Week 5: Not Where I Want to be

As the quarter comes to an end (only one week after this one), this post is a little more about me as a reader than the book. As I thought about independent reading, more than anything, I felt disappointed. I thought about what I'd gotten done this quarter and must say I'm not pleased. I have worked much harder this year in English (and all my other classes too), yet I still fell behind in a critical area, independent reading. With a requirement of 3 books, I only managed to read 1 this quarter. I started Da Vinci Code knowing it counted as 1 and a half books. I am definitely far enough along to consider it one book, but to my standards, ms. O'Brian's standards and my parents standards that is not enough. I am nearly finished with The Da Vinci Code, and plan to finish it during the weekend (I have also been reading during the weeks too, just apparently not enough). I plan to then finish one book (The Five People You meet in Heaven) by Wednesday (we have Tuesday off, it's doable). Then, I'll do my best to get somewhere in Kite Runner (if possible). One thing's for sure though. As we roll into next quarter, I will do my best to not let this happen again.

Week 4: A secret Civilization

My fourth week of Independent reading (going strong, so far I've read more this year than all of 7th 8th or 9th grade, I'm impressed), took me to a new world of an ancient mystery. In these chapters, Robert Langdon -- a harvard professor who works with symbology and renaissance art -- learned from french police cryptologist, Sophie Neveu that Sanuiere (if you recall he is the murdered curator of the Llouve) belonged to a secret organization. This secret organization was started in the 11th century and greatly impacted by the work of Leonardo Da Vinci. Carrying a well kept secret, crucial in the catholic religion, members of this organization kept its presence little known. Langdon explained a history involving the secret they protect which includes a great deal of violence and blood shed. As the story progresses, the reader is left curious what this could possibly have to do with a murder 500 years later of a prominenant man in the world of art. Additionaly while all this happens, a meeting takes place between the Pope and the archbishop of Opus Dei. I am anxious for independent reading in class tomorrow where I will get the chance to see how this all unfolds.

3rd Weekly Post

Now this book is really starting to get good. Much of the last passage I read took me to the world of the mystery's antagonist, Sillas. Sillas is part of a small branch of the catholic church known as Opus Dei. Opus Dei members believe that people have sinned to a great extent; so to make up for the mistakes of mankind they condemn themselves to a life of pain. Much like clergy in a catholic church, they may not marry, but worse than that they wear a swaddle (or band) around their backs which will cause a great deal of pain to remind members of this sect of sins committed by mankind. Sillas adopt catholicism to this extent after escaping jail (he was imprisoned for stealing food that he needed to survive). During the chapters I read, Sillas was admitted into saint-sulpice, a grand catholic church in France, and he was last seen breaking open the floorboard to obtain a keystone. Expected to tell Sillas what to do next (following his murder of Sanuiere). These chapters are truly spine chilling as the reader learns of the villain in action, committing a crime for reasons beyond the readers knowledge.

2nd Weekly Reading Post

Oops. Just realized my last post was only saved as a draft and never published. Let's hope this one works. Other than that my reading experience has been pretty good. Continuing in The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, I found that I actually really like mysteries. When I left off, Robert Langdon had just left Sophie Neveu in his attempt to escape to the embassy. Yet much more happened to lead up to that. Langdon had just cracked the code left by the murdered curator of the Lourve, Jacquess Sanuiere. This code states the phrase "Leonardo Davinci/ The Mona Lisa". This only sparked my curiosity and interest in the book. What could artwork from about 500 years have to do with the murder of such an important figure in the world of art? While that problem emerges, the book returns to the main problem: Langdon must get to the embassy! I hope that during independent reading tomorrow some of these mysteries get solved, and of course this store continues to be as intriguing as it is now.

First Weekly Post

So far, actively reading an independent book is going significantly better than I thought it would. Since independent reading in class on Friday, I've managed to also get through another twenty or thirty pages. The book I'm reading is The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown. It is a truly captivating story. Since the third page I felt like I was just watching another episode of 24 -- which happens to be the best show on TV. This book has it all: just 80 pages into it, there's already a murder, a suspect, and a major conflict for the main character. Another really cool thing that sets The DaVinci code apart from other books is the fact that (at least so far) it takes place in the llourve. The reason that the setting makes this book stand out is the fact that during the course of the story, the reader gets a brief look into the artistic world. Lacking all talent in art possible, I had no reason to want to learn more about art. Yet finding out more while reading the course of this book only makes it more interesting.

Summer Reading

I had not actively read an independent reading book since sixth grade and I was not very excited to start reading this summer. My parents didn't really care about that when they told me I had to finish two books this summer, then they told me about a book they both read, and suggested (well, forced me to) read. The book was Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, a novel written by Jonathan Safran Foer. The book dives immediately into the plot, in which the reader learns of the main character's love for his father, Thomas. But like any good story, something has to go wrong; and just as the reader gets to know Thomas and his parenting, he tragically dies in the attacks of 9/11. The story then follows Oskar, as he finds a key belonging to his father, that he believes will help him learn more about his dad, and even his death. But of course no story can be complete without a strange romance: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close follows the love life of Oskar's grandparents, who were separated before the birth of Thomas. To follow Oskar's journey, fatherless, young, and naive, to understand more about his deceased father check out Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer.