The Diary of a Young Girl review

Title of the Book: The Diary of a Young Girl

Author: Anne Frank
Number of Pages:268
 Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Review: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank is a great historical read that gives good insight to what it was like living as a Jewish family during the holocaust. The autobiography almost all takes place in “the secret annex” between 1942 and 1944. Anne Frank at only 15 years old paints vivid pictures of both the outside life and in hiding through her diary. She details the many struggles of being a teenage girl during this time and the conditions they were forced to live in.  

In 1942, as the Jewish were being threatened by the growing Nazi invasions in Europe the Frank family was prepared to go into hiding. When Anne’s sister Margot receives a letter summoning her to a German camp they decide it is time. For the next two year they spend their time in an attic apartment behind Mr. Frank's business. They are accompanied by the Van Daan family whose father works with Mr. Frank. Anne’s diary details the many transitions they made and how they made their new lives work. As a teenage girl she writes regularly and about a wide range of topics. She describes her relationships, feelings, and even is quite comical. 

The Diary of a Young Girl is without a doubt one of the most unique books you will ever read. Not many autobiographies from the holocaust have such great detail, especially from a 15 year old girl. Though the majority of the book is depressing and gloomy, Anne brings light to many topics and will leave you with a few laughs. From history buffs to high school students this book is a great read and will leave you walking away with a new look on a very grim time period.

Title of Book:Into the Wild
Author: Jon Krakauer
Number of Pages: 224
Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Review:

Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer, holds the story of a once rich kid turned Alaskan survivalist  named Chris McCandless and his journey into the wild along with his impact on others throughout his journey. The book follows a brilliant young man named Chris McCandless who donates all his money to charity and drops off the face of the earth to go live in the wild. Along his journey to Alaska he would take up small jobs to make just enough money to buy food. McCandless concluded that the best way to live was to live free in nature on his own. Although his journey comes to a bitter end, he lived the way he wanted to.

Compared to other books, this one takes a very unique approach as to how the story is told. Jon Krakauer tells the story of Chris McCandless in pieces that aren’t in order and helps to bring everything together as to why he decided to leave and live in the wild. Krakauer takes a journalist approach while telling the story, taking writings from McCandless’s journal, letters from those McCandless met along his journey, and interviews Krakauer conducted with those people to find out what McCandless did in time after he made his final decision. Krakauer doesn’t just focus on McCandless’s journey but also adds his own stories of his experiences in the wild. Krakauer relates to McCandless through their mutual draw to the wild.

This book would be great for all the outdoors or adventurous people. The story isn’t a practical story because it’s not in order and Krakauer adds a bit of his own stories that relate to McCandless’s creating depth and making it more intriguing. Krakauer tells stories while including his own experiences making him one of the most unique story tellers. Krakauer combines his writing background of writing articles for magazines with his storytelling making it seem like you’re reading a journal or an article entry in a magazine. Overall, this book would be great for everyone because it has a different lesson for each type of person reading it.

Stanek Into The Wild Review

Title of the Book: Into The Wild
Author: Jon Krakauer
Number of Pages: 212
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Review:  J.R.R. Tolkien once wrote “Not all who wander are lost” and Chris McCandless, the main focus of this book, would certainly agree. Krakauer begins the book by telling the reader about McCandless’s death. From there the book describes how Chris got to that point as well as how Krakauer learned the information in the book. Chris grew up in a relatively wealthy family. After graduating from college he donates the rest of the fund for graduate school to charity. He hits the road and cuts ties with his whole family. Chris travels around the country, going to Mexico, and eventually became determined to go to Alaska. HIs trip to Alaska proves fatal.

What makes this book unique is the subject matter is rather mundane. McCandless is certainly not the only person who strives for adventure and on the surface a story about a man traveling around many not seem so fascinating. Yet the divisiveness of McCandless’s story and the mystery surrounding the story keeps the reader’s interest peaked throughout the novel. McCandles has a charm that clearly ensnared nearly all who met him. While some readers are charmed as well, others find his actions foolish. The book generates a lot of discussions. 

Another stand out quality of the book is Krakauer’s writing. Despite never being taught to write, Krakauer’s style is quite enjoyable. The concepts discussed and words used are quite advanced but the structure and formatting of Krakauer’s writing make his writing very accessible and interesting to read. His tone is very inquisitive that helps create a mystery on what lead him to abandon society and what caused him to die. Krakauer has the ability to turn the mundane into the fascinating. Krakauer helps to make Chris’s last few days feel like a tragedy, as he is multiple times close to different things that could have helped him survive. As the reader, we know this, but Chris has no idea. This is after we get to see Chris form some sincere connections with people like Westerberg and get to see Chris grow in his final days, learning to understand the importance of connecting with people. 

I personally really enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend this book to almost anyone, but especially those who love adventure and travel. Chris’s story serves both as inspiration and a cautionary warning for anyone who seeks those things. 

Title of the Book: Soul Surfer
Author: Bethany Hamilton
Number of Pages: 222
Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Review: Could you ever imagine getting your arm bitten off by a tiger shark? Could you imagine the time it would take for rehab and recovery? Bethany Hamilton can, because it happened to her. This brave girl had her arm bitten off by a shark and still found a way to do what she loves, surfing.

