On the Shelf

In this week’s edition of On the Shelf comes the final post on Kite Runner. Amir, now happily married to his wife Soraya for over 15 years, receives a message from his old family friend Rahim Khan. Amir drops everything he is doing in his life in America and hastily boards the next plane to Afghanistan. When Amir finds Rahim he quickly discovers that the Afghanistan he knew when he was a kid was destroyed after the Soviet invasion years earlier. After the Soviets were driven out, the fundamentalist Taliban group seized control of the country and with it the freedom of its people. The Taliban were responsible for the execution of many of the ethnic minorities in the country, including Hassan. It turns out that Hassan had a son during the Taliban occupation of Afghanistan and after he and his wife were executed, the orphaned boy was placed in an orphanage. Hassan’s child, Sohrab, was then removed from the orphanage by a Taliban official who just so happened to be Assef, the rapist from earlier in the book. Amir goes to rescue Sohrab from Assef and the two fist fight one on one, Assef’s request to the Taliban guards. After Amir had his face physically reconstructed by Assef’s fists, Sohrab manages to blind Assef with his father’s sling shot. How fitting. The two escape the Taliban building and escape to Pakistan in their getaway car. Once Amir has his face fixed by plastic surgeons in relative safety, he begins the adoption process to adopt Sohrab and to bring him back to America. The U.S. international adoptions agency is less than accommodating to our beaten hero and Amir is forced to tell Sohrab that he will have to stay in another dirty, foodless orphanage “only until we can sort this out.” Later that night, Soraya saves the day by informing Amir that she found an international adoption agency that will assist them in getting Sohrab home now and adopted later. Amir tries to inform Sohrab of the turn of events only to find Sohrab lying in the hotel bathtub with his wrists cut in an attempt to commit suicide. Luckily, Sohrab survives the suicide attempt after Amir rushes him to the hospital and Sohrab recovers physically, but never in spirit. Amir takes him home to America where they live safely, but with an impenetrable barrier of silence holding the family apart. The novel does end on a happier note when Amir takes Sohrab to the park to fly a kite together and even fight another kite. His victory in this kite fight brings all of Kabul back to Amir and shows Amir and Sohrab how their love for Hassan has brought them together.

On the Shelf

This week I was unable to do as much reading as I would have liked too. I have been fairly busy working after school and catching up on school assignments. I was originally planning on finishing Kite Runner by this time but I was unable to achieve this goal. So far, the story has progressed through time fairly quickly, outlining the events between the infamous rape scene and the move to America after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Placing light details of life in America upon the passage of time, it would appear as if the move away from Afghanistan allowed Amir to forget his cowardice and betrayal of his friend Hassan, creating a whole new life where his conscious can finally rest easily. Eventually, Amir marries another fugitive from Afghanistan in America. The day of his proposal to her, she reveals to him that she has had ran away with a previous suitor, marring her purity as an Afghan woman. Soraya’s betrayal of her father and the family name discreetly parallels Amir’s betrayal of his ‘brother’ years before. Though Amir acknowledges he should confess his inner incubus, he decides to withhold the information. Time passes, and Amir’s father passes away from lung cancer and his old family friend from Kabul, Afghanistan requests Amir visit him as he too is dying; Amir boards a plane and returns to his home, reviving his suppressed childhood demons.

On The Shelf

The next book on the shelf is a very enriching novel about the life of a boy in Afghanistan named Kite Runner. The interesting title actually stems from an Afghani tradition, kite fighting. During the winter months, the town boys would work in pairs to either buy or craft a kite to be flown in a tournament. The tournament has a unique twist; each of the kites has a string that is coated in ground glass. The kite flyer attempts to maneuver the kite and its line to cut the string of another kite flying in the tournament. The winner is considered the last kite flying. It is also a tradition that the boys chase after the final kite to fall from the sky, these boys were known as kite runners. It was not uncommon for fights to breakout over the fallen kite because it was considered a magnificent honor to recover the final kite and this novel wraps around the tragedy that befell one child while recovering the kite. The main character witnesses the horror that befalls his friend within the darkened alley way, and the novel illustrates the psychological effect the rape had on both the victim and the witness as the two slowly drift apart. The novel is a fantastic read, tracing the progression of the schism between the family due to this tragedy and as a result of external cultural prejudice.

