【Book Review】Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Unvierse

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

    Aristotle is a young teenage boy who suffers from depression and anger. His character is the complete opposite of Dante, who is articulate and confident. These two boys with entirely different personalities encounter each other near a swimming pool in one summer day, then surprisingly, form an intimate relationship. They gradually discover that their friendship is not as pure as they previously believe. In order to keep their connection, both of them face obstacles that they need to overcome. It’s a journey of discovering and believing each other…

    The copy that I bought has four huge stickers on it, indicating how greatly praised and accomplished this book is. I heard tons of buzz on YouTube and Goodreads, surprisingly, there is not even a single negative reviews or thoughts about this book. I admit that I was highly intrigued by this book due to those positive comments. To be honest, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is the first LGBT-related book I have ever read. Before reading this book, I already had a high expectation of it. The result is satisfying because after reading it I am certain that this book is absolutely worthy of all this attention and hype.

    This coming of age story is about two young Mexican boys develop themselves. It doesn’t contain a lot of exciting plot twists. It is not action packed or full of excitement. All this book does is telling a slow paced story with mellow emotions. Reading this book brings me gentle feelings that I have never experienced before. This is completely different from my past reading experiences that I derive from all the fantasies or science fictions I have read. The author’s writing style makes it very easy to read and comprehend the story. Every chapter is not lengthy while some of the chapters are only half a page long. This makes me fly through this book in just about two days even I was taking my midterm exams at that time period.

-Potential Spoiler Alert!-

    Now, I would like to discuss a little bit about the plot itself. Just like what I have said before, this book is related to self-recognition and friendship development. But there are far more issues that are mentioned in the story which deepen the meaning it carries. From the identities of Aristotle and Dante who are both Mexicans, readers see the racial diversity. From Aristotle’s imprisoned brother and how he and Dante deal with their families, readers find the profound love between their family members. It’s not just a simple coming of age story because it also combines the problems of race, homosexuality and family issues all together forming this outstanding and breathtaking work of art.

    My favorite character is Aristotle even though he sometimes gets a little less appealing through the story. I feel that it’s amazing to see how Aristotle grows as a character. He changes so much from the beginning to the end. At first, he appears to be an inferior and not self-assured boy who has problems with his own father. Then, as the story progresses, he realizes his true feelings not only toward Dante but also toward his father. Another thing that moves me is the attitude of both the parents of Aristotle and Dante when they discover the unusual friendship between the two boys. They are completely supportive and even encourage Aristotle to admit and accept his true self. It’s very difficult for parents in real society to do this to their kids considering the fact that even nowadays homosexuality is still sort of a forbidden topic in many parts of the world. My favorite part of the story must be the place where Aristotle confides to Dante about his long misunderstood feeling. I cannot hold back my excitement when I read that part and I nearly burst into tears when I read the last sentence which is “how could I ever been ashamed of loving Dante Quintana”. This sentence just makes the best conclusion I have ever seen.

    Finishing reading this book, I don’t feel sadness or despair, all I can feel is this warm satisfaction which fills up every inch of my body. I love this book so much and cannot recommend it more. I believe people who enjoy reading LGBTQ-related story or people who just want to read some coming of age, self-discovery fiction with satisfying ending may greatly enjoy this book.

【Book Review】Sugar Scars

Sugar Scars

    I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher to make an honest review. Great thanks to NetGallery.com and Booktrope.

    A terrible virus has nearly killed everyone on the planet with the survival rate of only 1 in every 10,000. The remaining survivals are left with abundant resources to live with their lives. However, the situation is quite different for a nineteen-year-old girl called Sugar. She is an unsociable and quiet young girl with a type 1 diabetes. Her physical condition requires her to take insulin regularly, so she tries her best to find all the insulin in the pharmacy and market. Until one day, Sugar discovers that all the insulin she stores has an expiration date which only lasts for approximately two years. After suffering frustration and desperation, Sugar is determined to find a way to live. She decides to make insulin by herself. This is an arduous task considering the fact that Sugar is only a high school drop-out. Through her quest for making insulin, she not only encounters with different people and makes friends with them, but also faces heartbroken farewell with some of the characters. With happiness and sadness, she continues her battle with the death.

