Week of September 14 through 20, 2009

Paul Eugenio on Rocket Boys

Rocket Boys was a fantastic book about how a group of boys in a small mining town, worked hard in order to free themselves from their pre- determined lives of a coal miner. The book had much more background than the movie and allowed for the each character to be unique; however, the movie, like many movies based on books, took away from this, making them just a bunch of persistent kids who quickly developed better and better rocket designs. I feel that If I would not have read the book, I would never understand each and every one of the characters in the movie. It also seemed that the movie added events that never happened, such as Sonny working in the coal mine, and took away from important background details, like him an his brothers constant fighting and hindering each other. All and All- Good Book, True Story

Alan Kung "The President Calling"

I liked listening to the Johnson part of the podcast because he had a way of manipulating people by seeming to understand and take up the side of the person he talks to. It's also very interesting listening to him speak so informally because normally the only time you hear the president speaking, he is in an interview or making a speech. I now have a view of the president as a regular human being instead of a powerful man that sits in a desk 24/7 making extremely important decisions. But he did have important decisions to make, such as in the Vietnam war. I would not be able to make decisions under that amount of pressure. He was a good president because he wanted the opinions of others before he made the decision himself.

Mary Katherine Tebo in response to Garrett Rady

I originally planned on reading Catch-22, having heard it repeatedly referenced over the years and likewise wanting to discover the meaning and origin of the phrase. However the first 50 pages failed to capture my attention and since I do not think this is a book to be rushed through, I ultimately decided to switch to a different book. I do plan to go back and read it when I have more time to devote to it as it is obviously an important piece of literature and a book that I think I can grow to love.

Deanna Hamm: Rocket Boys

The book that I have read this summer is Rocket Boys by Homer H. Hickman. I was interested in reading Rocket Boys since I first saw the movie October Sky in 2007 and loved it. I liked how genuine the story was and that it wasn't exxagerated as some Hollywood movies are. Rocket Boys also was recommended by someone who previously read the book as an assignment, and one was one of the few books for school that they enjoyed.

Deanna Hamm in response to Mary Katherine Tebo

I like how Mary Katherine brings up the point that The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is such an important American classic because of its symbolism and morals. Of course how the movie is so well recognized, the choice in reading the book was popular because most of us are so familiar with it. I think reading The Wonderful Wizard of Oz will help to understand and focus on other morals and details that are not portrayed in the movie.

Alan Kung in response to Josh Dennis

I had heard that "Catch-22" was a good book, but that was after I had already ordered "Band of Brothers". I heard "Catch-22" is a very funny book with an interesting and, at least at the beginning, a somewhat hard plot to follow. I also heard the movie is good, but books are usually better than movies, so I think I will enjoy reading the book a lot.

Alan Kung "Band of Brothers"

The way I heard of this book was through the HBO TV series. My brother had seen it and bought the series, so I decided to read the book before I watched the show. It was a whole lot more exciting than I had thought it would be when I first started reading it. I had never before read a non-fiction book about war, but "Band of Brothers" has changed my view point on similar books for the better.

Chris Bozik in response to Mary Katherine Tebo

I find it interesting that though a majority of the people chose to read The Wizard of Oz because of their love for the movie, everybody seems to take something different from the actual book and focus on different elements of the story. For instance, you focused on the symbolism placed in the story. Although i did notice and enjoy that element of the story i was more enticed by the expanded character development as well as learning how everybody ends up in the story at the end.

President Calling

Nixon

I am commenting on president Nixon. President Nixon was a man of great responsibility. He always made sure he had his teams support and his facts straight. For example, Nixon would make his own search team in the White House and investigate with his team. This amuses me because not all presidents do this and it just proves how unique he is. Also, even though he did not attend an Ivy League school he still made it to the town. This suprised me because most of the other presidents did attend Ivy League schools and attended the number one schools. In addition, when Nixon picked the supreme court canidates he picked them individually to help out each state. This shows how Nixon really cared and had payed specific attention to pick the right canidates. During his presidency Nixon was very smart about keeping the telephones in the White House tapped. He found valuable information especially invloving Kissenger, one of his respected colleagues. The one thing that irritates me about Nixon, is that in his first address about the Watergate Scandal, he sounded absolutely clueless. He knows more about it than he is acting like and I can't figure out if he is just not telling country about it yet or if he was playing stupid. But in the end, I do think Nixon is a good president because he tried so hard to keep whitehouse and the country from this scandal.

Kaitlin Ward

Pres. John Kennedy vs Gov. Ross Barnett

Listning to the phone calls between President Kennedy and Governor Barnett of Mississippi was in my opinion, a battle between enlightment thinking and medieval thinking. The debate in which Meredith, the incoming black soldier could attend Ole Miss unsettled the Governor and he was fixed on not letting him in. On the other hand, President Kennnedy thought of the racial bigotry as illogical, meaningless, and a backwards way of thinking for America. The phone calls between these two politicians show the divide in ideas they had and how hard it is for people with two different mindsets have a hard time working together when not of the same mind.

Mary Katherine Tebo

My book of choice was The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum, the reason being that I was curious to learn more about the book which inspired the movie that would instantly become, and has since, remained such a large part of American culture. As such, I was most intrigued by the moral of this story, emphasizing the idea that one already possesses happiness and only needs to realize it, just as Dorothy already had happiness without having to leave home. The chance to look into the symbolism that this book offers, particularly that of the lion, tin man, and scarecrow who already had what they desired all along and really only sought confirmation, attracted me as well, as it further supports the moral. This entire story comes together beautifully in a way intended to help the reader realize that the grass is not greener on the other side.

Gabrielle McCray in response to Wonmi Lee

I have previously read this book and found it very confusing I had to constantly go back and reread pages. Though it wasn't worth it in the end I do to like the concept behind the story.

Gabrielle McCray - The Wizard Of Oz

The book for my summer reading I have chosen to read is The Wizard Of Oz By Frank Baum. I chose to read this book because I have always been a fan of the movie. Its also known that movies don't always take after the original book, so I wanted to see the difference between them. I'm currently reading the book and can already see many differences in between the book and the movie.

Susanna Moore in response to Callie Schank

I absolutely LOVE the movie October Sky. I didn't realize that it was based on Rocket Boys until I read your comment. I think that I might read it now because it's such a great movie, and from my experience, books are always better than the movie.

Susanna Moore- The Wizard of Oz

I chose to read The Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum. I decided to read The Wizard of Oz because I loved the movie as a kid, and would watch it all the time. Also, I thought it would be neat to see the differences between the book and the movie. I'm reading it now, and I think it's fun to read about the characters that I grew up with.

David Rice JFK speech

For my speech i listened to John Fitzgerald Kennedy. I found out how he was able to control the country with his amazing speech abilities. For example during the Cuba missile crisis he was able to keep the country under control and resist threat. His speeches helped give insight into the situations that where occurring.

David Rice commenting on preston donalsonThe things thery carried

Sounds like a interesting book and one of the shinning lights during this controversial war. Sounds more interesting then a battle that happened almost 150 years ago.

David Rice Killer Angels

I choose the book Killer Angels by Micheal Shaara. I picked this book because i do not know a lot about the civil war because it is a sad time in the great nation of the United States of America. By reading this book i learned a lot about the Civil War and mainly the battle of Gettysburg. It even inspired the movie Gettysburg that helped me understand the battle of Gettysburg even more.