This book starts off by Bethany explaining how much of an accomplishment writing this book was and what it meant to her. the book starts off when she was younger, growing up on the islands of Hawaii. She explains her whole back story and that of her parents. Bethany explains how her parents met and the love they fell into. From there, she recalls her earliest memories of surfing and how much of a prodigy she was at it. After all, she did get sponsored at the age of ten. Then comes the time where she explains the incident. Hamilton describes every aspect of the attack and her trip to the hospital. The surgery and recovery was a long and painstaking process, but she had a positive attitude throughout all of it. She persevered and didn't let a shark ruin her dreams.

There are a few things that make this book unique. the first thing is Bethany's ability to describe in detail the events that unfolded. It felt as if I was with her and saw it all happen. Another thing that makes this book unique is that anyone can follow the messages that Bethany is trying to portray across to her audience. One of the main messages was, no matter how tough a situation gets, you can always push through it. This is unique cause she stuck through with this message from the first page to the last page. Bethany's writing style was very clean and organized. There is a lot of slang terms in the surfing community, but she wrote the book for anyone reading it to understand. Her writing structure was very organized as well. Everything was in chronological order and she didn't add any unnecessary details. The first memorable moment from the book was w]right when she got attacked. Bethany didn't freak out at all, she just warned everyone that there was a shark and that she got attacked. Then she paddled with one arm all the way back to the shore. Another memorable moment was when she was describing when she got her first sponsorship. At the age of ten, Bethany got sponsored by a surfing company called RipCurl. This is a memorable moment because this sparked the flame of desire to continue pursuing surfing.

I would definitely recommend this book. If you are a person that enjoys being inspired to go out of your comfort zone and do something hard that you never thought you could, this book is perfect for you. All this book is about is overcoming obstacles to pursue your dreams. I would also recommend this book to any kid who wants to get started with surfing. This is because it shows how much dedication it could take to do this sport. 

Title of the Book: The Cactus Eaters: How I Lost My Mind - And Almost Found Myself - on the Pacific Crest Trail Author: Dan White Number of Pages: 344 Rating: ★★★★☆ Review: “That’s why it surprised me so much when they rose up to penetrate my mouth, slamming into my inner cheeks as if someone had shoveled a small porcupine in my maw.” (The Cactus Eaters, Dan White) The Cactus Eaters: How I Lost My Mind - And Almost Found Myself - on the Pacific Crest Trail by Dan White is a travel log/memoir. In this book, you follow the journey of Dan and his girlfriend, Allison, as they take on the Pacific Crest Trail. Two people with absolutely no knowledge of backpacking who have never lived together quit their jobs and invest hundreds of dollars into a 100+ day-long backpacking trip. This book is unique because not only is it a book about backpacking from the point of view of a backpacking novice, the author, Dan White, fills the book with not only his adventures on the Pacific Crest Trail, but facts about the PCT and the Lois and Clark expedition, while still keeping the language of the book humorous, entertaining, and interesting to read. The language of the book itself can be a little risqué as it uses swear words though they are used in a light way. The book is written to be humorous while reflective as White mocks his own thought process and decisions in the book. He manages to turn situations where he had no sense of consequence into a moment of dread and foreboding for the readers, drawing them in and keeping them interested.

From prickly death traps to voodoo forests, broken water filters to stalking bears, this book is stock full of memorable moments, quippy remarks and enough lovebird drama to keep you entertained without having to watch your favorite sitcom. My rating for this book is easily a 4 or a 4.5 and I highly recommend it. It’s different from a lot of other memoirs out there and is a great piece overall. If you are not comfortable with foul language then you might not enjoy this book as much as I have but if you do not mind it, then I would definitely encourage you to try out this book.

Title of the Book: Becoming
 Author: Michelle Obama
 Number of Pages: 416
 Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Review: Becoming by Michelle Obama is a book where Michelle shares her live, from her growing up on the south side of Chicago. She also shares story about boyfriends, and college. She shares life with her husband, being first lady, and her life after being first lady.

This book was an amazing book. The way Michelle shares her life so detailed you almost feel like you are there, or watching a movie. I loved reading this book because it gives you a new understanding of her life. She grew up on the south side of Chicago with nothing really at all, then goes to college at Princeton  and then proceeds to go to law school at Harvard! She met Barack after college and then got married, after marriage they had their first daughter Malia. soon after they got married Obama started to run for president, and won. After winning the election their lives changed for ever. In her book she talks about the journey through the race and getting votes, winning, and then moving into the white house. When she first moved into the white house things very very different because being the first lady didn't have a job description. It was also different because she had secret security and couldn't  really live a normal life. Over all I really enjoyed this book and learning where Michelle came from and what it was like being First Lady.  I would recommend this book to all women. I would recommend it because its unique, it feels like you are having a one- on-one conversation with your best friend,  it has a love story between her and Barack, and lastly she shares her experiences as a First Lady.

Title of the Book: Clothes, Clothes, Clothes, Music, Music, Music, Boys, Boys, Boys Author: Viv Albertine Number of Pages: 421 Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ Review:
Have you ever thought to yourself, “Hm… I wonder what it would be like to live in the 1960s, 1970s, or 1980s…”. Well, in the book Clothes, Clothes, Clothes, Music, Music, Music, Boys, Boys, Boys by Viv Albertine, the guitarist of the all-girl punk band The Slits, you can see what it would have been like! 

