Schultz Reading 2015

[BSchultz19]

Just magical realism, really.

 

Yes. And I have not read much in that area, but the whole idea of it intrigues me, so I'm looking forward to it. 

[BSchultz19]

I've spent a couple hours so far tonight logging all the books I have read on excel, which was one of my goals for the year. I'm hoping to finish tonight, but at the moment it is pretty basic. I hope to add page numbers and other info in the end. Right now I only have title, author, real/kindle, owned/libary, and rating. I also have dates added but only my 2015 reads I actually know the date I read them. 

 

I hope to finish this project soon   

[Kylie]

Sounds like fun! Isn't it such a satisfying feeling when you work on a project like that and see the information filling up? I think I'm a bit nerdy like that. 

[Athena]

Me too! I'm glad you're having fun with it .

[chesilbeach]

Excellent work, I highly approve of spreadsheeting!

[BSchultz19]

Sounds like fun! Isn't it such a satisfying feeling when you work on a project like that and see the information filling up? I think I'm a bit nerdy like that. 

 

YES! I love spreadsheets full of data. It's kind of exciting 

[BSchultz19]

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

(This not the actual cover, but couldn't find the picture of the edition my library has.)

Summary

Orphaned into the household of her Aunt Reed at Gateshead, subject to the cruel regime at Lowood charity school, Jane Eyre nonetheless emerges unbroken in spirit and integrity. She takes up the post of governess at Thornfield, falls in love with Mr. Rochester, and discovers the impediment to their lawful marriage in a story that transcends melodrama to portray a woman's passionate search for a wider and richer life than Victorian society traditionally allowed.

With a heroine full of yearning, the dangerous secrets she encounters, and the choices she finally makes, Charlotte Bronte's innovative and enduring romantic novel continues to engage and provoke readers

(from goodreads)

 

Opinions

Although it took me longer than I would have liked to finish, it was an enjoyable read. The plot was great and kept me interested the whole way through. One thing I could say against the book is that some things could have been said in a more compact way, but I could also feel this way because I just recently read Hemingway and he is the exact opposite. Also I have read books that are worse in this area, so it wasn't really that bad. 

 

I really liked the character of Jane Eyre. She is a great strong female character that, although she falls in love, is also independent throughout the entire book. Even in her relationship she doesn't fold to his will, but stands her ground which is one of the things that he likes most about her. I found this interesting because at the time the book was written, women were supposed to serve and submit to their husbands in all aspects. Maybe Bronte was using this characteristic of Jane to speak out against that? Or maybe it was an attribute that Bronte herself had that she wanted to be more acceptable? I don't really know that much about Bronte herself, so I don't know.

 

Anyway, I really did like the plot of this book. It was extremely interesting, but also realistic with the amount of tragedies that do occur during a person's life. I also really liked that it had a happy ending, but not an outrageously happy ending where everything is perfect after a couple hundred pages of everything going wrong. It was realistic in the fact that the characters end up happy, but not with perfect lives. Great work. 

 

Rating

     

[Athena]

Great review . I'm glad you enjoyed this book! It's one of my favourite older literary books. I don't know a whole lot about the author either to accurately answer your question, but it's an interesting thing to think about. What book will you read next?

[BSchultz19]

Great review . I'm glad you enjoyed this book! It's one of my favourite older literary books. I don't know a whole lot about the author either to accurately answer your question, but it's an interesting thing to think about. What book will you read next?

 

From the little I do know about her, I know that she was feminist before feminists really existed, which is kind of cool. 

 

I'm haven't decided what book I'm reading next, but I'm going to start it today. I was originally planning on The Kite Runner, but I just got some more library books today so it might be one of them. 

 

I got:

Common Sense

Plain Truth

The Rosie Project 

[BSchultz19]

Common Sense by Thomas Paine

Summary

Published anonymously in 1776, the year of the American Declaration of Independence, Paine's Common Sense became an immediate best-seller, with fifty-six editions printed in that year alone. It was this pamphlet, more than any other factor, which helped to spark off the movement that established the independence of the United States. From his experience of revolutionary politics, Paine drew those principles of fundamental human rights which, he felt, must stand no matter what excesses are committed to obtain them, and which he later formulated in his Rights of Man.