Preston Donaldson in Response to Bradford Oliver

I also saw the Band of Brothers series on HBO, and really liked it. I also would've picked this book, had i not found The Things They Carried first. I had wanted to read the book, but a few people had told that the book wasn't as good as the series, so I put it off, but after seeing you're description I might end up reading the book anyway.

Bradford Oliver commenting on Garrett Rady's Catch 22

I have always been interested about reading Catch 22 and that was my second choice but after reading Garrett's post and talking to some other people about reading the boo, I really want to read it now because the book sounds very interesting. I have seen the movie and the movie was really good and now i want to read the book and see how much more it goes into depth and I too always wanted to know what Catch 22 and I can't wait to read it.

Bradford Oliver-"Band of Brothers"

For the summer reading assignment I chose to read Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose. I chose to read this book because I have watched much of the series that HBO has made about this book. I really found the series very interesting and i enjoyed it a lot. So i started to read the book and found out that there were some parts of the book that were not shown in the series. I really enjoyed the book because Stephen Amborse did a really good job of goin to the guys in Easy or E company that were not dead and asked them about the journey through the European Campaign in World War Two. I have found out to myself that the book is a lot more intresting and goes into a lot more detail than the series and i would highly recommend this book to anyone that wanted a good read. i just realized i can edit other peoples posts.

Preston Donaldson - The Things They Carried

I'm reading The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien. It is a collection of stories about a platoon of soldiers during the Vietnam war, retold through a narration by one of them (Tim O'Brien). Only some parts of the story are remembered, and very personal details are shared, while some of the stories are revisited many times, and there aren't neccesarily clear beginnings and ends to the stories. for these reasons, it seems as if the reader is seeing the thoughts of the author, and not just the story.

Laura Cicone - The President Calling

I listened to a podcast of President Lyndon Johnson because I didn't know too much about him. He became President of the USA in 1963 after the JFK assassination. The speech I listened to was his speech to Congress directly after the assassination. He spoke mostly of equal civil rights, loyalty to the USA's allies, and the continuation of JFK's works. He also calls the USA a "peacemaker", yet later on he focused on the containment of Communism in Vietnam. The Vietnam War was ridiculously violent and bloody, so who was he to call himself and his nation the "peacemaker"?

Thomas Drawbaugh

For the summer reading assignment, I chose to read The Wizard of Oz. I had seen the movie many times, and I knew the plot. I chose to read the book to see any major differences in the book compared to the movie; there were plenty. Some things were added to the movie (the farmhands, Professor Marvel, and Mrs. Gulch added as Kansas counterparts to the Oz characters, making the Oz trip a dream to make the ending less abrupt) and worked out well. But they did cut and change a few things (cutting the village made of China, merging the two good witches into one character, and all sorts of changes in the last few scenes while Dorothy was still in Oz.) All in all, the movie was and still is great, but the book has a more thorough and deeper story. It was a good read.

Laura Cicone in response to Lindsey Grossman

Originally I wanted read "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" by Ken Kesey, but honestly I just could not get past the first 30 pages of the book. Those first few pages really turned me off from reading the book. It literally put me to sleep to read. The perspective of the narrator during the beginning of the book was too confusing and I couldn't bring myself to read anymore than that.

Apiphany Lawyer response to Chris Bozik

I agree about the book having more information on the main characters. I guess its not necessary, but it was interesting to read about. The book also said what would happen to each of the characters once Dorothy returned to Kansas.

Apiphany Lawyer - The Wizard of Oz

Unlike most people who chose to read The Wizard of Oz, I have never been a fan of the movie. I didnt know there was a book though, so I read it hoping I would enjoy it more. I knew that there would be some differences between the book and the movie, but I was shocked at just how many there were. The movie changed some characters and the flow of the book by adding in so much. The movie came off as corny at times and had a somewhat dark mood. I like the book better because I feel like it truly captures the childish mood of this magical land just right.

Chris Bozik- The Wizard of Oz

For my summer reading i chose the Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum. My initial reasoning for choosing this book (Like many others) was because growing up The Wizard of Oz was one of my favorite movies. My reasoning did delve a little deeper then that though. At its time of release the movie version was a ground breaking achievement and a story that awed movie goers with its initial sequence in black and white into color when Dorothy enters the land of Oz. I felt it would be interesting to read the original story to find the differences the book had from the movie as all book to movie adaptions have. Not to my surprise the book had a different feel then the movie. The book seems to be a little darker and also provides expanded background information on the main characters. From what I've read I almost prefer the book because it gives you the feeling of being more immersed in the land of Oz.

Garrett Rady Commenting on Wonmi Lee's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Wonmi's post on One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest answered both of my questions about the book. I was interested as to who's point of view the story would have been told. I have seen the movie and the movie focuses on Jack Nicholson's roll rather than the mute Indian but as Wonmi pointed out that the story is told from the mute Indian rather than Jack Nicholson’s roll. Also I wondered if the book would be more confusing to read than to watch the movie because psychology can be a complex topic. Other than those two differences I feel like the two are fairly close to one another in the stories.

Garrett Rady "Catch-22"

I chose to read Catch-22 by Joseph Heller because when I entered Borders to pick out a summer book, I asked the store clerk what she recommended. She gave me the rundown on each book and how she thought of each one and she kept going back to Catch-22. She kept saying how it was a very intricate book and it made you think. She also said it was one of the more complicated books on the list but also had a very sadistic humor to it. Since I don't mind reading complex novels too much and I enjoy humorous books I chose to read it. I also chose this novel because I have always heard of the phrase "Catch-22" but I never knew what it meant. Reading this book has taught me the origin of the phrase. I think it is important for people to know about famous phrases and to be familiar with a classic such as Catch-22 because I feel it makes you a much more rounded individual.

Jordan Webb -The Wizard of Oz

I chose to read The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum because the movie is one of my favorites, unlike the book. The movie is so much more cheerful and makes the story to be more like a fable or fairy tale. The book has so many more details about Dorothy’s adventure to the Emerald City like them staying at many different munchkins’ homes. The book also includes more background about each character such as the Tin Man’s love. You can tell the movie is made for younger kids, even though the book is an easy read, by all the singing and happy characters. I prefer the movie by far.

Chris O'Kelley "Frost/Nixon"

I chose this book because during the last presidential election I became really intrested in politics. Another reason I picked this paticular book was because I wanted to know more about the Watergate scandel (particuraly Nixon's opinions) and other events that occured while Nixon was president so I could build an opinion on him not just based on watergate.I also chose this because I find scandals and controversies to be really intresting. In addition, I think its important to learn about peoples mistakes and learn from them so I will not make a similar blunder.

Stephen Flowers in Response to Christopher Weeden

I find it interesting you would choose a book based on a movie because you should know movies are almost never like the book. Movie directors can't fit a 500 page book into a 2 and a half hour movie. That is why the movie always ruins the book. The movie for Rocket Boys will be extremely different then the book but that shouldn't affect your judgement of it. I only know one movie based on a book which doesnt completely ruin the book and that is Gettysburg. I still believe the movie will still have the same basic plotline as the book and that is what the movie is trying to do, and to make money which is the only reason they made the movie.

