5 comments about The Boxcar Children (The Boxcar Children, No. 1) (Boxcar Children).

1. I read this book to my son as part of our homeschool curriculum for Kindergarten. Every night he has begged me to read one more chapter! He enjoyed listening to this book so much that he would rather pick up his toys than risk missing a night of The Boxcar Children! It was a huge motivator! I highly recommend it. My son has also informed me that when we finish (we read the final chapter tomorrow night), I am to put the book on the shelf and save it so he can read it himself when he's bigger!



2. The blurb from "Publishers Weekly" says that the 60th Anniversary Edition contains "the original text" of the book. IT DOES NOT, and the afterword, "About Gertrude Chandler Warner", makes this perfectly clear.
   
   The original book, "The Boxcar Children", was not written in 1942, but in 1924. It was published by Rand McNally. The edition in print today -- the one we're all familiar with, copyrighted 1942 -- is a revision: "a new, simpler version of _The Boxcar Children_, {written} to reach poor readers and children who might be struggling to learn English. THIS EDITION ... is the beloved story children still read today." (Emphasis mine)
   
   So where is the ORIGINAL "Boxcar Children"? Out of print. And, sadly, unavailable: even ABEBooks does not have a copy. Anyone interested in children's fiction who's eager to read the original text is out of luck.
   
   The publishers have missed the 80th anniversary of the original book's publication. Will we have to wait until 2024 for a chance to read it?



3. I liked this book well enough as a child. My mother read it and then I enjoyed the story. What I don't get is the name of the series. They only lived in a boxcar for the first book, so why are they still called the boxcar children? Will anyone ever let them live down the fact they had to make their home in a boxcar? Geeze.



4. This was my favorite boxcar children, although I have since read about 50 more from the series. It's an exciting book. Many of my friends have liked it because of the humor, adventure, and mysteries. I think that you will like this heart-warming tale.



5. I recently purchased this book for my then 6 year old son. He loved it just as much as I did when I was a kid. The story is very timeless and simple enough to be uncomplicated for even the youngest reader. While also being interesting to older readers. My son even ended up choosing this book for a first grade book report. Love, love, love the characters and the whole story.

5 comments about The Education of Little Tree.

1. I am amused by the negative reviews this touching book has received. As a "real Indian" with Sioux and Osage grandparents, I found "Little Tree" charming. The fact that the author was not Indian and had serious social issues does not change the fact that he wrote an entertaining read. My only regret is that the author did not write several sequels. I find myself missing Little Tree and his tales of growing up with his loving grandparents.
   
   Moreover, I do not subscribe to the idea that only Indians can write about Indians anymore than I say only extra-terrestrials can write about aliens. The author may not known about what he was writing; regardless what he wrote is fun entertainment.
   
   If the ethical standards being exposed in these reviews were imposed on all authors our books store shelves would be very empty. The fact is most non-fiction books are full of fabrication, or at least tainted by the author's point of view. Artists without issues; I'm not sure such a thing exists.



2. I first read this 20 years ago, before I "knew" the author's history. I loved it. I just re-read it with my 10-year-old. (Beware, adult language and material. We probably should have waited a year or two.) Now I know about the author. And I still love this book. The author may have been a drunk and may have done some awful things, but this is a beautful and wonderful book and I can't find any racism or anti-semitism in it. I'm Jewish and appreciated the author's head-on confrontation of a common sterotype. Perhaps in his writing he tried to make up for what he did in his public life? Who knows, but I believe your life will be enriched by reading this book.



3. A 5-year old orphan named Little Tree is raised by his Cherokee Grandma and Grandpa in a small mountain home during the days of the Depression. Little Tree learns about the Cherokee tribe and history. He also learns about the importance of love and respect for the land. His grandparents struggle to survive under difficult conditions however they show incredible compassion and love as they raise Little Tree. There is considerable debate over whether this book is fiction or non-fiction. Whatever it happens to be, this is good heartwarming story that is worth reading and having your children read.



4. Some of the reviewers here seem unfamiliar with Cherokee History. Forrest Carter was of Cherokee ancestry and was a fiery Southerner with racist views. These facts are not so mutually exclusive as one would assume. The Cherokee nation was allied with the Confederate States during the war. Colonel(later General) Stand Watie led the Cherokee Mounted Rifles. Aside from the Cherokee, there were Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Seminole tribes fighting with the Confederates as well. So you see, Forrest Carter (or Asa if you like) was more than likely a product of his times. Not an evil man, just wrong. But he did write a great book.



