Over the winter break our students read books of many different genres. Here are a but a few of their responses when asked what they read during their recent vacation. Students read memoirs, novels, poetry and historical speeches.
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"Over winter break, I read Gabriel Garcia Marquez's 1985 novel Love in the Time of Cholera. It is a very sentimental book about the silly, persistent qualities of romantic love. However, Marquez poetically celebrates that these qualities are deeply and genuinely human, showing that its indulgent puerility can be appreciated even at a wise, elderly age. The story of Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza is unfathomable, excessive, and at times exhausting, but appeals to the part of of us all that doesn't care about the reasonable but focuses on the beautiful." -Cierra '20
"I read, The Art of Racing in the Rain , which was one of the most compelling books I have read to date. It a story told through the perspective of a dog, named Enzo, and through Enzo's eyes we go on a journey though his owner Denny's life, through his marriage to his wife, birth of his child, and then death of his wife from cancer and the aftermath of custody battles and legals charges that he faces. Through Enzo's perspective we experience Denny's life and seem to be there with him in his moments of greatest happiness and tragedy. Denny is a racecar driver, and the metaphor of racing in the rain is seamlessly woven into the story, of how life has twist and turns and you may go off road for a while but if you are calm you will make it back on track and finish, because you can't succeed if you don't finish. It was a heartwarming fast past read that I finished in just a few nights, and I would highly recommend it!" - Emily '20
"I read, Endurance, by Scott Kelly. It is a memoir written by Scott Kelly, an astronaut who spent a year in space. He talks about his upbringing, how he became an astronaut, his experiences in space, and the perspectives he gained by looking at our planet from space." - Madeline '21
"I read, This Side of Paradise, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, an autobiographical novel. It was a reflection of the roaring twenties in the young egotist Amory Blain, and the effect of the great war, the growing consumerism, and the communism wave on the idealist and hopeless romanticist. I learned a lot more about the golden age from this book, while admiring Fitzgerald's flaring language." - Christine '21
"I read, The Aeronauts Windlass, by Jim Butcher. It is a book that crosses sci-fi, fiction, and fantasy into a blend of them all. Very well written you follow along with the main characters as their paths intertwine an are forced to band together for a greater purpose, sounds exactly like every other sci-fi/fiction/fantasy book, right? Well, Jim Butcher takes it a step and a leap past that, he doesn't just bring you along on the journey, no he thrushes you into the adventure alongs side the characters. You feel yourself slowly become absorbed into the adventure on line at a time. You start to feel yourself relating to events you could never dream of experiencing." - Heidi '21
"Born a Crime, was a funny autobiography about Trevor Noah, a mixed race person born during Apartheid in South Africa. He tells the story of his childhood in a way that could make anyone laugh, while also being really meaningful and sincerely expressing the struggles of his unique upbringing." - Piper '21
"Endurance, by Scott Kelly, chronicling the tales of the astronaut who spent a year and space. It was a surprisingly good read, not too technical, and rather fast-paced. He easily traverses between his past training and life experiences to the mission itself, intertwining a fascinating space story and his rich and vibrant past." - JT '21
"Milk and Honey, by Rupi Kaur is a short book filled with raw and powerful messages. It encapsulated an extremely personal story about survival that unfortunately many people around the world can relate to. While at some points it is difficult to read about stories involving abuse, rape, and loss, it is also a memoir about survival and renewal against all odds. Rupi Kaur creates beautiful and heartbreaking analogies understood by people from all backgrounds, and forever changes the way you think about violence and heartache." - Griffin '21