Challenge

The Worst of Us
My evaluation of a book that changed me led to this conclusion: it was two books. And the books are about the same thing...sort of. There is a singular period of time that must be learned in every history class. That is WW2 and the Holocaust. These two books are about that time.
By Bugsy Watts2 years ago in BookClub
George Orwell's 1984
The life and times in Oceania were unsustainable and yet, the people complied out of fear of the unknown. The rats' phobia wasn't the only thing that terrified Winston, but it was the most feared.
By Rene Volpi 2 years ago in BookClub
It Started with Being Petty
Ah, the good ole' days. As a kid, I was kind of a menace. But I like to think I was a menace in cleverer ways than most other kids. I was told constantly by the adults in my life that I was so kind and caring and gentle. Now of course, as a child, I had my very obvious moments that proved quite the contrary. But my temperament very much matched the descriptions they gave me. What they didn't realize though, was that both of my parents were also very smart. And so, after I learned the tricks they used to tell if I was lying or being deceitful, I realized I had to step up my game.
By Caladrius2 years ago in BookClub
The Book that Changed Me
A scholastic book fair to an elementary school student is like happy hour to an adult. From the multitude of genres of literature, to the school supplies, and toys, there is always something for everyone; it's like having everyone's favorite beer on tap.
By Jennifer David2 years ago in BookClub
Hugo and I
During eighth grade, we had to write a book report about a chapter book. It was a standard book report, the one rule was that we connected with it. I chose “The Invention of Hugo Cabret” by Brian Selznick. I came to the U.S. when I was nine and only spoke Spanish. Somehow, I was placed in a class where it was all in English. However, I was taken out once a week to read a piece of paper with numbers on the side to see how many words per minute I read. They made it seem like the key to speaking English was reading, so I did just that, or well tried.
By Scarlet2 years ago in BookClub
I thought escaping depression would be impossible--but it wasn't
I suffered from severe depression and a crippling lack of confidence for years. Specifically, I had wrapped up all of my identity and self-esteem into just one factor: my academic success. But I wasn't good enough for my own high standards, and eventually, I wasn’t good enough for anyone’s standards. My mental health was just too bad, I couldn’t be productive, and it wasn’t getting better. Eventually, I’d had depression for a solid seven years, and even with strong medication, I was barely able to function. Every success story I had ever read, every news article about someone who used to suffer from depression, featured someone who had only had depression for two or three years at most. For those who’d had depression for longer, the struggle seemed to inevitably last for their entire lives. I truly believed that I would never be even close to mentally healthy.
By Maureen Y. Palmer2 years ago in BookClub
My Literary Doppelganger
Books have been an important part of my life since I can remember. As a child with a disability, I had a fairly isolated upbringing, so I found the companionship I lacked in works of fiction. As such, the list of books that have influenced me is a long one!
By Morgan Rhianna Bland2 years ago in BookClub
The Four Agreements
The book that has changed my life for the better! About two years ago, my life took an unexpected turn. I simply had decided that maybe I wasn't meant to be a famous author. For years, I tormented myself with the thought that maybe I was not good enough.
By Adrianne Kirksey2 years ago in BookClub
Atlas Shrugged
When I was in high school, I was in no way interested in politics. I just wanted to trust that the public would vote the right people into power and the government would do what was in our best interest. That’s what they taught us in class, right? How bills become laws and those laws are passed to protect us citizens and make society better as a whole.
By Bethany G2 years ago in BookClub
The Jungle
All human beings have their limits. The labor and civil rights we have in the United States were not freely given by any means. There was no sudden realization that workers deserved safety and pay. This epiphany was borne of violence, inflicted onto the many by the few, and some semblance of autonomy was wrenched back from the hands of those that looked down onto the world and saw no humanity, only beings to exploit. My grandfather used to tell my mother, "No one is born free. Freedom isn't free." As grim a thing as it is to say to a child, history has shown us over and over again that the sentiment rings true.
By S. C. Almanzar2 years ago in BookClub
The Boy Who Lived
I first encountered the world of Harry Potter by eavesdropping on a friend reading the first book to her young daughter. My friend was a good narrator, and her daughter was clearly enthralled. I too got caught up in the overheard snippet of story about a resilient hero, the orphan hailed as "the Boy Who Lived."
By Sonia Heidi Unruh2 years ago in BookClub
The Deep Transformation from "The Tattooist of Auschwitz" by Heather Morris
Picture the scene: the ScotRail train coasting eastwards half-asleep against an early Scottish morning, with the dewy, dreary Western Scotland clashing against the awakening buzz of a clear work-day sky of the Eastern side. I'm sitting around the middle of the train, staring at nothing across the passing-by backdrop of the Scottish lowlands, tears streaming endlessly down my face, with a copy of The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris laid across my lap.
By Cameron Smith2 years ago in BookClub