Book recommendations by stuy seniors
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.
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!