Brave New World, By Aldous Huxley-The Complete Book

I found this futuristic book fascinating. This classic was written in the early 30s. The book is about a Utopian society ruled by a totalitarian government. The government ruled society with science and technology. There was no such thing as marriage, and people did not have parents. In what is basically a factory, they produce many embryos. The society consists of many castes each of which is assigned a Greek letter (with alpha being the highest caste, then beta, etc.). Each caste consists of similarly made up people; both in terms of physical and intellectual characteristics. The higher casts are conditioned to be more physically and intellectually impressive. The people who are part of the society consider themselves to be "civilized," while they call people who are not part of this society "savages." In addition, when one is different from the rest of his/her caste rumors fly around about things happening to this person's embryo during their development. For example, since Bernard is "different" from the rest of his caste, people say that alcohol got into his embryo and that is the reason he has turned out the way he has.
Relationships in this society are also very interesting. It is not only accepted, but also encouraged for people to be involved with multiple people of the opposite sex at the same time. The concept of love is not known/accepted in the society.
The way the children learn is also very interesting. Instead of actually teaching the children, when the children are asleep they listen to lessons being repeated over and over again. They have done scientific experiments proving the fact that this is the most effective learning strategy.
Another interesting thing about the book is the characters' use of something called soma. This has a similar affect to alcohol and is used in the book as an answer to everything.

Deception Point, By Dan Brown-The Complete Book

I finished Deception Point a few weeks ago, and am well into Brave New World (which is very interesting) but never got to post a final blog for Deception Point so I thought I'd do it now. Dan Brown amazed me yet again with another great ending to a fantastic, exciting book. By the end of the story, I couldn't put the book down with constant surprises, the book was very exciting. Dan Brown did a great job of making the ending very dramatic. I liked his creativity in how Senator Sexton's story ended as his assistant and daughter worked together to set him up to let all of his secrets out and cost his campaign, while at the same time getting President Herney out of the mess with respect.
Overall I really enjoyed the book. The overall plot was similar to other books I have read by Brown in that all of them had ups and downs in the plot at similar points in the book. They also had similar surprises in that many of the people are not actually who they appear to be at the beginning.
I'd also like to take this time to comment on Dan Brown's writing. While it is true that he is not the best writer, his ideas are very good, and his plots and characters are very developed as well. I also like how he writes many different plots at the same time that eventually all come together. While this all seems very confusing at first, it does not take long until you understand it and it really makes it fun to read. There is never a dull moment in his books.

Clemente, By David Maraniss-The Complete Book

Being a baseball fan, and being fascinated by the history of the sport, I found this book very interesting. While I admit the book was boring at times, it tells a truly great story along with all the facts you can possibly imagine. David Maraniss also does a great job of giving a detailed summary of all the important games and world series. I also like how at the end of the book, he tells about different people's reactions to his death--from fans of Roberto Clemente to close friends and family.

The book tells the story of one of baseball's greatest players. What makes Clemente so special is the adversity he had to overcome. Being one of the first Latin American players to play in Major League Baseball, Clemente experienced a lot of racism from fans, players, coaches and others. However, he was still able to be successful and even won an MVP award. On top of all this, he was one of the most generous athletes in the history of sports, constantly donating and doing what he could to help others in need. In December 1972 for example, Managua, Nicaragua was hit by an earthquake. For days, Clemente worked tirelessly on the relief effort. Eventually, Clemente personally got on a plane from Puerto Rico to Nicaragua to deliver supplies. Unfortunately, the plane went down, and Clemente as well as the other 3 people in the plane were killed. Clemente was 38.