5. Nutshell review - Not withstanding the controversy surrounding the authenticity of the story and author, there are two ways to read this story; (1) with your mind, or (2) with your heart. The first way will gain you little. The second way will truly touch you.

5 comments about How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization.

1. Overall a pretty interesting look at the world. The author looks at how different countries treat soccer, and what that says about their culture. Due to the fact that soccer is a pretty much universal sport, it does act as an interesting way to compare cultures. In fact one could make the argument that he actually leaves a lot of material on the table in examining cultures and economies through sport.
   
   My biggest complaint is that it often becomes way too travel essay like. I am glad he likes the game and all, but frankly his enjoyment of the sport isn't interesting enough, I had never even heard of the author previously. Stick to the game.



2. Franklin Foer is definitely onto something. Indeed soccer might ultimately explain the world. Unfortunately the National Best Seller he has written, "How Soccer Explains the World", does not. Yet Foer is a good writer. His chapters are nice introductory essays on the culture of soccer in it's many forms throughout the world. He stops well short of linking the many disparate aspects of multi-cultural supporter rivalry, prejudice, and greed into why the beautiful game is, in fact, such a phenomenon throughout the world. Soccer fans will enjoy this book for the insight into leagues they do not follow and for some historical trivia. Others might enjoy it just so that can laugh at the absolute freaks who show up to support their passion and sadly for the crimes against humanity committed in its name. But he does not explain, to the uninitiated, why soccer is the world wide beautiful game. Those of us who play or follow the sport, might think we know how soccer explains the world because we live it, it's a part of our lives, we feel it everyday. But the same is true for any other passionate human endeavor. If you are passionate about it, it is the undisputed answer to the world and holds the key to the meaning of life -- serious stuff. So a book claiming to actually know why, not just locally but globally, must stand up to it's title. There's a lot of competition out there and Foer fails to bring anything else to the table for a comparison -- but he could. Further, he does not link the fundamental building blocks of society into the game -- he touches on them, but does not link them into society -- I guess that's because he is an economist and not a sociologist or a theologist. However as an economist he really misses the big business that is soccer. Without a chapter devoted to the business of soccer he has ignored a very important link. If soccer explains the world than FIFA must be running the world, for example. There is no chapter on FIFA. And if soccer is akin to religion, while he did write a chapter about the King, he failed to mention God. Where is Diego Maradona? And if soccer is a social building block -- while he does mention yuppies in America, where soccer is the least stringent of societal glue, he does not mention the societies where soccer is one of the very few but incredibly binding influences. So to recap -- no elements of the beautiful game itself, no comparisons to other global influences, and no expansion into other phenomenon directly attributable to a functioning society. Foer wrote some nice essays after taking the opportunity to travel the world. I am envious to say the least. But he failed miserably to live up to the title of the book. Perhaps he should write a sequel and call it -- "How Soccer Really Explains the World". For now we must continue to wait for the explanation of what we already know.



3. This was a well written book regarding soccer in the global community. I would encourage anyone who enjoys the game to read this interesting perspective on how soccer is influenced by religion and race and vice versa.



4. _How Soccer Explains the World_ is an unfortunately misleading title; rather than explain the world, Foer uses soccer as a metaphor for globalization and the various reactions of parts of the world to it. He is only partially successful in this.
   
   Evidentially the opposite of globalism isn't nationalism, but what Foer referrs to as "tribalism", as demonstrated by English (and Serbian) "soccer hooligans." How this has developed and been used by the likes of Slobodan Milosevic was an interesting premise, if a bit of a stretch. The global recruitment of soccer players - Nigerians playing for Ukraine, Brazilians playing for anybody, Dutch coaches working in the Near East - are cited as evidence of how soccer has become a "global marketplace" - with mixed results. The metaphor fits on one level (yes, it IS global - how 'bout that?) but fails horribly on another. (How can one make generalizations about the way a "nation" plays soccer?)
   
   Foer also goes into great detail about the politics of the sport - I think he was on to something here, but the idea was only one of several that he persued, to its detriment. (In addition to the "national styles" of coaching and playing, Foer also discussed the sociology of the sport and its appeal - or lack of - in the United States, and its role as a social safety valve in Spain and Iran.) His would have been a stronger case had he pursued only one idea, rather than several.
   