(from goodreads)

 

Opinions

This book (if you could call it that) was alright. I really only read it because it was on the College Bound reading list and I had studied it a little bit in American History. Over half of it was the introduction, which I found quite interesting. It detailed the history surrounding the writing of the pamphlet and gave a brief biography of Thomas Paine. The actual pamphlet was alright, but I felt like during most of it I was thinking BLAH BLAH BLAH. All his thoughts had good premises, but I just felt like it went on and on. 

 

The cool thing about reading this was knowing that people all over the 13 colonies read it and it affected change in their lives. Because of this, independence went from a radical opinion of few to a widespread idea in the whole country. The common people were the ones mainly addressed for one of the first times. Now they could understand politically what was going on between England and the colonies. 

 

In the end I would say that I didn't like the writing, but the historical aspect of the pamphlet really interested me. 

 

Rating

   

Edited March 5, 2015 by BSchultz19

[frankie]

I'm late to comment on this but great review on The Tenth Circle! It's going on my wishlist  

 

I've spent a couple hours so far tonight logging all the books I have read on excel, which was one of my goals for the year. I'm hoping to finish tonight, but at the moment it is pretty basic. I hope to add page numbers and other info in the end. Right now I only have title, author, real/kindle, owned/libary, and rating. I also have dates added but only my 2015 reads I actually know the date I read them. 

 

I hope to finish this project soon   

 

Oooh, what a whole lot of bookish fun! Did you finish already? 

[BSchultz19]

I'm late to comment on this but great review on The Tenth Circle! It's going on my wishlist

 

 

Oooh, what a whole lot of bookish fun! Did you finish already? 

 

Ooh I hope you enjoy it! I really liked it. 

 

I have not finished yet, but I finished all books from 2013 to present. I need to do a little more searching on goodreads and other places to figure out the other books I read before that point. It is a fun but tiring process and I just haven't had the energy to do it 

[BSchultz19]

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Summary
Amir is the son of a wealthy Kabul merchant, a member of the ruling caste of Pashums. Hassan, his servant and constant companion, is a Hazara, a despised and impoverished caste. Their uncommon bond is torn by Amir's choice to abandon his friend amidst the increasing ethnic, religious, and political tensions of the dying years of the Afghan monarchy, wrenching them far apart. But so strong is the bond between the two boys that Amir journeys back to a distant world, to try to right past wrongs against the only true friend he ever had.
The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father’s servant, The Kite Runner is a beautifully crafted novel set in a country that is in the process of being destroyed. It is about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and the possibility of redemption; and an exploration of the power of fathers over sons—their love, their sacrifices, their lies.
A sweeping story of family, love, and friendship told against the devastating backdrop of the history of Afghanistan over the last thirty years, The Kite Runner is an unusual and powerful novel that has become a beloved, one-of-a-kind classic
(from goodreads)
 
Opinions
I absolutely devoured this book. I'm really glad that I'm on break this week because being forced to put this book down for school and studying would have been torture. The insane level of storytelling talent was my favorite part. It had so many elements of a great story. Good vs evil. Friendship. Family loyalty. And the historical setting in the background adds to the greatness and tragicness (totally not a word) of the story. 
 
I really enjoyed how well developed and well rounded all the characters were. It was easy to believe that these characters were real people in this real situation. 

I kind of saw a Cane and Abel type thing going on between Hassan and Amir (it especially made more sense when you find out that they are actually brothers). Amir is jealous of the relationship that Hassan has with his father, whom he desperately seeks the approval of, so when certain events unfold that desire becomes almost deadly and murderous towards Hassan. In a way, he took away his way of life just as Cane actually took away Abel's life. They were brothers, but the desire to be loved and accepted eventually meant more than that in the most terrible way. maybe that was just me

Although it was just the background and setting of the story, I learned a lot about Afghanistan that I did not know. Being born in 1996, the only thing I knew was from after 9/11. I had no idea that the communist Russians invaded and took it over or that it was a monarchy and republic before that. It's always cool to learn more about a culture or country by reading a book because it isn't just a history book talking about it, it is a character's story that helps to show and teach about the culture. I don't know, I always think that kind of thing is cool. 

 

I'd heard a lot of great things about this book before I even decided to read it and I wasn't disappointed. It is definitely a book that I would recommend to anyone because it holds some universal truths and makes us realize that no matter how good we are we have a little bit of evil in us. Really great read. 

 

Rating

       

[Brian.]

So glad that you enjoyed The Kite Runner, it moved me in ways that I did not expect and I'm always really happy when others read it for the first time.

[Athena]

Great review, I'm glad you enjoyed The Kite Runner .

