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A
Child Called "It" By:
Dave Pelzer
Recommended by: Elina S.
Plot: This novel describes the struggle of an abused child, named Dave Pelzer. The author describes the morbid events that took place in his household as a child. Dave’s unstable mother tortured and starved her son, often playing deathly games that left Dave close to death. As a child, Dave had to learn the meaning of survival. Dave was regarded as an “it” rather than a son. He was not fed for days, he was not permitted to change his clothes, and he was beaten regularly. This young child has nothing but the hope for better.
Why read? This book is worth
reading because the author describes his own abuse case. The story of an
abused child named Dave allows the reader to understand that child abuse is
surrounding the people of society. The touching story allows those reading
it to understand the affects of child abuse. Considering the life child
leads, he holds onto his hopes and dreams. His struggle to live touches the
reader. One finds himself/herself hoping his wishes come true. I began to
understand that the need to survive in all beings is very strong.
read more reviews
Eat,
Pray, Love By:
Elizabeth
Gilbert
Recommended by: Ho Kwan C.
Plot: At mid-thirties, Elizabeth Gilbert seeems to have everything that a woman can ever desire: a successful carrer, a loving husband, a beautiful house and wonderful charm and beauty. However, she is not happy with her life. Suffering depression from a recent nasty divorce and disastrous relationship, Liz decides to travel abroad to Italy, India and Indonesia for a year. The memoir is diveded into three sections based on the three country she visited. In Italy, she found all the possible worldly pleasure and expressions of beauty with its rich culture of arts, philosophy, languages and cusinie. In India, she found the true expression of happiness and a spiritual relationship with God. In Bali of Indonesia, she finds a balance between enjoying worldly pleasures and spiritual serenity. Through this year of travel, she is able to rediscover and refine her identity.
Why read? With its exotic description of each country and the author's intriguing experiences, it is hard to believe that it is a non-fiction work. The explicit description of different cultures are very alluring and interesting. Besides, the author also talks about her change of feelings as she learn about how to deal with her life's ups an downs, which makes you want to laugh and cry with her.
Reviewer’s note: This is a lot of fun to read and you almost have to constantly remind yourself that it is a non-fiction book. It is a very witty but heartwarming book. Even a person who normally don't like non-fiction or memoir will like it.
A
Million Little Pieces By:
James Frey
Recommended by: Jourdan R.
Plot: A Million Little Pieces demonstrates the real life story of James Frey, who was a drug addict and alcoholic. It starts out with James waking up on a plane with a number of injuries on his face. His parents take him to the number one rehab center in the nation, where he struggles to overcome his drug and alcohol addictions. Throughout the story, we learn about the different obstacles and people that James meets. After being an alcoholic for ten years and a cocaine addict for three, James attempts to use his time in the rehabilitation center how to figure out his problems and how ad why to appreciate life more often.
Why read? Personally, I disliked A Million Little Pieces, however if you enjoy reading in a stream of consciousness and learning how to overcome your problems, then you should read A Million Little Pieces. Also, James Frey organized the book in a different format then people are used to. On some pages there are individual words written down the page, which makes reading more fast paced and exciting.
Three
Little Words: A Memoir
By:
Ashely Rhodes-Courter
Recommended by: Betsy W.
Plot: This is the story of Ashley's harrowing journey through the foster care system and her crusade to improve the foster care system in America.
Why read? Ashley is a brave
and determined young woman who has been through so much in her young life,
yet hasn't given up when faced by seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Her
courage is admirable and you will cheer along with her when she finds a
forever family.
Reviewer’s
note: If you have read books by Dave Pelzer, author of A Child Called
"It", you will also enjoy this book.
When the Air Hits
your Brain: Tales About Neurosurgery
By:
Frank Vertosick M.D.
Recommended by: Ashnoo N.
Plot: The book chronicles the internship and residency of an aspiring neurosurgeon. Written as a memoir, it includes various aspects of the life of a doctor and details specific cases that helped shape his character as a neurosurgeon. He showcases the emotion and humanistic aspects of medicine that are often enshrouded by the methodical and dry stereotype of medicine.
Why read? This book should be read by anyone interested in the field of medicine. It provides a detailed, yet basic and poignant description of the demands and surgeries encountered by neurosurgeons.
A
Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
By:
Dave Eggers
Recommended by: Ian B.
Plot: Dave Eggers chronicles his experience raising his brother after the deaths of both his parents. His memoir also includes his time working on an independent magazine called Might and a co-worker who enters a coma. His stream-of-consciousness style highlights the power of his personal tragedies and his ability to cope.