    After reading the introduction of this book, I admit that I was instantly intrigued by the plot. I always keep this arbitrary notion that post-apocalyptic books are supposed to be some zombie fictions such as World War Z, but this book takes an another unusual path and tells a story which is entirely different from everything that I have read before. From my point of view, portraying a protagonist with an illness of diabetes and naming her Sugar are both brilliant and interesting.

    Personally, I cannot show more of my affection toward Sugar. Even sometimes she is quite awkward in the society, her characters are just amazing! I can relate to her in some degree because I am an introvert and sometimes I tend to be awkward in the social environment just like what Sugar does. Her inherent talent on calculation and numbers just makes her more vivid and likeable. As a reader, I can see her kindness throughout the novel. I really like to read the thoughts that Sugar has because I feel like I am just experiencing everything together with her.

    There are some twists and turns in the plot while part of the story I have never thought can happen. Nevertheless, the ending is quite satisfying to me, though my initial expectation of the ending goes a different way. Although the ending seems to be an actual happy ending, I am curious to know if there is going to be a sequel or some sort.

    I’d like to recommend this book to everyone who is interested in reading post-apocalyptic books. Anyone who enjoys reading about female protagonists with unique personalities may also enjoy this book. Overall, I greatly enjoy this book. The author’s writing style makes it so easy to read, I just flew through this book in less than one day. Great thanks again to Netgallery.com and the publisher Booktrope for bringing me such a satisfying book.

【Book Review】A Separate Peace

    

     Gene Forrester returns to his school which he went to fifteen years ago. Walking through the campus, he recalls his past experience and tells a tragic story which happens fifteen years ago. The story takes place in the summer of 1942 at the Devon School in New Hampshire. Gene, a quiet, well-disciplined, and clever student, has a close friend called Finny, who is athletic and charming. Through the progress of the plot, the relationship between these two best friends starts to transform. The gradual increment of this transformation ultimately possesses a tremendous influence on both characters…   

    This modern classic is assigned by our teacher as the reading material for the English class. To be frank, I rarely have satisfying reading experiences especially when it comes to books which are required by our school. But to my surprise, this book is an exception. I find great pleasure reading through this book. As a famous work, A Separate Peace does contain some profound issues that I really want to have a general discussion about.

-Spoiler Alert!!-

    The most common reason for me to enjoy a book is that I love one or several of the characters in the book. However, this assumption is no longer true when it comes to A Separate Peace. I don’t particularly adore any of the characters though many of my classmates have strong affections toward Finny. What I really want to have a deeper discussion of is the character development of Gene. Because I also wrote an essay about this issue as a school assignment, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to closely examine the mental state of Gene throughout the novel.    

    Here is my essay about Gene and Finny's relationship:

 http://ivysbookblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/book-essaya-separate-peace.html

    Gene is a character with great confrontation in his heart. He envies his best friend Finny, but at the same time possesses deep affection toward him which even Gene himself doesn’t realize. Before Finny falls from the tree, Gene always bears these negative speculations. He assumes that Finny has spiteful intention behind his every behaviors. EVERYTHING changes after the fall of Finny. (At this point, I have to doubt whether Gene causes the fall of Finny intentionally or not. I prone to believe it’s just Gene’s unconscious behavior.) Their seemingly peaceful but actually competitive relationship transforms into something much more different. It’s evident in the second half of the novel that Gene and Finny possess a codependent relationship with each other. While Gene wears Finny’s clothes, Finny trains Gene to become an athlete for the purpose of joining the Olympic Games in the future. These actions are all clear indications of their codependence. Gene has such a strong affection towards Finny that he chooses to blur his own identity. The love-hate relationship between Gene and Finny is so intriguing that through my reading process, I have to constantly consider whether or not there are emotions which are more than mere friendship within this book. After doing some researches on the internet, I ascertain that I am not the only person who has the same interrogatory.

