends multiple chapters just talking about how depressed he was.
2.I would reccomend this book to anyone who likes war stories. Also, I would reccomend this to anyone who enjoys stories of overcoming great struggles and adventure books.
3.This book although short took a while to read due to the higher level of vocabulary and a great amount of motifs and themes that need to be analyzed (which of course is good for the essay).
4.Other than some gory scenes there was nothing objectionable.
1. I chose Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut.
ReplyDelete2. I personally enjoyed it, but I was expecting sci-fi from Kurt Vonnegut. It was wholly depressing, but good nonetheless.
3. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys satire (not necessarily the humorous kind). This complements 1984 as a sort of satire of our modern life, though this is far more realistic. Currently, anyway.
4. There was plenty to analyze, so that was not a problem. However, it really let you synthesize your own message from that, in an abstract sort of way. It basically told you what it wanted you to think about, and let you devise the conclusions about society, and, more importantly, ask why society is like that.
5. It was crude. The N-bomb, F-bomb, and a few other bombs were dropped plenty of times. None of it was in an offensive way. It was to satire society's fear of these words, and to show how awful that same society was about African Americans in particular. It wasn't offensive though. It was trying to spread an equality message by showing how unfair society was and in what we take for granted.
1. I read Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.
ReplyDelete2. I personally don't enjoy reading very often at all. That being said, not many books are my kind of read. However, I loved this book. Ender's game is one of the best books I have ever read. This book is amazingly easy to follow and the story line is just plain awesome.
3. I would recommend this to all guys, mostly because those who recommended it to me said that. I would also recommend it to anyone who enjoys the science fiction category. Seriously, if you like any sort of sci-fi or any sort of good book then you need to read Ender's Game.
4. This was absolutely great for the ALIS experience. I had no problems connecting this to the guiding questions or the other texts. I gaurantee you can find a whole lot of motifs.
5. I can't recall anything that was out of line for our reading level. You should have no problems reading this.
I read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. I really enjoyed reading this book. I haven't read many books like it so it was interesting to pick and read a different kind of book thank I am used to. There were a lot of twists and events that kept me intrigued and I found it quite inters ting. It also made me think and analyze some of my own beliefs and morals as well as those of the characters in the story. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure books, or books having to do with morals and controversial things such as slavery. This book is one big adventure with many little adventures in between and it is set in a time when slavery is still common, but shows an example of those beginning to belief it is wrong. As an ALIS experience, I found this book to be a pretty average read and it worked well in analyzing, and it kept my attention pretty well. Occasionally I had a hard time understanding what the characters were saying, because they spoke in strong southern accents, especially the slave Jim, but it was really no problem once I read it once or twice more. I must warn you though, if you are someone who likes to procrastinate and wait till the last minute to read, it is hard to try and make it a quick read. It is better to read it slowly over time. I had some trouble with writing my ALIS essay, but I think if you can find the right thing to write about and make a strong thesis, you won't have any problem. There are lots of themes and different things you can write about. This book did not have too much objectionable content, but since it is set in a different time, African Americans in the book are called the N word, so it is a common word used throughout the book. There is also a little bit of abuse from father to son, and some morals in the society that some might find questionable, however that is just the way it was at that time and it may be frustrating but it also makes you think. Besides, that there is nothing else that is no other content that may be found to be inappropriate.
ReplyDelete1. I read The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury.
ReplyDelete2. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I liked it so much because Ray Bradbury is one of my favorite authors, and I like the topic of utopian/futuristic societies. This book was actually a collection of short stories, and every story was happening on a man's tattoos. The tattoos were "alive" and showed different stories mainly set in the future.
3. I would recommend this piece to people who like utopian/futuristic novels and to people who enjoy social studies classes. This is because all of the short stories in the book are set far into the future and tell stories of planetary travel and societies established in outer space. I would also recommend it for social studies majors because it is an important read to compare to the pace at which society is advancing... It foreshadows the future of our very own civilization and how it could get out of hand if technological advancement continues so quickly.
4. This work was particularly easy to write about because most of us, having read Fahrenheit 451 last year, can relate easily to that novel. It is written in a very modern style and it's easy to compare with today's societal experience...
5. I didn't find much inappropriate content, but it is quite shocking how differently children of the future are treated and how less intimate marriages and relationships in the book are. That might make some people feel uncomfortable. It is also a very short book, yet still rich in content.
1. I read “The Secret Life of Bees” by Sue Monk Kidd.
ReplyDelete2. I really enjoyed reading this text. It wasn’t that difficult of a book to read yet the content was deep and hooking. It caught my attention early on which meant it was a book that wouldn’t be bad or hard to read. It expanded letting you feel some of the things that happened in the book.
