Description of Interviewee 1
I’m a friendly person who really likes watching and reading funny movies or books. My favorite pastimes would be talking and hanging out with my friends or watching funny movies, mostly drama.
What book would you recommend to High School readers?
I would recommend The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
What is The Kite Runner about?
The book is basically about Amir, a boy who grows up in Afghanistan, just before the monarchy gets overthrown and years of destruction come into being. It’s about his friendship with his servant named Hassan and how he does things with him when they’re little that affect his whole life.
What did you learn or find most interesting about the book?
I liked the book a lot because although I thought it was over hyped and wouldn’t be that good, it actually was. The best part of the book was that the main character was not someone you could like easily. A lot of times, I hated the main character but yet, I felt for him. Also, it’s not a book where things end all “happily ever after”. The ending could be called anticlimactic, but I feel there couldn’t have been a more perfect ending to it because there was a constant theme of not-attaining-catharsis.
Which character do you relate to most and why?
I think i could relate to both Baba and Amir (mostly because they were going through the same conflicts), because they both had made mistakes that they didn’t know how to correct and went about doing it wrongly for the longest time. I feel like we’ve all had that feeling, especially when we’re young. We feel that way about doing something wrong and yet not wanting to own up to it or blame someone else for it.
4. What type of person would find this book interesting or fun to read?
While I really love this book, but it is very sad, and thus I think I would recommend it for someone older. It tells you a great deal about Afghanistan and how it changed after the constant warfare began, so anyone interested in that should definitely read it.
Was the book inspiring in any way?
The book was inspiring in the way that it told me that if you messed up, and you probably have, it’s never going to be too late to fix it, as long as you own up to your mistake and do it. It wasn’t inspiring in the way that something hits you with great impact because that was a big part of the book, how things slowly begin to show their influence.
Description of Interviewee 2
I’m Greek, I’m a senior at Stuy, and I am a Big Sib Chair, and I used to be part of the speech team.
I’m outgoing and I love to have fun and make people laugh. I never really stress out, ever.
I love acting!
What book would you recommend to high school readers?
I would recommend the book 1984 by George Orwell
What is 1984 about?
The novel basically surrounds the protagonist, Winston, and his life in the country of Oceania in 1984. London is under the rule of Big Brother and is a totalitarian society. The novel follows Winston’s attempts to rebel against the party.
What did you think of Winston and his attempts to rebel?
It really had me thinking about certain things. It was interesting to place yourself in Winston’s shoes, in a society where you could only think and say what the government wanted you to, and all of your thoughts were monitored.
3. Which character do you relate to most and why?
I could relate the most with Julia, the lead female character. Her whole demeanor of wanting to rebel against the party, and acting one way in front of everyone else (the way she was expected to behave), and being her true self around Winston. I could definitely relate to her, because I have been placed in such situations.
4. What type of person would find this book interesting or fun to read?
Anyone who’s in for a good read would find it interesting or fun to read. There are a lot of philosophical matters throughout the book, and it really has you thinking. A mature individual could get more out of the book.
5. Was the book inspiring in any way?
This book was the kind of book that you read and still think about it for days after. It posed some interesting thoughts, and towards the end I was completely shocked by how the human mind works and how well George Orwell wrote the plot. I highly recommend this book, and I’m probably going to re-read it, like right now actually.
Description of Interviewee 3
I am 17 years old, currently a senior. I live in Brooklyn.
I am a unique person who is outgoing most of the time. I am a free spirit who believes that I can accomplish what I put my mind to.
One of my favorite hobbies is writing because writing allows me to release any emotions or anything that I want to say that is locked up inside of me. It allows me to express myself when I can’t in any other way.
What book would you recommend to high school readers?
A book that I would recommend to high school readers is The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan.
What is The Joy Luck Club about?
This book focuses on the struggles of four Chinese mothers and four Chinese- American daughters. The mothers have to deal with the memories of their past along with the relationship with their daughters. The daughters deal with balancing Chinese and American culture and the relationships with their mothers.
As a Chinese American woman, did you find you can relate to the relationships of the four daughters and their mothers?
Yes I related to the daughters trying to balance Chinese and American culture and their struggle of living up to their mothers’ standards.
What did you learn or find most interesting about the book?
I really enjoyed this book because it was extremely relatable. The stories of the daughters and the point of views from both sides of the relationships made me think a lot about my own life. The writing was also great.
