Dec 2

So reading the graphic novel Nevermore I really didn't know what to expect. I really don't have much knowledge on Edgar Allan Poe. I mean I know I have read The Tell-Tale Heart, but other than that I really haven't read much of his material. For the most part I have enjoyed the stories. The pictures however have given me some mixed signals. Like with Tell-Tale Heart the pictures were really cool and added a sweet addition to the story. I really liked looking at the eyes and how they have changed throughout the story. With The Fall of the House of Usher and its pictures it made it harder to follow for me. I couldn't tell the two guys apart at sometimes and I noticed in class that I wasn't the only one. I guess overall I would have really appreciated these stories on their own or with little illustrations. When we read the first story The Raven I really didn't enjoy the story at all. I just didn't like it. I didn't understand it and it didn't allow me to connect or anything. I really like how before the story starts the author gives you a glimpse of what the story was or what it’s kind of about. I love how they have made a lot of these stories more modern so that we can relate to them. And with a lot of pictures it helps with the understandings of what Poe is trying to say.

One question that was brought up in class was if the blind woman in The Tell-Tale Heart and if she was insane before she met the patient or if the patient drove her to that. I think it was mostly the feeling she got from the patient but also there had to had been some underlying issues along the way to make her snap at this point.

Nov 18

So as I got to the end of the book I really was kind of shocked that it had ended just like that. I was totally with Lisa in that when I finished I was really surprised that, that was it. It was still a good ending in my mind though. I thought it showed how it was time for the boy to be on his own. It was just something that had to happen with this story. At least that’s what I believe needed to happen. A question that was raised today in class had to do with the father and how he died. Like do you believe that he died from the arrow or from his sickness? I personally believe that it was because of his sickness more. I mean this guy is a tough guy. He could have made it through that somehow but it was just too much for him. And like most people I am sure thought. It was too convenient I thought, I mean seriously? I don’t know I thought it was kind of lame to me. I thought it would have set up another book fine if the kid was on his own. Either way I guess it works for a sequel. This book really did impress me. I really didn’t think it was going to be as good as it ended up being. I really thought that it was going to be kind of lame. But then it was definitely worth the read. I would have to say I would most likely recommend this book to someone else. I really feel like it is a good read for a guy for some reason. I don’t know every guy loves adventures and survival stories and so I feel like it would go over really well with them.

Nov 11

So I am going to talk a little bit about the writing style. I kind of like it. It wasn’t my favorite but it was good. At first I was unsure about it but as I continued to read it got gradually better for me. I really didn’t enjoy the way the writing is just blocked… I don’t know how to explain it but I don’t like it. It also bothers me that it lacks quotes. For me the style also really made me think of what I could do in their situation. I don’t know the book kind of sucks you into that, in a sense that it makes you want to know what’s going on, whether that be the father and son finding their way, if they have a safe place to sleep, or even enough food.

I really liked the amount of suspense that is going on in this book. I see this suspense through the way we don’t know what is going on. For example, we don’t know what the character’s names are, who or what they are running from and it makes you continue to wonder and speculate what could be going on. It is hard not to get into this book. Sure it starts slow or at least for me it started slow but it has picked up. To me it is truly mysterious and interesting.

I don’t know I am just really sucked into this book. It really is good and interesting and I am excited to see what happens next. You automatically have to have this emotion for the characters in that you have to worry for them. Just hoping that they can make it through whatever they are going through right now.

Bonus Blog Post

So… My expectations of contemporary literature are pretty much the same as everyone else I think. I mean I just want something to hook me and keep me interested. I guess the biggest deal with me is that the book has to catch my interest. And that’s what’s tough for me, I think I am closed off form a lot of books because even if the book is written well and has a good storyline if it isn’t a topic that I am interested in I won’t give it the time of day. I guess you could say I am a very closed off reader.

If I do get hooked to a story, one of the main components I need to make really appreciate the book is character development. The reason why I really enjoy this component of stories is that it makes the stories so much more personal once you feel like you know the characters at a personal level. If I feel like I don’t know the characters that well I might start to lose some interest.