3. I would recommend this book to most people. Although some people might find it hard to read, I still recommend it for similar reasons that we learn history. It might be sad and some of it you might find horrible, but we can’t be naïve to what has/can happen in the world. I think the lesson in the end also hits a good note.
4. This was a fairly easy book to read and write about. It didn’t use a vocabulary that blurred the point but keep it clear. Then also it had such a wide variety in emotions, lessons, and motifs that there was enough to pick what you felt you could do well in. Then because of that wide range it has potential to connect with other ideas from other texts.
5. There is some child abuse and racism in the book that could be offensive or controversial, but I find that most people could probably read it, it is similar to texts that were written in the 60s with those issues.
1. I read Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
ReplyDelete2. I actually enjoyed this book quite a bit. Vonnegut's unique style and intriguing narratives always make for great reads, and this story concerning the nature of humankind was nearly flawless.
3. Even though this was one of my favorite books, I would only recommend this to certain people. Vonnegut's style is very crass, and his style and development can occasionally become tedious. Also, Cat's Cradle actually had some extremely funny parts, subtly satirizing aspects of society and human flaws.
4. This book was... interesting to write about. this is not a story with which one is able to glance over and write and essay about. In order to fully comprehend, and thus rite about Cat's Cradle, I found it necessary to carefully peruse and contemplate many parts. I'm not saying this book is incomprehensible, but rather once you break down to the deeper meaning, a fantastic narrative is uncovered.
5. There is not really that explicit of material that I can recall. A ladies tombstone is one giant phallus, but other than that, I think that's it.
1. I read Miracle At St. Anna by James McBride.
ReplyDelete2. I sort of enjoyed this book most of it was just setting other thing up so I wasn't really entertained until the end when it all came together. The end was worth it but for me it was pretty boring up until the last few chapters.
3. I would recomend this book to people who like history because it is based off a historical event. It wouldn't be bad if you don't like history it just might not be as enjoyable.
4. This is a book that is really easy to write about there are many motifs/characters that you can't miss. Putting it all together was a little challenging but there is a lot of ammunition to use is a paper.
5. The parts of the book that could be offensive are race, some language, and some sexual reference. I didn't find any of it offensive/objectionable because none of it seemed over the top or extremly prevelent in the story
1. I read The Road by Cormac McCarthy.
ReplyDelete2. I enjoyed reading this book because the story carried on without spots where I would want to skip. It had a good plot line. Even though the characters encountered similar events throughout the text, the events always varied.
3. I would recommend this book to those interested in what could happen if the world went through an apocalyptic event or to those interested in a story of survival.
4. While reading this text I found many themes to choose from. I was able to find lots of examples pertaining to each theme. As a writer, I could pull out lots of close reading from this text because similes are ever apparent.
5. The content was fairly clean but the mood throughout the book was very dismal. It always talks about death and describes the characters' means of survival.
1. I read Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.
ReplyDelete2. I really liked this book bacause of it's moving plot, and interesting storyline. It is a type of book that I wanted to see what would happen next.
3. I would recommend this book to anyone that is interested in mainly science fiction type ideas. This book moves well, and if you are interested in futuristic ideas, this is the perfect book.
4. This book was a great read, and I was able to pick out a few good themes. However, you do need to dig deep to find a theme throughout the book, it is not too difficult.
5. This book was fine in the offensive/objectionable subject. I did not find anything bad, and I was pleased with the book.
For my fall ALIS book I read Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote. I really enjoyed the novel because of the characters that make up the main story line. In my opinion there wasn’t much to the plot especially compared to the movie. This aspect was a bit frustrating to me, but it didn’t take away from the positive aspects too much. I really enjoyed the characters that the novel follows and their whimsical attitudes and quirks that influence each of their decisions.
ReplyDeleteI would recommend this piece to girls because I think it’s more female oriented. The main character is a female and there is definitely some romance. However, it is considered a classic, so it can’t be completely unappealing to guys. I found it very easy to pick a motif and theme from the book and therefore it was fairly easy to write about however when writing the essay, I found finding textual evidence more difficult. I think it was this way because, there seemed to be a lot of loose ends that appear throughout the story that don’t really tie up completely until the end, so I found it hard to provide text when these conclusions occurred at the end of the story, but the previous appearances were needed to fully explain it. The only thing that I think people could find objectionable is that the main character is a bit of a trollop, but this is not an insanely large part of the story. The main character is also a bit of a socialite so there is a slight bit of partying and drinking, but nothing over the top. Overall, I think Breakfast at Tiffany’s is a good book, and I definitely recommend it.