What type of person would find this book interesting or fun to read?
I believe that anybody would enjoy this book, especially females who sometimes have problems with their mom.
Was the book inspiring in any way?
I would say the book inspired me to read other books by Amy Tan and other Asian- American authors. It also made me appreciate my family more.
Description of Interviewee 4
I live in Queens.
My favorite pastimes are hanging out with friends, reading and playing sports.
What book would you recommend to high school readers?
I would like to recommend The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway.
What is The Old Man and the Sea about?
An old fisherman gets a gigantic marlin on the line of his fishing boat. The fish is even bigger than his small boat and it tows him for days on end through the ocean. The old man refuses to let go of the fish, because he feels it will give his respect in the eyes of the young fishermen who made fun of him. After awhile, the fish was preyed on by sharks, and the fishermen returned it to the shore, though by that point it was pretty much skeleton.
What did you think of the fisherman’s sort of stubbornness to bring back the fish?
It was interesting that the fisherman refused to give up even when he knew he wouldn’t be able to sell the skeleton of the fish. He bought it back to shore anyway, only to show that he was still an able man.
Were you able to relate to the fisherman or any of the other characters?
No, I did not relate to any of the characters.
What type of person would find this book interesting or fun to read?
I think anyone would find it interesting to read because it is simply worded and deals with things we can all relate to. However, I think it is meant more for men because it deals with traditionally male ideas like looking courageous when under pressure and the defense of one’s manhood.
Was the book inspiring in any way?
Yes it was because it showed me that perseverance can help you achieve improbable goals.
Description of Interviewee 5
My favorite pastime is spending time wit my friends and playing basketball.
What book would you recommend to high school readers?
I would recommend the book Rebound Rules by Rick Pitino.
What is Rebound Rules about?
The book is about how to bounce back from defeat or failure and it outlines the steps needed to do so.
What about the book did you find most interesting?
The most interesting part of this book to me, was the inclusion of real life stories from rick pition’s life and coaching career.
How did you relate to the book?
Everyone goes through ups and downs, so this book alluded to the mindset I need to have in order to face adversity and stepback.
What type of person would find this book interesting or fun to read?
Any person who likes philosophy, sports, or Rick Pitino.
Has this book change you?
Yes, it has changed my outlook on success and failure.
1.What book would you recommend?Why?
2.Why did you decide to read this book?
3.What is the main story of this book and which genre does it fall into?
4.Did this book have an impact on your life? If so, then how?
5.Can you relate yourself to any character in this book? If yes, then who?
6.How did you feel about the book while you were reading it? How did you feel after?
Nelson Chen
Senior
Fencing Team
?1.Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. I would recommend it because it discusses the important morals that are lost because of the corruptions of modern society. It is very inspirational and would help everyone have a more optimistic view on life.
2.I decided to read this book because my friend recommended it to me. He allowed me to read a small excerpt and that hooked me in.
3.The book is about a young entrepreneur and his dying Professor. He decided to pay a visit to his professor and then ended up seeing him every Tuesday. During those Tuesdays, they talk about many aspects of life including what is wrong with them as well as what should be there.
4.The book definitely had an impact on my life. The book is very inspirational and changed my view of many things. One aspect the book talks about is the importance of family, and because of this book I value family to a much higher degree.
5.I can sometimes relate to the young entrepreneur. He got caught up in chasing after the American dream that he lost sight of the little important things in life, like love or the beauty of nature.
6.While I read this book, I felt incredibly sad because the professor was slowly dying and eventually the professor died in the end. I felt really moved by the professor’s optimistic view on the things of life. It made me want to actually pursue something I love even though it would be difficult.
1.What book would you recommend?Why?
2.Why did you decide to read this book?
3.What is the main story of this book and which genre does it fall into?
4.Did this book have an impact on your life? If so, then how?
5.Can you relate yourself to any character in this book? If yes, then who?
6.How did you feel about the book while you were reading it? How did you feel after?
Ken Sin
Senior
Fencing Team
?1.Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. I would recommend this book because it is interesting and makes you think about life.
2.I read an article online referring to an argument made in this book and looked it up. It looked interesting so I bought it.
3.It’s a book telling the views of Malcolm Gladwell, a New Yorker writer, on some social phenomenon’s that he notices. He tells the story of success of some famous figures such as Bill Gates and tells some theories. It is a social sciences book.