Albertine tells the story of her life in a raw and honest way. Starting from her childhood, she describes her relationship with her parents and how she discovered her love for music. As her teenage years approach, she talks about the struggles of growing up, her relationships with boys, and her transition into adulthood. Throughout her life, she experiences fame through her band The Slits, the effects that drug use and addiction had on her loved ones and personal hurdles that she must overcome. 

Uniqueness pours out of every page of this book. Readers get a first-hand look at the grimy British punk era of the 1970s, all while getting special appearances by Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols, Mick Jones of The Clash and more. Albertine tells her story with a blunt edge. She uses profanity, and detailed imagery to add a powerful tone to her story. She also uses italics to add sidenotes, which adds a personal, more one on one touch. 

I highly recommend this book if you like music, the late 1900’s or just an intriguing story about fame, love, loss, and overcoming hardships.

A Drop of Rain Review

Title of the Book: A Drop of Rain
Author: Heather Callahan
Number of Pages: 278
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Review:

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Heather Callahan, a Colorado native, was brutally attacked and stabbed 5 times in a row in April of 1993. “A Drop of Rain”, tells her story of overcoming the 15 minute attack that changed her life forever. Callahan describes her journey of overcoming the most gruesome and horrific obstacles both physically and mentally and how she has grown and overcome. We see a deep and personal look into the life of not a victim but a survivor. 

Throughout her life, Heather was seen as a bright, independent woman who always seemed to have her head screwed on right. Although that may be true on paper, what lied behind the surface of someone deemed perfect was this scared little girl who had lost her identity. Before her attack, she had no idea of who she wanted to be and what she wanted to do. Her career as a swimmer was slowly falling apart due to her rigorous years of training, and her family was hanging on by a thread. Financially speaking, Heather was in some predicaments; unsettled debts and medical bills were piling up and she felt as though she was drowning. An opportunity for some extra cash came along when she decided to sell her car on the new and upcoming website, Craigslist. On a warm April night, she awaited the arrival of the stranger who was going to buy her car. As any aware woman would, she went to her neighbor’s house to prevent the risk of any potential danger that comes with meeting a stranger online. A tall dark shadow introduced himself at the door and both Heather and he walked to the car right out front. In a mere blink of an eye, she is brutally hit in the back of the neck and stabbed 5 times before her screams are heard from her neighbor patiently waiting inside. She was deemed a medical miracle by doctors and surgeons, losing about 70% of her blood volume. 

This story being as traumatic and sad as it is is also unique in the way that Heather never once lets her struggle become more of her reality. Callahan, not only captures the extreme battles she faces physically but also the battles that come mentally. Her whole world had completely shifted and altered forcing her to adjust to new normals. Heather’s tone throughout the novel would be described as not only brave but resilient. In every aspect of her life, there were many opportunities to throw in the hatchet and give up, but instead, she came out more confident and courageous than she had ever been before. Her choice of language is knowledgeable, concise and intriguing, while her writing style is narrative yet personal. 

In spite of the intimidating nature that comes along with her story, I feel as though this book was a beautiful collection of Heather’s own tragedies and victories that should be shared. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for something to keep them riveted as well as an insight into a survivor’s mentality. This book made me feel a rollercoaster of emotions and frankly, I couldn’t put it down. 

I Am C-3PO by Anthony Daniels

Title of the Book: I Am C-3PO, Author: Anthony Daniels, Number of Pages: 272, Rating: ★★★★★ Review: If I were to ask you to name some big celebrities from the 70’s and 80’s who would you say? Harrison Ford, Val Kilmer, Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Michael J. Fox, David Hasselhoff, etc. But would the name Anthony Daniels come to mind. It likely wouldn’t, but what if I told you he was an actor in a movie from 1977, 1980, and 1983? And what if I told you that these were some of the biggest movies of this era? Some of you probably know what I’m talking about. But some of you are probably still wondering who Anthony Daniels is? Then you will probably be interested in reading his book “I Am C-3PO”. That's right he is none other than the iconic protocol droid C-3PO from Star Wars. 

“I Am C-3PO” is a book about how Anthony became Threepio and the adventures he had as him. While there are many actors that could write about being in Star Wars, Anthony’s experience is unique. He was a robot, he was in all 11 Star Wars movies, He is C-3PO. He’s made the character his own and brought it to life. There have been other voice actors for Threepio but they aren’t as good. Anthony is C-3PO and in my opinion no one could ever play Threepio better than Anthony. 

He uses an interesting writing style. It’s very proper and in tune with writing techniques. He is English and he uses English terms and phrasing. It’s very interesting to read because he uses words like “hadn’t” which you don’t hear too often these days. The tone of the book is usually happy and has a sense of remembrance, it was very interesting to read. 

There are a lot of memorable moments. I won’t spoil any, but he talks about moments that if you have ever seen the movies you will remember. It is a very good book, and I would recommend it to anyone. Even if you have never seen Star Wars this book is a super interesting and fun book to read. Who knows maybe you’ll want to watch the movies after you read the book. Star Wars fans would love this book. And I think even if you don’t care for Star Wars that you would find this book interesting. So I would definitely says that anyone who’s interested should read this book.

