Down These Mean Streets

The novel I have been reading is called Down These Mean Streets, by Piri Thomas. The story is a memoir of Piri’s life. The book starts out when Piri is twelve and he is living in the Spanish Harlem in 1928. The book is broken down into three different sections, one over his life between Harlem and Long Island, one over his life down south, and one over his life in prison.

               

Piri was born of Puerto Rican and Cuban parents in New York City’s Spanish Harlem. His father was the only one working and had trouble making enough money for the family to live comfortably. Piri encountered a lot of problems involving his race because the kids on his street thought he was black and not Puerto Rican. Piri was forced to stand up for himself but ended up in the hospital after one of the kids threw rocks and dirt in his eyes. By this time Piri’s father had gotten another job and was able to move his family out of the Spanish Harlem and into Long Island. When Piri and his family move to Long Island he hates it and decides to move back to Harlem. Piri is going through a lot of personal conflicts regarding his skin color, “’You understand, Momma-I gotta find me. Maybe if I had come outta you with the same kinda color as them’-my eyes swept across my paddy-fair brothers-‘maybe I wouldn’t feel like I do. Who knows? Maybe I’m jealous. Maybe I hate ‘em for what I’m not-“’ (Piri Thomas, 149-150). Piri decides to move down south with his friend Brew to discover who he is. While Piri is down south he tries really hard to prove to people that he is Puerto Rican and not black. While he is down south his friend Brew disappears and he decides to return to Harlem where he is faced with the death of a family member and decides to return back to Long Island with his father. From there Piri’s life goes downhill as he starts hanging around people that are no good. He gets addicted to drugs and commits a crime that puts him in prison for many years.

               

This book was very inspirational and is proof that one bad decision doesn’t determine the rest of your life and who you are as a person. I would recommend this book to anybody who is going through a hard time in their life and needs a little bit of reassurance. I wouldn’t recommend it to anybody who doesn’t like slang and controversial materials such as drugs, street violence, robberies and shootings. To me, it was a very good book and I enjoyed reading it and learning Piri’s story, I hope you enjoy it as well.  

Book Review by Rylee S.

The Latin Deli: An Ars Poetica

Latinos in the United States are bound together as a community through by their experiences in America itself. One writer who has addressed the unity of Latinos is Puerto Rican author and poet Judith Ortiz Cofer. Cofer has written many personalities situations in: Silent Dancing and TheLine of the Sun Cofer.  The poem "The Latin Deli: An Ars Poetica” was first published in Americas Review in 1992 and later appeared in a collection of poems, short fiction stories, and personal essays titled The Latin Deli. The Latin Deli is dominant by one subject; the lives of Puerto Ricans in a New Jersey barrio that is also drawn from the author's own childhood.

                 

The books main setting is located in an apartment building called “El Building”. El Building is an apartment building located in Paterson, New Jersey; it is home to many Puerto Rican residents. Many of these Puerto Ricans are facing new challenges adjusting with their new lives in America. From the joy and tragedies of childhood to adulthood most of the stories and poems are told from a perspective of a young girl who faces challenges in her home also in El Building. “Corazon’s Café” is an example and a short story, in the book, that tells about a couple named Corazon and Manuel moving from the islands of Puerto Rico to Paterson, New Jersey – running their own bodega where they supply Rican and other international groceries called Corazon’s Café located across the street from the El Building barrio. But Manuel desires more of disturbing food to his people; he also offers special customs that he has chariest, advice and love. “Manuel was never happier than when he was planning the food to celebrate life and never more beautiful in Corazon’s eyes than when he comforted the grieving widow or orphan with food prepared with all the care and love he had to give”(112). His wife is the one who organizes those desires and puts them to plan. This short story relates The Latino Deli because Corazon offers her shop, Corazon’s Café, to help her community to those who would like help. The Latin Deli is like a shop itself where it identifies the differences between American and Hispanic culture so that the Hispanic immigrants can still have a part of home with them.

               

The Latin Deli is very unique and I recommend this book to everyone; to those who can relate to family struggles or family neglect and even those who simply love/like to read and needs something to read. Marvelously woven, this book is full of the culture, heartfelt, inspiring and heartbreaking stories in the lives of El Building. 

Book Review by Dalena N.