    Asides from the characters’ developments, there are other issues that I feel like discussing. First of all, I’d like to briefly share my thoughts about the title. I know that the story takes place during the World War II when teenage boys are assigned to the army. Comparing to the cruelty of the outside world, Devon School where the main characters live and study is just like a protection which not only isolates students but also provides them with peaceful life. The book is called A Separate Peace because on one hand, students live in a separate environment and they are disconnected to the outside world. On the other hand, they are able to maintain peace at the same time. My further thought is that the incidence of Finny falling from the trees represents the maturation, or in other words, the loss of innocence of these teenagers. The summer session in Devon, the period before Finny falls from the tree, is full of enjoyment and laughter. During this period, students have no consideration about the possibility of joining the army, though the teachers may conceal their worries. It’s likely to say that they are innocent in the summer session. Then comes the winter session, the dread period after Finny’s fall, which is cold, dark, and full of strenuous physical labor. At the same time, students start to envision their possible future which is filled with battles and death. The fall of Finny directly indicates this transformation which, from my perspective, is cruel and heartbroken.

    Now I want to discuss something more delightful. My favorite part of the book is obviously the little beach journey that Finny and Gene take at night. I can see their playfulness and intimate communication. This part is probably the last part where these two characters can have the opportunity to solely play and enjoy their time with each other. Every time I think about this, I just want to burst into tears.

    Finally, I have something to say about the rating on Goodreads. It’s quite shocking to me that A Separate Peace only gets 3.55 out 5 on the Goodreads rating. This is a strong reminder to me that I should never only trust the rating, instead, I am supposed to read the book myself then make my own judgment.

【Book Essay】The Catcher in the Rye

Notice: First of all, I'd like to warn you that I only got 74% on this essay. Because I got such a shameful grade, please don't be too serious about the writing or grammar of this essay.

The Research of Holden’s Alienation

       The feeling of loneliness or isolation is always a prevalent issue among adolescences. In the Catcher in the Rye written by J.D. Salinger, the protagonist Holden Caulfield suffers from severe and depressing loneliness. It is acknowledged that Holden has had an unstable mental state ever since the death of his brother Allie. However, it is greatly debatable that his brother’s death fundamentally prompts him to seclude himself from others. Holden’s alienation is the result of his own inclination, instead of other external factors such as Allie’s death. It is believed that Holden chooses to become isolated because of his lack of perception of affiliation, his sense of superiority and his way of self-protection.

       To begin with, Holden’s lack of sense of belonging to the world is one of the main sources of his isolative behavior. It is evident that Holden always feels that he does not belong to this world throughout the novel. Holden insists that all the other students have their own little groups that they are constantly sticking to. This can be perceived several times by the reader when Holden mentions “…all the athletic bastards [stick] together. In every school I’ve gone to…” (Salinger 56) and when he complaints to Sally that “...everybody sticks together in these dirty little goddam cliques…” (Salinger 170). He complaints about other students. This is a powerful indication of his alienation because he constantly believes that he does not belong to anywhere. He convinces himself that he is the only person who lacks companionship while everyone else has established his or hers relationships within society. His belief is even more determined when he “[feels] like giving somebody a buzz” but “[can’t] think of anybody to call up” (Salinger 77). The essential part of this occasion is that Holden chooses neither to reach out for help from other people nor shows eagerness of communication with others. He makes the decision to be separated and alienated from the world.