   As a soccer fan, I enjoyed his detailing the stadiums, the chants between rival teams, and (especially) his thoughts on soccer in America. Given his thesis, though, it only warrants 3 stars. An interesting book and there is much to like here - but the central idea, sadly, is very thin.



5. I could write another BOOK as to why this tome should NEVER have been written. For all those who understand the title of the review,no more needs to say. For the USian uninitiated to world football, you can look up the concept of relegation on internet, no problem.
   
   1st , a side note, if you really want an educated and informed story of the HISTORY of futebol (fútbol, calcio, fussball....PLEASE no call it 'soccer', hahahahaha!), read the englishman David Goldblatt's remarkable book "the Ball is Round" (or as we say , "A bola é redonda"!).
   
   Em Breve, Mr Foer is a newcomer to the beautiful game, and has NO historical background for it.
   
   Mr Foer writing a book on futebol can only be equalled as supremo absurdo , if , por ex. Madonna (the singer) wrote a book on Cabala (Jewish numerical mysticisms).
   
   Or Michael jackson writing a primer on how to romance a woman would be another humorous(?) way to view this ???
   
   Either way, Mr Foer has not the background , even with the research he did (and I commend him for that), he has no "muscle memory" regarding great moments of futebol both distant and recent past.
   
   
   How can he describe how ,ex.~ in 1982 , Rossi's THREE gols destroyed one of the best seleção brasil even had on the pitch, what it meant to Rossi prsonally,italia and brasil em geral...
   
   
   He can research it, but can he feel this in his bones , not only as an italian or brasilian can, but almost ANY longtime football fanzaço do/did?? NO, because he is from USA where futebol is STILL out of favour, even if milliards and milliards of immigrants and children of soccer moms play futebol daily at their neighborhood pitch!
   
   To be as brief as possible one can be , Mr Foer is editor of a right wing journal in USA. I had hoped this would have NO influence on his "new love for the game" when he writes this book (which for reason unknown, is found in the POLITICAL SCIENCE section of local book stores!!!???) ,THat this book is in the Poli Science section is to denegrate political science discourse, as Mr Foer's book is a "lightweight>
   
   but basically, Mr Foer's futebol "worldview" , that of a partisan right winger (pun intended, obvious I mean his political preference) premeates this book. He cannot help himeself, much in the manner that ridiculouse USian announcer say last Copa Mundial , that Iran did not belong their due to the ______________(political right wing terrorista blablabla),a sad moment in one of the saddest english language coverage of futebol I ever hear, but I digress......
   
   The first chapter, he rehash what he as READ from other futebol books written in Engleesh,after this "lesson" about futebol, he is to make right wing politics out of each passing chapter, including a chapter where he berates "soccer moms" as being "left wing"! (??)
   
   Personally, I imagine that most USian "mamis" become very CONSERVATIVE after having children, and would guess more than a few these women voted BUSH as for the "opposition", no?? (I think there is even a study that "liberal" people become more conservative in USA once with child/children, no??) If I remember, and I believe it so as it got me quite angry at time I read this book, Mr.Foer also attacks liberal parents in the book,I not impressed by that at all.
   
   Sad sad, as I see it.
   
   Again, Mr Goldblatt's book is poesia (or romantic prosa), a loving and THOROUGH history of the beautiful game as well as very non partisan overview of the world as applies to each country he "visits".
   
   Mr Foer's book, sacanagem puro!
   
   He cannot possible show how "soccer explains the world", futebol does NOT "explain" the world, but is an integral part of it (as , again, Mr Goldblatt's wonderful book indicates). The absurdo is contained in the very TITLE of the book,as I see it.
   
   To sum, Mt Foer has an axe to grind, I have seen some of his political writing, and it is even worse than what is contained in this book.
   
   In Italian football terms, this book is barely "C-2" division as a football book, as a political book, it not worth to use the pages to wrap fishbones..
   
   
   To be charitable for Mr Foer's entusiasms for the world game,and a passable first chapter for all USian football "new boots", I allow the one star to be kind for a ZERO stars offering
   
   o mundo gira é a bola rola
   
   PS in the spriti of full disclosure, Eduardo Galeano's delightful football book is translated inglés, "Football in Sun and shadow" , and takes a delightful PROGRESSIVE worldview, and of course, Sinhô Galeano is an 'aplicado discipulo' of the world game since a boy in uruguai. A MUCH better choice also than this book, a "classic" of futebol literature.