Title of the Book: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Author: Jean Dominique Bauby
Number of Pages: 144 Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Review:

Have you possibly thought about writing your memoir with one eye?

This was the process of Jean-Dominique-Baby after he had a massive stroke that paralyzes his whole body. Prior to this devastating accident, Jean had been the editor-in-chief of a very famous French women's magazine. From 1991-1995 Jean had established a very large fan base by using very diverse and poetic language throughout his career.

Personally, from my perspective what makes this book so unique is the intensity of emotion displayed by Jean. The “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” took ten months to write with the progress of 5 hours a day. If you read this book without knowing the author or the background he came from or the trauma he faced, you would be somewhat enthralled by descriptions of his emotional life. 

Over the course of the book, Jean was able to visit with many people who admired his work, give plenty of love to his two children, travel many beautiful places to see landscapes in his final years of life. If I were to recommend this book, I would say that the reader needs to be sensitive and sophisticated in order to really comprehend the artwork that came of Jean- Dominique-Bauby’s life.   

Title of the Book: Barbarian Days A Surfing Life
Author: William Finnegan
Number of Pages:447
Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Review:
Ever wonder what it feels like to be walking the line of death and looking it in the eyes and saying not today? That’s what the book Barbarian Days is like. William brings you along on the journey of finding the best wave. Willam and his friend Bryan decided they wanted to travel the world and surf, and that is exactly what they did.  Throughout the book, William finds himself in very dangerous situations in the water. There are many times that you’re not sure if he will make it out alive. Although he always does. This book talks about different lifestyles and cultures and it tells the perfect story of a boy growing up. 
This book is very special and should be read by others because of Mr. Finnegan's way of expressing his emotions in words on the page.  It's like you’re there on a surfboard next to him. This is one of those books that you just can't put down. Every page there is a new exciting bit that you just have to read more of.   Before reading this book I never really thought about surfing, ever. Now I have major respect for the people that go out and catch the waves. 
I recommend this book to young adults trying to figure out what path in life they want to take.  This book tells the story of a boy who was smart and had a bright future but he was also talented and knew how to surf and he did it well too.  He had to choose to go to college or take that big adventure around the world. This book proves that your life is long but you have to treat it like it's short.  Do everything you want to do because who knows you might be able to write a book about it one day.

Into the Wild Book Review

Title of the Book: Into the Wild
Author: Jon Krakauer
Number of Pages:224
Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Review: Into The Wild, by Jon Krakauer,  is a book about a man’s life and his adventures through the wilderness.  Chris McCandless is a young man who decided to leave everything, his family and home to go to Alaska and live in the wilderness. Donating all of his money to charity and working in different states to get to Alaska, he wants to be free and live his own life. McCandless doesn’t tell his parents that he left, and he wanted it that way. 

This book is unique because it is told sporadically. To help us figure out what happened to McCandless and why he moved to the wilderness. McCandless changed his name at the start of his adventure, the narrator uses his letters and stories from the people he met along the way to find out what happened to him from when he changed his names. Another thing that is unique about this book is that Krakauer uses events from his real life in the story. Krakauer can relate to McCandless because they both went through the struggles of nature making the book very interesting and fun to read. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a storyteller that does not tell the story in a perfect order and he relates his own life to the story. Also, this book would be a perfect fit for people who love a great wilderness thrill. The book is so mysterious and exciting with every turn that makes the book thrilling and wonderous. Into the wild is a great read that is a mixture of mystery and thrill great for any reader looking for a good story.  

The Perfect Storm - Devin's Review

Title of the Book: The Perfect Storm, A True Story of Men Against The Sea
Author: Sebastian Junger
Number of Pages: 233 
Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Review:  If you are looking for the perfect book review for the "Perfect Storm," you do not need to look further.  The Perfect Storm written by Sebastian Junger, tells of the tale of six commercial fishermen from Gloucester, Massachusetts brought together in 1991 and who set sail on the Andrea Gail, a fishing boat, with hopes of bringing back a large catch. 

The book is based on the true story and events of one of the largest storms in history off the coast of Nova Scotia.  The story provides details of the men's lives and the one thing they all had in common - making a living based on what they all loved to do - FISHING.  It also details the heroic efforts of these men and what they do onboard the Andrea Gail during one of the most horrific storms of the 20th Century.  A storm resulting from the "trilogy of terror' or better known as the "perfect storm."

Junger draws the reader in by describing the men's lives and their families almost making the reader part of the story. His attention to detail and events of the storm causes the reader to want more and even at the end of story, the reader feels a sense of empathy toward the men experiencing the fight of their lives. That is what makes this book unique an riveting.  The story has a clear ending, but the reader wants to know more, wants to feel what the men experienced.  Specific events are explained by Junger where you as the reader can actually feel what the men are experiencing and even their loved ones who await the fate of the men and the ending of the storm while sitting in the Crow's Nest, a local bar owned by one of the fisherman's Mom.