The Kite Runner

I read the Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini who has also written A Thousand Splendid Suns. These books are both staged in the middle east and are set during war times. The Kite Runner is a very sad and almost upsetting novel. Two boys in Afghanistan, Hassan and Amir are best friends as Hassan’s father, Ali is a servant to Amir’s family. Ali and Hassan are Hazaras, a minority in the Afghanistan culture. This causes problems within Amir and Hassan’s friendship when Hassan gets ridiculed for being a Hazara, and Amir gets ridiculed for being friends with a Hazara. Conflict also arises between Amir and his father Baba as Baba believes Amir is weak and often compliments Hassan more than Amir. This causes Amir to enter a kite flying festival in order to win his father’s affection. Amir surprisingly wins the kite running festival and sends Hassan off to retrieve the fallen kite. While Hassan does so he gets raped by a neighborhood bully while others watch, Amir included. This causes some of the biggest tension between Amir and Hassan throughout the entire book. Amir’s lack of aid to Hassan makes their friendship awkward. Amir’s father Baba begins to again take pride in Hassan rather than Amir which again makes Amir feel bad about himself. Amir then sets up Hassan and says he has stolen money from him. Hassan being a loyal friend agrees to the thievery and Baba banishes Hassan and Ali from the house. During this the boys are apart a war breaks out in Afghanistan. Baba and Amir flee to America and Baba’s fortune is lost by doing so. Baba now has to work in a gas station and becomes very sick contracting cancer. As all of this is happening Hassan has married and had a child in Baba and Amir’s old home. Many years later Amir gets a phone call from Baba’s old friend that Amir and his wife have been killed by the Taliban and it is only right for Amir to save their son as he tells Amir that Amir and Hassan are half brothers and that Baba had an affair with Ali’s wife. Amir decides to go back to Afghanistan only to find Hassan’s son captured by a member of the Taliban. We later find out this Taliban member is Assef, the bully who raped Hassan years before. Amir and Assef battle for Amir’s son’s life and to avenge Hassan. Amir still being smaller than Assef has no chance but luckily Amir’s son shoots Assef in the eye with a slingshot granting their escape. Amir wants to get his nephew out of Afghanistan but without proof of Hassan and his wife’s death he is not able to adopt him. Amir had earlier promised not to put his nephew back in an orphanage when he indeed has to while he waits on being granted custody of the boy. Amir’s nephew loses trust in Amir after this and tries to commit suicide. Amir visits his nephew and decides to take him to the kite running festival. Here they bond over their love for Hassan.

I would recommend this book to those with strong stomachs. Books with physical or emotional pain inflicted on those of a different race or culture are hard for me to read as I relate to them to slavery and constantly think of slavery of my people. I would definitely recommend this book to others as the conflicts that arise keep you interested as I get very bored while reading books. There is no “ slow” part to this book as it climaxes to the end. I would highly recommend it to those looking for a book to keep them intrigued.

Book Review by Sydney S.

Fiela's Child

Fiela’s Child

by Dalene Matthee

        

This novel is based in the late 1870’s of Knysna, South Africa. This happens to be a common trend among Matthee’s novels, having several based in Knysna alone. This of course can be attributed to the fact that she was born in Southern Cape, South Africa. Dalene’s story revolves around a little white boy named Benjamin, who was left at Fiela’s doorstep when he was three. It continues on, skipping ahead nine years when a census has to be taken. It should be noted that Fiela is a coloured woman, so questions start to arise and conflicts ensue.

        

Fiela must struggle with having to fight for Benjamin who might have just met his birth parents, white woodworkers. Being set in the late 1800’s, Fiela obviously encounters many problems with race and economic standing. Meanwhile, Benjamin (or Lukas), has to deal with his new surroundings and trying to find his way back home to the only mother he has ever known. Faith is pushed to its limits and desperation boils over. This is a sad story about the severed bond between a mother and her child and the constant obstacles mounting against them as they try to connect once again.

        

Having read all 350 pages of the book, I can say that if you’re in the mood to read, this would be a nice casual read. Matthee does a fantastic job jumping from perspective to perspective without hindering much of the continuing plot. You can sympathize with Fiela, feeling the constant struggles and disappointment that she encounters along her journey. You can learn more and more history about the area of Knysna and find out what people had to suffer through. I found myself halfway through the entire book, not realizing just how many pages I had already finished. If you enjoy these types of novels, I would encourage you to pick up a copy of Fiela’s Child.

Book Review by Danny S.

The Poisonwood Bible

The book, The Poisonwood Bible, is authored by Barbara Kingsolver. Her other works

include Prodigal Summer, Flight Behavior, and numerous others, all of which I do not affiliate

with as a reader, and therefore cannot make an educated comparison with The Poisonwood

Bible.