No comments about Bloody Confused!: A Clueless American Sportswriter Seeks Solace in English Soccer.

5 comments about The Abstinence Teacher.

1. I had high hopes for this novel, having read and enjoyed all of Perrotta's previous works. However, in "The Abstinence Teacher", Perrotta tries to extend his focus from the nebulous boundary between youth and full adulthood to a tale of cultural warfare as experienced by two adults, Tim and Ruth. Perrotta writes well about moving into adulthood, as can be seen in any of his previous works. Unfortunately, in trying to describe the culture wars between Evangelicals and Seculars, he has failed at both explicating current events and at writing an interesting work of fiction.
   
   Tim, an Evangelical who has had a childhood of dope, easy sex, a failed marriage, and lack of responsibility, is not delineated well. His trials in the novel just don't have verisimilitude. For instance [SPOILER] at the end he seems to have abandoned his church and his wife, but the rationale for his leaving his wife is poorly understood, both by him and the reader. His antagonist in the novel, Ruth, a divorcee with two daughters, both of whom seem to be accepting the Evangelical message by the end of the book, seems to be attracted to the man who violated Ruth's sense of propriety WITH HER DAUGHTER! Is he the only man she can find, or have? Maybe, as much of the book is focused on her lack of sex. Is this reason enough for a woman to want a man who is the main reason why she was removed from her teaching position? None of this made sense to me; the characters needed to be better drawn so that their choices seem originate from them rather than from any design by the author. [END SPOILER].
   
   The children seemed real. The adults did not. Sorry, but having an Evangelical with doubts does not by itself give realism to the character.
   
   Better luck next time.



2. I wanted to love this book. I adored Election. I'd read Little Children once a week if I had the time. And the writing and characters are once again a lot of fun in The Abstinence Teacher.
   
   But there are to many moments in this novel that just fall flat. First of all Ruth Ramsy our hero makes the shocking statement to the class before the book has begun. Her act which spins her life into trouble happens off stage. And she's never in trouble really it's just a slight inconvenience. But when we get to Tim is when the story runs into its real problems. He does things simply because he knows he should and for no other reason. And it's flat. He just doesn't work. And that's about all there is to know because there's no real story here. The best moments come in the form of flashbacks.
   
   Perrotta's one of the best in the business and there are some great passages in this book. But overall this is one of his weaker efforts.



3. Like others, this was my first reading of Tom Perrotta's work. While I've seen Election and Little Children and really liked both movies, I thought now was the time to read one of his books.
   
   What could have been just a killer topic ended up being a long-winded exploration of suburban life and views on sex and abstinence. In fact, I gave up on this book after reading only a quarter of it. There was great writing and potential for a really good story. However, Perrotta took such a long time getting to the story that it almost seemed as if he was fleshing out so many details that he already had the screenplay in mind as he was writing this. For example, he describes a childrens' soccer game in such detail even though it's a background event. He does this several times, and quickly gets off topic and even away from the main characters. I'm sure I'll see the movie if and when it comes out, and I will probably enjoy it because all of the things Perrotta's detailed in the book will appropriately fall into the background in a motion picture.



4. Do teachers have the right to express their opinions to their students?
   
   Should sports coaches have the right to impress their religious beliefs upon their athletes?
   
   Do parents have the right to say who their children have the right to pray with?
   
   Should parents stay married because it's easier for their kids if they do?
   
   These are just some of the complex moral questions embedded in Tom Perrotta's well-written novel, The Abstinence Teacher. While offering no new insights, Perrotta's story brims with well-drawn and likeable characters of all sorts of moral beliefs. The only weak part of the book is the ending because it doesn't provide any clear-cut answers.
   
   Overall, this is a highly absorbing look at the world many suburban families live in today.
   
   Recommended.



5. I've rated this book a good solid average 3, because I wouldn't recommend this book - but neither would I recommend someone not read it. It's strengths are equally balanced by it's flaws.
   
   On the strong side:
   
   1) An intriguing, thought-provoking topic- one does have to wonder how best to handle sex education and whether prayer should be allowed to be incorporated in children's non-religious activities, given the widely disparate, strongly held opinions of many parents even in the most "cookie-cutter" of suburbs.
   