Stephen Flowers 'The Killer Angels'

The book I chose was 'The Killer Angels' by Michael Shaara. The reason it was because I am very fascinated by the Civil War and the bloodiest battle of the war. I also like the style of writing he uses and have read other books of his such as 'For Love of the Game'. I also love his son's books (Tallahassee native Jeff Shaara) who finished the Civil War trilogy and wrote novels of WWI and II as well as the Revolutionary War. The Movie 'Gettysburg' which is based on the book, I have watched many times and love how most of it was actually filmed at Gettysburg and it impersonated the book to a certain extent.

Shelby Grossman in response to Thomas Doredant

Lately (since I went to the Black Archives downtown) I have been very interested in American racial issues. I was inspired by Ruby Bridges and her brave act of integrating a school in Louisiana. Because of my recent interest, I think that I might enjoy reading Uncle Tom's Cabin and see the strength that both Eliza and Tom must show, especially in Tom's forgiveness. I would love to read about how they get themselves and their family through this horrific time.

Keyur Patel 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'

For my summer reading I chose to read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The reason I chose the book was because I had already seen the movie and wanted to see if the book was as good as the movie. I really enjoyed the book and noticed some differences between the movie and the book.

Zachary Laranang

Kennedy vs. Mississippi Governor Ross Barnett on enrollment of James Meredith in Univ. of Miss.

Kennedy's calls to Ross Barnett persuading him to allow African American student James Meredith to enter the University of Mississippi are divided into four parts. In part 1, President Kennedy calls Barnett, debating the governor's decision to deny Meredith enrollment in the university. Kennedy makes it clear that he has to carry out the U.S. Constitution but does not want to do it in a way that causes a lot of trouble, and says that he needs Barnett's cooperation. Barnett, a staunch segregationist, is obviously uncomfortable, and tries to stall by asking Kennedy if he has talked to the Attorney General, and if the Attorney General has talked a person named Watkins. Kennedy says yes, and then asks Barnett what his view is on the court order he has been given to allow Meredith in the university. Barnett answers that he needs a few days to think about it, and that he has to defend his state's constitution. He also gives a lame excuse that their state statue says that no one convicted of a crime or with a case pending against them may enter an institution of higher learning. The conversation ends soon after. Overall, I thought that it was obvious that Barnett was beating around the bush, and that Kennedy knew it, but decided that it was best not to push Barnett just yet.

In part 2, Kennedy tells Barnett that he is aware of Barnett's feelings about the court order, but wants to know what he and the state police are specifically going to do to maintain law and order. Barnett goes on about how they're "going to do their best" to maintain peace, but tells Kennedy how hard it's going to be, probably in an effort to subtly convince him to abandon the plan, and makes sure he mentions the tension that has arisen because of this issue, and asks the President if he could wait awhile until "everything cools off." I thought that Kennedy knew Ross was still trying to put off the issue, but was pressuring him to cooperate. The call ends soon after.

Part 3, instead of a telephone call, is Kennedy's address to the nation regarding the controversy.
He assures America that Meredith is living on campus, and that everything has been accomplished without the use of National Guard or other troops. He seems to consider everything a success, and then goes on to explain that nobody is above the law, and that it must be obeyed by everybody. The President also expresses his regret that the White House ever had to get involved, and subtly admonishes the state of Mississippi and its police for defying numerous court orders to allow James Meredith to enter the University of Mississippi. He ends the speech by saying that it is the responsibility of the students of the university to uphold the law.

Finally, in part 4, Kennedy demands that Barnett take charge of the riot that is currently happening on the University of Mississippi's campus. Barnett tells Kennedy that he will go to the campus and make a speech to try to calm everybody down, but implores Kennedy to make an order to remove James Meredith from the campus. Kennedy basically tells Barnett no, saying attempting to move Meredith would be dangerous considering the rioters, and also tells Barnett not to make a speech when he arrives at the university, telling him they will talk about what he will say beforehand. I could tell that the President was frustrated that he had made a premature speech regarding the situation as a success.

Overall, the way President Kennedy handled the situation was honorable, while the way Governor Barnett handled the situation was despicable. Kennedy made sure that the law was carried out, and tried to come to a solution with Barnett while at the same time understanding where he was coming from. Governor Barnett, on the other hand, at first tried to beat around the bush and prolong the inevitable, while assuring the President that he would cooperate fully. His personal prejudice contributed to his false assurances, and his unwillingness to accept the court's decision to allow James Meredith to attend the University of Mississippi contributed to the riots that ended up killing two people and wounding many.

Callie Schank- Kennedy speeches

I have always liked President Kennedy so I found it interesting to listen to him. I think he was doing the best he knew how with the whole racial issue in the south. Like it said it was one of his first big issues he dealt with so I think he was doing the best he could. I do agree that he didn't completely get what southern racisism was about beacuse he didnt live down here and understand just what all it involved. But I admire he zeal and attept to make things right and get things at Oxford changed. It was a big risk and attemt but I think that Kennedy was a great man and just trying to accomplish what he knew was right even though it caused riots in the streets. It was kinda sad that they ended up having to send in troops to end the riot, but then he also underestimated the power of the south.

-Callie Schank

Lily Smith, 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'

I chose 'Oz' By L. Frank Baum because I'm already very familiar with the film. Now that i've finished the book, I've found that it differs greatly from the film both in major plot events and small details, such as the color of Dorothy's charmed slippers.

Laura Cicone - The Wizard of Oz

I decided to read The Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum because it used to be one of my favorite movies when I was younger. I still have it on VHS to this day. I'm really excited to see how different the movie and the book are because it's practically a given that the movie is going to have to change things to make only a two hour long movie. I haven't finished the book yet, but it is written in such a simple manner. But I feel like I'm about twelve years old again because the word choice is completely straightforward and understandable.

Omari Anyabwile in respone to Christopher Weeden

I think its interesting for Chris to pick a book based off of a movie he saw. For instance, some movies just trash the book and do not go along with the story plot. The Harry Potter movies are a great example. All the books are terrific and capture you instantly. However, the movies skip the most important parts of the novel and sometimes leave you hanging. I'm not saying all novels tied with movies are disappointments. Spike Lee's movie Malcolm X was very true to his novel. Although he didn't put everything in, he captured the major plots of the movie and thats what made it a real thrill.

Thomas Doredant- Nixon

When i listen to President Nixon make his address about the Watergate scandle I had so many things going through my mind, even though I knew how the whole ordeal turned out, you could hear the sincerity in his voice. I think that he was just a little miss guided by all of the good he wanted to do for the people of America.

Thomas Doredant

For my book i chose to read Uncle Tom's Cabin. This book was written as an anti-slavery story and tells of the hard life of slaves. One of the main charactures of the book Eliza is forced to run away from the plantation she works on, when she learns her son is to be sold. But this book also has a good moral showing how Tom could be so forgiveing to all of the people that had wronged him so many times.

Kris Punshon in reponse to Lindsey Grossman

What Lindsey says about the book version of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest makes me really want to pick it up and read it! I saw the movie at the end of last school year in Ms. Hines AP Psychology class and enjoyed it. Despite the fact I have not read the book, it does sound similar to the movie how it takes a little while to get in to, but after you figure out what is really going on it's a great story!

