March 25, 2012
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One of the best things and the mark of a true literary classic is in the story’s ability to really draw you into an authentic, historical experience. Classics can often serve as windows straight into some forgotten past and if you are willing to take the journey, your eyes and your mind are often treated to an experience far removed from the technological rat race of our daily lives. The Invisible Man is a classic sci-fi story that manages to blur the line between plausibility and implausibility while still serving as a unique window into the past.
The story is set in the 19th century, long before your home security, wireless internet, fancy cars, Bounce electric rates in Texas or even fast and powerful computers. All you have is the narrator and their description of the 19th century field of science and while it may have seemed limited compared to nowadays, the writer still manages to make it work. However, the sci-fi isn’t the real reason anyone reads this story.
The Invisible Man is a unique and engaging character study that really explores the depth of the human soul and addresses issues concerning the human condition. It asks us questions like what we would do if we had a kind of power or advantage (such as invisibility) over our fellow man. Then it challenges us to do better than our protagonist-turned villain who is the titular Invisible Man. If you are one of those people who reads stories for the characters then you will find plenty to love in this classic.
October 8, 2011
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10. West With the Night explores everything from the Beryl Markham’s childhood to her adventures as a bush pilot in Africa.
9. The Snow Leopard follows a team on their search for the elusive snow leopard of the Himalayas.
8. Into the Wild gives insight into the demise of Christopher McCandless as he hiked through the Alaskan wilderness.
7. In Patagonia is an enchanting account of the little known region of Patagonia.
6. The Starched Blue Sky Of Spain and Other Memoirs follows Josephine Herbst everywhere from mid-western America to Nazi Germany.
5. North to the Orient describes Read the rest…
October 6, 2011
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The first great Science Fiction book to come out this year was God’s War by Kameron Hurley. This book is about a government assassin in a future time. Second on the list is Up Against It by M. J. Locke, it takes place 400 years from now, and tells how a civilization must overcome sabotage to survive. Third is Equations of Life by Simon Morden, this post-apocalyptic novel tell the story of a survivor who tries to save a girl, but gets mixed up with the wrong crowd. The forth title is Soft Apocalypse by Will McIntosh, this Read the rest…
October 4, 2011
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As an elementary-school librarian, I always keep up to date with popular children’s books so that I can purchase them for our library collection. One of the most trustworthy sources is the American Library Association, which has a committee that is part of the Association for Library Service to Children that devotes their time to finding great children’s books. Although their list of notable books is long, I chose these top ten books based on their subject Read the rest…
October 3, 2011
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Of all the new choices we have in the non-fiction area these books have seemed to make a mark on the literary society.
1. Heaven is for Real, by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent, is a father account of his 3 year old sons encounters with Jesus and Angels during an appendectomy.
2. Thunder Dog, by Michael Hingson with Susy Flory, is about the trials of a blind man and his dog.
3. Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand, is about an Olympic runner’s account of survival Read the rest…