   2) Interesting characters struggling with everyday, often internally created turmoils of suburban life, relationships and families.
   
   3) Engrossing writing and action that kept me turning the pages from the first sentence to the last page. (Many books lately seem to hit a lag in the middle as the author tries to figure out how to get where he's going).
   
   On the not-so-pleasant side and these are fairly strong flaws:
   1) It's not a very good exploration of an initially good concept. By setting up the plot between a very small group of extreme evalangelical Christians that wants abstinence and christian salvation inserted into every part of all children's lives and an ultra-liberal side represented by a sex education teacher that wants to teach "pleasure is good, shame is bad" and her gay friends that long for marriage, Perotta has turned the issue into a completely black & white issue with no exploration of the interesting grey areas. All the characters are mandated to be either "for" or against one side or the other.
   
   It would have been far more interesting and thought-provoking to explore this from the perspective of "non-zealouts" on both sides, or to have at least one voice of reason "Hey, why don't we teach kids about BOTH people's belief - abstinence as an alternative, and safe sex and the rationales behind them? Why don't we teach the kids about their freedom to pray or to elect not to pray - and religious tolerance for all?" Nope, with the set-up the little bit of gray area covered in this one, is over-shadowed by all that Black and White. I was left wishing, Jodi Piccoult who handles these types of concepts much better had written it.
   
   2. I also wished Piccoult had written it for the ending. As others have pointed out in their reviews - the writing does keep you turning the pages - they just don't really lead anywhere. Maybe it didn't lag in the middle - because that where it ends.
   
   So, I wouldn't recommend it, I wouldn't NOT recommend it - but I would recommend reading Nineteen Minutes or My Sister's Keeper: A Novel for better explorations of a thought-provoking concepts set in suburban families, which I'd hoped for in this one.

1 comments about Deja Demon: The Days and Nights of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom.

1. In suburban San Diablo Demon Hunter Kate Connor is mentally exhausted on all fronts. The demons keep on coming and now she is stuck with two "feuding" husbands since she resurrected the spirit of her dead first spouse Eric, who shares the body of teacher David Long. They are driving her crazier than her blithely ignorant second husband Stuart, the demon hordes, training her teenage daughter Allie to fight and her toddler to use the bathroom.
   
   Realizing she cannot retire from demon hunting as she had done once before to become a soccer mom following Eric's death, Kate knows she must confess the full truth to Stuart; before he figures out that demons keep attacking her. She is not sure what these malevolent beings hen they mention the One and the Sword of Caelum, but they assume she does; on top of that an enemy from her first war has come to town with one hell of a horde.
   
   The latest demon fighting soccer mom tale retains the biting jocularity of the previous encounters, but the opponent turns the storyline much grittier and personal. Still Kate is as kick butt tough as ever; Allie is getting proficient at demon slaying; David-Eric is at her side; and Stuart proves to have greater depth and guts than readers and his wife realize. Fans of Julie Kenner's suburban fantasy will appreciate DEJA DEMON.
   
   Harriet Klausner

5 comments about Tangerine.

1. When I read this book it didn't seem like there were any happy times in it. It seemed like all it was, was violence, and bullying. If I were older I think I would have understood it better, and maybe I would even like it. When I picked it off of the summer reading book list, I thought I might like it so I kept on reading, but nothing good or exciting happened, and that is how I feel about this book.



2. Through his computerized diary entries, Paul Fisher tells the story of his seventh-grade year. These entries not only let him describe what is happening, they give him the opportunity to reflect on his past.
   
   At the beginning of the story, the Fisher family has just moved to Florida from Houston. The diary entries tell the story of how Paul's brother, Erik, has always bullied him. He even has his friends call Paul Eclipse boy because of a bad vision problem that was supposedly caused by Paul looking at an eclipse for too long. His parents virtually overlook Erik's digressions because they are focused on what Paul calls the 'Erik Fisher football dream.'
   
   To make things worse, Paul gets kicked off of his new soccer team because his Mom had told the school that he has a visual 'handicap'. But Paul believes that his vision is much better and it is proven in his many observations chronicled in the diary.
   