[chesilbeach]

I enjoyed The Kite Runner too, but I thought the ending let it down a little, as it felt a little too hopeful, like he felt it had to have a bit of a happy ending.

[BSchultz19]

So glad that you enjoyed The Kite Runner, it moved me in ways that I did not expect and I'm always really happy when others read it for the first time.

 

I thought it was really moving as well. Such a great novel. I have not heard any bad about it yet. 

 

Great review, I'm glad you enjoyed The Kite Runner .

 

Thank you! 

 

I enjoyed The Kite Runner too, but I thought the ending let it down a little, as it felt a little too hopeful, like he felt it had to have a bit of a happy ending.

 

Yeah maybe it was a little forced to make it happy, but I think that was almost needed a little. There was just too much sadness to not have a tiny ray of hope. That said, the ending was a little cheesy with that one piece of dialogue. I was kind of 50/50 on that. I thought part of it was cool, but also a little blehhh

[woolf woolf]

 

Common Sense by Thomas Paine

 

Could you explain in what ways the common sense and fundamental rights justify the inception of the United States, according to the author?

[Anna Begins]

Could you explain in what ways the common sense and fundamental rights justify the inception of the United States, according to the author?

Great question, I can't wait for the answer

 

Just thought I'd post in your thread- why on earth are you prom dress shopping?  Also, I am glad you enjoyed The Kite Runner.  I can highly recommend his others too, I'd be hard pressed to say which is my favorite, although I found A Thousand Splendid Suns (got so tired of typing that while reading it lol) and And the Mountains Echoed better than The Kite Runner.

[BSchultz19]

Could you explain in what ways the common sense and fundamental rights justify the inception of the United States, according to the author?

 

The author uses history to back up his theory about independence being common sense. The biggest analogy that he uses is when the Israelites in the Bible go along great and conquer many other nations without a king, but when they ask for a king God is angry. Basically saying that God intended for people to not be governed by kings. 

 

He also had a lot to say about the way royalty is passed through bloodlines. How unnatural it is for someone to be handed power by nothing they did.

 

As for the creation of a new country rather than try to mend the issues with Britain, he argued that attempting to purely mend the breaks and cracks that were going on between the two groups would only be a temporary solution to the problem. Just like after the Stamp Act was repealed, the colonists rejoiced and hoped that things would go better, soon after the tyranny continued in an even more severe way. He argued that the King would never give up all his power that he held over the colonies, which was probably true. To him it seemed better that the colonies create their own government that gave all citizens the rights they deserved rather than trust the Englishmen, a half a world away, to mend the problems in their own government. 

 

One of the most interesting things is that Paine was not someone like Samuel Adams, John Hancock, etc. that lived in Boston or in the colonies for a long time and suffered through the slow encroachment of Britain onto the rights of the colonists. He was an Englishman that moved to "New England" in 1784 after the colonies had pretty much already reached a boiling point. Just thought that was an interesting thing to share. 

 

All this being said, I don't entirely agree with everything that Paine had to say. He was a radical and that was seen in his later years when he became part of the French Revolution and wrote other books that even swore off the existence of God. The important thing to know about Common Sense is that it opened the eyes of a lot of the "normal" citizens in the colonies to the idea of independence. A few founding fathers actually hated the pamphlet because it was such a radical viewpoint. 

 

Thanks for asking and testing my knowledge. I hope I was satisfactory. This felt like a test

 

Great question, I can't wait for the answer

 

Just thought I'd post in your thread- why on earth are you prom dress shopping?  Also, I am glad you enjoyed The Kite Runner.  I can highly recommend his others too, I'd be hard pressed to say which is my favorite, although I found A Thousand Splendid Suns (got so tired of typing that while reading it lol) and And the Mountains Echoed better than The Kite Runner.

 

I'm prom dress shopping because I'm a senior in high school. And prom is kind of expected. So yay 

 

I did not know that he wrote other books! I will definitely check those out sometime. The copy of The Kite Runner that I borrowed must be older because it says that it is his only book. 

[frankie]

Just thought I'd post in your thread- why on earth are you prom dress shopping?

 

Could be that she doesn't want to go to her prom all neekkid?  

 

Did you find a dress, Schultz?  

[Janet]

Could be that she doesn't want to go to her prom all neekkid?  

 

 

I'm glad you enjoyed Jane Eyre and The Kite Runner. Great books.

