Daniel Tsuan’s Interviews.
Questions
1)What is your name? What is the title of the book, author, genre? What would you rate the book on a scale of 1 – 10, and why?
2) State one reason as to why this book stands out from the rest and explain.
3) If a person has only 2 minutes left to live, and the only way to cure him/her is if he/she read a good excerpt, what part of the book would you recommend and why?
4) If you could bring any one character to life, who would it be and why? Do you think he/she be detrimental or beneficial to the world.
5) If you could change the title of the book, what would it be and why?
INTERVIEW 1
1)What is your name? What is the title of the book, author, genre? What would you rate the book on a scale of 1 – 10, and why?
My name is Daniel Tsuan. The book I would recommend is Snow Crash by the great Neal Stephenson. This book is science fiction and would no doubt get a 10. Snow Crash proved to be a book that was very inventive as well as enjoyable. Stephenson was able to create a whole new world which I thought would be hard, since many ideas for science fiction has been thought of. It is one of the few books that I actually couldn’t wait to finish, and then felt bad that I rushed through when I did finish.
2) State one reason as to why this book stands out from the rest and explain.
The main reason why this book stands out is because it was very unique. I have read tons of science fiction books throughout my life, and this one proved to be incredibly “new”. The ideas Stephenson introduced was so
3) If a person has only 2 minutes left to live, and the only way to cure him/her is if he/she read a good excerpt, what part of the book would you recommend and why?
I would say the excerpt I would choose, is when Stephenson explains his greatest “invention” in science fiction. The excerpt is about how languages were a bit mysterious, and that in the beginning of time there was one universal language, but it was lost. He also talks about how computer programmers and hackers had their own “language”. He further explains that the main dilemma in the story is that because of their knowledge of this language they are prone to Snow Crash. I thought this excerpt was really good because it was so inventive and in a way it felt like it would really be true. I always wondered how languages were so similar yet different. The idea that languages could have been universal, but also the idea that languages change your brain so that it become different was intriguing.
4) If you could bring any one character to life, who would it be and why? Do you think he/she be detrimental or beneficial to the world.
I would say out of the characters, Y.T definitely should be bought alive. Y.T. is a chick who is a Kourier. Kouriers are basically people who deliver things by riding on a skateboard and harpooning onto cars to get around faster. That itself is already pretty bad ass. But the fact that she is so adventurous and such is why I would choose her. I mean honestly, the world needs more crazy reckless girls.
5) If you could change the title of the book, what would it be and why?
If I could change the title I would make it.. Actually I would leave the title as it is. It isn’t really that I can’t think of a title but more that Snow Crash fits too well. Snow Crash is the name of the virus that causes hacker’s/ programmer’s brains to become dysfunctional. It is the most essential thing in the story and is why it’s the perfect title.
INTERVIEW 2
1)What is your name? What is the title of the book, author, genre? What would you rate the book on a scale of 1 – 10, and why?
HELLO my name is Karen Chin. A fiction novel I recently read that I found particularly interesting was Life of Pi by Yann Martel. If I were to rate this book on a scale of 1-10, I would give it a 10 because it’s an all time favorite novel of mine.
2) State one reason as to why this book stands out from the rest and explain.
One reason Life of Pi stands out from the rest of the novels that I have read is the way in which Martel weaves the story line along a life threatening adventure- all the while conveying to the reader the brutality of loneliness, survival and self individuality.
3) If a person has only 2 minutes left to live, and the only way to cure him/her is if he/she read a good excerpt, what part of the book would you recommend and why?
If I were to cure someone with only 2 minutes to live, I would recommend the excerpt of the book that describes the climax of Pi’s journey spiritually. This excerpt captures intense feelings of self doubt and desperation, all of which Pi overcomes on a little lifeboat in the middle of a vast ocean. The idea of enduring all those feelings and becoming determined to survive, all the while being so alone is an impressive feat, something to keep in mind especially for someone who had just 2 minutes to live.
4) If you could bring any one character to life, who would it be and why? Do you think he/she be detrimental or beneficial to the world.
I would definitely bring Pi to life because his virtuous characteristics are really exemplified by the journey that he has to endure as he is shipwrecked at sea. During his adventure, Pi never loses hope and remains strong willed and courageous as he is determined to survive, even though he is shipwrecked on a lifeboat with a 300 lb Bengali tiger. Bringing him to life would be beneficial to the world as we can all learn to motivate ourselves individually from Pi’s character throughout all the hardships that life will bring to us.
5) If you could change the title of the book, what would it be and why?