   When the portable school units had Paul's middle school are swallowed by a sinkhole, Paul is given a chance to go to another school and he takes it. Because he knows that at Tangerine Middle School he can play soccer. Paul's ability to 'see' people for who they are may be even more sharp than his ability to see. He doesn't see the class or racial barriers that separate him from the kids in this other school. His eagerness to play also earns him the respect of the other team members.
   
   As the story unfolds, Paul sees snippets of his past and the history of his family comes clear to him. And he is the unlikely hero in this heartwarming tale.
   
   Paul was endearing from the start. The writing in this novel is impeccable. The story is fantastic - a real page-turner. I read it all through in a day. There is a dark undertone to this book though so I would not recommend it for younger kids.



3. What a page turner! This engaging book is about a boy who has just moved to a new area, Tangerine County, Florida, with his family. He is a young man who is constantly outdone by his older star-football-player brother and is stuggling to find his place in life, in Tangerine county, and in his family. This book captures you into his world, taking you through the ups and down of the self-awarness and moral issues of middle school. This young man must ultimitly chose to do the right thing or to do what is expected of him. It deals with a question that every young person is asked, "What do you want to be?"
   Relativly short and an easier read than some, this book is a good read for most middle schoolers and young adults alike. It is well written and engaging with many twists and turns (especialy the ending!!!).



4. I'm a 46 year-old Mom and I bought this book because of the great reviews, but I didn't know which son to give it to. My 4th grader falls into the age-range mentioned here at amazon, but based on the plot synopses here I felt it was more a book my 7th grader would like.
   
   So I read it myself first. I LOVED it. What a great, moving, inspiring, different book. As stay-with-you as Hoot, or Terabithia, or Stargirl, or... to date myself ... as The Outsiders.
   
   It's well-written, it's gripping, it's multi-layered, and it manages to keep track of multiple story arcs within itself without dropping any or using any sort of deux ex machina to get out of any. It presents it's villains without caricature, and it's heroes without pandering. It surprises you at nearly every turn - but not in a forced we-need-a-plot-twist way.
   
   I won't describe the plot as it as been so well-described here. I'll just reiterate that this is an amazing young adult novel that I thoroughly enjoyed for myself as well.
   
   And I personally would not give this to my 4th grader. Not that the reading level is too difficult, but I think the content is too dark and the layers perhaps too subtle for a 10 year-old. I'm giving this book to my 7th grader tomorrow (I just finished it tonight!) and I know he'll devour it.



5. My ten-year old son absolutely loved this book. It is full of teen angst, and sports-related action; however, the subject matter is very heavy and can be somewhat disturbing. The blurb on the back of the book gave me no indication that issues of violence and bullying in the book (and some uncomfortable language) were addressed within. The actual reading level is not difficult, but as thought-provoking as this book is, I recommend it for very mature kids or students in grades 7-12.

5 comments about Lord of the Flies.

1. This is the worst book I ever read. From the first time I read it 40 years ago, I could not imagine why it had not been banned. The viewpoint of mankind presented is so degraded and ugly that it should be. There is NO REASON to expose our young people to such negativity. No wonder they have so many psychological problems! Please, teachers, read positive works with your young students. The world is not like that, and it is our job to give them positive views for their future and ours!



2. What an incredible first novel, a story of civilization, how humans create it and how easily it can be destroyed. It deals with fear, and the atrocities it can make people commit. Golding wrote often about the connection between humanity and civilization. Does civilization make us human? This story can mean many things to many people, making it wonderful fodder for literature classes and idle pondering.



3. OK now that I have the conch I have a few things I'd like to say about this book. First if you don't know what the conch is all about then you'd better pick up this book and read it. Secondly if you think you know who the Lord of Flies might be without reading this book your wrong. Third and lastly do yourself a favor anyway and pick up this book, it's a fun, quick read. I liked this story of young boys stranded on a island having to fend for themselves and at the same time trying to keep some sort of organization among themselves as they wait for a possible rescue. But therein lies the problem as their little world begins to turn up-side down as different personalities begin to clash. I felt as though I too was on the island with these kids as I read along. I've said enough now, who wants the conch now?



4. This is a great book to read! Very interesting and intense. Great reading material.



5. This was the worst book i've ever read. Personally I don't know why I finished it. The only good thing that came from me reading it is to make sure everyone else knows not to read this book. Please do yourself a favor and DO NOT read this book.

5 comments about The House on Mango Street.

