The Old Man and the Sea

This week I am writing on The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. First off I will give a summary of the story. The Old Man was a fisherman but he hadn't caught anything for over 80 days. A result of this was that the boy, who was his sailing partner and friend, had to go fish with another man at his fathers orders. Well one day The Old Man set out to sea and after a few attempts he hooks a great big fish bigger than he has ever seen. Unfortunately the fish was strong enough to pull the boat and pull he did. The Old Man began drifting away from land and farther into the big blue sea. After many days the old man was finally able to spear the fish and tie him to the side of his boat. And so he began his journey home. A little later he saw he was being followed by a huge shark. The shark bit into the flesh of his fish as The Old man simultaneously speared him in the back. He had stopped the shark but the fish was maimed and bleeding which meant more sharks. After that two more sharks came but he killed them both with his knife. After many more sharks The Old Man finally made it home. In my opinion it was an ok book. I disliked that towards the end everything is really repetitive. I also disliked that they almost never used names they just referred to him The Old Man. But I did like the story in general. My favorite quote was when the Old Man was talking to The Boy. He says "If you were my son I would take you gambling". I rate the book 3 stars and if you like slow paced books then this one is for you.  

Albert Einstein

This week I am writing on Albert Einstein by Freda Wishinsky . Albert was one the worlds greatest scientists and one of the things that led to his success was the fact that he didn't let feeling stupid stop him. What I mean by this is even though he grew failing classes and hearing harsh comments like "Albert will never achieve his goals" he still powered through and didn't let that bother him.  One time Albert applied to a prestigious university but was turned down because he only knew two subjects. Math and physics. But once again he persevered by going back to school learning more on other subjects and when he applied a second time he was accepted. I admire the fact that even though Albert was somewhat of a celebrity he still kept his laid back humorous attitude. Albert presented many amazing theories that effected the world for the better. Albert was always a strong Jew which made things difficult for him living in Europe during World War 2.  All in all Albert was kind and patient during adulthood at least. As a child he used to give huge tantrums and during one of these he hit his sister with a garden hoe. This is a good book and I recommend you read it. 

The Mysterious Benedict Society

Today I am writing on The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart. The basic story is that a man named Mr Benedict put together a team of children named Reynie, sticky, Kate, and Constance. The reason for the team was because a man named Mr Curtain was mind controlling people for his own evil purposes. Why use children you might ask? Well the answer is simple. Some children have a special yearning for truth which allows them to resist the mind control and on top of that Mr Curtains organization is also a school. Now that we have that covered lets get to the more interesting parts of the story. The children made it to the island which the school was located with a mission to become messengers, since the messengers were the ones who unknowingly did the mind controlling. Reynie and Sticky, being incredibly smart, had no problem memorizing the material necessary to becoming a messenger. On the other hand Kate and Constance were having some trouble which led them to believe they would have to do something that none of them were comfortable doing. They had to cheat. Kate's method was simple. Since she was so tall she could just look over Reynies shoulder. Constance being very short had a little more trouble. They were forced to use morse code which Sticky tried to hide by  scratching and tugging his ear. But he wasn't good enough because he was caught and sent to the waiting room which was basically a dudgeon. After he gets out he almost leaves the team but he doesn't and then Reynie and Sticky become messengers. Once messengers a long series of events take place but eventually they stop Mr Curtain and save the day. The main things that led to there success was teamwork and determination. Each and every one of these kids had a special yearning for truth that was required of them.  Even after Reynie and Sticky failed to resist Mr Curtains mind control machine they still persevered and won the day. The kids main motivation was just to help others. None of the kids wanted to the job but they did because they needed to. I like this story because it has a good mix of action, adventure, mystery, and suspense and I strongly recommend you read it. 

Mark Twain

This week I am writing about Mark Twain by Clinton Cox.  Mark was originally named Samuel Langhorne Clemens and he was born on November 30th 1835. He was the sixth of seven children born to John and Jane Clemens. Martin didn't write much growing up but once he did start writing he decided to use Mark Twain as his pen name. However before he had started writing he had been a pilot on a boat and he thought he would continue to do so until the end of his days. The thing that changed his mind was the fact that his little brother wanted to follow in his footsteps and ended up dying when his boat went down in flames. That's what began his writing career.  One thing that led to his success was his criticism. He would write newspaper articles criticizing different people and organizations and the people loved it so he became known for his humorous writing. Another thing that helped him become a successful writer was the fact that he moved around so much in his younger days. He wouldn't stay in one place for more than 3 months and because of that he was able to use all his experiences and make them into stories. Mark tried to write serious books and articles but it wasn't accepted due to the fact that he was known as the funny guy.  Learning that he would never be accepted as an average writer he returned to his light hearted style that everyone seemed to enjoy. For the most part is seemed that the main thing that motivated him to write was the fact that he was obsessed with making quick money and becoming rich just like his father was. I admire that he was able to write in a way that people became angry when he tried to change. I also admire that no matter were he was he always found time to write to his mother back at home. 