Nominated Posts

My top post picks (no particular order)

"Ocean's music has been characterized by music writers as idiosyncratic in style. Ocean generally plays the electronic keyboard, and is backed by a subdued rhythm section in the production. His compositions are often mid-tempo and feature unconventional melodies, occasionally having experimental song structure. Whenever I'm in the mood to pause and slow this life down a bit, or if I want to ponder about my "sophisticated" high school romances, I choose Frank."
http://chranderson.blogspot.com/

"...The basis of the plot is Tiger Lily’s decision between marrying a terrible man in her own tribe and running away to an uncertain future with Peter (because they fell in love). I found myself conflicted as well; it is always difficult to choose between going with your heart or with your head. Tiger Lily was always the mischievous native in Peter Pan the movie, but this novel shows another side of this dynamic character in adventures involving bravery, family, and of course, love."
http://drysuitwetwater.blogspot.com/

On the Shelf

This week I bring to you the final update for the novel, “The Hobbit”. I just finished the great novel last night while half-way paying attention to one of those wonderful made-for-T.V. sci-fi movies. The sci-fi movie made an excellent foil for The Hobbit; The Hobbit is remarkably well written and moves beyond the predictable realm of “the not even scary guy who abruptly enters frame with a loud noise” shocker moments. While on the note of sharp contrast, the ending of the novel brings up a major contrast between Bilbo and his picture perfect foil, Thorin. When the adventuring party finally makes it to the Lonely Mountain, Thorin takes great pride in claiming the treasure as his own to dispense as he pleases, modeling that five year old child on the playground who won’t share HIS jungle-gym with the rest of the kids. While sitting atop his gratuitous pile of gold, silver, gems, and priceless jewelry, Thorin manages to start an unwinnable war with the men of the lake who helped him earn his golden throne (ex. Killing the dragon that once guarded it). Bilbo, taking advantage of his natural leadership and benevolence, sneaks out to the enemy camp and makes a selfless offer to prevent the war from commencing. Bilbo offers to give his claim to the treasure to the men of the lake in order to appease the war-bound men and elves. Our little King Midas disowns Bilbo for his “treachery” and war is on the verge of fruition. After a great chain of plot twisting of events, Thorin formally apologizes to Bilbo and attempts to redeem himself from his greed by renouncing his action. The book ends with Bilbo’s return journey, where he is exceedingly generous in rewarding the friendly faces who helped him complete his quest. This conclusion shows that even though Bilbo developed into a natural leader, a crafty escape artist, and a peacemaker, Bilbo still maintained his devotion to a life of simplicity.

On the Shelf

In this installment of On the Shelf I bring another up date on the epic story The Hobbit. A great number of events transpired this week within The Hobbit, all bringing about various not so subtle changes in our beloved protagonist Bilbo Baggins. The fearless adventuring party faces a plethora of legendary enemies including: goblins riding wolves, spell casting wood-elves, maniacal kings, and the ineffably powerful dragon, Smaug, who is sure to make anyone second guess how important this quest for glory really is. Along the quest we start to uncover the various perspective changes within the party, most notably about the party's view of Bilbo. Bilbo's use of the magic ring to solve just about any giant spider filled, prison bound, fire breathing , barrel-surfing problem that the dwarves manage to throw themselves into causes a dramatic shift in the role Bilbo plays. Bilbo changes from the mild, napping-on-the-front-porch-on-a-hot-summer-day hobbit to a crafty escape artist capable of saving his companions from anything. The quote below represents Bilbos dramatic change in character.

"It was at this point that Bilbo stopped. Going on from there was the bravest thing he ever did. The tremendous things that happened afterwards were as nothing compared to it. he fought the real battle in the tunnel alone, before he ever saw the vast danger that lay in wait."

 Additionally, Bilbo manages to hold onto his country boy roots, saving him from getting carried away with his quest and forgetting all about the qualities of his home that he loves so dearly.

What I'm Loving

"There is no way for us to be human without other people." The opening quote of Chris Abani's amazing monologue "On Humanity", plants a lingering thought for his whole story. He recounts his amazing experiences with his missionary mother in Nigeria where he learns the power of compassion and bravery. His touching story transitions into a dramatic personal account of passing through a coming of age trial where he learned the importance of childhood innocence; through the actions of a child soldier. Chris then transitions between a comical story and another personal story, Chris brings us to his story on death row in Nigeria where he met a 14 year old boy who changed his life forever. He then finishes his story with a poem called "Libation" which pulls together his stories into one powerful message.

On the Shelf

This week I have been reading The Hobbit in anticipation of the release of the movie interpretation of the story on December 14. The story so far been an exciting chain of episodic action that dynamically leads from one intense situation to another. Along the journey, Bilbo met a very exciting character named Gollum. Tolkin  vividly describes Gollum as both a disgusting creature not worthy to live, and also as a victim of circumstance who does not deserve the horrors he has faced. Tolkin brings the reader into the mind of Bilbo and shows his development from a timid villager of the Shire, into a brave adventurer who stumbles upon a curious ring. Bilbo is reluctant to reveal the ring of power to his companions because he does not fully understand its power, and he is right to be cautious. As the tale continues, their brotherhood strengthens and the story maintains its focus around the various aspects of the fantasy genre, inserting mythical beasts and divine-like intervention. Overall, The Hobbit has so far been able to fulfill the big check that has been written for it as the prelude to the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