4.Yes it did. It made me look at success, hard work, talent, and society in a different perspective.
5.No.
6.I was really absorbed by the simple way he presented his theories while telling little stories. At times, I felt bad that the factors leading to success didn’t match those of my life, but by the end he presented his ideas in a way that made it sound hopeful, and our society-changeable.
1.What book would you recommend?Why?
2.Why did you decide to read this book?
3.What is the main story of this book and which genre does it fall into?
4.Did this book have an impact on your life? If so, then how?
5.Can you relate yourself to any character in this book? If yes, then who?
6.How did you feel about the book while you were reading it? How did you feel after?
Anthony Ho
Senior
?1.The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. It is a nice read.
2.I was recommended by a lot of people.
3.This book is a fictional novel, a Soviet satire directed at a suffocatingly bureaucratic social order.
4.Other than impressing and entertaining me a great deal, this book has not impacted my life. It made me look more into Russian literature though.
5.Not really. They’re all really interestingly unique characters.
6.I was very entertained the whole way through by the fantasy, comedy, and dialogue elements of the story. I felt sad after I was done because it was so enjoyable.
1.What book would you recommend?Why?
2.Why did you decide to read this book?
3.What is the main story of this book and which genre does it fall into?
4.Did this book have an impact on your life? If so, then how?
5.Can you relate yourself to any character in this book? If yes, then who?
6.How did you feel about the book while you were reading it? How did you feel after?
Royce Ho
Senior
?1.The Art of War by Sun-tzu, edited and translated by John Minford. I think this book raises some interesting views.
2.It’s The Art of War, why would you not?
3.It’s the Chinese military treatise that was written in 6th century BC, during the Zhou dynasty. It has long been praised as the definitive work on military strategies and tactics of its time. Also, it is attached with many of Sun-tzu’s philosophical way of thinking.
4.Not a great deal since I read the book expecting many of what it tried to teach, but it still has many memorable lines and says many things in a very poetic and philosophical way that will last with me forever.
5.There are no specific characters in this book.
6.I felt empowered as I read the book, and sometimes enlightened. Afterwards, I was weary by the excessive vagueness of it all.
1.What book would you recommend?Why?
2.Why did you decide to read this book?
3.What is the main story of this book and which genre does it fall into?
4.Did this book have an impact on your life? If so, then how?
5.Can you relate yourself to any character in this book? If yes, then who?
6.How did you feel about the book while you were reading it? How did you feel after?
Edward Lee
Senior
?1.I’d recommend Stardust by Neil Gaiman, because Neil Gaiman is a prolific writer that has won multiple awards.
2.I decided to read it because I saw the movie and I loved it.
3.The story uses a basic and timeless fairy tale adventure plot, where the boy goes through hardships to get the girl.
4.This book had a massive impact on my life. I saw the movie five times in a week and it was the greatest story ever until I read the book. the book was fundamentally different. My dreams were shattered.
5.If I were to relate myself to any character in the book, I’d relate myself to the protagonist, Tristan.
6.While I was reading it was absolutely magical. It was a hardcover book, with cloth binding and original illustrations. After I was done however, I realized how much of the book the producers had to change in order to make it more audience friendly.
1.What book would you recommend?Why?
2.Why did you decide to read this book?
3.What is the main story of this book and which genre does it fall into?
4.Did this book have an impact on your life? If so, then how?
5.Can you relate yourself to any character in this book? If yes, then who?
6.How did you feel about the book while you were reading it? How did you feel after?
Andrew Lo
Senior
Frisbee Club
1.I would recommend ?Winesburg, Ohio, by Sherwood Anderson because it was a good read, and it’s refreshing to read, something that’s not so plot-centric.
2.My teacher told me to.
3.The book falls into more of an anthology-like category, where the author writes about a false town of people, and while it is a novel, the stories are generally unrelated, and there is no specific plot-line.
4.As for impact on my life, I read this book while in a Writers’ Workshop class. My focus was more centered on the wording and writing, as opposed to the story, and so it has impacted my writing style. Winesburg, Ohio is very character centric, and from the book, I have learned many methods to develop character.
5.If I had to relate myself to one specific character, I would say the general protagonist, George Willard, who finds himself walking through this small town America in his own odd coming of age story.