       Moreover, Holden’s feeling of superiority makes him separate himself from other people. Cynicism is one of the major part of Holden’s personality. Words such as “snot”, “phony” and “bastard” make regular appearances throughout the story. Holden insists that everyone is inferior to him. He claims that “one of the biggest reasons [he] [leaves] Elkton Hills [is] because [he] [is] surrounded by phonies” (Salinger 19). When he is in the bar called Ernie`s, he disdainfully remarks that “[he] [is] surrounded by jerks” (Salinger 111). More cynically, he declares his bias against girls by saying that “if [girls] like a boy, no matter how big a bastard he is, they’ll say he has an inferior complex…” (Salinger 176). Holden’s judgmental nature creates an unbreakable barrier between himself and other people. He cannot establish relationships while being critical with others. Timothy Aubry suggests that “what Holden does not seem to realize is that by passing judgment on everything and everyone around him…he is in fact positing that he is superior to these other people” (Timothy Aubry, “The Catcher in the Rye: The Voice of Alienation”). Holden not only exhibits his superiority to other people, but also alienates himself from the outside world.

       Last but not least, as an approach of self-protection, Holden`s isolation is driven by his own intention. Although Holden craves for companionship in several parts of the novel, he ultimately cuts off his relationship with others. Holden longs to call Jane, but later changes his mind by saying that “[he] [is] afraid her mother [would] answer the phone.” (Salinger 77). This thought reveals Holden’s disposition which is his reluctance to communicate with other people. He clearly longs to give Jane a call. It is obvious that Jane’s mother is only an excuse so that he does not have to get in touch with others. This is Holden’s personal approach to protect himself from the treacherous outside world. Besides, he also finalizes his relationship with Sally by using cruel words. Holden says that Sally “[gives] [him] a royal pain in the ass” (Salinger 173), which extremely irritates Sally. He destroys his supposedly normal and peaceful date with Sally with his bitter and harmful words. Dreadful criticism builds a wall, which Holden uses to protect himself from the society. Holden suffers from the confrontation that he has between the eagerness for companionship and the eagerness for solitude. He finally decides to be alone because only in this way he does not have to deal with “phony” people from the outside world. Holden is determined to be alienated even it means unbearable loneliness and solitude.

       In order to protect himself, to prove his superiority among others, to not to possess belonging to the world, Holden becomes incrementally isolated. He chooses to be separated even he feels depressed which has a great possibility to make him suffocate. It is highly possible that the dilemma Holden faces is derived from his puberty. Nowadays, as an universal symptom of puberty, solitude of adolescences raises a great deal of public awareness due to its negative influences on a massive proportion of teenagers. Solitude can leads to numerous undesirable consequences considering some teenagers’ fragile mental states. It is comforting to see that Holden finally realizes his mistakes and gradually changes his faulty attitudes. Teenagers like Holden should no longer conceal their true feelings, but should try to open their minds to accept other people’s help. They should be fully aware of the fact that alienation is not helpful to their situation. Becoming open minded and choosing to believe others are the ultimate solutions. 

【Book Essay】A Separate Peace

Notice: I originally wrote this essay in November 2015 when I was in Grade 11. In this essay, I share my thoughts about the relationship between Finny and Gene in the book A Separate Peace. 

The Competitive Relationship Between Finny and Gene

       The relationship between two friends may not always harmonious. In the A Separate Peace by John Knowles, Gene and Finny develop an intricate bond with each other. As the story unfolds, their friendships have changed fundamentally. However, it is very obvious that Gene himself is the main cause of this change. Because of the influences of his jealousy, his natural character, and his own insight of friendship, Gene establishes a competitive relationship with Finny.