1. i had to read this in school and it was THE WORST book i've ever read in my life. i HATED IT!!! it was confusing, pointless, and a lame sob story that didn't gain my sympathy in any way. at the end of the book (if i can even call this piece of worthless garbage a book), esperanza gets raped.
   
   ....wait, what?
   and then that's it. they don't even mention it again. i think sandra cisneros was on crack when she wrote this. it has no direction, no theme, bizarre characters, and stupid, stupid, poop-worthy vignettes that are so random and out there that i think esperanza's on crack too. =D



2. The House on Mango Street / 0-679-73477-5
   
   The House on Mango Street is a touching collection of short vignettes centering around the author's childhood and childhood home. The vignettes take a long, hard look at the lives of these children and young women who find themselves lost in a poverty and a culture which makes them feel reduced in value. Basic services such as a home, clothing, and education are provided, but without love - the children feel intensely aware of the fact that they are unwanted, the designated dregs of society (the white children tell them that they are leaving the neighborhood because too many of the 'wrong types' of people are moving in.
   
   The girl children are also introduced - sometimes violently - to the painful realities of womanhood in a poverty stricken culture. One girl is denied by her much-older husband any right to leave the house, ever, because he worries that she might find a life, interests, even love outside of him. She wastes away slowly, trapped in a life of unhappiness and monotony. Other girls are coerced into sexual activity by their peers, and the parents turn a blind eye, figuring that it has always been this way and always will.
   
   The author's despair is evident in every word. She wants to escape, to get away, but she also feels guilty for hating so intensely her community and culture. She cannot separate the good parts of her culture from the bad parts which are less a matter of culture and more a matter of poverty, lack of education, and disease. In the end, she vows to leave, but to never forget - and, perhaps, someday to return, and help.



3. this is by far one of the worst books i have ever encountered. Cisneros is a horrible author who knows nothing about writing a well organized book that actually makes sense. I wouldn't reccommend it to my worst enemy



4. I remember reading this book in seventh grade with my entire class. Perhaps I should have enjoyed it; it appears to be directed towards that age group exactly. Instead, I, an avid reader, struggled with this odd, rather poor book.
   
   "The House on Mango Street" is recommended for girls in middle school, and point in fact, that's exactly when this teen read it, just a few years ago. Yet as I look back on those two months in English class, it occurs to me that perhaps the fault in this book lies there. It's written as though for young readers - simplistic, short, and pale - and yet the comments about the quality and importance are all things that even the smartest and brightest pre-teen readers would be entirely unable to appreciate and enjoy.
   
   To me, these stories symbolized what was wrong with literature. This book is entirely disorganized, chaotic, and very difficult to follow. The writing style is stupid, simplistic, and simply confusing, providing no room for thought or even interesting analysis. Looking back on it, the stories probably have another level of meaning aside from the story themselves - symbolism or even just hard, cold facts. Yet this book, directed towards this specific age group (Amazon itself recommends this for pre-teens), simply fails to impress. The writing is the kind some might love and others hate. Most young readers will most likely hate it, as I did, failing to see how this could possibly mean something more.
   
   I can see myself returning to this collection of random stories and appreciating it, understanding its literary worth and simplistic importance. And yet it is still a children's book masquerading as an adult book, or an adult book masquerading as a teen book. Either way, it fails to capture either audience.
   
   I'd say absolutely NOT recommended to middle-school age kids, and for anyone else, do some extensive research before reading this loosely written, confusing collection of vignettes.



5. Hairs chapter is my favorite.....it's short and sweet.....as a latina, i can really appreciate having immediate family so rich in differences....that is the beauty of being latino, is that we are so unique!

5 comments about To Kill a Mockingbird.

1. Must have been the times in which it was first released because this book did nothing for me. I just don't get why people rave about this book. This is one of those rare cases where you should watch the movie and forget the book.



2. This is my all time favorite book, wonderful on so many levels. At the end I cried for the loss of the characters in my life. Simply extraordinary.



3. I had never read this book before, but it is awesome! I really enjoyed it and would suggest it to anyone interested in a captivating read.



4. I love this story. The first I read this was in 8th grade. Years later, I read it again and it still moved me. A wonderful book written by a wonderful author. This is one of those stories that make you think and move you. It is so much more than it seems.



5. I never received this book. Today is July 20,2008. It was ordered back in June.