The Poisonwood Bible follows the lives of a family as they move to The Congo and the resulting events as they attempt to adapt their new community. The overarching theme of the story is family can sometimes, and more often than not, be a source of utmost pain. The book follows the Price Family, comprised of Nathan, Orleanna, Leah, Adah, and Ruth May, as they move to The Congo in an effort to forcibly put Christianity upon the natives.

As an end result, two of the main characters die, and the remains of the family are torn apart because of Nathan’s mislead intentions and corrupt behavior. The natives turned on them and they were forced to retreat back to America. Other key events described in the book are religious and, in an effort to remain a neutrality and upholding fairness, I will not include them.

Don’t read the book. It is dry, slow, boring, and most of all, religious a topic in which many people have many different views upon, and do not necessarily agree with. It drags on for too long, and the constant switching of character perspectives causes confusion regarding the outcome of the story. The point of it is not made clear, and although implicit, could be read in many different ways. In solely my own opinion, this book was horribly written.

Book Review by Talen F.

Rooftops of Tehran

For my second book of the semester I decided to read Rooftops of Tehran by Mahbod Seraji. Basically the story takes place Tehran, Iran. Where Pasha and Ahmed try to live out normal teenage years during 1973. In this book the major theme I noticed was a forbidden romance between friends. I noticed a lot of other themes too, such as friendship, and war. I noticed a theme for knowledge. This book tries to send the message of when in rough times having your friends, and love will help be a comfort and a burden.

           

The story is about Pasha and his bestfriend Ahmed who have fallen in love with the next door neighbors. Ahmed gets Faheemed and Pasha patiently waits and decides whether or not to proclaim his love to the doctors girl Zari. During 1973 Iran was under control by a cruel dictator, his rules were reinforced by the SAVAK. The doctor is Zari's fiance and Pashas friend. He secretly meets with other people to discuss how to take down the dictator. Well the doctor gets caught taken away and then killed. This leaves the opportunity of Zari open to Pasha. But the conflict of  it, is that the doctor was a close friend and he wouldnt want any discomfort for the doctor even if he was dead. Pasha and Ahmed spend a lot of time on the rooftops thinking about what life is. All of them over the summer end up being awesome friends and lovers.

             

I would defiantly suggest this book. I do believe that you would only enjoy the book entirely if you are a big comedy romance fan. And enjoy learnig about he history of another county. Now if your like me and do! Well then get your butt to the store and go read this book because the story is just absolutly beautiful and I wish all to know a story so passionate and inspiring. I really hope you make the right decision I promise you will not regret it! :)

Book Review by Amber M.

Red Azalea

Anchee Min’s story starts with a series of jarring and discordant vignettes of her childhood in China.  It’s a childhood filled with the absence of childish indulgences. Intimacy and individual joy are difficult and almost impossible to come by, and fear of death is always lurking. This is a life under Chairman Mao. “Red Azalea” is a powerful account of one woman, who embodies the pain and isolation of the generation growing up in the shadow of the Cultural Revolution, and the struggles of maintaining one’s humanity under such tumultuous and trying conditions.
       

Min’s other works rely heavily on a central theme of independent Chinese women, working against the powers that be. This autobiographical novel is no exception. Min tells the story of her young childhood all the way through the death of Chairman Mao, in her early twenties. In this time, she engages in a dangerous romance and is constantly fighting the battle for life. Her story is one that- on the surface- appears soap opera-esque, but when the gritty details of her adolescence come into play (being forced to kill her pet, causing the gruesome death of a loved one, traumatizing her only friend into a ghost-like existence, to name a few) it reads more like a horror story. Despite these discouraging events, however, there is always an underlying pulse of love in the vein of this narrative. Even in the darkest depths of Min’s life, those she loves serve as a salve and a guide through the tumult.
         

Because of the minor graphic sexual and violent content, I would not recommend this book to anyone under 15 or so (a good test to determine if this book is appropriate for you is to say the name of any human genital out loud without giggling hysterically. If you can achieve that, you should probably be fine), but for anyone who is mature enough to deal with the subject matter, “Red Azalea” is a must-read. This important time period in human history is one of the most horrid, and there seems to be a severe lack of education about it in American classrooms. If I hadn’t read this book, my eyes would still be shut to the terror and desolation of china under Mao and the Cultural Revolution.

Book Review by Kai G.

