Apocalyptic Novels

Memory Boy by Will Weaver:

Want a hometown story? This is a great one and very short to read. Miles & his family live in Mpls. When Mt. Rainier and most of the Cascade range erupt the USA, Canada, and Russia are devastated. Ash blown into the atmosphere affects the global climate, reducing crops and killing animals. Miles' family decides it's too dangerous in their suburban neighborhood and they head north to their cabin in Bemidji via unique transportation. When they arrive, they find squatters unwilling to leave or share THEIR cabin. Miles suggests heading to Itasca to find a cabin built by a man he met in the local nursing home. Mr. Kurz gave Miles all the information necessary not only to find the cabin but also to survive in the far northern woods of Minnesota. Can he convince his family this will be the best option and will they survive?

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Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank:

Randy Bragg wants to live peacefully in his childhood home located in Fort Repose, FL. However, when his brother tells him to prepare for war, he doesn’t believe life could change. Within 24 hours, he’s taken in his brother’s family, stocked up on food and hunkered down. The night explodes and war devastates the USA. All around the city, the residents watch mushroom clouds blossom in Tallahassee, Orlando, Tampa and other cities. The communication lines shut down. The last mail truck drives in and food becomes scarce. They realize their little Fort Repose is a bubble of safety from the destruction and radiation. They fight daily for survival, not knowing who has survived outside the city. Law & order disappear and paper money becomes nothing as bartering systems develop. Can they survive and rebuild?

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Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer, reviewed by K. Jones (a classmate):

Miranda’s journal chronicles her busy life as a teenager: hopes for a driver’s license, fights with her mom and changing friendships. After hearing about a meteor colliding with the moon, Miranda’s life changes and she begins to wonder about her future. The asteroid creates worldwide disasters that no one could have fathomed: tidal waves, thunderstorms and volcanic eruptions. Miranda’s family is forced to make tough choices as far as stockpiling food and buying gas when they can. Nothing is a luxury anymore in this world, and Miranda begins to question if her and her family will even survive. Despite everything that happens in this novel, Miranda tries to cling to some sort of normalcy. She still wants to date her swimming teammate Dan, and she fights with her mother about everything (depending on the day). Miranda even admits through her journal entries that she does fight with her mother quite a bit, but she never gives up on loving her. Throughout the novel Miranda’s determination starts to build and one can see how dedicated she is to surviving and keeping her family alive as well. Even though Miranda and her family are faced with the worst of times, they stick together through it all.

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The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins:

Everyday Katniss goes out to scrounge for food for her family. With luck and skill, she can avoid arrest and gather enough editable items to sustain them yet one more day. When the time comes for each district to offer up 2 children 12-18 years old as tributes, Katniss plays her part. She even steps in to volunteer in place of her sister who is chosen in the lottery. The tribute knows that this is life and death. Every child chosen, 24 in all, will fight to the death in the Games. The winner will enjoy lifelong prosperity. The losers will die. Katniss soon learns how to manipulate the system to get rewards and necessary supplies. She even goes as far as pairing with the boy from her district in order to survive and win.

Captivated, absorbed, "drawn in" to a book

I have been captivated by Harry Potter and his friends. I should include some of his enemies also. I have read many "sci-fi/fantasy" books and authors in my life. This is one of the best series and not just because it's a currently popular series. Most people make a common statement about these books--they draw you in. What does it mean to "draw you in?"

I've been "drawn" into books since I was in elementary school. I literally see the story as it unfolds and feel almost as if I was an unseen spectator at the side of the scenes. In the rare instance I can feel what the characters feel and my senses are engaged. It's rare and it's weird, but there it is. I often come back into this world and sigh deeply, as if I was holding my breathe. Since I was young, my mom would say I blocked out the rest of the world when I read. My husband says it now (but I told him that first). I literally do not hear the real world when I am reading. Is this what it means to be "drawn in?"

Can a person be captivate by a story to the point of losing sense of reality? Yes, and it's a hard thing to do. The author is responsible for that feeling, that occurrence. The reader is not. It does help to be a little susceptible to imagination and open minded to all sorts of possibilities. Most books captivate me. I could probably count the number that have not done so. Another end result of this feeling is the staying power of a story. For example, Little House on the Prairie has never failed to enthrall young girls. Treasure Island makes swashbucklers and treasure seekers of us all. These books have been around, and will continue to "draw in" readers, for a long long time.

National Council of Teachers of English - Homepage

National Council of Teachers of English - Homepage

American Library Association

American Library Association

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Reading Lolita In Tehran by Azir Nafisi

This is an autobiographical account of a native Iranian woman who returns to Iran at the start of the 1980's. She remains in Tehran, teaching at local universities until the mid 90's when she is allowed to leave for further scholarship. Her account of the political and religious fighting is eye opening to Westerners. Through a select group of women, hand chosen for the book discussion group by Nafisi, she explores how Iranian women and the whole of Iran see Western culture. It's especially interesting because she focuses on Western literature in the book group.

Having read many of the books she writes about, I find it interesting the similarities and differences in interpretation. For instance they read The Great Gatsby. I read that in high school. Even as "Westerners" we were able to pick out the decadence of the lifestyles and how Fitzgerald focused the story around the effect of that decadence. However, Nafisi's students went a step further and used the story to illustrate how "Western culture", overly decadent would sweep our culture away and morals would be lost. Obviously some of the insights were based on religious beliefs along with cultural beliefs.

It was a very interesting read. I learned a great deal about the politics and religious clashes that I did not hear about in school or on the news. It's easy to follow, all the while illustrating the take over by the Ayathollah Khomeini. (I know I just massacred the spelling)

One of the "Best Websites" for storing your books online

You want to check out LibraryThing to store and organize your whole library online. If you are especially strapped for space (the poor college student moving from apt. to apt) or if you're restricted by a spouse or another roommate (you only get one (1) bookshelf!) or if you just can't stand having all that CLUTTER, get yourself subscribed to LibraryThing.

Starting a Blog--all about books.