       First and foremost, the competitiveness between Gene and Finny is established because Gene is jealous toward Finny. This jealousy is extremely evident when Gene and Finny go to the tea meeting held by Mr. Patch-Withers. Gene “[feels] [himself] becoming unexpectedly excited” (Knowles 27) because Finny can always escape from punishment. The fact that Gene wants to see Finny get punished strongly proves that he envies Finny. Moreover, Gene even “[feels] a sudden stab of disappointment” (knowles 28) when he realizes that this time Finny is still safe from punishment. Gene even admits the fact that he “[can`t] help envying [Finny] that a little” (Knowles 25) which also directly shows how Gene struggles to accept and deal with his envious feeling towards Finny. In the later part of the novel, Gene and Finny go to the beach and share a heart-to-heart talk with each other. Finny tells Gene that Gene is his best friend. Gene wants to say the same, but hesitates. He describes this feeling as “deeper than thought, which contains the truth” (Knowles 48). Even Gene himself seems a little confused by this mysterious feeling; it is obvious that this emotion is the feeling of envy. Gene`s own jealousy prevents him from being able to say that Finny is his best friend. This suggests that deep down in Gene`s heart, he regards Finny as a competitor, rather than his best friend. Gene views the relationship between Finny and himself as rival which makes their relationship competitive.

       Moreover, Gene`s competitiveness, as part of his own natural personality, causes the rival relationship between him and Finny. At the beginning of the book, Gene shows some of his unique personalities to the readers. One of them is his eagerness for the best. Gene has always been one of the top students in class. It is clear that he excels at study, but it is also clear that he “[isn`t] really interested and excited by learning itself” (Knowles 54). Gene is a perfect example of the kind of person who can do everything in order to succeed, even though he has no passion for what he is doing. The only reason why he does these things is to become the best. Besides, the readers are not the only ones who realize Gene has a competitive nature, Finny does too. He says that Gene “[wants] to be head of the class, valedictorian” (knowles 51). Even Finny, who is unresponsive toward emotions, can feel Gene`s eagerness to become the best. This proves that Gene`s competitive nature must be so strong that it can influence the competitive relationship between Gene and Finny.

       Finally, Gene has a unique way of comprehending the meaning of friendship that ultimately leads to Gene and Finny`s competitiveness. Gene thinks that “there [are] few relationships among [them] at Devon not based on rivalry” which indicates the fact that from Gene`s perspective, it is very natural for two students to have a competitive relationship (Knowles 45). So when it comes to the relationship between Gene and Finny, it is easy for Gene to feel competitiveness because in his mind their competitiveness is universal. Besides, Gene also has another important understanding of friendship which is equality. He believes if two people are friends, they should be equal in all scenarios. Gene feels relived when he realizes that his own academic achievements can equal Finny`s sports` achievements. This can help them stay on the same level. Gene believes they can “both come out on top” and “be even” (knowles 52). This supports the idea that in Gene`s own opinion, the equality of friendship is essential. Gene`s own ways of interpreting friendship cause the rivalry.

       As the narrator of this book, Gene shows the readers an intricate emotional change. Because he envies Finny, has a natural competitive character and possesses a unique way of understanding the meaning of friendship, Gene builds up an intense and competitive relationship between himself and Finny. Sometimes friends need to compete with each other for the purpose of becoming a better person. There are times when people need to develop their own ability and learn new things while competing with their friends. Being competitive is not a terrible thing, but people should always remember to control their level of competitiveness, so that people will not cause undesirable consequences just like what Gene does in the book.

【Book Review】The Hobbit

     Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who lives peacefully and comfortably in his little hobbit-hole in Bag End. Bilbo’s life is unchanged and perfectly normal just like other hobbits until one day everything is changed forever with the arrival of Gandalf, the wizard, and other thirteen dwarves. Bilbo then has to start an epic journey with these thirteen dwarves for the purpose of reclaiming the ancient dwarves’ treasure which is now guarded by a gigantic and dangerous dragon…

    The Hobbit is a well-known and highly acclaimed book which I read for many times and still can’t stop my deep fond of the story. To be honest, The Hobbit is the book which opens the intriguing world of fantasy to me. Recently, after re-reading this book for the eighth or ninth time, I decided to write down carefully about my thoughts about this epic journey that J.R.R. Tolkien had created nearly a century ago.

    The plot of The Hobbit is not complicated since it’s basically the Hero’s Journey. This book can be regarded as the easiest fiction written by Tolkien. It’s comparatively less difficult to be engrossed in compare to Tolkien’s other literary works such as the world famous Lord of the Ring series. I believe because of its target audiences are originally children and teenagers, the language in the book is less intricate but still full of fantastic details. The Hobbit is no doubt to be suitable for readers of all different ages.