Deception Point, By Dan Brown-#7

As the book builds up to its climax I am shocked with what has just been revealed. I am amazed by who in fact is the controller, and also by the involvement in the plot of other characters in the book. I find Dan Brown's writing skills unbelievable. He completely steers the reader in the wrong direction, so much so that when the secret came out, I had to re-read the line over and over again to make sure I actually read it correctly. It is amazing how off all of my ideas and predictions could be. Thinking back on it however, I am really not surprised. I knew the whole time that no one was exactly as they seemed after reading other Dan Brown books when he did similar things with the characters. But still, I did not expect that it would be this extreme. Now that I think about it though, I do not understand why they needed to track Rachel's call when Pickering already knew where she was. I was also impressed by Rachel's quick thinking, getting the controller to give the ship power for just long enough to send out the fax to her father. I also wonder what Gabrielle's role will be throughout the rest of the book. My prediction is that she goes to try to save the senator's daughter because from what it seems like he may not. In addition, I was amazed with Senator Sexton's reaction to the whole thing and I am eager to find out what he will do. I know that he and Rachel do not have the best relationship but I was still shocked when the book said that he even thought about the political advantages of his daughter dying because of the sympathy he would get. I know that he is not a good person, but that is still extreme. And, that is why I predict that Gabrielle will try to save Rachel. Gabrielle knows Senator Sexton and knows that he will probably not try to help her especially by the fact that he dismissed her, saying she was of no more assistance to him. Plus, she clearly won't just disappear from the book. I am very eager to finish the book.

Quarter 1-Blog Reflection

So far, I have found the experience of using a blog for independent reading very interesting. I think it is a good way of getting ideas out and reflecting what you have read. I have noticed that I talk a lot about what impressed things that the author did as well as other very general things about the book. I would like to get more specific about the book. I have also made a lot of connections about different parts of the book to other books by the same author.
In future blogs, I hope that I can be more specific and also I would like to ask more questions and make more predictions about the book. So far my posts have been extremely general and I would really like to work on being more specific with my comments about the book. I think that while my comments are insightful, they are not necessarily about the right things. I have written too much about the style of the author and not enough about the conflicts and plot of the book. Overall, I hope that I can make my blogs better, with more information in the future.

Deception Point, By Dan Brown-#6

The complexity of the plot of Deception Point continues to amaze me as it continues to build on itself. It seems that every chapter a new twist presents itself and with that comes a new subplot. Each of these makes you question a prediction made earlier about one of the other plots. Another thing that I like about all the Dan Brown books is how much I learn. I find all the facts fascinating and I learn a lot about areas I would not have otherwise known about. I am very anxious to find out about President Herney's involvement in the lie about NASA's discovery. I do not think he knew about it but do not know for sure. I am also curious as to what all of Marjorie Trench's reasons are for lying about the discovery. Obviously, she wants her administration to stay in power, and she wants to keep her job, but it also seems like there has to be more to it. In addition, as I have found in reading other Dan Brown books, character development is a huge part of his writing. In this book, it is very easy to picture characters, and because of the deep characters, it is very easy to understand, relate to, and vizualize what is happening in the book. Overall, I continue to enjoy Deception Point because of its complex plot and well-developed characters.

Deception Point, By Dan Brown-#5

Page by page, the book is getting more and more intense, and closer and closer to its climax. It follows a similar plot to the other Dan Brown books I read, Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code. In each of these books, the people who are supposed to solve the mystery have all different specialties and areas of expertise, that, when put together, allow them to solve the mystery. In addition, in each one of the books, the main characters get in some sort of trouble for what their claims because people don't believe them. I am anxious to see how they get through to the president and how he responds to the claims. I am also curious as to what will happen to the relationship between Gabrielle Ashe and Senator Sexton as well as how Senator Sexton will react when he finds out his daughter's involvement in the NASA discovery that ruined his campaign. I also am eager to learn more about the mysterious unit that attacked the group of scientists. I am very excited to continue my reading and discover the answers to my questions.