1. I read Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
ReplyDelete2. I absolutely loved this book! It had unexpected events, puzzles (not necessarily phisical) that had to be solved. This book held my focus and attention the entire way through (which is significant as I am a rather picky reader!
3. I would, and will recommend this book to anyone and everyone! It has details that would facinate both genders and all ages. The reading level is not incredibly difficult, there are ocassional made-up words that throughout the story clarify their own meaning. Anyone that enjoys any of the following types of books; fiction, sci-fi, adventure, mind enthrawling, and many others will enjoy this book as it contains elements of several different genres.
4. This novel was not difficult to write or read about, as there are several motifs, characters, and generally a plethora of potential analitical pieces to the story. The analysis was enjoyable during the story as it kept me guessing and reading as to know what might happen next. When writing my essay, looking back on my analysis I would notice somethong other than before and thus the book created a numerous amount of options to write about in depth.
5. Personally I did not find any part of the story inappropriate or gruesome (although I do have two older brothers [: ). The only part that I could imagine as disturbing to another would be the fighting scenes that are not extremely desriptive of the pain or injuries inflicted, but rather on the technique and strategies of the separate fighters.
THIS IS A FANTASTIC BOOK!! I ABSOLUTELY RECOMMEND IT!!!!!!!
1) I read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
ReplyDelete2) This was a very interesting book to say the least. I enjoyed it quite a bit. However, it was incredibly dense and a very tough book to get through for me.
3) I would recommend this book to very strong readers. Like I said before it was very dense, and very hard to get through.
4) This book is incredibly easy to write about even though it's hard to read. The motifs and themes stuck out like sore thumbs. I even had a hard time picking which one would be best for my essay because there were so many.
5) There is a lot of sex references. One of the main characters, got sent to the mental home because he was a sex addict and would often have flashbacks that he would inform others about. It also is a little racist, and sexist but not to much.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book! It has a very good message and a very interesting plot line!
1. For my fall ALIS book, I read Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger.
ReplyDelete2. Although many people had recommended I read this book as my independent study, I can honestly say I was not overwhelmingly thrilled with it, and in my opinion it didn't live up to the high praise that my friends told me.
3. Even though I was not a fan of this particular text, I would suggest it to a teen that is in a rebellious stage of their lives, as they can relate to the actions and feelings that Holden experiences in the book, and I think it would be a really good "friend" so to speak, to help them through their time of need.
4. I think that this book is a very easy text to write about, because it is littered with motifs and supporting text all throughout the book. This made it very convenient to write about, because all of the information I needed was sitting right in front of me and didn't require any real digging to find a topic to write about.
5. Some content that I definitely found questionable was the language. With Holden cussing every other word I can understand why some people might not want this material in their school libraries.
1). I read In Cold Blood by Truman Capote.
ReplyDelete2). I enjoyed reading this book. Even though it was nonfiction, it read like a story, and was interesting and suspenseful at times. However, it did have some slow parts, and was a long book to read. It was a mystery/crime novel set back in time, and it really was a great book for anyone who likes that genre. It explores the psyche of a murderer, which is interesting and not something you really get to learn about.
3). I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in crime-related drama (kind of like CSI). It is not for people who are easily disturbed by gore or creepiness, as some of the passages in the book are a bit disturbing.
4). Being a nonfiction novel, I found that annotating was a bit harder than in a fiction book because there is less to dig into. However, there are some really great ideas that explore some interesting topics. It did take me longer to find quotes for my essay, but after thinking a lot, I was able to come up with a good essay topic. I also did like the style of the book, which was almost journalistic and fascinating to read.
5). Again, this book is based off of a murder, which is described in detail. There are some disturbing facts revealed about the two killers, and so I would not suggest it to anyone faint-of-heart. However, if you can handle some of that, it will be a great read.
I read "The Color Purple" by Alice Walker. My experience was an enjoyable one. "The Color Purple" is a beautiful novel. If you've read "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", I found it similar to that in both plot lines and thematic ideas. I would not recommend this book if you are an extremely slow reader or faint of heart. It is over 300 pages and there are serious issues dealt with within the novel including: rape, spousal abuse, race issues, and homosexuality. I would however reccomend it to anyone else, whether as an ALIS or to read in your free time. It is an inspiring story and has a unique style. I found it to work well for me for this assignment. The content is easy to annotate and there are many minor characters and themes to work with. If anything there is to much. I found it difficult to choose just one theme, with a novel so chock full of them. Whether you need a spring novel, or just some light reading, definetley check out "The Color Purple".