The Color Purple

The book I choose to read was The Color Purple by Alive Walker. Alice Walker is a Pulitzer Prize-winning, African-American novelist and poet most famous for authoring The Color Purple. Walker also published three collections of short stories, essays, six volumes of poetry, and several children’s book.  All of Walkers books contribute to African Americans, and the way they were treated and how they should be treated equally not like slaves. The story The Color Purple is one of the best books I have read my high school career. The theme of the story is that the race of the African American women were tortured and never respected. The story was taken place in the early 1980’s, when African American women were used as housewife slaves for white men.

The Color Purple is a story about an African American woman named Celie, who was sexually and physically abused as a teenager by her father. Celie was forced to have two children by her father, and both were sold to a white family for money.  Then later Celie is forced to “marry” a white male so her sister, Nettie does not get taken by him, due to the fact that the man wanted Nettie and Celie would do anything to protect her sister. As Celie is married to this man, she is forced to cook, clean and take care of his six children. Through the time she arrives she is also sexually and physically abused by this man. Throughout the story Celie discovers letters that her sister Nettie has been writing to her in Mr.____ car. In those letters is the happy story of Nettie’s life because; she got taken in by the caring of a white family. Whose children just had to be Celie’s children that she had given birth to as a teenager. Towards the end of the story Celie moves to Memphis, Tennessee with a woman she has met throughout her living with Mr.____, and gains enough spirit and power to stand up to Mr._____ and tell him off and leave him. The story is such an inspiration on how our society has evolved into a better place. Women, especially African American women have gained the right to not be slaves, and be someone and something in life.

                

I would highly recommend this book to anyone, such a great book.  Throughout the reading of the book, it just shows you another world of how African American women suffered and were tortured not just as women, but as human beings as well. Just evolution of times was fascinating. That is was okay back in the 1980’s to treat women and African Americans that way, but now god forbid any women or African American was treated that way straight to jail they go. I am now looking into more stories written by Alice Walker, I do not thing I will ever be disappointed by her writing. It is just so inspirational. 

Book Review by Emina D.

The Kite Runner

Khaled Hosseini is the author of the famous novel published in 2003, The Kite Runner. Hossein is an Afghan-American novelist, born on 1965. Hosseini was born in Kabul, Afghanistan but  when he was 15 the family moved to US and became citizens.

He write three novels and all three became bestsellers. His first novel published was "The Kite Runner"  and after followed by "A Thousand Splendid Suns." His last book "And the Mountains Echoed" was published last year. All three novels are fiction novels, that tells inspiring life changing stories. The writing style of the author, make awake your feelings. With this book I laughed and I cried.

The relationship between father and son, the importance of friendship, the past,  identity, the search for forgiveness, different social classes, religion, cultures, patriotism and citizenship are some of the most important themes in the Kite Runner. With all this ingredients it already seemed that it would be great; but what I found inside this book was better, much better.

Everything happen in the winter of 1975 in . Amir, the narrator and Hassar are two kids around 12 years. They are best friend and they been together forever. Amir is the son of baba, a rich business man. His mom dies when he born, so he spend most of his life with baba. he doesn't understand his son, who loves the literature and he gives more attention to Hassan.

But the day that in Kabul it gives rise a Kites competition. In Afghanistan the kites are really popular, so Amir and Hassan decided to sign in. This day the kids won the competition, and for first time in a long time Amir see his father proud of him.

Hassan went to take the trophy but when Amir realizes that he is taking a long time, he decides when to find out what is happening. Is at that moment when he find that Assef, a guy who always goes around Hassan, is raping him. Amir get afraid so he decides to leaves and do like if he doesn't see anything.

Later, Amir acts like if he doesn't know anything, even the next weeks he tries not be close to Hassan. Then a couple weeks after the kids won the trophy, baba's celebrate a birthday party for his son and gives to him a clock.

This clock disappears and is finally found in Hassan house. Hassan swear that he doesn't did anything, and it's true because Amir put the clock in Hassan house. Then Hassan dad decides to leave even Baba's prays them not to leave.

After Ali and Hassan leave. Baba and Amir should to leave too because the war just started and they should find a safe place. Finally they get to leave Afghanistan and go to America. There Baba's find  job and Amir graduates from High School.

Is there in America, when he is helping his dad in the job, he meet Soraya, with who he falls in love. At the first moment Soraya's dad is not 100% agree but they keep going with the relation. But baba get sick of cancer, so Amir ask the hand to Soraya´s dad and he accept.

They get married and they went to live together and try to created a family. Baba's died two weeks after the wedding.