I would not change the title of the book because I love how simply it describes the whole novel. The title Life of Pi brilliantly captures the maturation that Pi experiences as Martel tells the story of Pi’s life.
INTERVIEW 3
1)What is your name? What is the title of the book, author, genre? What would you rate the book on a scale of 1 – 10, and why?
My name is Soojin Lee. The title of the book I recommend is The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester. I would definitely rate this book a 10, because it is just the best book ever. To put it simply, I was amazed after I finished the book.
2) State one reason as to why this book stands out from the rest and explain.
Well although it seems typical of Alfred to write about mind readers, at the time it was written it was quite new. But to this day Alfred’s use of mind readers far surpasses many other author’s. He creates a social hierarchy with it and also creates a strong direct dilemma that occurs from these mind readers.
3) If a person has only 2 minutes left to live, and the only way to cure him/her is if he/she read a good excerpt, what part of the book would you recommend and why?
I would recommend the part where Bester explains how Ben Reich creates his plan to destroy and create chaos to this society where crimes do not exist since these mind readers can detect any malicious thoughts before they are done. Ben Reich uses a mind reader to go against this type of protection, and is able to commit a murder with thorough planning. This part was incredibly well written as well as the thoughts and process of the murder itself was ingenious. Sort of makes you wonder how bad of a mind Bester had himself. Haha.
4) If you could bring any one character to life, who would it be and why? Do you think he/she be detrimental or beneficial to the world.
I would want to bring a mind reader to life, but I know it would cause too much problems. But still how awesome would it be if I knew a mind reader. Too bad he’d probably just peek into my mind and that’d kind of be frustrating. Actually really frustrating. So instead I would bring Ben Reich since he is a genius. I mean the world can definitely use another Einstein to solve our energy and economic crisis.
5) If you could change the title of the book, what would it be and why?
I would definitely leave the title. I thought the title was very clever. Only at the end do you find out where the actual term comes from, but before then the demolished man could simply be anything ranging from how Ben Reich may be a demolished man from his corruption to how the demolished man could be the system as a whole and how a weakness was found.
INTERVIEW 4
1)What is your name? What is the title of the book, author, genre? What would you rate the book on a scale of 1 – 10, and why?
Emily Tsuan
Speak by laurie halse anderson
genre: young adult fiction
rated 8/10
2) State one reason as to why this book stands out from the rest and explain.
It talks about a lonely girl that had a bad experience that causes her life to change. it’s realistic.
3) If a person has only 2 minutes left to live, and the only way to cure him/her is if he/she read a good excerpt, what part of the book would you recommend and why?
The part where she gets saved by the girls team and she starts getting friends. it gives a sense of hope.
4) If you could bring any one character to life, who would it be and why? Do you think he/she be detrimental or beneficial to the world.
I would bring to life the main character. because she has a different way of looking at the world. she would be beneficial to the world.
5) If you could change the title of the book, what would it be and why?
I would change it to “stand up” because in hte book if the main character spoke up. maybe that would’ve changed things.
INTERVIEW 5
1)What is your name? What is the title of the book, author, genre? What would you rate the book on a scale of 1 – 10, and why?
Naomi Chun
What Remains by Carole Radziwill.
Non-Fiction
Rating: 8
It’s an incredibly touching novel about a woman who suffers through the deaths of her best friend and her husband’s cousin, John F. Kennedy Jr. while battling with her husband in his fight against cancer. It is filled with her insight on life and makes one realize how short life can be and that every moment presented is a blessing.
2) State one reason as to why this book stands out from the rest and explain.
Non-Fiction books are usually perceived as books that are hard to get through; this book is not one of those books. Ms. Radziwill writes in a manner that lets the reader understand her situation; she makes it seem as if we know the people she is talking about. One can just imagine the relationship she had with her best friend and the pain she had to deal with after her passing.
3) If a person has only 2 minutes left to live, and the only way to cure him/her is if he/she read a good excerpt, what part of the book would you recommend and why?
That person would have to read the first 4 pages of the book. It explains how slim the line between life and death is. Through her writing she questions the exact procedure of her best friend’s death and recalls the three minutes that it took for her death to be final. It’s powerful and emotional but not overly so.
4) If you could bring any one character to life, who would it be and why? Do you think he/she be detrimental or beneficial to the world.
After reading the book, I wish I could bring her husband back to life because after reading the book, all I could say was, “I wish I could find a love as true as theirs was.” She honestly and whole-heartedly loved her husband and the fact that he lost his life to cancer only 3 weeks after her best friend’s death is too painful to imagine.
5) If you could change the title of the book, what would it be and why?
I would not change the title. Cliché answer isn’t it?
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