6.I thought the plot free method that Anderson uses in writing this piece did wonders for the read, making it a much lighter read than the average brick shaped novel. I feel like it’s a necessary read for developing writers, and I will definitely recommend it for anybody who enjoys creative writing as a writer or reader.
1.What book would you recommend?Why?
2.Why did you decide to read this book?
3.What is the main story of this book and which genre does it fall into?
4.Did this book have an impact on your life? If so, then how?
5.Can you relate yourself to any character in this book? If yes, then who?
6.How did you feel about the book while you were reading it? How did you feel after?
Andrew Hou
Senior
Volleyball Team
?1.I would recommend The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, by Micheal Chabon, because it is a great story.
2.I had to read it for Mr. Labonne’s class.
3.The story is about the lives of comic book writers during World War II and it is a realistic fiction type of book.
4.The story taught me the importance of living without regrets, and told me not to conform.
5.I relate to Joe Kavalier, who was the foreigner who didn’t know anything and who made a life for himself.
6.The book was amazing; it is so intricate and so detailed, yet simple. The reader can truly connect life experience with elements in the story.
1.What book would you recommend?Why?
2.Why did you decide to read this book?
3.What is the main story of this book and which genre does it fall into?
4.Did this book have an impact on your life? If so, then how?
5.Can you relate yourself to any character in this book? If yes, then who?
6.How did you feel about the book while you were reading it? How did you feel after?
Mingching Kam
Senior
1.I recommend Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card. I don’t read much but the book is readable and its main character relates to most people.
2.I decided to read it because I was bored waiting for SING to start, and I was at Barnes & Noble with my girlfriend.
3.It’s about a child genius being taken by the government to play war-video games. He becomes an expert at the game and they use him as a general in a war against aliens. This book’s genre falls under the science fiction category.
4.This book has left some impact on my life. It made me question morality. The kid kills over and over again but he doesn’t know about what he is doing. He thinks that all he is doing is pushing buttons.
5.I can relate myself to the main character because I don’t really know if I’m doing anything wrong when I do a wrong deed.
6.When I was reading the book I was interested in it but now, it is just a regular book and I have no emotions towards it.
1.What book would you recommend?Why?
2.Why did you decide to read this book?
3.What is the main story of this book and which genre does it fall into?
4.Did this book have an impact on your life? If so, then how?
5.Can you relate yourself to any character in this book? If yes, then who?
6.How did you feel about the book while you were reading it? How did you feel after?
Shayanta Hasnat
Senior
Wrestling Team
1.I would recommend Life of Pi, by Yann Martel because it has an interesting plot.
2.I decided to read this because a friend recommended me this book.
3.The story is a fantasy adventure and is about a boy who is trapped on a small boat with wild animals and must survive until he reaches land.
?4.The book impacted my life because it made me realize how hard humans cling to their lives and what we are capable of in life and death situations.
5.I can’t really relate myself to any characters in the book because I’ve never been in a situation as life threatening as the one in the story.
6.As I read the book, I felt extremely intrigued and could not put the book down. After reading the book, I was left with a longing for more adventure than the story had concluded itself with.
1.What book would you recommend?Why?
2.Why did you decide to read this book?
3.What is the main story of this book and which genre does it fall into?
4.Did this book have an impact on your life? If so, then how?
5.Can you relate yourself to any character in this book? If yes, then who?
6.How did you feel about the book while you were reading it? How did you feel after?
Kevin Huang
Senior
1.I recommend It’s Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life,by Lance Armstrong because it is an inspiring book about one of the greatest men on earth.
2.I was recommended this book by my sister.
3.This book is an autobiography of Lance Armstrong. It is about his life battle and surpassing everyone’s expectations. He went through cancer but still won the Tour de France multiple times.
4.This book made me realize that life isn’t easy but there is no reason to give up.
5.I can’t really relate myself to Armstrong because I have not gone through what he has gone through.
6.When reading this book, I felt sympathy for Armstrong when he finds out he gets cancer. His life changes drastically. He can no longer be an athlete and his sources of income all fly away but when he starts getting back on the bike, I felt hopeful and relieved. After the book I feel somewhat inspired.
Book recommendations by Stuyvesant students for Stuyvesant students and readers around the world. Also known as Stuy Bookshelf/Book Box. Submissions are open—click on register below!