Deception Point, By Dan Brown-#4

This book continues to keep my interest. Rachel, Tolland, and Corky are close to their deaths, but it seems like there is a good chance that the men from the submarine will get to them in time to save them. In addition, it was recently revealed that NASA put the meteorite into the earth, and set it up; meaning that the organisms are from earth, not another planet. In addition, Gabrielle Ashe has just gotten confirmation directly from a conversation she overheard that involved Senator Sexton. He is in fact accepting bribes for his campaign. I am anxious to find if and how NASA's secret about the meteorite gets released and what exactly it is and all of the reasons it was it was done. In addition, I wonder what Senator Sexton and President Henrey's responses will be to this. I know from reading other Dan Brown books that it is not as simple as it seems. I am very excited to see how all this plays out.

Deception Point, By Dan Brown-#3

The book is constantly getting more and more interesting and more and more intense. More and more plots are developing and more and more plots are coming together. In each and every chapter, another secret is uncovered, and there are constant surprises. I am still itching to find out who it is that Senator Sexton has been having all these secret meetings with, as well as what Marjorie Trench wants with Gabrielle Ashe. These are both questions that should be answered soon. Similarly to other Dan Brown books I have read, I am constantly waiting for the next big twist to occur. I am also very anxious to find out exactly what it is that they may have found in hte meteorite. Overall, I have been very happy with this book so far and I look forward to continuing it.

Decption Point, By Dan Brown-#2

After another week of reading and getting farther into the book, I am enjoying Deception Point more and more. Rachel Sexton has gotten called by the president (her father's opponent in the election) to look at something that NASA discovered. She finds out what was discovered but the president has yet to tell her what her part is in all of this. I have also learned more about Rachel's estranged relationship with her father and why she resents him so much. I am still in the early stages of the book. There are still many things I am yet to find out, and they are still setting the scene for the rest of the book. This was the case when I read two of Dan Brown's other books. Similarly to this book, those books took a long time till they really got fully into it. However, it is still very good. There are multiple plots that develop and go on simultaneously. This keeps the book interesting. It also makes you ask questions, think, and make constant predictions about who is who and how all the plots will come together later on in the book. I am very excited to find out the answers to my questions and whether or not my predictions are correct.

Decption Point, By Dan Brown-#1, The Beginning

After reading The Da Vinci Code, and Angels and Demons by Dan Brown, I had to read more. That is why I picked up another of his books; Deception Point. Although not that far into the book, I have already learned a lot about some of the characters. The main character, Rachel Sexton, has been introduced. She is in an interesting position, working for the government, while her father, with whom she has a strained relationship with, is running against the current President of the United States for the office. Her father, Senator Sedgewick Sexton is not the most honest man. In addition, his wife, Rachel's mom died recently. This situation will make the story interesting enough, and with NASA somehow involved I am eager for the book to push into full gear.

Angels and Demons, By Dan Brown

Angels and Demons, by Dan Brown, is a great suspenseful book. This mystery has many twists and turns along the way. The many characters are well developed making it easy to picture exactly what is going on. It is unbelievable to read how the main character, Professor Robert Langdon, goes through his thinking and figures everything out using the most subtle clues. It is also fascinating to learn all the details about the secret societies and other locations. While, not the best written book, the excellent story definitely makes up for those shortcomings. The plot is very well thought out. Throughout the book there are many ups and downs, twists and turns. Once I started this page turner, I was never able to put it down.

Breaking Back: How I Lost Everything and Won Back My Life, By James Blake

The autobiography, Breaking Back: How I Lost Everything and Won Back My Life, by professional tennis player James Blake is a book that would be enjoyed by tennis players and non-tennis players alike. This feel good story teaches valuable lessons for use both on and off the court. It tells the stories of how James Blake overcame the many hardships he faced including being diagnosed with scoliosis as a kid, breaking his neck during practice, the death of his father, and developing the virus called shingles which temporarily paralyzed his face. He eventually perseveres and comes back to the game of tennis better than he was before. The book tells about all the steps he took to make the comeback, and how all of his misfortune made him a better person. By learning about his suffering, and the lessons he learned from it, you too will also learn about these valuable lessons. Breaking Back is a must read.