And then is when Amir receives the calling from Rahim Kan, his dad friend. Rehim invite him to visit him in Afghanistan and he accept. When Amir meet Rahim there, this one tell him that Hassan is actually Baba´s soon. What happened was that Ali couldn't had kids, so Baba's had sexual relations with Hassan mom for give them a kid.

The other surprise that Rahim gives to Amir is that Hassan is death. he was  accused  for live in a house that wasn't his and he refused to leave, so the police kill him and his wife leaving his son orphan. Rahim asked Amir go to look for him and he finally went.

They arrived to the house where Amir son, Sohrab, supposedly lived but when arrive there the kid wasn't there. They explained that every moth a general comes and take some kids and this month the unfortunate was Soharab. They discovered that the general was Assef, who rape Hassan the day that everything changed. Amir talk with him and ask for Soharh. Assef told to Amir that they should fight and if Amir will won, he can bring Soharah with him. When Amir was almost lossing, Soharah hit Assef and then Soharah and Amir escape.

At the final of the book, Amir decides bring Soharah to USA with him, and give a new life. For Soharah was really hard to integrated to the new culture.

I started this book with some questions that I would like, one of the reasons was because I thought that an Afghan writer it was pretty far of my literary taste. But the prejudices disappears after the first ten pages. The story is gripping and shocking and reveals reality of the human heart.  For me this book became into one of that books that are unforgettable.

Sincerely I recommend to everyone to read this book, you will not regret. 

Book Review by Claudia P-M.

Persepolis

Marjane Satrapi’s, “Persepolis,” is an uplifting and emotional biography of her life. The Iranian Revolution is at its peak in 1980, and the boys and girls are separated. Her parents involved themselves in protests in their city of Tehran. Her parents wanted a better life for her, so they sent her to live in Vienna and attend a boarding school. At times, she tries to get through life with her faith, but it was a mental and emotional struggle. Marjane’s grandfather served as prime minister for a bit, but he was sent to prison shortly for opposing the regime of Iran. Her father actively protested and would risk his life, but Marjane was young and did not have enough understanding of what was occurring in her country. Iran strictly set a conservative regime, forcing women to wear veils, up to today. Later when she is older, she moves to Europe, attends art school and marries Rezza, a painter that she met there. She learns that freedom comes at price, and hopes for her country of Iran to evolve.

               

The organization of the book is interesting and keeps the reader hooked. She transitions between stories from the past and the present. It is a shorter read, but her language and detail portray a very unique story.

Book Review by Christine V.

Reaching Out

Reaching Out

Francisco Jimenez has written two previous autobiographical novels titled The Circuit and Breaking Through, this being his third novel in the series. Unfortunately, I have not read his first two novels, although this did not hinder the reading experience. Francisco Jimenez is a Mexican that immigrated to the United States in the early 1950’s with his parents and his brothers Roberto and Trampita. They’ve faced many challenges and have endured poverty and other hardships throughout Francisco’s life. This novel focuses on Francisco transition into becoming a college student in hopes of achieving a better life to help his family.

           

Francisco, or ‘Pancho”, travels to Santa Clara University and leaves his parents and his younger siblings-Trampita, Torito, Ruben and his sister Rorra. With his family being fairly poor, Francisco starts to feel uneasy and uncomfortable leaving them to fend for themselves without him. While away at college he feels the pressure of college life and the constant stress of his class work. He’ll find faith and encouragement as well as despair and indecisiveness. Conflicts arise with his family so he struggles with college as well as his home life. It’s a book around the struggle between feeling responsibility for your family and the work for a better future.

           

After finishing this work by Jimenez, I can give my final evaluation of the novel. Being of Mexican descent just like Francisco, I was able to build a stronger connection with Pancho than some other readers could. With that being said, I would say that this book is well written and intriguing enough for even those that don’t have as strong a connection as I did. I enjoyed the writing style of Francisco Jimenez and his ability to tell other stories along with the main, present story. It did not distract from the regular timeline, and built stronger bond with Francisco and other characters. I would definitely recommend this book to other people and it’s easier to go through this book because it is simply 194 pages.  

Book Review by Danny S.

The Bonesetter's Daughter

The Bonesetter’s Daughter is about Ruth Young, and her relationship with her mother, LuLing. The story takes place in modern-day San Francisco, along with LuLing’s past in China. Ruth has always had a tense relationship with LuLing, until she discovers her mother’s secrets and struggles in her past life. Ruth lives with her husband Art, but is not content with her life because of her mother’s mysterious nature. LuLing grew up in a villiage in China with a family curse who goes by the bonesetter. LuLing disagreed to marry a man that her family and village had arranged, so tragedies and bad luck occurred to her and her family. LuLing’s caregiver has always been Precious Auntie. LuLing never knew the truth with her, so she had blamed her for her family’s curse, and shunned her. In the end, it is revealed that Precious Auntie was LuLing’s biological mother, and it affects Ruth in a striking way. She learns to forgive her mother, and her mother is willing to forgive her.