 

I love your star rating using the dancing stars. Very cute!

[woolf woolf]

The author uses history to back up his theory about independence being common sense. The biggest analogy that he uses is when the Israelites in the Bible go along great and conquer many other nations without a king, but when they ask for a king God is angry. Basically saying that God intended for people to not be governed by kings. 

 

He also had a lot to say about the way royalty is passed through bloodlines. How unnatural it is for someone to be handed power by nothing they did.

 

As for the creation of a new country rather than try to mend the issues with Britain, he argued that attempting to purely mend the breaks and cracks that were going on between the two groups would only be a temporary solution to the problem. Just like after the Stamp Act was repealed, the colonists rejoiced and hoped that things would go better, soon after the tyranny continued in an even more severe way. He argued that the King would never give up all his power that he held over the colonies, which was probably true. To him it seemed better that the colonies create their own government that gave all citizens the rights they deserved rather than trust the Englishmen, a half a world away, to mend the problems in their own government. 

 

One of the most interesting things is that Paine was not someone like Samuel Adams, John Hancock, etc. that lived in Boston or in the colonies for a long time and suffered through the slow encroachment of Britain onto the rights of the colonists. He was an Englishman that moved to "New England" in 1784 after the colonies had pretty much already reached a boiling point. Just thought that was an interesting thing to share. 

 

All this being said, I don't entirely agree with everything that Paine had to say. He was a radical and that was seen in his later years when he became part of the French Revolution and wrote other books that even swore off the existence of God. The important thing to know about Common Sense is that it opened the eyes of a lot of the "normal" citizens in the colonies to the idea of independence. A few founding fathers actually hated the pamphlet because it was such a radical viewpoint. 

 

Thanks for asking and testing my knowledge. I hope I was satisfactory. This felt like a test

 

Good answer, thanks. One of the things it most confuses me about your country is that, in a land of enterprise and progress, the presidents must aknowledge acknowledge God. The United States are now fifty groups, constantly mending the breaks and cracks between them. Aren't you afraid this argument by Paine might be later used for segregation? How radical was Paine, to the point that both you and the founding fathers don't agree with some of his ideas?

Edited March 7, 2015 by Sousa

[Anna Begins]

I'm prom dress shopping because I'm a senior in high school. And prom is kind of expected. So yay 

Ok, first, that is just ridiculous!  lol I easily pegged you for a college freshman or sophomore, aren't you taking college courses though?  If so, that is amazing, you are totally brilliant and I definitely admire your mind and intellect.  I hope you have the best time at prom!

[BSchultz19]

Could be that she doesn't want to go to her prom all neekkid?

 

Did you find a dress, Schultz?

 

Going naked would be cheaper, but probably not acceptable 

Yes, I did find a dress. It is strapless and light blue. I really like it despite not being the type of girl that falls in love with dresses and stuff 

 

 

I'm glad you enjoyed Jane Eyre and The Kite Runner. Great books.

 

I love your star rating using the dancing stars. Very cute!

 

I'm glad I read them. They were fantastic. 

 

And thanks   They add a little fun to my reviews 

 

Good answer, thanks. One of the things it most confuses me about your country is that, in a land of enterprise and progress, the presidents must aknowledge acknowledge God. The United States are now fifty groups, constantly mending the breaks and cracks between them. Aren't you afraid this argument by Paine might be later used for segregation? How radical was Paine, to the point that both you and the founding fathers don't agree with some of his ideas?

 

The Presidents don't necessarily have to acknowledge God, but at the end of the oath they say "So help me God" purely because Washington did it and every President since him has. I wouldn't be surprised if in the near future a President does not say it.

 

I don't agree about the United States being fifty groups. It is still very much a union. However recent issues such as gay marriage and marijuana use that have been in the news are decided by the state. The U.S. tries to balance states rights and being one united country, and I think we do a pretty good job of it. After the Civil War, it was an issue that was addressed and mostly solved. In the end, it is important to know that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land.  

 

Ok, first, that is just ridiculous!  lol I easily pegged you for a college freshman or sophomore, aren't you taking college courses though?  If so, that is amazing, you are totally brilliant and I definitely admire your mind and intellect.  I hope you have the best time at prom!

 

Well I'm flattered that you think I'm older than I am based on my intellect, but yeah I'm in high school. I do take some college courses that are offered at my school. They are dual credit, so I get college credit and high school credit. 

 

Seriously this is a huge compliment   Thank you