ReplyDelete1. For my fall ALIS I read The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.
ReplyDelete2. I loved the book! It was a great read though not uplifting in the slightest! Plath is melancholy in that her bleak ideas are written beautifully with lots of metaphors and a great vocabulary.
3. I would recommend this book to anyone who leans towards angst (for reliability) or wants to feel better about the quality of their life (by comparison).
4. It was a fairly short and compelling read with a great pace for reading. In addition its motifs and themes are fairly prominent and easy to compare with other books and teenage life.
5. There's quite a bit of suicide and depression in the book and a small small amount of sexual content. The intense sadness is more prevalent than any sex though
1. Miracle at St. Anna by James McBride
ReplyDelete2. I enjoyed my reading experience as soon as I got into the story. The story was a fictional story of World War Two in which African American Soldiers overcome social and survival adversity.
3. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys history or stories of survival.
4. I discovered that this story was not very easy to annotate. However, it was decently easy to write about. McBride uses language that draws on ones emotions so making small notes about it is rather difficult but explaining the emotions through metaphors or descriptions is much easier.
5. This book is rather violent at times and uses profane language.
1. I read The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls.
ReplyDelete2. I really liked this book, I couldn't wait to keep reading and couldn't stop thinking about it. It was a fairly quick read and easy to understand. Also, even though it was a memoir, it kind of read like a fiction novel, which was interesting to me.
3. I would probably reccomend it to anyone because it is very gender neutral, and could appeal to both guys and girls.
4. Not only was this fun to read, and fairly easy to annotate, it had many aspects of theme and motif that I think could relate well to most other books on the suggested ALIS list.
5. There is a section where she is almost molested by her cousin, and another where her sister tries to kill their mother. Also, their parents are somewhat neglectful.
1. I read Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger.
ReplyDelete2. I actually really liked Catcher in the Rye. At some points it was a little tedious to read, but overall I enjoyed getting to know the main character throughout the novel.
3. I would recommend this book to teenagers because the main character, Holden, is in fact a teenager himself. The book is about him going a lot of experiences we could easily relate to.
4. This book had many topics I could have written about for my ALIS essay because it contains a lot of metaphors. However, I did find it hard to get started and create a polished thesis of one of these topics.
5. There was cursing in the book and certain points of the story deal with suicide and prostitution. I could see how that might be offensive to some people, but nothing ever gets too graphic. Overall I think it is a pretty safe book to read.
1. I read the Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
ReplyDelete2. I really enjoyed reading this book, it changed stories quickly enough to keep the pace up and keep me interested throughout the book.
3. I'd recommend this book to anyone who is interested in scifi, or native american history, because it has many parallels to the history of the american west.
4. Because of the multitude of stories, The Martian Chronicles has many themes to choose from when writing an alis essay, however, you have to be good about annotating in order to find your points and quotes.
5. There is some cursing and sexual language, but overall it is a pretty clean book.
For my Alis book, I read "Do Androids dream of Electric Sheep?" by Phillip K. Dick. The book was futuristic, and takes place on earth, sfter many humans have already migrated to mars. It follows the story of a bouty hunter, who spends his life tracking down and killing escaped androids, which are intelligent, human-like biorobots. I enjoyed the book, and would recomend it to fans of science fiction. It contained many good quotes, and provided a lot of writing material, with which to formulate my essay. The objectionable content within the book, was that the main character had an affair, resulting in mature content, and certain scenes describe fairly violent material.
ReplyDelete1. I read Into the Wild by John Krakauer.
ReplyDelete2. It was a really easy read. It's so intriguing that you read faster than normal and have a difficult time putting the book down.
3. To anyone who is going through difficult family times- like divorce or separation, or if you love camping and nature.
4. There aren't too many themes or motifs to choose from, but if you have a creative mind, you can make it work.
5. There are a few parts when Chris McCandless, the main character, kills animals to eat, but if you aren't against that it's not a big deal at all. Other than that, it's 100% appropriate.
1. I read Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer.
ReplyDelete2. The book, due to it's narration style, is a bit confusing at times. However, it has a great plot, and I enjoyed it immensely.
3. I would recommend this book to anyone, no matter what their preferences are. The plot doesn't lend itself to one single genre, so no matter what books someone is used to reading, they will enjoy ELIC.
4. This book, unfortunately, is very difficult to write about. Being a more modern book, it does not contain the usual themes and motifs found in older American classics.
5. There are a few times when questionable subjects come up in conversation in this book, but it is nothing too inappropriate.