This novel has a lot of emotional meaning within it. I understood the close family culture because of my own Asian heritage; no matter how Americanized I am, I am still able to understand that my parents are strict because they want the best for me- since when they themselves went through quite a journey during and after the Vietnam War. LuLing’s past is a haunting heartbreak, but it builds a stronger bond between her and Ruth.

Book Review by Christine V.

The Kite Runner

The book, The Kite Runner, is written by Khaled Hosseini. Hosseini authored of a few other works (A ThousandSplendid Suns, And The Mountains Echoed, among others) that I’m not necessarily familiar with. The Kite Runner follows the lives of two boys originating from Afghanistan and the troubles they encounter. An overarching theme lies within; intolerable human behavior and its hardly futile consequences: the very definition of life itself as we’ve unfortunately come to know it.

The Afghanistan people are divided up into two categories, determined simply by the shape of their nose: one is a slave, one is a slave owner. The specific occurrence of slave vs. slave owner evident in the book is Hassan and Amir, respectively. The book then goes on to describe a tragedy that scars Amir for life, and in turn, attempts to drive everything, including Hassan (who also happens to be his best friend), away. Later in Amir’s life, now husband of Farzana and citizen of America, a situation back at Afghanistan is brought to his attention. This prompts his return to both country and struggles associated with his past. Horrified by the news given to him by Rahim Khan, friend of his now deceased father, Amir attempts to free a child, Sohrab, from the Taliban.

Reading this book is not recommended as it is explicatory in both content and mood. It gives the reader a sort of disgusted mood throughout the entire story and one is unable to determine whether or not the protagonist is in fact a protagonist. While quality of the writing is redeeming, imagery presented is not comforting in any way shape or form.

Book Review by Talen F.

The Kite Runner

For my independent book project I read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Khaled Hosseini has also written 2 other books A ThousandSplendid Suns, And the Mountain Echoed.  I haven’t read all of these books, but the Kite Runner spent 101 weeks on the best seller list. The other two of his books were also on the best seller list just not as long as The Kite Runner. A theme I saw that kept reoccurring was the tension between Amir and his father. This to me was the biggest theme because all Amir has in life is his father.

In the first chapters of The Kite Runner, Amir and the servant’s son Hassan play together all the time. One day they are playing and this bully named Assef threatens them. Hassan toughens up and takes his slingshot and shot it at Assef making the bully leave them alone. The book then skips to the kite race. All the kids loved the kite races, after your kite had fallen down you would have to go retrieve it. Hassan went to retrieve Amir and his kite.  Hassan was taking a while so Amir went to go look for him, and discovered Hassan helpless in an alley. Amir decided not to say anything about seeing him. Amir felt that Hassan was in danger so he stashed some of babas watches under Hassans pillows and says he stole them. Amir did this to protect his friend. The book then talks about how his country becomes a war-zone so Baba and Amir leave to Pakistan for 2 years and then to California. When in California Amir Meets a beautiful girl named Farzana they end up getting Married about a month later Baba dies from lung cancer. Rahim wants Amir to go back to his country because he has some tragic news. When Amir gets there, Rahim tells him Hassan and his wife were shot and killed. Their son Sohrab was left in an orphanage. Amir looks around everywhere for Sohrab. Amir finally finds him and takes him back to America with him.

I would recommend this book to everyone. This story is so inspiring and tragic, it needs to be heard. When I started reading it I thought it was just going to be a story about two little boys who were friends. As I started reading more of the story I was hooked. I was so amazed at how this story turned from a story of friendship to a story about a war, a fight for life, and freedom. This story was well written and defiantly one of the best books I have ever read. I guarantee you would not regret reading a story just so beautiful and horrific. Khaled Hosseini did an amazing job with The Kite Runner and I cannot wait to read the other two books he has written.

Book Review by Amber M.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a novel based on two Chinese girls who find a way to communicate to each other. This would be strange if they weren’t forbidden to talk to one another about their lives.  China lives in a patriarchy, so the women are forced to behave in certain ways in marriage, in their private lives, and even endure outdated procedures, like foot binding, to make them more feminine. Because of this patriarchy, the two girls are not allowed to speak, as mandated by the men in their lives.  Lisa See has numerous novels, some being: Shanghai Girls, Dreams of Joy, and many more. Her books bring the reader into an old village and make them feel as if they are right there, living their life with them. See uses beautiful and quaint diction as she conveys the consequences of living in a time that is dominated completely by men.