Now don’t get me wrong I am not closed off from everything that doesn’t relate to me. I love fantasy books for the most part. I love stretching the imagination and getting myself to think outside the box. A Place so Foreign was a book that was fantasy and it caught my attention for the most part. I just get intrigued with books that look into the future and such.

So if you want to keep me entertained with your books just make sure that they consists of a lot relationship stuff, not necessarily marriage and love but relationships between friends and just the interaction between people. I don’t know why but that is probably something that gets me the most is observing relational environments.

Nov 4

I tried to post this yesterday but I guess I must have exited out before I clicked post, so here comes round 2…
I am not exactly into mystery novels. It just isn’t my type of book so really this is pretty much my first time with reading one. So far I have enjoyed Still Life for the most part. It hasn’t been my favorite type of genre or anything but it has already opened my eyes to more mysterious books. With these types of books you definitely catch yourself thinking about who you think did it. You put yourself in the shoes as the detective because you want to solve the mystery first. The problem with this is that the author has made it really hard for you to really narrow it down to figure out who the suspects are. I just love when different clues come out to make you think. I almost want to say that it could just be a curveball; I mean yeah Jane was killed by an arrow but I really think that it might just be someone that you would never expect to shoot an arrow. I think when you hear that she was killed by an arrow then you almost have to assume that it was by a male but I think it could end up being a female. I think there are a lot of signs that point to Ben at the moment but I think once again that the author is just messing with our minds. She wants us to think we have it figured out when really we have no idea. So I am just really excited to see which direction she goes with this because no matter what she is going to surprise us. Overall I’m excited to see what happens.

Oct 28

This new book called Interpreter of Maladies is pretty decent. I really like it compared to the other collection of short story books that we have read previously. This one for some odd reason has caught my attention more than the other books. I think that each of these short stories had enough story in them that I could get hooked enough to stay interested, but at the same time they weren’t too long to get you tired of the story.

I really enjoyed one of the questions we talked about today. It was #3 on the sheet. It said something along the lines of this, “What do you think the point the author is making about marriage and its place in the Indian culture?” My opinion that I have drawn from the stories was that the Indian culture values marriage so much more than we in America do. In the Indian culture it is so important to get married especially for a woman. From the story The Treatment of Bibi Haldar, I could draw that if you weren’t married in this society then you really couldn’t live life to the fullest. You weren’t treated equally and basically thrown away. This would be compared to a woman who is married which would have rights and have a man, children, and a household to take care of. In an Indian culture if a woman doesn’t have things to take care then they basically have nothing else to do with their lives.

Overall I am semi excited to read the remaining stories in this book. I really hope that I can learn from them and get insight into other cultures that I don’t know much about. So far there are a lot of relationship stories and I hope that continues because I really think they are kind of enjoyable.

Oct 21

So we are just finishing up the book Round Ireland with a Fridge. I have been semi interested in this book. I like the change of pace this book has compared to My Sisters Keeper. I love the concept of Tony taking on this bet just to take on a bet. I think it is so important to just get away and have time on your own. Every guy thrives for an adventure and that is exactly what Tony is doing. To most people this wouldn’t make sense since it is clearly costing him more money to do this journey then the winnings from the bet. I LOVE it though. I really hope someday I could take a trip like this sometime, not necessarily the bet part though.

So I was thinking of places that would be cool to do this at. I mean what about taking this bet, but for a different place. Like how about around the United States in four months? I mean that sounds reasonable right? What about Hawaii in one day? You would have to hit every island somehow. It would definitely take some skill and planning. I would say that the bet would have to be more money though.

We have talked about how this book is supposed to be funny book. I would have to say that it is a decently humorous but it could be better. I mean there are some things that he does that are funny like when that guy sees Tony’s genitalia twice. I guess his actions have been funnier for me then just his jokes. All in all, it has been an amazing change in reading material. I really like traveling narratives. I have never really read anything like this before. I would really like to read something else about a place that I have been so I can relate.