![]() This book from Sam Harris is essentially a lengthy essay. He write about his ethical and philosophical beliefs about lying. Specifically, he explains several reasons why we as humans should not lie in all but the most dire of situations. While thought-provoking, the text is about 45 pages and is manageable in length. I read this book on the recommendation of a friend and was pleasantly surprised by the length. Many books that I would put on the shelf alongside Lying are well over 250 pages and include several lines of explanation or illustration of the central thesis. Thank you, Sam Harris, for making this digestible and applicable to everyday living!
0 Comments
![]() In this memoir, Ashley recounts some of the horrors and delights of her experience being separated from her mother, her time in foster care, and her adoption process almost ten years later. Parts of her story are sickening, like when she tells about the abuse of some of her foster parents. Other parts are heartwarming, like the love and from her grandfather's girlfriend, Adele. At the beginning, and really most of the middle, I did not like reading this book because of how sad the story is. Beyond just the events of Ashley's life, I take this memoir as a testimony of what foster care can be like, and it is not pretty. However, Rhodes-Courter is a success story and her novel is a triumph, so the last third of the book was gripping. ![]() Today is Leonard's birthday. But it is not a happy birthday. Instead, Leonard brings a gun to school with a plan to shoot his best friend and then kill himself. Quick writes this gut-wrenching tale with Leonard's voice, bringing the reader right into his mind throughout the day. This novel was recommended to me initially by a colleague, but I have read it again with student groups a few times. Each time, I can't put the book down. This book is about a high school kid with a gun, but it is not a school-shooting story. Leonard is endearing and Quick employs a few unique writing techniques that bring life and variety to his narrative. ![]() Young Minli wants to bring fortune to her family. Her parents are farmers who work long days, sigh about it in the evenings, and tell stories to brighten their home. Minli believes these stories, and when a talking goldfish tells her how she can change her fortune, she sets out on an adventure to find the Old Man of the Moon. A friend recommended this book to me and it did not disappoint. I love the fable elements of this tale. In the Author's Note at the back of the book, Grace Lin shares how she rejected her Chinese heritage as a child, only to become more interested in it as a young adult. This eventually lead her towards her parents' home country and the stories they tell there. Although many elements are a bit youthful, the lessons and imagery in this novel are top notch. ![]() Josh his twin brother, Jordan, are star basketball players at their junior high. But when Jordan gets a girlfriend and their dad has a health issue, things don't look so golden for Josh. Written in verse, this story is a sweet tale of brotherhood, athletics, and family that is a real charmer. Gene Luen Yang referenced this book when I heard him speak at the library as an important text that fueled his interest sports. The verse format makes this a breezy and fresh read, and it adds to rather than detracts from the serious story playing out on the pages. ![]() Set in a dystopian future, teenage Wade Watts finds himself ahead in a contest to find a hidden Easter egg in the world's biggest video game. I bought this book for my classroom because several of my students raved about it, and because the movie came out this year. Although the novel is lengthy, the plot and narration move quickly and I read it in a week or so. The story gives me some Wall-E/Harry Potter/Eleanor & Park vibes, in a good way. Cline weaves in a profusion of 1980's pop culture, and tech and gaming history that I still do not have a good grasp on, but that I found enjoyable nonetheless. |
J. HiEBERBibliophile Archives
June 2020
Categories
All
|