Kris Punshon on Rocket Boys

I first time I saw October Sky in seventh grade I loved it. When I saw that I had the opportunity to read the memoir that inspired the movie for school, I was thrilled! The book was still just as great as the film and I ended up not being able to put it down. The story of Homer "Sonny" Hickam is definitely an inspiring one, and will always somehow drive me to keep pushing towards my goals. This book I will always recommend to someone looking for a good read!
-Kris Punshon

Lindsay Mindlin in response to Justin Rosenthal

I agree with a lot of what Justin wrote, especially concerning his initial reason for choosing the book, The Wizard of Oz. However, in addition to being exposed to the movie before the original book, I had also read the sequel series, The Chronicles of Oz. When I read the actual book, I was shocked to find some things that completely contradicted what I had read in the sequels. Though I thought, as Justin did, that I had an edge over the plot, I was very wrong.

Lily Smith, Response to "Lindsay Mindlin on 'The Wizard of Oz"'

I agree with Lindsay on the bluntness of the novel, and judging by the rhetoric and illustrations, I'm pretty sure it was published as a children's book. With the release of the movie, 'Oz' became a pop culture icon and staple, with a diverse fan base, beyond just young audiences.

Lindsey Grossman in response to Allie Burroughs

I somewhat disagree with what a lot of you guys are saying. Yes, the book does have more going on, such as an extra good witch, but I still feel that the movie is better. Granted, I did read the book in the eighth grade so I am a little fuzzy on it, but I remember that even then, two and a half years ago, I found the book infuriating in that it was so blunt in giving away the moral. I understand that it was written for children, but so was the movie and I appreciated the movie's slightly more subtle delivery, with the same light, enjoyable tone.

Lindsey Grossman - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

For my summer reading I chose Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. I chose this book because I had heard that the movie was really good and, from my experience, the book is almost always better. When I began reading I was thoroughly confused by Kesey's style of writing. The book is written from the perspective of one of the patients at the asylum, and this particular patient is quite paranoid. He is often speaking of things that are not real and this causes for a very confusing beginning to the novel. As the story progresses and there is more of a plot it gets easier to follow, and although this book took me a while to get through, I would definitely recommend it to other people and say that it was a very good story and I can't wait to see the movie!

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

For the summer reading assignment, I'm reading One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey. I chose this book because someone recommended it to me. It also seemed more interesting than the other choices. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is written from the point of view of a patient in a mental asylum. He describes his everyday life and how horribly the patients are treated in the asylum. Many of the patients don't have mental problems, but after they enter the asylum, they develop problems. Sometimes the book can be confusing because the narrator goes on tangents about his past and other things.

~Jane Xiao

Christopher Weeden in response to David Enfinger

David,
Reading a book that someone has recommended to you is a great idea because you know it must be a good book if your dad. It is also interesting that you have background knowledge of the place where the book takes place to give you an insight into what is happening and a greater knowledge of the book and movie. From reading the book, it seems like you have gotten plethora of helpful information to know what the soldiers' lives were like and what they had to go through to survive. I hope the movie doesn't disappoint the book for you which sounds very interesting.

Christopher Weeden

David Enfinger in response to Christopher Weeden

Unlike you I have not seen the movie that has been made out of my book so we are viewing this totally opposite. But you do make me think what will disappear from the book when I watch the movie and how it will change the effect on me. And you may learn something new you've never known by reading Rocket Boys.

Christopher Weeden

I've chosen to read Rocket Boys by Homer Hickham for my APUSH summer reading. Persuaded to read this book because i have seen the movie many times and enjoyed watching it, I hope it is as good, if not even better than the movie. I never knew there was a book that created a plot for the movie until very recently so I thought it would be interesting to see how the movie evolved from the book. There have to be some differences between the book and movie because the directors for the movies always have to make the movie turn out so that it will produce money, sometimes sacrificing the true history behind the plot. I am really interested in learning how much the director changed the book to fit a film plot that would work, but i guess i will have to wait till I'm done to know that.

David Enfinger

I chose to read Killer Angels for my summer reading assignment. One of the reasons I chose this book was because my dad recomended it to me after reading it and other books about the civil war. I also chose this book because I visited Gettysburg last summer and became more interested in it and Killer Angels is based around the battle there. From my visit i wondered where and what the troops were always doing and from reading this book i have found out every movement up to Gettysburg so far. Killer Angels has also showed me what the soldiers went through and how they dealt with problems and how generals would strategize and try to win a war.

Rocket Boys

I decided to read Rocket Boys as my book for summer reading. I have seen October Sky millions of times and absolutely loved it so I figured the book would be just as good. I hadn't realized the movie was based on a book until about a year ago and since then I have been wanting to read it, so now is a great time in my opinion!
-Callie Schank

Allie Burroughs

In response to Gina on The Wizard of Oz

I decided to read The Wizard of Oz for the same reason. I knew about the movie and the general plot, but I figured the book would be better since most books are better than their movie counterparts. I agree, the movie was vastly different than the book was, and that was kind of disappointing that some of the more interesting adventures were left out of the story line. Even though things in the book contradict themselves, like the scarecrow thinking when he has no brain, I think that it was better than the movie.

Allie Burroughs

Nixon on the Watergate Scandal

Listening to President Nixon share his feelings on the scandal was very interesting. Honestly, I really don’t know all that happened in the affair or who was actually guilty. Because of my lack of knowledge on the subject, the way Nixon addressed the citizens of the United States seemed very heartfelt and sincere. He claimed that he was appalled by the incident, and that he believed that his close associates were not guilty whatsoever. Nixon also said that facts about the issue were concealed from him and the American public, and that all he wanted was the truth from all those questioned, no matter whom it was. Nixon also said that he wanted justice to be served under his presidency, and that he could win back the trust of the U.S. citizens. Near the end of his address, Nixon says that no matter who it was under him that was guilty, the man at the top bears the responsibility, and he took the blame for the scandal. From my point of view, which would be similar to the general public at the time, Nixon seemed to be speaking as both the president and a man of honor. He seemed to genuinely care about the country and the trust of the American people.

Josh Dennis in response to Justin Rosenthal

Justin, every time I watch The Wizard of Oz, I am forced to ask, "What on earth was the author thinking?" Side note, when I was little and saw the movie for the first time, the flying monkeys really did a number on me. I would have nightmares of them coming at me while I was walking on the sidewalk and snatching me up to take me to the witch. Justin, you have inspired me to read the book someday when I am old and at a nursing home as an alternative to playing bingo.

Sincerely Yours,
Josh Dennis

Josh Dennis - Catch-22

Well, when I chose this book I didn't exactly realize that it was over 500 pages with small print... but oh well. I decided to read this book because I heard it was hilarious (opposed to boring), and I have heard of the phrase "catch-22" but I had no idea what it meant, so I figured I'd find out what it means. Plus it's a war book, and those are typically pretty good in my opinion.

Shelby Grossman

I chose to read the Wizard of Oz for my summer reading assignment. I chose this book because my sister bought it a couple of years ago and I never got the chance to read it. Seeing as that it is an American classic I was expecting a lot more from the book than I got. For some reason I had the idea in my head that it would be an eloquently written, more mature version of one of my favorite childhood movies- I was wrong. I felt that this book was written for a mother to read her child at night. It was so simple and completely illogical. The story says that Dorothy, a sweet child from Kansas, is dropped into Oz by an incredible storm. Along her treacherous journey home she meets a brainless scarecrow that is constantly thinking and planning, but with what? He's supposed to be without a brain! The other characters do the same in that the tin man cares without a heart and the lion is brave without courage. I understand that it is supposed to be a lovely story and the lesson in the end is that our main characters have had what they desired since the very beginning, what I don't understand is why this wasn't a twenty page childrens' picture book.

