Book Review Time

As promised, here are the reviews of the books that I have read in the last few months.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury- Fabulous. I cannot shower this text with enough superlatives. This book was previously reviewed in the following post.

Inherit the Wind- by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee- I really enjoyed reading this play that is a biting satire of the Scopes Monkey Trial. Hilarious and relevant in today's time as a reminder that freedom of speech is not always one of our inherent rights.

Into the Wild by John Krakauer- A harrowing true story about a young man, Chris McCandless, who goes on a journey in to the Alaskan wild, never to return. Don't worry, the fact that he did not survive is revealed on the first page, so I did not ruin anything. Krakauer was very diligent in his research and does a splendid job of retelling the story of a well-to-do kidB that wants to experience life at it's most basic level. Although McCandless comes to a heartbreaking end, it was fascinating reading about his journey.

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer- I read this before Into the Wild, and it is just as riveting. This story is a retelling of the deadliest group ascent of Mount Everest that was ever attempted. Krakauer was a member of this trip that went horribly wrong and provides devastating insight to the tragic event. You will remain breathless as the pages turn themselves. A terrific read.

Day of Tears by Julius Lester- Based on a true story, Mr. Lester retells the nightmare of the largest single auction of slaves in Unites States history. Lester retells the story from the point of view of several of the slaves as they deal with the fate of the sale. If there are any educators that happen to read this blog, I would highly recommend adding it to your curriculum as a way to show students the tragedy of the slave trade.

Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck- This tale about a friendship that is destined to end in tragedy is an American classic. George has been entrusted with taking care of Lennie, a gentle giant who has a low IQ. Both characters are Californian farm hands in the 1930's who travel where work will take them. The burden of taking care of Lennie, who literally does not realize his own strength, leads to an ending that tears are the readers emotions. While not on the epic scale of Grapes of Wrath or East of Eden, Steinbeck is able to catch the attention of the reader from the beginning we learn about Lenny and George's complex relationship.