The Lord Of The Rings Book 1

The book I am writing on this week is The Lord of The Rings book 1 by J.R.R Tolkien. The book begins in the Shire, as Bilbo Baggins plans his birthday celebration. It just so happens that  his close relative and even closer friend Frodos birthday was on the same day and since it was the year of his coming of age the party was going to be even bigger this year. Secretly Bilbo planned his own surprise for the night. He planned to use his magic ring to disappear and "live happily ever after to the end of his days". During the celebration Bilbo gave a speech then he slipped on the ring and disappeared. Frodo knowing of Bilbos scheme Hurried home finding Gandalf , the wizard, and also Bilbos parting gift. The Ring. It was at this moment that begun him and his friends Sam, Merry and Pippin, on a long journey running from Black Riders, making there way through deadly woods, and they even met a friend of Gandalfs called Strider Along the way. After being stabbed by a Black Rider Frodo becomes deadly ill and they make there way to the elves barely escaping the clutches of the enemy. I love this book because it is beautifully written with a great story and intriguing characters. I rate The Lord Of The Rings book 1 5 stars.

C.S Lewis

This week I read C. S Lewis by Janet and Geoff Benge. It starts with C.S Lewis, who prefers to be called Jack, as a young boy who loves to write. He and his older brother Warren would write for hours at a time about their imaginary worlds. This is one reason why Jack was such a successful writer. Another reason was his imagination, which helped him to concoct amazing story's. His imagination was so vivid that one time he and Warren dug a hole in the yard looking for treasure. Unfortunately there father was coming home from work and stumbled into the hole. Father thought they had purposely trapped him and he punished them. Much later in Jacks life he wrote a book expressing his grief after his wife died. He told the publisher not to put his name on the front since it was very personal and a little embarrassing. Without his name the book didn't sell many copy's but Jack felt better after writing it. Throughout the book you see that Jacks motivation was simply his love for writing. I admire his writing prowess and his intense love for the lord. Jack used his gifts to write many great tales such as The Chronicles of Narnia and Mere Christianity and I believe the world is a better place because of it. Another thing about Lewis I admire is how he cared for people a trait he did not inherit from his father. After his friend was killed in the war he took care of his friends mother and sister for as long as he lived no matter how irritating or inconvenient the situation. This is a reflection of how God cares and loves for us. In conclusion C.S Lewis was and is one of the worlds greatest authors.

The Wizard of Oz

This week I read The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. The story begins in a small town in Kansas were Dorothy lives with her uncle and aunt. One day there is a huge hurricane and Dorothy and her dog Toto are swept away in there house and they land in the wonderful land of Oz. They land on the wicked witch of east who had been terrorizing the people there. Dorothy notices that the evil witch was wearing some silver shoes and Dorothy snatched them for herself. Dorothy is greeted by the good witch of the south who tells her that the only way to get home is to travel to the city of Oz and see the Great Oz. The good witch then gives here a kiss of protection and sends her on her way. As the little girl was walking she came upon a large field and in the field was a scarecrow. The scarecrow asked to be let down so she did. The scarecrow told her that he wished he had brains so he could be smart like other men. So the scarecrow and Dorothy started of together to get there wish. On there journey they also met a tin man who wanted a heart, and a lion who wanted some courage. They faced many tasks on there journey including fierce monsters and gaping holes but finally, they arrived at the emerald city.  Shortly after arrival they requested to see the Great Oz. After postponing there meeting he finally allows them to see him one at a time. He tells each one of them that to get his or hers wish they must kill the wicked witch of the west the most evil and powerful witch of them all. So they began there new journey. The witch sent all her henchmen to stop them but they defeated them one after another. At this point the witch is forced to her last resort. She uses her golden cap to summon the flying monkeys for the last time. The monkeys ripped the stuffing out of scarecrow and dropped the tinman on some rocks leaving him so battered up he could not move. As for Dorothy and the lion they were brought to the witches lair to work as slaves. After the lion and Dorothy are captured by the witch and the other two left to die they begin to lose all hope. Then one day out of anger, because the witch stole her shoe, Dorothy grabs a bucket and dumps water all over the witch melting her into a pool of nasty gunk. After getting her friends they make there way back to the emerald city to see Oz and claim there wishes. When they enter his throne room Toto decides to run behind a curtain and when Dorothy goes to get him they discover that the great Oz isn't a wizard but just a man that has been tricking the people of Oz for years. After granting all the wishes except Dorothy's he goes to work making a balloon to carry them both home. On the day of the launch Toto runs away into the crowd and Dorothy goes to find him causing the balloon to leave without them. So now Dorothy and her friends must find the good witch of the north to grant her wish. And after a difficult journey they do. It turns out that the slippers Dorothy had taken from the witch of the east held the key to returning to Kansas. Using the shoes magical powers Dorothy and Toto make it home safe and sound. This book was an amazing book in my opinion. Not only was there adventure but there great characters, and many obstacles they had to overcome. A quote that I liked was when the tinman asked the mice to carry the lion. "A lion! Why he will eat us up! Oh no this lion is a coward". I rate this book 4 stars suggest you read this book.