Victoria Durden in response to Savannah Bryant

It is an interesting point to examine and compare civil rights today versus civil rights in the time of Malcom X. Not only for African Americans but for all minority groups. I feel like our country has made considerable progress and as an avid traveler, I believe our country has overcome much more than many others in moving towards equality. Traveling has given me perspective on how open America truly is, compared to the views of the rest of the world. I wonder what Malcom X would think of today's civil rights situation, and if he would think that any of his goals for the American black man have been realized. I mean hey, our president is indeed black.

Victoria Durden on Malcom X

For my summer reading I chose to read the autobiography of Malcom X. My original reasons for reading this book varied. A very close friend of mine had recommended the book to me profusely, explaining that it had changed his life. I was also drawn to Malcom X's radical reputation, and was interested in how such an iconic figure in American Black history rose to such a positon. From reading Malcom X's autobiography I was given a veritable window into African American life and culture. From the streets of Roxbury to the streets of Harlem, Malcom X colorfully describes the pleasure and the pain of black America in the 1940s with a frankness that cannot be ignored, and can only be admired. Through reading the book it is easy to understand how many people may mistke Malcom X's philosophy for the liberated black man for black supremacy, however upon closer examination, one can see that Malcom is above all an advocate for African American equality in its truest sense.

Gina Menchetti JFK speeches

Kennedy, as a speaker, is actually quite eloquent. Although, as much as he uses very pleasing vocabulary words, at times he sounds very tired, and loses my interest (but his accent is fabulous). To me Kennedy's most persuading moment is when he is trying to get America to turn a new page, while he is reassuring that not one state is guilty for the acts of racial discrimination, he wants everybody to try to so hard to work at being a civil nation. I also found the actual telephone calls very interesting, because after listing to his polished speech it was nice to hear the president just talk with-out worrying what was coming out of his mouth. I also found it interesting that Kennedy still didn't know what was going on with the control of the mobs and such yet, and that he was questioning the progress of the governor. I feel like Kennedy was truly trying to be a Diplomat with this matter; while it was difficult for him to give himself 100% to the matter with student, he really did want to be able to push it through, but he did have other matters on his mind.

Gina Menchetti in response to Shelbi Nelson

Shelbi, after reading your blog about Rocket Boys you persuaded me to get a copy of the book. You've made me very curious to see how the boys were able to overcome their numerous hardships, and how they managed to build complex rockets in such a small town with hardly any supplies. I too have seen the movie October Sky and I found it really entertaining, but I had no idea that it was based off of an autobiography, so now I would like to actually hear the full story. I also understand your  dilemma about a movie not being nearly as good as the book it is based off of. 

Stephanie Everett - LBJ on Civil Rights

I immediatly noticed that he uses specific words to set a tone in his speech. He compares equal rights of blacks to war in America, and that if they do not get equal rights then America would fail as a nation. He says "There is no Southern problem. There is no Northern problem. There is only an American problem". I think this should be applied today, but not just for rights, but for the Republicans and the Democrats. He seems to be very genuine about wanting equal rights for all in a time when blacks were thought lowly of. After listening to just one speech by him I have found myself having a deep respect for him. He is very passionate about this issue, and after everything he says the crowd responds positively. I believe that they felt the same way about this issue that he did. I want to learn more about this president.

Gina Menchetti

For my summer reading I decided to read The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. While I was familiar with the overall theme because of the 1939 film, I was still intrigued to actually read the classic that started the whole phenomenon. I was very surprised to find just how different the two were, and was very disappointed that the movie didn't touch on many major adventures Dorothy and her friends encountered throughout the book. The book (in my opinion) had much more substance; and while the movie is always enjoyable to watch, the actual book has much more to offer. 

Savannah Bryant in response to Sami Stevenson

I've only seen parts of the Wizard of Oz movie, never the whole thing, but I've always wanted to read the book just because I had also heard it was a sort of parody of a time in history. But as far as the book being a dumbed down version of the movie, I saw that as a given. Movies are never as good as the books. But you saying you found the book exciting and peculiar definitely made me put it on my reading list.

Savannah Bryant

For my summer reading I chose to read the autobiography of Malcolm X. I hadn't seen the movie before but Malcolm X was always someone who had interested me. I wanted to see how the civil rights struggles of his time compare to the civil rights struggles of today. I wanted to see what was going through his head and why he stuck so strongly to his beliefs. And most importantly, I wanted to read this book because Malcolm X seems like a pretty cool dude. I thought it was interesting how his encounters with groups such as the KKK and civil rights groups began at the beginning of his life. I think the incidents surrounding the KKK and his childhood made him who he was, along with being able to follow his father to the UNIA meetings. I thought his time with drugs and the time he spent in prison showed that people can overcome anything that is thrown at them. I think it's interesting that such a well known & successful character went through such turmoils. Watching Malcolm's views grow and change throughout this book was very interesting to see. Probably my favorite thing was watching his radical views change as he became more involved in the Islamic religion and how he falls in love with the "colorblindness" of the Islamic people.

Stephanie Everett in response to Blair Crumpler

I think that the book you are reading sounds really interesting! I have always found the rumors about America from the immigrants interesting. But you can't help but feel sorry for them when thier dreams were shattered. I may just have to read that book myself.

Shelbi Nelson Summer Reading: Rocket Boys

I just recently finished reading the book Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam Jr. This book interested me because when I was a few years younger I saw the movie October Sky. It seemed like one of those feel-good, inspirational, good- to- be- an- American films. So when I found out that it had been based on an autobiography, Rocket Boys, I thought I might as well check it out. It turned out to be an amazing and very entertaining book. The boys show so much determination despite their less than confident parents hindering them. I found that the book Rocket Boys was much better than the movie. By reading the book you get much more insight into emotion and how long the rocket testing really lasted. The movie cut much of it out. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure-ish stories.

Sami Stevenson in response to Wonmi Lee

Wonmi you have definitely made this book sound interesting to me. You have made me wonder what it must be like when people are locked up in the insane asylum. I'm now curious as to how the guards treat them or what they can actually do while they're locked away and your description of the book left me intrigued. I might just have to read the book now.

Sami Stevenson

I chose the Wizard of Oz because I had seen the movie already and was curious as to what the book would be like. Also my brother a couple years back told me that the story was a reflection on a time in American history so I wanted to see if I could figure out what time that was. I haven't figured it out yet. And when I watched the movie again after finishing the book I discovered that a lot of things had changed, almost as if the movie was a dumbed down version of the book. It lacked the excitement and peculiarity that the book held.

Michael Hoffman in response to Taylor Newman

I agree that the movie wasnt as good as the book. The movie was too slow and i didnt like the casting. i agree that the book was very good though.

Michael Hoffman

I read Rocket Boys because I had read it before and also had seen the movie october sky. They were both entertaining. I liked them. I read rocket boys again and watched october sky again so that i could do the assignment. They were good. Like the first time i watched and read them.