On the Shelf

I just finished reading the book Divergent which is a fantastic novel about a believable dystopian future. The 500ish page book ended up being pretty simple in its writing style but frequently brought in descriptions of subtle body language and personal reactions to the world around Tris, adding a whole new layer of believability. This novel has no shortage of plot twists and startling situations that will leave the reader on the edge of their seat with one eyebrow raised. The unique environments that the characters are placed in and the extreme circumstances that these realistic characters face bring certain credibility to the story; it made the novel easy to connect with and easy to believe.  The storyline also has numerous difficult and defining choices that help to build a character representation of who each of the individuals within the story really are. From betrayal, to revenge, romance, to clutch-player moments, this story has it all.

On the List

The next book I will be reading is in anticipation of the movie release of The Hobbit, the prelude to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I cannot wait to get into The Hobbit (a.k.a There and Back Again for the Lord of the Rings fans) and of course I cannot wait for the movie to come out December 14th.

On the Shelf

In this week's installment of On The Shelf, I am pleased to reveal the next book I will be discussing is Divergent, by Veronica Roth. This novel takes place in the future after our society is divided into four distinct factions. In an effort to eliminate evil, our society attempts to defeat the source by embodying the ideals that counteract the "source of evil". Each faction chose a characteristic that they believed would end evil in the world, these traits included bravery, selflessness, pursuit of knowledge, and kindness. Those who do not conform to these new standards are shunned and cast out with the other factionless. The story unfolds through the eyes of our adolescent protagonist, Beatrice, who belongs to the selfless faction of Abnegation. This coming of age thriller follows "Tris" as she struggles to fit in with her society and her transition into a new life with friends from the other factions. Tris doesn't understand why she has such a hard time fitting in or why she was labeled "Divergent" during her faction placement test, but she fights on to uncover the prevalent mysteries that keep appearing in her life.

On The Plate

Recently, someone suggested a new recipe to me which I thoroughly enjoyed. Peanut butter and honey sandwich. Essentially, the classic PB&J sandwich but with honey instead of jelly. The combination of the sweet honey brings out a spectacular contrast with the creamy peanut butter which is sure to bring a smile your plate. I highly recommend this small adjustment to anyone who enjoys the classic PB&J.

On the Shelf

In this week’s installment of On the Shelf I will reveal the final update of “Warrior Elite”. The remaining warriors for the Class of 228 had passed all of the certifications involved in phase 2. This entailed completing a rigorous underwater navigation test, modeled after real mission scenarios. The two leading officers of the class were tasked with swimming over 200m under water and attaching a placebo charge on an “enemy battle ship”.  The trainees moved onto third phase where team work and CQB arms training was practiced reverently. Class 228 was the first class in a number of sessions to have every trainee complete phase 3’s demanding marksmanship requirements. After the firearms training, the gentlemen move over to a private island where high ordinance explosives are detonated like backyard fireworks. While playing with these fireworks, the instructors take great care to ensure that the trainees follow the policy of “measure twice cut once” to a whole new level. Many explosions and combat simulations later, the author continues on to the graduation ceremony where he vividly describes the characteristics of the final 20 trainees. He then goes on to cite his valediction in which he essentially sums up the lessons learned while becoming a part of this warrior culture, emphasizing the values of the SEAL’s commitment to excellence and the ambition to win. The author then leaves us, the readers, with a jealous drive to become winners and the best of our own kind.

On the Shelf

In this week’s edition of on the shelf comes another update for the NAVY SEAL hopefuls of class 228 in "Warrior Elite". The boys in uniform had just finished up the inconceivably difficult "Hell Week" of training, leaving only ten percent of the original members of the class. After reading how incredibly intense the hardships of Hell Week were it was easy to believe that these young men were capable of anything. Phase Two then began and so did the many health complications following the long week of torture. Phase Two had the trainees studying the art of SCUBA diving devoutly, and the instructors continued their prescribed doses of physical training and underwater harassment. The combination of sickness and underwater training became too much for some of the trainees, and the group lost a few of their iron men. The strongest candidate, and leading petty officer, had a sinus infection that prevented him from equalizing his sinus pressure with the water pressure. This resulted in an excruciating pain and eventually the loss of a great leader. The resilient majority of the class was able to pull through their individual health complications and advance through the training. The tenacity of these young men is truly something to be admired. The drive of ambition to join the SEAL teams is so powerful that nothing will stop each of these men from achieving it.

