Book Recs
Timothy Tong
Late British Literature
Ms. Chan – Period 2
Book Recommendations
Name: Timothy Tong
Year: Senior
Book: The Great Gatsby
Questions:
1) Why did you start reading this book? (Ex: for a class, etc.)
a. I started reading this book for a class.
2) What was so good about this book?
a. This book was good because it delved into the depths of human nature and the character developments were comprehensive and intriguing. Especially intriguing was Gatsby, the main character. So much mystery surrounded him and all I wanted was to read and learn more about him.
3) Why would you recommend this book to others?
a. I would recommend this book to others because for a required reading, it wasn’t that bad. It was actually interesting and the style of the writing made it easy to follow. There was no convoluted writing, and the story drew you in with suspense, plot twists and action.
4) Did it contain many influential themes? Name one and explain a little.
a. Yes it contained themes, one of which was the degradation of the American dream.
5) If you had to rate this book from 1 to 10, 10 being the best, which and why?
a. I would rate this a 8 because it was a very moving book that made me reflect on and appreciate the American society I inhabit and the American ideals I believe in. The plot was also very interesting. The one thing that detracted from it though was its use of outwardly irrelevant characters and somewhat confusing symbols. But overall, it was a great book.
Name: Nicole Lau
Year: Senior
Book: The Great Gatsby
Questions:
1) Why did you start reading this book? (Ex: for a class, etc.)
a. I read it in 8th grade for a class.
2) What was so good about this book?
a. It was awesome!
3) Why would you recommend this book to others?
a. Yes, because Gatsby is such a cool character. So little is known about him, but we know that he is one that strives for perfection.
4) Did it contain many influential themes? Name one and explain a little.
a. Yes it did. One theme was the issue of wealth and creating your own wealth. Also included in this was the contrast between new and old money.
5) If you had to rate this book from 1 to 10, 10 being the best, which and why?
a. 10 because it was awesome!
Name: Jackson Sheng
Year: Sophomore
Book: The Kite Runner
Questions
1) Why did you start reading this book? (Ex: for a class, etc.)
a. I read it for a class.
2) What was so good about this book?
a. It is a book that helps the reader realize what people of different backgrounds may feel like
3) Why would you recommend this book to others?
a. I recommend this book to others because it is extremely descriptive and captivates my attention
4) Did it contain many influential themes? Name one and explain a little.
a. Yes, the strength of character is an important theme in this book. Amir, who did terrible things to his friend and half-brother, Hassan, tried to fix it, using his strength of character.
5) If you had to rate this book from 1 to 10, 10 being the best, which and why?
a. 10 because it was very interesting.
Name: Paul Park
Year: Senior
Book: The Things They Carried
Questions
1) Why did you start reading this book? (Ex: for a class, etc.)
a. I had to read this for Ms. Thoms.
2) What was so good about this book?
a. The book contained an exorbitant amount of detail. And it really makes you think about how we don’t notice a lot of things in life. After reading, I wouldn’t say my life changed. But I try to be more observant. So I don’t miss things. Why would you recommend this book to others?
3) Why would you recommend this book to others?
a. Unconventional! Because it’s really different from a lot of books you read. It’s not just a continuous story line, but an amalgamation of a lot of different stories. And that’s what makes it really fun to read.
4) Did it contain many influential themes? Name one and explain a little.
a. Yes, there was the theme of physical and emotional burdens.
5) If you had to rate this book from 1 to 10, 10 being the best, which and why?
a. 5 because the book is about Tim O’Brien’s time spent during the Vietnam War. There’s a lot of stuff I can probably never relate to. But that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy it. There are a lot of things in the book that really make you stop reading, and just think about what was said.
Name: Philip Chan
Year: Junior
Book: To Kill A Mockingbird
Questions:
1) Why did you start reading this book? (Ex: for a class, etc.)
a. I read this for a class.
2) What was so good about this book?
a. This book was good because it talked about human nature and doing the right thing when you need it most.
3) Why would you recommend this book to others?
a. I would recommend this book to others because it is a great book to write about on the SAT’s. It contains many themes. Refer to question 4.
4) Did it contain many influential themes? Name one and explain a little.
a. Yes, one of them was morality. Atticus Finch supported Tom even though he lived in a town in a time of great stereotypes towards blacks. He did the right thing.
5) If you had to rate this book from 1 to 10, 10 being the best, which and why?
a. I would rate it a 10 because the themes are very influential and the book had me thinking about my own life.
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