Taylor Newman in response to Zachary Laranang

I agree with you that the book was much better but I didn't think Jack Nicholson portrayed McMurphy as well as everyone says. McMurphy in the novel was rebellious and wild but he always seemed breezy about the situation. In the movie, Jack Nicholson is a little too boisterous to give off the same joking feel and in parts I even sided with Nurse Ratched who was depicted a lot less cold than I imagined. It was still a good movie but I didn't really feel the characters come to life. McMurphy seemed annoyed by the Acutes in most of the movie which really let me down because the friendship they're supposed to have bonded was the backbone of the whole book. It's a hard story to recreate but the book is still one of my all time favorites.

The President Calling-Justin Rosenthal

For this assignment, I chose to listen to President Johnson, as many other students would be more drawn to JFK or to Nixon because of the more well-known events surrounding their presidencies. From the conversations with President Johnson I learned two main things about this particular president: that he was a very good communicator and also that he was not as perfect as I thought presidents were. President Johnson was able to call countless people per day and recorded his phone conversations just to hold people to their word, as well as communicating in a "politician style" very often to persuade people more easily by identifying with their point of view. Also, I have not studied this era of presidents in detail ever, but as a child I always believed presidents to be perfect. This was not the case with President Johnson. Some of his recorded phone conversations were not planned to be recorded, and also near the end of his presidency, he decided not to run for office again because of dwindling support. This podcast offered an interesting perspective on a not-so-well-known president's personality.

Taylor Newman

Although I originally wanted to read The Wizard of Oz, I decided to read something I wasn't familiar with and chose One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. It was kind of confusing at the beginning of the book but once McMurphy came in the story line became clear and it was a lot more entertaining than I thought it would be. I'm glad I chose the Cuckoo's Nest but I didn't really like the movie version of it. The character's personalities felt off and the events were all moved around but I guess that's bound to happen when converting any book to the big screen.

Justin Rosenthal in response to Cody Langley

Like Cody, I chose to read the Wizard of Oz because of my prior knowledge of the story's plot. In response to his comment about the book and movie's similar plot, I will agree that the central plotline is similar, though I believe that many surrounding points such as individual chapters and character development are very different.

Justin Rosenthal

The book I have chosen to read for the APUSH Summer Reading assignment is the Wizard of Oz. My reason for choosing it was the fact that I was familiar with the story because of already viewing the movie The Wizard of Oz. As I continued through the book, however, I learned that there are a plethora of differences between the book and the movie. The characters, especially Dorothy's, personalities in the movie differ very much between their comparable movie character, and the plot of the book includes many stories that were not mentioned at all in the movie. So, although I believed that I had an advantage in already knowing the story, that was not at all the case with The Wizard of Oz.

Ciara Lepanto- Nixon Addresses Nation Regarding Scandal

In my opinion, though President Nixon seems sincere in his delivery, sincerity can be practiced and perfected. The allegations were of such enormity that I have a hard time believing scandals as big as those could be slipped by the leader of our country without notice. In his speech, Nixon says that he had faith in those who told him that there was no truth to the allegations but his faith then faltered and ultimately switched, therefore making it not really his fault but he was willing to say it was. Honestly, it just sounds like he’s saying exactly what people want to hear; that he is appalled yet willing to be the hero and accept responsibility because somebody has too even though he was actually to blame. He mentions repeatedly all of his “personal orders” and his determination to “get to the bottom of the matter.” You know when you can tell someone is over compensating because they know they’ve done something wrong? That’s what he sounded like in the speech. Something just seems fishy at this point of the situation.

It was interesting to hear something like an old Presidential address--something I've never done. I never knew this sort of an application existed on iTunes where you could download recordings and clips for free. Very interesting; something to take advantage of in the future.

Ciara Lepanto in response to Wonmi Lee

Like you Wonmi, I was interested in how the author chose to portray the poor conditions of asylums through the perspective of a hallucinating patient. Although I also had a tough time getting through some of the pages, as the phrasing was not always the most obvious, I enjoyed the take on it. Sometimes I found it confusing to distinguish whether or not he was hallucinating or if what he dictated was actually happening. Nonetheless, I'm glad that I chose it. Have a good summer! See you in August.

Ciara Lepanto

For my summer reading assignment, I decided to read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey. One thing that drew me towards this book was that, out of all of the potential choices, this was the book I was the most unfamiliar with. Also, my parents as well as a friend of mine recommended this book. Before officially selecting it, I check to see what it was generally about and immediately became intrigued by the perspective from which it was written.

Blair Crumpler's Response to Michael Johns

Just as Michael Johns was drawn to the novel Silver Springs because of its focus on the environment, I was drawn to his post for the same reason. I am very big on protecting our planet, and I think that reading about the things that threaten it is extremely important. Michael's post was not only interesting, but a good overview of the book. Reading his post, I was reminded of my mom, who reads books similar to Silver Springs all the time (and subsequently shares the interesting points with me). I would love to read this book and learn more about the history of pesticides and herbicides, and their affects on the enviroment, plants, and people.

Blair Crumpler

For the AP United States History summer reading assignment, I chose to read The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. This book is about an immigrant's journey from a rural life in Europe to the stockyards in Chicago, Illinois. Traveling with family and friends, Jurgis Rudkus (the immigrant in question) came with several preconceived notions about all the money and happiness he could find in America. However, he soon comes to realize the horrors that working in a slaughterhouse brings. I chose to read this book because, several years ago, I picked it up when I was at a friend's house. This friend told me that when her mother read The Jungle in college, she became a vegetarian for several years. Being a vegetarian myself, I was extremely curious what this novel had in store, but I never actually sat down and read it until now. I find it quite easy to read and extremely fascinating.

Michael Johns in response to Wonmi Lee

This certainly sounds like an intersting book. I too am fascinated by the human psyche, but it is incredibly complicated to understand. I might have to read this book, as well. As fas as the conditions of the asylums, it shows how much society then treated its outcasts.

Michael Johns

Being an Environmentalist, I naturally gravitated towards Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. So far, this book is incredibly interesting. It is, as it says on the cover, "the book that launched the environmental movement." Focusing on the use of pesticides, herbicides, and other poisons used in the second half of the 20th century, it explains how they came into use, their popularity, and the unseen, unintended consequences. It goes deep into the chemistry aspect of these toxins, as well, making it very intriguing to the chemist in me. Also, she brings in many negative events that happened due to the use of these chemicals. One of which describes two small children who use an empty pesticide bag dropped by a plane to fix a tire swing. One child died and the other child went brain dead. All of the amazing, frightful, and eyeopening descriptions in this book shows the great consequences of pesticides, and how humans are part of nature, not separate entities.

Zachary Laranang Response to Kirsten Huffer's The Jungle post

Kirsten Huffer's post on The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair, was informative and interesting. I had heard of The Jungle before, and knew what it was about, but after reading Kirsten's post, I now have a much better idea of what kind of themes and ideas are contained within the novel, as well as of the general plot. The fact that this book sparked major reforms in the meatpacking industry by harshly depicting its disgusting conditions really makes me want to read it to see what all the fuss is about. Overall, it was a good, informative post.

Zachary Laranang

For the summer reading assignment, I chose option A because I wanted to read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The reason I chose this book was because I thought that the film adaptation was probably the best out of all of the choices (when compared to the other adaptations). I really like Jack Nicholson as an actor, and I couldn't wait to see the movie. However, after both reading the book and seeing the movie, and comparing the two, I was very surprised that, in my opinion, the book was a thousand times better than the movie. The movie, which makes the fatal mistake of reducing Chief Bromden to a supporting character and taking away his point of view (although admittedly filming the movie from his perspective while portraying his mental problems would have been difficult) omits and edits many aspects that gave the novel its appeal. The book was able to communicate the patients' sense of paranoia, their insanity, their savior-like view of Randal P. Mcmurphy, and the tyrannical rule of Nurse Ratched, as well as many other things all much better than the book. The only thing I really liked about the movie was Jack Nicholson's performance. I firmly believe that in order to successfully adapt a book to film, you must take one of that book's major characters and bring him to life on film through great acting, casting, screenwriting, and directing (Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden and Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh come to mind). Although Nicholson was physically different from the Randal Mcmurphy in the book, he perfectly portrayed the character's confidence, determination, and rebelliousness, and his Best Actor win was well-deserved.
After reading One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and seeing the film adaptation, I can say with complete confidence that the book is much better, and that it has become one of my favorite novels of all time.

Omari Anyabwile

I wanted to read Band of Brothers for my summer reading assignment because I thought it would be about the hardships of war. Instead I chose The Autobiography of Malcolm X since I had seen the movie and had little insight on the full story of his life. The book is a must read and grabs your attention from page one, some parts do become boring however the constant changes in his life and how he deals with them is inspiring. I hope i'm able to finish the novel before we go back to school.

Allie Burroughs

For my summer reading book, I first chose The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, but after reading a few chapters, I decided that I really wasn't that intersted in the book. So instead, I chose to read The Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum. I loved to movie as a kid, even though i had only seen it a couple of times, but I had never read the book. I figured that now would be a good time to finally read it!

Taylor Dayton

I listened to the most of The President Calling but what stuck out to me was Kennedy's conversations with the mayor considering the denial of a black man into the University of Mississippi.  To be honest, I don't know a lot about the presidents so I don't plan on writing a comment rich in history and point of view. Instead, I plan on writing about what I was able to comprehend, and hopefully after taking APUSH i will be more qualified to give an opinion based in fact and history.  

I was very surprised when the mayor was interrupting the president. If I got a chance to talk to Obama I would be all ears. Kennedy tried to solve the situation over the phone, and tried to avoid sending in troops and causing a scandal. This reminded me of the recent scandal of Professor Gates in which Obama invited him and the officer to the white house to settle things. Both situations dealt with race.  I admire how both Kennedy and Obama would like to calm things rather than stir them up.  However, Kennedy was unable to calm things, and rioting broke out.  Although he sounded persuasive over the phone, obviously he couldn't convince Mayor Barnett to fix things.  Hopefully by inviting Professor Gates and the officer to the White House, Obama will do a better job of avoiding a riot than Kennedy. These two issues are almost fifty years apart and I hope that in fifty years the issue of race will be long gone, and presidents will be able to focus on other things. 

Wonmi Lee

I have decided to read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. I was thinking about reading The Wizard of Oz, since I loved the movie when I was younger, but I wanted a fresh and new story. I choose One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest because this book explored the human mind and psychology. This story is an Indian, "mute" Indian man, a pretend patient, and a Nurse who dictates the asylum. This book, in my opinion, reflects the poor conditions of the asylums and metal wards in the late 1900's, the patients experiencing crude and harsh punishment and degrading life routine. Though it was confusing, because the book is in the point of view of the Indian man who hallucinate and has paranoia, I liked the moral of the story.

Kirsten Huffer on JFK and Civil Rights

Eavesdropping on JFK's telephone conversations and listening to his public addresses regarding civil rights was far more interesting than reading a dull, drawn-out textbook discussion of the same issue. Even so, I appreciated having a transcript so that I could follow the discussions more easily, especially when the president and Governor Barnett interrupted and tried to speak over each other. Although the recordings were very informative, I wish there had been a brief paragraph of background information on the topic so that I might familiarize myself with it before I began listening; unfortunately, it was not until I reached JFK's explanation in his public address that I fully understood the situation involving James Meredith and the University of Mississippi.
Overall, I was impressed by the way JFK intervened to ensure that the court orders were carried out in Mississippi to permit Meredith , an African American, to enroll in and reside at the University of Mississippi. I was equally impressed by JFK's delicacy, patience, and restraint in talking with Governor Barnett, whose attitudes toward race relations were obviously quite different from JFK's.
The podcast did leave me with several unanswered questions: Did Governor Barnett drive to the scene of the riot, and if so, what was the outcome of his appearance? Was the riot successfully repressed, or did violence continue in Mississippi? What happened to Meredith? Did they manage to transport him safely, or was he injured or even killed during the rioting? If he reached his destination unharmed, did he fall victim to violence later while attending the University of Mississippi?

Kirsten Huffer on The Jungle

Initially, I was torn between reading Rocket Boys and The Jungle, but eventually I decided upon the latter. When my seventh grade American history class was studying the progressive era, my teacher read a selection of rather disturbing passages from Upton Sinclair's muckraking masterpiece. My morbid curiosity piqued, I began to read it, but abandoned it about a quarter of the way through in favor of a lighter, less depressing (and less disgusting!) book; this summer, however, I was determined to finish it.
This time I did manage to read the entire novel, although I still found it depressing to read the series of tragedies that befell Jurgis Rudkus and his family of Lithuanian immigrants in the deathtrap of Chicago's stockyards. Even more disheartening was the impact that Chicago's corruption had on the morals of Jurgis and his relatives. Toward the end of the book, I became rather irritated by the lengthy socialist rants. Interestingly enough, these appeals for socialism and Sinclair's protests against oppression and "wage slavery" had significantly less impact on the American public and Theodore Roosevelt than the dozen or so pages early on describing the horrors of the meatpacking industry. Apparently, it is easier to reach a man's stomach than his heart!
While it would be untrue for me to say that I enjoyed The Jungle, I can honestly say that I appreciated it because of the major reforms it sparked. Thanks to this book, I do not need to consider becoming a vegetarian.

Amy Looper

Hi everyone! I also read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. I choose it because it seemed like it would hold my attention. There are many characters in this novel so sometimes it was confusing to keep them all straight. In order to really get a sense of what was taking place you really had to look deeper into the character's personalities then what was written on the page. Much to my surprise it turned out to be a pretty good book.

Nixon's character during his presidency

Linda Infinger

During Richard Nixon's presidential campaign he said he stood for order and decency but was found to be cynical, profane, and a liar. In my opinion he was also slightly prejudiced toward African Americans as well. In a practice that ranked racial groups based on their IQ points he said "Africans just can't run things", and although they are good when it comes to athletics and music, they just have a hard time when it comes to "profound rigid disciplines". Personally i think it would be very interesting to see what Nixon would say if he knew that we had an African American as our president today. Lastly, he was also found to have lied to the public about an illegal break in at the Watergate Hotel which caused him to resign as president to avoid impeachment.

Linda Infinger

For my assignment, I chose to read the Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum. When I was little i used to watch the movie all the time, but never read the book. I didn't understand why it was on the same reading list as Frost Nixon and The Autobiography of Malcolm X, but I enjoyed reading it especially after reading the Catcher in the Rye for my English class.

Corrine Gottberg - Harris

The book I'm reading for school is One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. It's a very good book so far I'm only about half - way through but still it's very good. It's a bit confusing too but over all good. It's about an all male insane asylum when a new patient comes in. The new patient begins to break all the rules and create mayhem. The head nurse of the wing keeps everything ship shape and when the new patient comes she has to use all her power to try and break him down.

Rebecca Williams

For my summer reading choice I'm reading "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". It started off being a slow read but after awhile I started to get more into the story and it wasn't as bad. I didn't think it would be as good as it was (even though I haven't yet finished it) and I haven't seen the movie yet but I hear it's really good as well. It should be interesting to compare the movie to the book since most of the time the movie varies a lot but people have told me that this one is actually very close to the book. 

JFK and Ross Barnett

Hearing the president negotiate over the phone, often unsuccessfully, with Mississippi governor Ross Barnett gave me a great insight as to what the era was like. I was surprised at how resistant and racist the people and even the governor of Mississippi were. I was even more surprised by how carefully Kennedy dealt with the situation, as if afraid to offend the southern fundamentalists. It often seemed as if the president and the governor did not understand each other and would disagree as to the best course of action in dealing with James Meredith, the first black man to attempt to go to Ole Miss University. While living in the time period, the public probably saw the strong political stand taken by the president, although the phone conversations with Burnett did not make the president seem very in control. In the end, however, Kennedy was the better politician and got his way.

Sarah Higbee-Tindell

I chose to read The Jungle by upton Sinclair. While learning about the industrial revolution in America in 7th grade I had heard of the book, and it interested me. As of now I am about one fourth of the way through the book and am highly engrossed in the story. The struggles of immigrant families are facinating and tragic. It's inspiring to know that this piece of fiction sparked an investigation into and change of conditions and regulations in meatpacking factories in the U.S.

Sam Cook

Since I was forced to read Catcher in the Rye for AP Lang, I chose to read Catch-22 just to be funny. Check it out: they both start with "catch." How ridiculous is that? Anyway, while Catcher in the Rye was absolutely terrible, Catch-22 was actually really funny and well-written, although sometimes depressing.

Cody Langley

I decided to read The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. I have always enjoyed the movie, TheWizard of Oz since I was a little kid but never read the book. It is a good book and is different from the movie but only by a few things.
-Cody Langley

Katie Verges

Hello friends! I chose to undertake One Flew Over The Cukoo's Nest. I chose to undertake this classic piece because I had heard of the play and knew the main story, wasn't that interested in Malcom X, i have already read the Wizard or Oz, and I couldn't figure out the virtual tour thing. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It was both enjoying and mind stimulating. Everyone in my family did mention that it was "R rated" but worth it. I look forward to watching the movie and doing the assignment this week.

Julian Havlicak

For my Advanced Placement United States History Summer Assignment, I chose to read The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. I selected this book because I learned that it was a detailed historical account of a Civil War battle based on the words, letters, and documents of actual people and soldiers from the war which I thought would be interesting.

Kaitlin Ward

For the summer reading assignment, I chose to read Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam Jr. I decided to read this because it seemed like an interesting book and many had recommended I would like the book. Rocket Boys was funny and very entertaining. It provided me with a better perspective of how rockets came about and how different it was back then.

Shelby Searcy- Nixon Adresses Nation Regarding Scandal

Listening to Nixon adress the Watergate scandal was very interesting to me. When he speaks of first learning of the break-in while on vacation in florida on June 17th he uses the words "appauled & shocked," as I would expect anyone would be when theyve found out that trusted people have been sneaking around behind their back. I was a little confused on why in the world after finding out about his trusted workers taking part in the scandal that he would be so trusting of investigaters when "reassured" that no members of administration were involved. He later found that information was wrong, but why he would be so trusting once again in the first place to me was a bit odd. I might just be the paranoid type but i think id be a tid bit less trusting of people in general. Also, he turns the case over to Elliot Richardson his newly appointed attorney general so that he can attend to "more importnat matters." I understand that he shouldnt get wrapped up in the case and be M.I.A on other aspects of his presidency but I definitely wouldnt just throw the case entirely off on someone else. Id be even more determined for justice and id take more of a part in what goes on in the investigation.

Shelby Searcy

For the summer assignment i'm reading One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. I chose this book because, from taking psychology this past year at Lincoln, I have taken an interested in people with psychological disorders, what life is like for them, and how they view their world. From reading the brief summary of the book i took interest in it because i find it interesting what factors seperate us as "sane" or "insane" people. Im on the verge of finishing the book now and so far i find it very interesting. Its really got me thinking about people and their desperation to label everything anyone does wrong as symptoms of a psychological disorder so that it can be excused in our society. Im getting alot of meaning and deep thoughts out of it and im anxious to see how the movie compares.

Megan White

Hi, this is Megan White. I have chosen to read The Devil in the White City because after I read briefly about each of our options, I was interested in doing the Google Earth project. Also, this book is focused on the Chicago World's fair, with a side-story of a murder mystery. I am interested in architecture, which was key during the construction of the fair, so naturally I the book held my interest, and the mystery behind the story made it even better.

The President Calling

Post your comments about a 15+ minute conversation by one of the Vietnam Era Presidents (Kennedy, Johnson, or Nixon) by clicking on comments. Be sure you include your first and last name with your post. Additionally, identify the president and the topic of the conversation prior to your comments.

Ziyan Song

I just finished reading Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. To tell the truth, the reason I chose this book was simply because I like the name of this novel. I had no ideas what it's about until I started reading. Combining various views of Civil War leaders, Michael Shaara retold the bloody battle of Gettysburg. I learned about a famous Confederate leader that I never knew, Longstreet, and many other leaders. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested about the Civil War.

Ashley Prow

I am reading Catch-22. It's about an air force base during WWII and is fictional. It's a very good read,because the writing is very good and it's very funny. I don't understand it quite well but thats because of all the military terms and such. I chose to read it because I'm interested in WWII and Holocaust stories and also that It's suppose to be really funny.

Nick Warnet

I chose to read the book "Rocket Boys" by Homer H. Hickam, Jr. I chose this book because I have seen the movie once before and I really enjoyed it. Also, the plot is appealing to a high school guy, like me, which is always a plus. I am looking forward to seeing how the book and movie compare considering corresponding movies often have very large differences from the books. Hope everybody has a great rest of the summer. Happy reading!

Phillip Isenberg

I'm reading Catch-22 and it is both funny and depressing at the same time. I chose it because it was the only one I had ever heard of and was highly rated. Everybody in the book is crazy except for the main character who is assumed crazy by every body else. Still, it's better than The Wizard of Oz. Talking straw men and lions? What was Frank Baum on?

Taylor Dayton

I just finished the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey.  I researched the books that we were given to read and this one seemed the most appealing. Also, both of my parents had read this book and recommended it to me.  I haven't seen the movie yet but I really enjoyed the book, even though it was hard to understand at times. 

Stephanie Everett

Hello! I am reading The Wizard of Oz b/c when I was little it was one of my favorite movies and I always wondered what the book would be like compared to the movie.

Anna Drake

I'm reading Rocket Boys. I chose this book because i saw the movie 'October Sky' when I was younger and always wanted to read the corresponding book.

What book are you reading for your Summer Reading?