Challenge #11: A Good Writer is an Avid Reader
Three of my favourite books are Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin, The Reader by Bernard Schlink, and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Oddly, though I love dystopian literature, when I had to choose three to discuss for this challenge, it felt more like a teenage crush than deep-seated love.
As someone who works in special education, I find myself drawn to books with special needs characters, specifically characters on the Autism Spectrum. Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin was actually a book that was recommended to me by one of the special needs students I work with (though not on the Autism Spectrum) because she thought it was amazing.
Told from his perspective, it is the story of Jason Blake, an autistic 12-year-old, who posts stories online. One day, PhoenixBird-a girl-begins replying to his stories and asking him to read and offer feedback on hers. For the first, Jason feels as if he has a real friend, that he can be himself. When he has the opportunity to meet her, though, he is plagued by doubts that she will not be able to see beyond his diagnosis.
While not the most original plot, it is depict autistic children in a realistic yet positive way. In addition, while describing his daily struggles, Raleigh Baskin also seems to explain the absurdity-those without autism called neurotypicals in the book-with which we sometimes interact with people with this disorder while not being judgmental or preachy. Finally, it is well-written with a strong voice and can its themes can be generalized to include anyone who’s ever felt different.
I seem to have a soft spot for literature surrounding the Holocaust. Most of the literature, however, centers around the victim or, maybe, those attempting to help the victims. In The Reader by Bernard Schlink, the story takes place in post-war Germany, where one must condemn the actions taken during the Holocaust or fear persecution. In fact, children struggle with the fact that their parents seeming allowed it to happen. The story begins simply enough, with Michael, a 15-year-old boy, meets and begins an affair with a woman, Hanna, twice his age. Many years later, Michael discovers she was a guard at Auschwitz and she is standing trial for a fire that killed many.
My favourite types of characters are ambiguous ones. When we first meet Hanna, we know nothing of her past. Once we do learn about her past, we question everything we know about her. When Michael stumbles upon a secret, our opinion of her and that which is happening to her shifts again.
Finally, it’s just a very beautifully written piece that questions the very essence of morality.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee might be my favourite book of all time. I find it a challenging book to summarize because there are many subplots. Scout, a girl, and her brother Jem are being raised by their single father. Scout is a tomboy prone to fighting, whose aunt desperately is trying to turn into a lady and who, by the time she enters school, can read, which offends her teachers. Atticus, a lawyer, agrees to defend a local black man accused of raping a white woman and the small town reacts. There’s also a man who lives down the street who never leaves his house and has become the subject of legends.
One of the biggest reasons I love the To Kill a Mockingbird quite so much is because of the character Atticus Finch. There’s no other way to say it: Atticus Finch is my hero. Not only is he a savvy lawyer and an amazing parent, he is just what we all should aspire to be.
As a future English teacher, I get weak in the knees at the prospect of possibly being able to share this story with future generations because there is just so much to discuss (gender roles, education, social responsibilities, parenting, prejudices and equality, etc.).
As someone who works in special education, I find myself drawn to books with special needs characters, specifically characters on the Autism Spectrum. Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin was actually a book that was recommended to me by one of the special needs students I work with (though not on the Autism Spectrum) because she thought it was amazing.
Told from his perspective, it is the story of Jason Blake, an autistic 12-year-old, who posts stories online. One day, PhoenixBird-a girl-begins replying to his stories and asking him to read and offer feedback on hers. For the first, Jason feels as if he has a real friend, that he can be himself. When he has the opportunity to meet her, though, he is plagued by doubts that she will not be able to see beyond his diagnosis.
While not the most original plot, it is depict autistic children in a realistic yet positive way. In addition, while describing his daily struggles, Raleigh Baskin also seems to explain the absurdity-those without autism called neurotypicals in the book-with which we sometimes interact with people with this disorder while not being judgmental or preachy. Finally, it is well-written with a strong voice and can its themes can be generalized to include anyone who’s ever felt different.
I seem to have a soft spot for literature surrounding the Holocaust. Most of the literature, however, centers around the victim or, maybe, those attempting to help the victims. In The Reader by Bernard Schlink, the story takes place in post-war Germany, where one must condemn the actions taken during the Holocaust or fear persecution. In fact, children struggle with the fact that their parents seeming allowed it to happen. The story begins simply enough, with Michael, a 15-year-old boy, meets and begins an affair with a woman, Hanna, twice his age. Many years later, Michael discovers she was a guard at Auschwitz and she is standing trial for a fire that killed many.
My favourite types of characters are ambiguous ones. When we first meet Hanna, we know nothing of her past. Once we do learn about her past, we question everything we know about her. When Michael stumbles upon a secret, our opinion of her and that which is happening to her shifts again.
Finally, it’s just a very beautifully written piece that questions the very essence of morality.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee might be my favourite book of all time. I find it a challenging book to summarize because there are many subplots. Scout, a girl, and her brother Jem are being raised by their single father. Scout is a tomboy prone to fighting, whose aunt desperately is trying to turn into a lady and who, by the time she enters school, can read, which offends her teachers. Atticus, a lawyer, agrees to defend a local black man accused of raping a white woman and the small town reacts. There’s also a man who lives down the street who never leaves his house and has become the subject of legends.
One of the biggest reasons I love the To Kill a Mockingbird quite so much is because of the character Atticus Finch. There’s no other way to say it: Atticus Finch is my hero. Not only is he a savvy lawyer and an amazing parent, he is just what we all should aspire to be.
As a future English teacher, I get weak in the knees at the prospect of possibly being able to share this story with future generations because there is just so much to discuss (gender roles, education, social responsibilities, parenting, prejudices and equality, etc.).