-Spoilers Alert!!-

    I love the fact that as audiences, we can observe the development of each character through the journey. One of the examples is Thorin Oakenshield. At the beginning, Thorin is a character with power and leadership. But as the story progresses, he becomes less appealing when he reveals his stubbornness and weakness in his character. As a team’s leader, Thorin is supposed to form practical plans when the team members are facing obstacles and dangers, but unfortunately, he doesn’t. Moreover, his greedy nature becomes extremely evident after their arrival at the Lonely Mountain. However, he successfully redeems himself when he shows his regret before his death. Another essential example of this development is, of course, Bilbo Baggins. He is my absolutely favorite character in The Hobbit. At first, Bilbo is just a character with the normal disposition like many other normal “people”. He has no ambition to change the world or becomes some kind of hero, but suddenly, he is forced to enter this magical world full of darkness and risks. He expresses his longing for his home throughout the entire journey, from the beginning to the end. Even his desire for home is strong, he never shrinks from danger. We see how he fights with the trolls, tries to trick Gollum, escapes from the spiders, frees his comrades from the dungeon in the Mirkwood and bravely talks to Smaug, the dragon. Bilbo’s journey is hazardous, but he never gives up his hope and always comes up with solutions which not only save him but also all of his teammates. He therefore gradually earns the respect of the other team members. I am fascinated by this development and truly moved by the character of Bilbo.

When it comes to my favorite part of the story, it must be the part when Bilbo plays the riddle game with Gollum. I still remember my feelings when I read this part for the first time, I was so nervous that I couldn’t even dare to turn to the next page, fearing Gollum may find the truth and thus cruelly kills Bilbo. That was my reaction several years ago, even though I was certain that such thing wouldn’t happen. 

The 75 anniversary edition cover

    Now I want to talk about the edition that I have. I have the so-called 75th-anniversary edition in paperback. I love the texture of the cover page as well as its design. More importantly, there are several fabulous illustrations throughout the book, which from my point of view, are brilliant, especially during times when I am a little tired of reading. There is also a map of the Lonely Mountain at the beginning of the book. I love maps because, in my eyes, they are the indication of the grand opening of an epic journey. I love my copy of The Hobbit as much as the story itself.

    Finally, I want to talk briefly about the movie adaptation. If I am asked to give the movie a rating, I will give it 4.5 stars out of 5 stars. I love Martin Freeman’s performance alongside with other actors such as Orlando Bloom and Ian McKellen. My only complaint is the presence of additional female character. Considering the fact that I am a huge fan of the original story, I have little tolerance when it comes to changes of the plot or adding new characters. Maybe that’s only my problem, maybe I am just too strict about movie adaptations. No matter what, the movies (because there are three) of The Hobbit are still worthy of compliment. I am terribly sad when the thought that there will never be another Tolkien related movie coming to existence comes to my mind.

    Although I highly doubt if there are people who still have not read this book before, I wholeheartedly recommend everyone who reads my blog to go read this book again. I promise it will absolutely worthy of your time and effort.

A presentation discussing the issue of Printed Books VS. E-books

 This presentation took place when I was in tenth grade. Because of the fact that this was supposed to be the script of my speech, there were indeed many grammatical mistakes. Before uploading this to my blog, I made a few adjustments, but if there are still some errors, then I am terribly sorry for my mistakes. I didn't cite the quotes correctly, so please also ignore that. Thank you so much for reading my BORING presentation draft!

    Ladies and gentlemen, it’s a great honor to speak here today. Before I start, I`d like to say that please do not fall asleep if you think my presentation is boring. Besides, let`s get started.