Fredrick Douglass

This week I read Fredrick Douglass by France's E. Ruffin.  The book begins with Fredrick being raised

by his loving grandparents. Unfortunately his mother was a slave so that meant he was a slave as well.

At a young age he remembered saying that "(Aunt Katy) meant to starve the life out of me." when Fred

Was moved into the city he began reading and writing with his mistress. When her husband found out

he rebuked her and she stopped the lessons. But that didn't stop Fred. Instead he got his friends to teach

him and give him books in exchange for food. At one point of his life,when he was much

older, he was sent to a slave breaker because his master thought he was to rebellious. Fred and the other slaves there were beat often until one day Fredrick had had enough. When the man approached him to begin beating Fred like lunged at him and so it began. They wrestled for a while until his master gave up and left. Fredrick was never beat again by that man. Later in his life he stated that when he won that fight he also won the determination to become a free man. Finally Fred ran north and into free country. He got married and had kids while becoming a very popular speaker on freeing slaves. Sadly Fredrick Douglass died on February 20th 1895. This was a good book with very good writing. I liked that they gave lots of quotes and pictures as well. My favorite quote was after Fredrick received money for the first time as a free man. He said "I have no master who could take it from me, that it was mine that my hands were my own. I rate this book 3 stars and if you enjoy reading about American history I would recommend this book to you.

Insurgent

This week I read Insurgent by Veronica Roth. In the book, the city is split into 5 factions. Erudite (The intelligent) Dauntless (the brave) Amity (peaceful) Candor (the honest) and last but not least Admegation (the selfless). Basically what happens is the Erudite attack the Admegation using a special serum they made to mind control the Dauntless into killing all the government leaders. Tris, the main character, and some of her friends are Divergent which means they are not effected by the serum, escape and flee to the amity for shelter eventually they team up with the factionless who are basically a homeless group of people, and plan an attack on the Erudite. Tris was all for the attack until her boyfriends father, Marcus ,reveals to her that the Erudite attacked to make sure some important history information was not revealed. Tris is forced to help Marcus instead of her own friends to save the information. She was prepared to give up her life for the cause just like both her parents had but after failing to obtain the information she was saved by her boyfriend Tobias. After that the factionless attempt to take over. In my opinion this book was not great but still good although not as good as Veronica's first book in the series Divergent. I quote that I like in this book is when Tris is about be put under a serum that was supposed to kill her. “The serum goes into effect in one minute, be brave Tris. Out of 5 stars I would rate insurgent 4 stars and if you like books that are action packed then this book is for you. 

Pursuit Of Happyness

This week I read The Pursuit Of Happyness by Chris Gardner. The book begins with Chris being a young boy growing up fatherless in the hood. I guess he wasn't really fatherless but his abusive stepfather Freddie wasn't the most fatherly figure. In fact Freddie found it necessary to remind Chris daily that he wasn't his father. After he left home he went into the Army in hopes of going overseas. Unfortunately that wasn't Gods plan so he was stationed in the states as a medic. Out of the Army Chris tried to take a career as a doctor and soon he was better than most new doctors . It was about this time that he was married to his girlfriend Jackie and she came to live with him in San Francisco were he was working. When he realized he wouldn't be able to make much money without a going to medical school he quit his job not wanted to wait years to become Dr. Chris Gardner.

Chris and Jackie fought often but always made up in the end. All of a sudden Jackie became pregnant with a boy and Chris was thrust into fatherhood. On one occasion, before the baby was born, Jackie abruptly demanded to know how Chris was going to be a father if he had never had one. This confrontation caused Chris to really think about him as a father. Obviously there was quite a few things he didn't know about being a father but he knew one thing, he would always be a presence in his sons life.

At one point Jackie and Chris fought and Jackie walked off but Chris wasn't finished so he grabbed her arm and they struggled for a while until he eventually let go sending Jackie flying into a thorn bush. The next day he was charged with beating his wife and was sent to court. It ended up he wasn’t arrested for “beating”her but for the loads of parking tickets he had left unpaid. The sentence was ten days. Returning home he finds the house locked and empty with their car no where in sight. Jackie had left him, took his son, and everything he owned.

After that he struggled on the brink of homelessness until eventually Jackie came to give him their son and the homelessness began. About this time he gets a job as a stock broker and long story short he gets him and his son off the street. In my opinion this book was incredible especially considering it is a true story and not fiction. One reason for this is the constant action. For example when everything was finally looking up his wife and son disappeared. I also like it cause it has great writing and there is never a dull moment. I rate this book five stars and I strongly suggest you read this book.