           

I enjoyed reading this story and I highly recommend it. I think it would make an excellent selection for young teenage females. They will learn about: Chinese culture (past and present); mother-daughter relationships; foot-binding; arranged marriage; female relationships; Chinese history; Chinese foods; Chinese geography, and much more.

Book Review by Emina D.

A Thousand Splendid Suns

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, a firsthand look at the struggles occurring in every day Afghanistan, everything from fatality to arranged marriages this book keeps the reader at the edge of their seat. Hosseini has never failed to impress with his works, And the Mountains Echoed and Kite Runner have both been very successful. Both, like A Thousand Splendid Suns, have an Afghani background and universal theme that seems to circulate throughout Hosseini’s works. Our brutally scarred characters each have their own story to tell, each one as unique as the next; Mariam, a betrayed daughter and Laila, a simple minded girl who has her innocence stolen from her. This tragedy filled book is one built for the ages, something every devoted reader needs in their personal library. The theme of this book could be one of many things, for instance, if need be, it could be related to women in an obvious way. The discrimination of women or the inner strength of women are two very powerful themes in this book. But, if the author wanted a universal theme for all three of his books, my all-time favorite would be the human capacity for evil.

A Thousand Splendid Suns is a novel that illustrates the plight of women in Afghanistan.  In the beginning of this book the author introduces Mariam and her mother, a woman who is bitter because of Jalil, a man who impregnated her and left her and baby Mariam by themselves in a kolba outside of Kabul. She always lectured to Mariam, talked about “our lot in life” the lot of the poor, uneducated “woman like us”. Until the unfortunate death of Mariam’s mother, Mariam never appreciated her words, never fully understood them. Now, being alone Mariam was forced to marry. Rasheed was a big bloke of a man, rude and was always “embarrassed when he saw a man who can’t take control of his wife”. Rasheed forces Mariam to wear a burqa and treats her like she is the scum of the earth, even though Mariam lives and breathes to serve him. She lives in fear because of “his shifting moods, his volatile temperament, his insistence on steering even mundane exchanges down a confrontational path that, on occasion, he would resolve with punches, slaps, kicks, and sometimes try to make amends for with polluted apologies and sometimes not.” She never knew better, always assumed that, that was how women were supposed to be treated when it came to marriage in Afghanistan. The novel jumps back and forth between Mariam and Laila. Laila was the daughter of a school teacher in Kabul, a man who only wanted the best for his cherished little daughter. She praised him and his teachings, and all he wanted for her was an education. Her innocence and simple life was torn apart from her when a rocket that the Soviets had placed during war time in Afghanistan struck her house in Kabul and killed her parents. Her boyfriend Tariq, who she was irrevocably in love with, had already moved to Pakistan with his family in the hopes of a better life. She soon realizes that she is an orphan with no friends and no Tariq. Later on the reader finds out that Laila is also pregnant with Tariq’s baby and has nowhere to go, she and her baby would be alone on the streets of Kabul; and that’s when Laila decides to marry Rasheed. At first, Mariam sees Laila as a rival, after all, Mariam does live and breathe to serve Rasheed and he brings home another, making her feel once again, not good enough. Then, as the story progresses and baby Aziza is born, Mariam and Laila become allies in the oncoming war that is Rasheed. They shield each other from his anger and ridiculous demands and soon enough, even become best friends.

A Thousand Splendid Suns is a book I highly recommend to anyone who has or has not read either one of Hosseini’s other novels, it catches glimpses of war time Afghanistan and makes the story come alive by including ethos, logos and pathos throughout the whole book. This is a book that once picked up, can’t be put down. A 5 out of 5 star rating in my personal opinion, grab a copy and enjoy.

Book Review by Aida F.

Passing

Some humans have the ability to shape-shift. Like a chameleon they can blend into their surrounding by changing their color to something that it isn’t. This is a phenomenon known as “passing” in which people of color who are light enough to pass for white, say that they are to receive the privilege (or lack of disadvantage) that comes along with being white. The book Passing, written by Nella Larsen, is a story about the intricacies of faith in those you love and your race, and explores what one woman will face when she’s forced to choose between the two.