On the Stereo

This week I have been listening to Throwdown a pretty good band that I do not think is known very well. Throwdown features a great mixture of multi-part guitar arrangements and heavy rifts base with a great drummer to top it all off. The band’s brings a great deal of energy to their music through their manipulation of volumes. They arrange their music to have a layered effect of different volumes, creating a high energy, fuller sound. If hard rock is something you are interested in, then “Scythe” on Throwdown’s album Deathless should be checked out.

On the Shelf

This week I have been exclusively reading "Warrior Elite", a fascinating novel that enters into the lives of the men training to become NAVY SEALs. A haunting event that transpired within this novel was the passing of "Hell Week" which, as the name implies, puts the trainees through living hell. The class began Hell Week with 39 trainees and after 170 hours of intense physical training, drown-proofing, frequent immersion in 56 degree ocean water, many miles of running, simulation of machine-gun fire and artillery explosions, countless races on land and at sea, an extreme obstacle course, and many cases of pneumonia, the class of 228 finally concluded Hell Week. The class of 228 officially secured 19 of its initial 98 trainees to move onto phase 2. The novel does an excellent job expressing the different effects of this horrible training on each individual, following the candidates most likely to succeed. One of the strongest trainees is described in one scene as lethargic and upon the verge of quitting. Lying on the ground nearing a breakdown, he convinces himself that he has to complete the training as a leading officer. He immediately sprints to the next drill and leads the group. His determination and ability to motivate others really is something admirable. Perhaps if we all had the willpower to pull ourselves through adversities and still perform as the best of the best the world would be a much better place.

On the Stereo

Shinedown has been my band of the week. Primarily, I have been listening to their latest album, “Amaryllis”. I really enjoy listening to the song “Unity”; it is definitely one of those songs you can put on repeat and play over and over again. I have also been listening to a band with a pretty unique sound. Volbeat’s lead singer uses an autotune effect to give his vocal parts a very different sound. Autotuning is rarely done in the rock genre, but it’s nice to hear something different every now and then.

"Why does the return journey feel quicker?" posted on IrishTimes.com was a very interesting article which hooked me right from the start. While the information presented in the article is theoretical, it still fascinated me by expressing the complicated process of forming memory timing. The article goes on loquaciously describing the way our minds perceive the passage of time through our memories; expressing the relationship between attention the recollection of time. Apparently, the less complex an attention-grabbing the distraction is, the longer we remember dealing with it. Giving rise to the old adage, "a watched pot never boils". The conclusion of the article takes on a "Carpe Diem" tone and expresses that life can feel longer and fuller by filling it with learning experiences. Having a boring, routine life will make it seem to go by quickly.

What I’m Reading:

 I am currently reading two novels, one of them being “Yakuza: Japan’s Crime Underworld” and the other is “The Warrior Elite”. Yakuza is an interesting book written with a grandfatherly-narrative which expresses a historical and social mixing-pot where ideas shift frequently between the role of the “chivalrous gangster” in feudal Japan society and their effect on the era’s history, causing the book to be mostly composed of intermittently connected background information. Naturally, the combination of new Japanese social terms and the dramatic contrast in the role of organized crime in Japan against the Western counterpart leads to a fairly hard to follow book. “The Warrior Elite”, on the other hand had scarcely left my hands today. This novel is written by a retired NAVY SEAL officer who follows SEAL Class 228 as they are being “Forged into the Warrior Elite” in their three phase ordeal. The almost comical commentary of the on looking narrator gives excellent insight into the daily routines and hardships of the SEAL hopefuls as they form the bonds of a true Elite Warrior unit. His unique wording helps to connect the reader directly into the intensity of the events contained within the book by using phrases such as “intense verbal encouragement” and “physical arm harassment” to express situations we would typically label “yelling” and “push-up punishment”. “The Warrior Elite has been an incredibly good book so far and has revealed to me what the SEALs and any of the other elite taskforce groups must persevere through to become the best of the best in the name of our freedom.

What I’m listening to:

This week I have been going back to my favorite band of all time, Breaking Benjamin, and I have been listening to their latest album, Dear Agony. I was just listening to the song “Anthem of the Angels” and it brought back the sad realization that the band had split up and I probably will not hear another song from them with such a complex arrangement of string instruments and the base-heavy power rifts which blend so well.  

                Hello, my name is Logan and I have not been the biggest reader in the past, but I am planning on changing that. I will primarily be reading novels that focus more on the historical context in which the story was written around, rather than imagery. I like novels that include many allusions and symbols to deepen the meaning of the events within the novel. I also like novels that make the reader think deeply over what had really happened, the kind of novels that tell the reader one thing, but imply something else entirely.

                I would like to finish a good number of books this semester, but I will try not to linger on any novels that do not seem to be too interesting or end up being too predictable. I would also like to expand my genre horizon by branching out into any of the other categories for some of the more popular fiction.

Cool posts soon to come...