This story is one of heroism, men overcoming adversity, men fighting against all odds and the battle between human nature and mother nature.  The book is well written and draws the reader into a point where even the reader drowns in the words and doesn't want to give in to putting the book down.  This book is highly recommended for anyone who loves the sport of fishing, the saltwater hitting their faces, and listening to a great fish tale.

Cash Review

Title of the Book: Cash 
Author:  John R. Cash
Number of Pages: 
Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Review:

Imagine sitting out on a bench in the middle of a forest overlooking a beautiful ocean sunset with your grandpa that you don't know really well. He then tells you that he will tell you his entire life story up till that very moment both of you are living. This is basically what Cash is like. Cash is Johnny Cash telling you all the little and big stories about his life and experiences. None of his stories are in chronological order but he tells them as other stories remind him of others. Johnny Cash tells his life from when he was 12 years old working in the cotton fields up to the moment he starts writing this book. Johnny Cash grew up extremely poor and worked in cotton fields to help his family out. He watched his older brother die due to an accident in a slaughter house. That's another interesting thing about Johnny Cash, he talks about all the people he'd met and suddenly died. He told stories about them and what they meant to him. He also talks about his music and why he wrote the songs he sang. His most famous song "walk the Line" was written for his wife to remind her how much he loves her. His songs and fame came with a price though as he talks about. He got addicted to drugs and his family fell apart. One of the stories that interested me the most was when he explained why he wore black. He had a few answers for that question and he wrote a song about why he wore black called "Man in Black". Though, the real reason he wore black was because he needed a nice shirt for a concert and he could only find a black shirt. He said it looked nice and he decided to wear black only when he was singing. Although his stories don't connect or show morals and lessons, I believe he shares his stories to leave behind the old forgotten memories he held with him all these years. Johnny Cash has seen and experienced a lot of things that people today will never know or understand. Reading this book is like stepping back in time and living a forgotten life. I don't read autobiographies but this book is one I would recommend to people who would interested in the 50's. 

Walking With Destiny

Title of the Book: Walking With Destiny
Author: Andrew Roberts
Number of Pages: 982
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Review:

You’ll never acquire such myriad knowledge on Winston Churchill without reading Walking With Destiny by Andrew Roberts. Characterization, background, childhood, history, relationships, battles, and careers are not only included in Churchill’s improbable story, but broken down into an understandable concept that provides insight and esoteric information. Regardless if you’re looking for facts about Churchill himself, or just the history of his time, you won’t regret reading the book in order to get a unique aspect and point of view. It not only provides the physicalities of his journey, such as imagery of Churchill in prison and his breakout step by step, but also his methodical ideas and feelings maturing into an adult. Aside from using his personal and political experiences to influence his writing, Andrew Roberts also amalgamated evidence to juxtapose other well-known leaders with Churchill. This included Adolf Hitler, John F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, each with their own leadership styles, public response, and authority over certain situations. 

Both the Author of Walking With Destiny and the former Prime Minister of the U.K are go-getters, using their journalism to jump into action to fulfil maximum intelligence on each piece of writing they create. Andrew Roberts has a very enthusiastic tone with Churchill, and staggeringly relates to him both professionally and personally. One example starts with Churchill’s childhood, being described as lonely without his parents and horrifically beaten by his teachers. Andrew himself had been beaten by students in school, dealing with the constant struggle through intoxication and acts of vandalism. 

The first quotation Andrew put into the book said by Churchill was, “It is said that famous men are usually the product of unhappy childhood. The stern compression of circumstances, the twinges of adversity, the spur of slights and taunts in early years are needed to evoke that ruthless fixity of purpose and tenacious mother-with without which great actions are seldom accomplished (Roberts 7).” This quotation had been placed because it hit so close to home with the author, and most other references included for that same reason. From this, Andrew is passionate about the man Churchill was, and could really prove how influential his leadership was. His biography is exceedingly lively due to this circumstance, and it's explicit that Andrew enjoyed writing the book as much as I enjoyed reading it. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in politics, just because it brings a massive background about what it’s like to be so involved with the subject. I also recommend this biography to those who enjoy history, because this book is like a never before story, retelling Churchill’s life in such a way that’s so vastly different from any other. 

Into Thin Air Review

Title of the Book: Into Thin Air
Author: Jon Krakauer
Number of Pages: 333
Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Review: John Krakauer, a journalist who is living his childhood dream of climbing the most dangerous mountain of all, Mount Everest. He is hired by Outside magazine to write a brief about Mount Everest. Krakauer joins a climbing group called Adventure Consultants, guided by Rob Hall. He is joined by other members of the group as well. The climb is structured in different stages: Base Camp, Camp One, Camp Two, Came Three, Camp Four. The strategy is to spend a couple days at one camp to get used to the air and altitude before moving to the next camp. As they climb Krakauer observes and writes down the details of the expeditions, his thoughts, his senses, his teammates, and his guide. He writes them in a timeline format, keeping track of the date and times. Over several weeks they are facing blizzards, brutally cold weather, high altitude, and coming face to face death defining situations. Finally, he reaches his lifelong goal and climbs to the summit of the mountain. 

