Book Review List
Novels
You will be reading one novel per month.
How to mark a Book Adler.
A book review is a reader's summation, reflection, opinion of a certain
reading. For this exercise, you will read certain American novels
selected from certain periods of time. This is a way of providing you
with an overview of the American literary landscape from the point of view
of novels. Novels are not easy to teach in a class, because readers are
always at different parts of the novel and classroom discussion breaks
down quickly. I'd prefer for each of you to pace yourselves through a
novel a month and then review each one. As you look for topics to review,
consider how the novel is a literary account of the times in which it was
written. Some moral or ethical statement might be made; the characters
may represent a certain human condition which is universal in time and
place; or it just may reflect on life is some quirky way. Your review of
each novel should direct itself to how the novel reveals a truth to you.
In your review you want to be sure to highlight at least two incidents
from the novel which support your statements. And in your conclusion I
want you to reflect on how this novel is still relevant today or how
it applies to your own life or observations about life. Is the novel
still a reflection of our society today? Is it still relevant, beyond its
language and setting? Have you learned more about yourself and your
society by reading it? These are just some of the questions you may ask
yourself as you read each novel.
Now on a more practical note, you may be asking yourself just why do we need to read these novels. Well, on that practical note, these novels will serve you very well on the SAT, Regents, AP exams, college, and light cocktail party conversation. Oh, you wanted really practical? When you see someone you may want to meet reading a book you know something about, now that is a practical way to meet that person. Is that practical or what??
I will be discussing certain matters in class and each of you and I will be speaking constantly about your progress on these novels and on the work as it begins to be posted. Classroom discussion wil be general and then those students reading the same novels will get togther to discuss them. References to other book reviews would be adopting some good hypertext writing habits.
What is a Book?
For September you will reread a book which is
important to you and report on it, being sure to explain why this book is
so important to you. Please do not think this is too easy, it is not. It is
not easy because you have to be very good and very careful, because this
book says something about you. This is important to remember as you write
especially for the web. You have an audience and they are reading.
Students in CyberEnglish get offers from people who see their web site.
Since you will be constructing a web resume, you might want to make sure
each part of your webpage properly reflects who you are and what you
believe in. Let you webpage reflect the best you have to offer.
For October and for November you will read one of these
books:
For December you will be reading a book from Native American Book
List.
For January and for February you will be reading one of
these books:
For March and for April you will be reading a book from the
Cyber Booklist