               

Passing is set up like a play, with 3 acts in which the mixed-light-skinned protagonist, Irene Redfield, encounters her childhood friend, Clare Kendry, 3 times. Clare is also very light, but unlike Irene, she chooses to pass for white-ensuring a life of comfort and privilege, but with an underlying pulse of danger; the danger of being discovered. This book takes place in the late 20s in New York City and, although it is set in the north, racism is very obviously still a part of the characters’ lives. Irene’s relationship with her “white” friend is wrought with conflict and tension. When she discovers Clare is in danger as a result of betrayal (a term used interestingly frequently throughout the narrative) her race, Irene finds herself struggling between defending her heritage or her fellow man (so to speak). With her dignity and sanity carefully in the balance, Irene must explore what is most important to her, and how she relates to the world around her, asking herself: what is bravery and what is cowardice?

               

Passing is a poignant look at two women’s cultural struggles in a white dominated world, and how they choose to move past them. Full of intriguing plot twists, introspective internal monologue and complex characters, Passing gives the reader a look at black America in the 1920s, and new or improved perspective on race and privilege. For anyone who is struggling with their identity I any form, this is a book that will give you an array of characters to relate to and a myriad of conflicts to reflect on. It will open up the doors to personal reflection and give you the chance to ask yourself; what is most important to me, and what lengths would I go to to fight for it?

Book Review by Kai G.

The Kite Runner

In 2003 Khaled Hosseini published The Kite Runner. A few years later it became a best seller in the United States. The readers enjoyed reading Khaled’s personal narrative about Afghanistan culture and tradition, such as Kite Fighting in the Winter. In the end of the book kite flying and kite runners was a symbolic way of how it troubled a friendship of two Afghan boys Khaled, who is known as Amir in the book and Hassan, Amir’s kite runner, and loyal childhood best friend. The theme of this book is, there is a way to be good again because in the end twenty-six years later while one had been lost, another friendship was created and this time Amir is the Kite Runner.

               

The Kite Runner starts off in the setting of Afghanistan where Amir, the protagonist and his well respected father Baba lived in a luxurious mansion. They had two servants Ali and his son Hassan, who are Hazara, a different ethnic minority then Amir who is Pashtun. The book takes us through the life of Amir from his childhood to his Adulthood. While reading, readers see the difficult times between his father’s approval and problems. Not only that but the problems between his friendship with Hassan. Amir’s story shows readers how you should never give up, friendship, should never die and how you should always stay loyal no matter how the circumstances get. But out of all the trouble Amir has been in, Rahim Khan, Babas close friend and a man that Amir admired, calls Amir about twenty years later after the trouble. He tells Amir, “ There is a way to be good again.” (Rahim Khan, 192)

               

I highly recommend everyone to read this book. It has become one of my favorite books. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini had a powerful grip on my focus from the beginning until the end. It had a simultaneously heart wrecking and harm warming story with an emotionally compelling plot. Hosseini’s language was very beautifully detailed and different from any personal narratives that I have ever read, and it made me feel as if I was there with him through his struggles, gains and losses.

Book Review by Dalena N.

The Kite Runner

I have just finished reading the book, The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini. Khaled Hosseini, is an Afghan man who was raised in America. He is also the author of A Thousand Splendid Suns, and And the Mountains Echoed. This story is about two young boys, one wealthy and one the son of his fathers servant, and the struggles they went through growing up in Afghanistan before the invasion of the Taliban. You will finish this book learning a lesson, which is that time can never be given back.

           

This novel is about two young boys, Amir and Hassan. Amir is the son of a well respected Afghan man and Hassan is the son of their Hazara servant. Amir has always yearned for a relationship with his father and throughout the story you will see all that he is willing to do to make his dad proud. Amir often teases Hassan to tests his loyalty to him and also because he was never able to go to school and get an education, but Hassan on the other hand sees Amir as family and would do anything for him. “For you a thousand times over”, Hassan had said to Amir on the day of the kite running tournament. As the boys go through a situation it begins to break their two worlds apart more then they would have ever imagined. Years pass within the story and Amir has to face what he’s been avoiding for the past two dozen years. As he goes through this journey he learns secrets to his past that will change his life forever and make him learn the true meaning to life.

           

I would recommend this book to everybody. It has a great meaning and life lesson within it. There’s so many different twist and turns you will stay locked to it for hours. The story also gives you a brief insight into the history of Afghanistan and its people and what they went through during this time. It’s a great story for the relationship of a boy and his father, loyalty, war, friendship, and the ever lasting love between two friends.  

            

Book Review by Rylee S.