This book is unique in so many different ways. One way is it’s a journal or diary where he writes what he sees and feels down instead of a normal story. This really engages the read and creates a vivid image in the reader's head. As you’re reading the book you can see exactly what Krakauer is describing and you can feel the cold that is being described. For example, he describes his frostbite and you can almost feel the pain he is feeling and imagine how cold it really is. You can also feel the excitement and the relief he feels when he finally reaches the summit. Another way is that keeps track of specific times and days to show the reader how long each stage of climbing the mountain takes. Lastly, in the book Krakauer puts an asterisk or symbol next to a word which he later explains down at the bottom of the page. This makes it easier and more convenient for the reader to understand what the word means and it was important in the sentence. 

Krakauer’s writing style is a journal/ diary like style. He narrates the book. He narrates in an objective way but still includes personal thoughts and feelings. His words are respectful towards his guide and teammates but not so much towards other expeditions. At the end of the book his tone shifts to a more guilt and terrified tone. Krakauer uses clear and straightforward words to get his ideas across. He also includes technical terms and climbing terminology. 

I would not recommend this book to everyone. Especially for the book who enjoys nature and hiking, this is a great book and is right up your alley. If you can handle a slightly more darker book that includes many gruesome events and aren’t easily scared then I would recommend this book to you. If you are easily scared and can’t really handle gruesome events but can bare it then I still recommend this book to you, however you might want to read it during the day rather than at night, right before bed. Overall this book is really good, filled with a detailed and thrilling adventure that really grasps the reader's attention and creates an “on the edge of my seat” feeling.

wild awakening review

Title of the Book:Wild Awakening
Author: Greg J. Matthews
Number of Pages:210
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Review: The grizzly bear, mans most feared opponent. If you were faced with one, how would you react. most would run, but not Greg Matthews. Greg stood his ground in this fight for survival and redemption in the eyes of god. he has had a troubled life. he cares for his family, but works himself to death trying to prove how manly he is. this encounter with mama bear would change his view on life forever.

His descriptions of the Alaskan wilderness are beautiful and his past is intriguing. unsure of himself as a father and as a son, his transformation from alpha male to being a good man is heartfelt and amazing. he tells his life story with passion and a sense of humbleness. he knows now that achievements are not everything that makes a man. love makes a man just as much as anything else.

Wild Awakening is an all around great read, with amazing family moments and rough wilderness survival. the ability to survive and thrive is the only thing Greg is after in this heart pounding novel of love and loss. I would recommend this read to anyone looking for a thrill.

Running With Scissors

Title: Running With Scissors 

Author: Augusten Burroughs 

Pages: 304 

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Review: After reading “Running With Scissors” you will appreciate the “boring” moments in your life. When you start reading, you learn about Augusten as a kid. He couldn’t control anything in his life except his appearance so he wouldn’t even go to school if one hair was out of place. There were never any happy moments between his parents. They were constantly fighting and this eventually ended in them getting a divorce. His dad was never really present in Burroughs life after that. His mom is a poet and an avid smoker. 

Right before the divorce occurred, She got a therapist named Dr. Finch. Once this man was introduced into Burroughs’s life, he never really left. His mom dropped him off at Dr. Finchs house and there he began to live. As he continues to live in this house, he is faced with all kinds of challenges including getting involved with a boy twice his age. At the age of 13, Augusten was treated like a full-grown adult that was left to deal with his own life. 

As the book progresses we are taken through the wild ride that is Burroughs life. From faking suicide to get out of school, to watching his mother get hospitalized and attempt suicide, to passing his GED and becoming a writer. 

I would recommend reading this book if you are feeling a little lost in the world. This book is a great reminder that no matter what situation you are in it can always get better. It is also a great entertaining story. 

By: Kristina Shelton

Into The Wild Review -- Destinee Wright

Title of the Book: Into the Wild
Author: Jon Krakauer
Number of Pages: 203
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Review:

On April 27th, 1992, Chris McCandless walked into the wilderness of Alaska, and he never walked back out.Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild follows Chris McCandless journey from a childhood with well off parents, to his disappearance from his family, through his journey that led him into the wild. Krakauer tracks down the people and places that Chris left an impression on while he searched for himself, up until he died in the Fairbanks bus 142. 

I found the most unique aspect of this book to be Krakauer's comparison of his life to McCandless’ lives and their adventures. I believe that his connection to McCandless as he originally researched his life and death is what made the book and the writing so compelling. Krakauer uses a lot of descriptive and eloquent language in order to describe McCandless, as well as the places he went, and the impressions that he left on people. He seems wistful and curious as he writes about the journey McCandless went on. The structure of the book was also very unique and interesting. The way Krakauer used the structure of the novel to create a larger picture of what happened, while also providing background, insight, personal narratives, and other related stories makes the book more difficult to comprehend, but also significantly more meaningful. Had Krakauer simply tracked through McCandless’ life chronologically as many other biographies and autobiographies seem to do, the book wouldn’t have felt as significant or meaningful as it did. 

Some of the most memorable parts of the book were when Krakauer detailed the interactions that Chris had with other people, and how he affected those people. It highlights how extraordinary Chris really was. In one instance, with Ronald Franz, Chris spent only two weeks with him, and Franz wanted to adopt the boy by the end of it. Upon finding out Chris’ death, Franz broke over 20 years of sobriety and decidedly renounced his religion. The way that Chris resonated with people was one of the most interesting aspects of the book. 