Why read? The constant mood shifts and his schizophrenic style will keep any reader intrigued. The images he creates and his random tangents are hysterical. His narrative is also touching and thought-provoking. It is an inspiring read.
Jesus
Land
By:
Juila Scheeres
Recommended by: Sarah C.
Plot: The story is about the struggles of a young girl growing up with two adopted black brothers. She details the struggles of growing up with cold parents, who are especially abusive to her black brothers. Her and her brother David stick together through thick and thin, especially when sent to a Christian reform school in the Dominican Republic.
Why read? The story captivates the reader because of the way Scheeres depicts the struggles that surround her and her family. As clichéd as it sounds, I could not put the book down. It lifts your spirit by showing you how you’re life isn’t as bad as it seems, and you will prevail.
My
Prison Without Bars
By: Pete Rose with Rick Hill
Recommended by: Tim C.
Plot: Pete Rose writes about his life in this autobiography. He details the events that lead up to his entry into baseball and prevention from entering the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Why read? This book is worth reading because... it treats the sport of baseball which many people enjoy. Adding to the aspect of baseball is the gambling which ruined Rose’s baseball career and (in some ways) his life.
Smashed: Story of a Drunken Girlhood
By: Koren Zailckas
Recommended by: Erin H.
Plot: In this memoir, the author recounts her history of alcohol abuse from the tender age of 14. She tells of her cycle from experimentation in high school to addiction in college, and the pieces of her life that she tries to recover between binges and blackouts. Her story brings to life the challenges that are faced on the way to maturity, and a warning about the worst ways to deal with them.
Why Read? The author’s experiences are all too common to today’s teens and young adults, making them even more valid. It brings to light the hush-hush world of addiction and drug abuse that so many students fall into, trying to forget their problems and just get by in a difficult world. By reading about the mistakes Zailckas has made, maybe kids will learn to avoid their own.
Recommended by: Jen L.
Plot: Alice Sebold tells a story of when, as an eighteen year old college student, she was raped. Though traumatized, she attempts to help find the attacker.
Why read? This book is a down to earth real story which reveals personal thoughts. I like the style and thought process Alice Sebold provides as she tells her story. read more by Alice Sebold
A
Decade of Curious People and Dangerous Ideas
By:
Chuck Klosterman IV
Recommended by: Kevin M.
Plot: This book contains numerous articles about pop culture of the recent years. The author writes multiple articles for GQ magazine that are humorous and interesting. Articles include interviews with celebrities, ideas about fast food, and thoughts on current events.
Why read? This book is not only one of the funniest things that I have ever read, it is also very easy to relate to at my age. The known celebrities and recent events allow for a fun read. read more reviews
Walden or Life in the
Woods
By: Henry David
Thoreau
Recommended by:
Mr. Moran
Plot: Disgusted by the materialism and superficiality of his peers, Thoreau built his own cabin in the woods and lived there for two years.
Why read? Ever feel like you were the last “real” person in the world? Ever walk through the mall and mutter “Give me a break?” Ever wonder if there’s more to life than cell phones and iPods? If so, reading Thoreau will seem like talking to a kindred spirit.
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of
a Boy Soldier
Recommended by: Ms. Kim
Plot: Ishmael Beah tells the story of his life as a normal boy who was recruited to become a child soldier in Sierra Leone. He also describes his harrowing experience and struggle to survive in a war-torn country.
Why read? Beah’s story is very readable, though at times so unbelievable. His journey opens our eyes to the harsh realities that some children around the world must face, and gives us hope through the eyes of a reformed child soldier.
The Autobiography of
Benjamin Franklin
Recommended by: Mr. Kominkiewicz
Plot: Originally written as a guide to success for young American men, Benjamin Franklin's autobiography offers a snapshot into the brain of one of this country’s most interesting persons. Written over the span of several decades, the reader is treated to Franklin’s experiences as a philosopher, statesman, scientist, and social engineer—not bad for someone who never went to college. Particularly interesting is Franklin's recollection of his arrival in Philadelphia when he was just 17 years old. His youth and vitality are a perfect match for this newly emerging city that would become the stage for the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Why read? Franklin’s style is very clean and representative of 18th century American literature. You may also find Franklin's humor to your liking. I particularly enjoyed the vignette in which Franklin describes his “trick” Bible. A printer and author, Franklin printed a version of his own Bible that included passages that he wrote, modeling the language used in the popular King James Bible. When asked for a Bible reading at dinners and social gatherings, Franklin would read his own passages, citing book and verse. As usual, those gathered would compliment him for his choice of verses. Franklin’s devilish delight came in knowing the frustration these people will undoubtedly encounter in the near future when they search in their own Bibles for the passages he read.