The topic of my presentation is related to a behavior that we`ve started to display ever since we were extremely young. This is the behavior of reading. When we were toddlers, at the age when we barely comprehended the approach of walking, our parents started to read books about fairy tales or allegories to us. As time went by, we are now young adults. We are now able to engross ourselves in classic literature within hundreds of pages. As our maturation starts to take place, the development of technology has also changed our ways of reading substantially.

    I firmly believe that everyone has, at least, one electronic device in their home. Maybe it`s a smartphone, maybe it`s an iPad or a laptop. Maybe it`s a kindle just like the one I have in my house. Even from my perspective, I have to admit that reading eBooks are unbelievably convenient. They are light, but can hold thousands of books inside. Besides, eBooks are much cheaper than printed books. But even in this situation, where I spend a great proportion of my time in reading eBooks, printed books in my mind, are still the best things ever exist in this universe.

I`d like to borrow one of Susan Hill`s quotes to illustrate my feeling. “I love the book. I love the feel of a book in my hands, the compactness of it, the shape, the size. I love the feel of paper. The sound it makes when I turn a page. I love the beauty of print on paper, the patterns, the shapes, the fonts. I am astonished by the versatility and practicality of The Book. It is so simple. It is so fit for its purpose. It may give me mere content, but no e-reader will ever give me that sort of added pleasure.” If you never read a printed book, you will never smell the aroma of its new paper and freshly printed ink, you will never appreciate the beauty of its cover, and you will never have the chance to listen to the little sound the book makes when you flip through its pages.

But overall, books, no matter they exist in a way which we can actually touch, or they just hide behind the screen, are still an indispensable part of our life. They arouse our marvelous feelings, they stimulate the vivid imagination of ours, and they exhibit a different world that we are seeking to go into. Just like one of my all-time favorite author George R.R. Martin once wrote in one of his books: “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one.” A stunning book is so addictive that even after you finish the story, you can still hear the muffled echo of the words from the characters, you can still empathize the character`s emotions: love, happiness, sadness, anger, and hatred.

Nowadays, we choose to play video games, watch movies and TV shows. We choose everything but reading. But we still complain about how tight our schedules are that there is no time for us to read even for a few minutes. That`s not the truth, we all know that deep down in my heart. There are so many genres for you to pick, there are so many mind-blowing works for you to discover. I love the way Jane Austen talked about books, even her language sometimes is too elegant and ironic for me to comprehend and make me confused a little bit. I still love passionately about Pride and Prejudice of hers. But here is a quote from Northanger Abbey, the first of Jane Austen's novels to be completed for publication “It is only a novel... or, in short, only some work in which the greatest powers of the mind are displayed, in which the most thorough knowledge of human nature, the happiest delineation of its varieties, the liveliest effusions of wit and humour, are conveyed to the world in the best-chosen language.”

I own four entirely different editions of Harry Potter, not because I have too much money and just want to spend it and get to show off. It`s their content that intrigued me so much. Sometimes I buy books solely because of their outstanding illustration as well as their fabulous covers. While in other occasions, I will buy books simply because it’s written by one of my beloved authors. From Jane Austen to Harper Lee, from J.K Rolling to J.R.R. Tolkien, from John Green to Bill Bryson, so many outstanding authors and my life is not complete without these people. If you have never read Austen`s work, you won’t be able to imagine the life of British women hundreds of years ago. If you have never get to know To Kill a Mockingbird, you will be less concerned about slavery and racial discrimination. If you have never read Harry Potter, you have probably missed a chance of dreaming about attending a magic school called Hogwarts. See? That`s the power of reading.

To end this seemingly boring presentation, I will give the last quote I have for today. “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” which is by the one and only Dr. Sues. Thank you for listening!

The Introduction of My Book Blog and How It Works

  Hi,I am Ivy.I am so glad to start my new book blog.The main purpose of this blog is to post book reviews and thoughts about books that I read.Considering the fact that I didn't grow up in English environment,some of my reviews may contain some grammatical errors.If that happens,I am very sorry for that.Basically,I will be posting book reviews two or three times a week.