Week 4

Assignment 1


I have never used Goodreads before now and so far it's been pretty helpful. I enjoy seeing what everyone is reading and scrolling through the ratings to see if a certain book would hold my interest. Goodreads voice is also intriguing because readers are able to see where authors received some of their inspiration to write certain books. The featured lists option is also another great resource when looking for books to recommend customers. However, I am not a fan of the comment feature on Goodreads. Some of the books I recommended if they read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn would maybe recommend Betsy and the Great World & Betsy's Wedding because it carries similar themes of adventure. Also, if you have read Life is Tremendous I would recommend reading University of Success because it continues the themes of achievement and perseverance.

Week 3

Assignment 1

Another article by Neal Wyatt! Yay! The points he makes are clear and concise and make for a good mental checklist when trying to have a good reader's advisory conversation. However, 15 seconds goes by really quickly when you're trying to think of a book they would like, while trying to  remember certain points to mention, while also trying to make the book sound appealing...

Assignment 2

Nancy Pearl's book talks are colorful, concise, and insightful for each of her descriptions. Her way of sharing these books is actively engaging and informative.

Assignment 3

Conversation 1
I would recommend the book Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert. The reader may be interested to see what happened next in the author's life if they enjoyed the book Eat, Pray, Love. Committed seems to carry the same themes of reflection and adventure, which the reader said she enjoyed. Another book that I would suggest is Wild by Cheryl Strayed. Wild was also recommend by Oprah's Book Club which the reader said she enjoyed.
In Oprah's words...“I was on the edge of my seat. . . . It is just a wild ride of a read . . . stimulating, thought-provoking, soul-enhancing.”
—Oprah Winfrey, on Wild, first selection of her Book Club 2.0

Conversation 2
I found this one a bit challenging because I think that any book would be better than the Twilight series and not a ton of information was given otherwise. However, I would maybe recommend the Vampire Chronicles. The series seems like it keeps the reader well entertained with more than just romance but world domination and revenge as well. Additionally, the Chronicles are well written and keep a faster pace then the Twilight series.

Conversation 3
In the Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides sounds like a book that this reader may enjoy. This is a non-fiction book filled with exploration and adventure that comes highly recommended. Also, the book was written about the same time period as Teddy Roosevelt (mid to late 1800s) which the reader said he enjoyed.

Week 2

Wild

By: Cheryl Strayed

Learning/ Experience

One of the main reasons I picked up the book, Wild, was because I hope to hike the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) myself one day. Throughout the book I was searching for advice that the author might give based off of her own experiences. For example, what guide books she used, where they helpful?, would she use them again or look into other resources as well? Additionally, I was interested to see how solo backpacking for three months affected her overall physical and mental health. Would it have positive or negative effects? or both?! As it turns out, Mrs. Strayed's adventures on the PCT helped her to heal the wounds from her past and permitted her to start living a full and vibrant life.

A Walk in the Woods

By: Bill Bryson

Characterization

Bill Bryson takes on a comically witty outlook throughout his travels on the Appalachian Trail while also maintaining a level of clarity and depth. For example,

“I know a man who drives 600 yards to work. I know a woman who gets in her car to go a quarter of a mile to a college gymnasium to walk on a treadmill, then complains passionately about the difficulty of finding a parking space. When I asked her once why she didn't walk to the gym and do five minutes less on the treadmill, she looked at me as if I were being willfully provocative. 'Because I have a program for the treadmill,' she explained. 'It records my distance and speed, and I can adjust it for degree of difficulty.' It hadn't occurred to me how thoughtlessly deficient nature is in this regard.”  

Bryson and his buddy Katz maintain their dry humor which keeps the reader entertained until the very last page.

Pink Boots & A Machete

By: Mireya Mayor

Detail/ Tone

By society's standards, Mireya Mayor has completely turned her life around, changing her career from a professional cheer leader to a reporter for National Geographic! Her description of her new world as a National Geographic explorer makes you feel like you're in the jungle of Madagascar with her! Her detailed accounts of day-to-day life in the secluded jungle leave the often lead the reader on edge and wanting to know what happens next. Pink Boots is an uplifting book and leaves the reader feeling slightly more courageous and capable by the end.

Week 1

Assignment 4




I am  going to follow NPR  & Street Fiction. Though the other sites look interesting as well and I'll probably take a look at them every once in awhile.