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer is an enjoyable book for any person, however I believe that it will resonate with anyone who feels a need to do something important with their life, anyone who romanticizes the idea of touching people’s lives and leaving an impression in places that someone may never find. Tracking Chris’ journey and following in his mindset opens the idea that one person can make a difference in the lives of everyone they meet. While an enjoyable read for anyone who cares to read it, the book is overall inspiring and thought provoking for those who can connect with the character of Chris McCandless.

January First review

Title of the book:  January First

Author: Michael Schofield

Number of pages: 288

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Review:

        A father was hoping his daughter was just a misunderstood genius, but as time went on he came to realize it was something far more serious. January First is all about a family's journey of finding a diagnosis of schizophrenia for their six year old daughter Jani. From a young age, Jani was always different from other children. She was constantly chasing after her imaginary friends, some of which were nice while others told Jani to do unspeakable things. Jani’s parents were in a constant struggle to not lose their daughter to an illness that they couldn’t see or comprehend. January First is told through the perspective of Jani’s father Michael, who was on the front lines of trying to save her from madness along with trying to keep the family together.
     Jani had to face not being able to function in a normal school, her inability to form friendships with real people, and the uncontrollable need to hurt her baby brother. Jani’s parents had an unwavering commitment to help Jani and protect her from her imaginary world. It was a daily challenge to keep Jani safe from herself and others safe from Jani. This led to many hospital stays and fights to get Jani the help that she needed. Michael not only had to work to save Jani, but also to save his family which was falling apart from the tornado that Jani created around her.
        Michael shares his story in such a compelling way that the reader can’t put the book down. There is so much empathy for Jani, a six year old having to battle the worst mental illness ever recorded, and her family who was right there with her. January First is all about never giving up and finding hope in the most uncertain times. It’s about fighting for the ones you love and being there no matter what. I would highly recommend this read for anyone in need of a story that teaches you how to see the beauty in the darkness, and how to never give up faith.

Into the Wild Book Review

Title of the Book: Into the Wild
Author: Jon Krakauer
Number of Pages: 224
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Review:

Even if one’s life seems to be perfect, it will never be enough to fully satisfy them. People are constantly working to achieve something bigger and greater than what they currently have, and this was one of many motivational factors in the story of Chris McCandless. Throughout every page of Into the Wild, Chris McCandless, a young man from a wealthy family, decides that his current life is far variant from what he wishes he stood for. In an attempt to distance himself from the privileged life he grew up with, McCandless journeys to the wilderness of Alaska to survive on his own. He donated nearly all of his money and embarked on this journey without an abundance of food, maps, or knowledge. His experiences highlight many important life lessons to be learned and followed. 

One major lesson that stuck with me throughout McCandless’ story was the importance of being able to detach oneself from monetary values and embrace every aspect of life, no matter how simple. Through his various interactions with all different types of people, McCandless was able to find value in the simplicity of life overall and his experiences highlight how different people live different lives based on varying privileges. Chris also had a very apparent desire for freedom that we can all relate to. When life gets monotonous, no matter how privileged an individual is, they will always try to find a way to make change occur. Chris’ method of making change occur in his life was to throw away his privileged life and journey to the wilderness to make a life of his own. The book as a whole follows a very unique perspective on freedom as well as what is truly important in life. These lessons are very important for anyone to read and learn from. 

Into the Wild is a unique memoir because it was written through a cumulation of outsider’s perspectives. I found it particularly intriguing to read this novel because Krakauer utilized the experiences of various individuals who interacted with Chris McCandless at some point on his journey to Alaska. Interviews with his parents, sister, and friends from back home helped to give some insight as to why he left in the first place. Small interactions he had with random individuals along his journey helped create the story of how he ended up in Alaska in the first place. Whether it was a driver who gave McCandless a ride or just someone he had a conversation with, everyone had something to remember from him and a small story to tell. The cumulation of stories helped put small pieces together to complete the puzzle of McCandless’ life. In addition to the stories of various individuals, the letters found sent to/from Chris McCandless gave further insight to his journey and photos found added to this even more. This unique method of accumulating information to write a memoir for another individual was very interesting to me. Furthermore, the author’s credibility gained from having endured an experience very similar to McCandless adds another layer of complexity to the story. By using his own bias and experiences, Krakauer adds an interesting perspective to the novel. Through his own knowledge, Krakauer is able to write the story from a viewpoint similar to McCandless and include word choice and tone that effectively translates this to the reader. 

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone to read as I think it displays an abundance of important life lessons while also questioning current values of society in an interesting manner. This story also holds a lot of value because everyone can relate to it in some way unique to their own life. Into the Wild also shows the importance of balancing freedom and caution and teaches the reader what the consequences of certain actions can be. All in all, I think that this book is definitely worth the read and will have any readers reflecting on their own values in life. The unique style of writing and way of piecing together the story of Chris McCandless also provides an unusual reading experience that cannot be found in many other books.