Uncle Tungsten
Recommended by: Ms. Donahue
Plot: This is an autobiography of Dr. Sacks. The fine detail about the periodic table of the elements and the descriptions of the experiments he conducted as a child are interesting and informative.
Why read? The experiments Dr. Sacks did as a child in his home are some we wish we could do in class but can’t because they’re now considered too dangerous!
In My Brother's Image
By: E. Pogany
Recommended by: Ms. Santoriello
Plot: Twin brothers are born Jewish but raised Catholic during the beginnings of WWII. The story focuses on how they survive their differences when one brother becomes a priest and the other goes back to his Jewish heritage.
Why read? The book offers a good personal perspective of the relationships between Jewish and Catholic relations during the war. (An additionally interesting touch is that the family emmigrates to the New Brunswick area.)
Dishwasher: One Man’s
Quest to Wash Dishes in All Fifty States By:
Pete Jordan
Recommended by: Betsy
W.
Plot:
Pete Jordan sets out a a journey with the goal of washing dishes in
all fifty states. Pete wants no responsibility, disrespects authority, and
wants nothing more than to wash dishes in peace. While on his journey he
washes dishes on an oil rig, a summer camp, a train and even gets a friend
to impersonate him on the David Letterman show. He also publishes a zine
called Dishwasher finds out all sorts of interesting tidbits about the noble
calling of dishwashing. You will never take a clean dish for granted after
reading this book.
Why read? It’s laugh out loud funny and Pete has an unique way of looking at the world.
The Glass Castle
By: Jeannette Walls
Recommended by: Allie
B.
Plot: Jeannette Walls tell her stories of childhood and young adulthood growing up with her alcoholic father and eccentric mother. She and her 3 siblings went on hundreds of adventures and lived in deserts, trailers and termite-infested houses.
Why read? This book will captivate you with its story of a normal girl who never quite fit in, but managed to get through it all. It will motivate you and show how some people can do incredible things with very little to start with.
Man is Wolf to Man
By: Janusz Bardach
Recommended by:
Dmitriy Y.
Plot:
Bardach, a medical student, escapes the Nazis as Hitler decided to
invade the Soviet Union, joins the Soviet army, but is arrested by the
Soviets and sentenced to death. He escapes execution but is sent through the
network of gulags that eventually sends him to Siberia. It's a very
inspiring story of survival that reminds us that the actions Stalin should
not be overshadowed by Hitler. Both men were responsible for the deaths of
millions of innocent people, but one was less conspicuous than the other.
Why read? You’ll read about the people who were sent to gulags, how some of them fought to escape and others simply resigned to their fate and died in the sub-zero temperatures. It's gruesome; disease, cannibalism, and torture all become part of the norm as Bardach tries to survive day by day to get back to his family. The book summary is a little misleading because Bardach escapes the gulags and is assigned into the TB ward of a Russian hospital. The book is very graphic, but a necessary read.
A Walk in
the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail
By: Bill Bryson
Recommended by:
Dmitriy Y.
Plot: Bill Bryson tries to hike the entire Appalachian trail with his overweight and ill-prepared friend Katz.
Why read? It’s an interesting and funny (true) story that also teaches you a lot about the history of the trail, nature, and America in general.
Three
Weeks With My Brother By:
Nicholas Sparks, Micah Sparks
Recommended by: Katherine T
Plot: From the author of well loved books such as The Notebook and A Walk To Remember comes a personal story of two brothers’ journey around the globe to celebrate their 37th (Nicholas) and 38th (Micah) birthdays. Being the only two remaining in their family, the two men retell stories from their childhoods.
Why read? The Sparks’ story of growing up teaches the reader that not everyone has an easy childhood. It also teaches to learn from one’s experiences and the true importance of family.
The Year of Magical Thinking
By: Joan Didion
Recommended by:
Anonymous
Plot: Joan Didion recounts the year following her husband’s sudden death, highlighting the ‘denial’ stage of grieving. She attempts to intellectually reason with her emotions, rather than dealing with them directly, which prevents her ability to accept and move on. An insightful and moving read.
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