Into the Wild - Book Review by Dylan R

Book: Into the Wild   Author: Jon Krakauer    Pages: 240  Rating:  ⭐☆☆☆☆

           Survival, parental oppression, one's determination, and the details of one's life all depicted in one book: Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. Into the Wild is a book about self determination and completing your journey. The main character Chris (aka Alex) McCandless is a young man in his 20’s and has recently graduated college and has essentially created a whole new life for himself. He travels all around the United States in a Nomadic like nature of only taking what he can carry and either hiking/walking primarily unless for a long distance he occasionally hitchhiked. While hitchhiking he had the ability to meet and learn about life and about the people he had met. He left his whole life behind him to fulfill his journey. He periodically did settle down only for a small amount of time working and what I believe to be a break or a time to recuperate to then continue on his journey. He seems to get into trouble or difficult situations where he is forced to get out with no help or primarily with no help but that doesn't stop him from moving forward with his plans.

          To make this book unique and stand out from others the author Jon Krakauer had many aspects implemented into the book (Into the Wild) and those are what made this book stand out to me more than any of the other books I had read. With the specific background of Jon, primarily his background in nature he really was able to put those aspects into the book to make the book the way it is. We had been told the story through different points of views (at times) and in past and present timing. There were a lot of facts and specific details that really elevated the outcome of the story and really added to it.

          I feel Jon (the author) used a very informative tone while writing this book as the book was mainly informing us through details and events regarding the life of Christopher McCandless (aka Alex). This was a big part of the book because without this sophisticated and informative tone the reader and I would be lost. These details played a crucial part in the development of the book and it allowed the reader the ability to comprehend and fully understand the book and the messages or lessons that are meant to be shown in fact shown. As the story developed Jon used past and present events or details to help us understand the story but I personally thought that was confusing along with the different people talking in the book. (The term “talking” I'm referring too is telling the story at specific times whether it was a specific character, the author's notes or additions, and the past and present parts).

         Some parts that are memorable or that stood out to me were the parts regarding his past and his family, the times of struggling, his accomplishments and where the story takes unexpected turns.

         I personally would not recommend this book. I feel this book takes a specific reader to fully understand the book and enjoy the book. It was very one sided, nature/adventure based, I personally saw lots of repetition or dragging on of the story (it could have been short and sweet not a long over done story). I don't think I could recommend this to anyone personally or specifically beside those who can read and like any book or like boring, uneventful, and long books in my opinion.

Title of the Book: Into the Wild
Author: Jon Krakauer
Number of Pages: 203
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Review:

Into the Wild, is a tragic story about the death of Christopher McCandless. Although this book is tragic it is very unique. Christopher grew up as a rich, athletic, smart, and good looking kid. Chris had everything in the world, but he wanted one thing. Chris was always in love with the rugged wilderness and the one thing that he wanted was to travel into the great unknown, and to explore our magnificent country.

Chris’s journeys were nothing like anyone has seen. Although at times he may have been unprepared, it always seemed like he still had fun and wanted to do another adventure. Unfortunately, for Chris attempting to survive in the last frontier without being prepared led to his fate. 


Jon Krakauer, incorporated many different themes, and used lots of outdoor jargon, that helped tell the story. This is one of the reasons why the book kept me glued to it. I give this book five stars because it really is a must-read. The thing that was most unique about the book was the feeling of inspiration. I personally felt like I wanted to be outdoors, and it made me think of camping and summertime. It made me feel like I wanted to go on an adventure. If you have the chance to read this book, I say definitely do it.

Angela's Ashes Book Review - Josh Taylor

Title of the Book: Angela's Ashes

Author: Frank McCourt

Number of Pages: 368

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Have you ever been told something by your parents along the lines of “you should be grateful for what you, because things could be a lot worse.” Well, the book Angela’s Ashes is practically the embodiment of that statement. The book “Angela's Ashes” is an autobiography/memoir written and narrated by Frank McCourt. The book tells about the many facets of  Frank McCourt's childhood as an Irish immigrant. It delves into themes of poverty and class limitation.

Frank’s childhood is described as a time of great deprivation, but of good humor and adventure as well. The themes, perspective, and the message “Angela’s Ashes” gives are what makes it unique and is what makes it a truly fascinating read? Most notably, the perspective it gives on poverty is the most important theme to be explored in Angelas Ashes. Frank is plagued by hunger throughout his childhood. The McCourts never have enough food to eat, and the food they do manage to procure is scant and unsatisfying.

The strictly Irish background of Frank McCourt also gives leeway into Irish culture and norms of the 30s and 40s. Frank McCourt’s writing style which stands out from other autobiographies/ memoirs. In the book, he gives his own perspective on certain events during his childhood, but also writes from the perspectives of others in the book, which is another thing that makes “Angela’s Ashes” unique. Frank McCourt shifts gears tonally at certain points throughout the book. He also blends tones together, Some set pieces in the book can be a mixture of serious, melancholy, and fun antics which is really unique to an autobiography. One of the most memorable moments in the book for me personally was When the first floor of the house floods during the winter, Angela and Malachy announce that the family will leave the cold damp of the first floor, which they call “Ireland,” and move to the warm, cozy second floor, which they call “Italy.” In conclusion, “Angelas Ashes” isn’t for everyone, but it is an exceptionally good read for anyone who is interested in the many themes the book explores and is for someone who reads and enjoys autobiographies regularly. Thus, I give the “Angelas Ashes” a 4 out 5 rating.