The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexei is a story about a young adolescent who tries to find out who he is and how he fits in when he switches schools and goes to the white kids school off of the reservation. Most of us in America try not to think of the living conditions of the Native Americans on the reservations. This book attempts to capture a little sliver of the bleakness of the reservation while also showing that there is still hope for the people there. The book tells the tale of a young boy Arnold who, after he throws a book at his teacher, is advised to transfer schools to the white kid school off the reservation; not because he is a troubled student, but because he has potential and they do not want to see that potential ruined at the school on the reservation. The book tells the tale of Arnold's first year in that school and covers everything from basketball to a "romance" with a local white girl. While all of this is going on, Arnold's former best friend Rowdy's anger is growing and the anger is directed at one person, Arnold. The story culminates in two basketball games. The first game between the white kid high school (Rearden) and the high school on the reservation that Rowdy attends. Rearden high school, with the help of Arnold, wins the game and ruins an undefeated season for the reservation high school. As summer arrives feelings between Rowdy and Arnold are still very strained until Arnold and Rowdy play a one on one basketball game at the local court and they do not keep score. Their past woes are forgotten and the reader gets the feeling that they will slowly, but surely recover their friendship from the wreckage of Arnold switching schools.

This story was entertaining, but altogether very juvenile. It showed an adolescent overcoming his obstacles, but it is told in a very juvenile way and seems meant for a younger reader. The story, however, does have some lessons to be learned. The first being that one cannot quit when the going gets tough. One must persevere and overcome the challenges put in front of him. Many kids have changed schools in their lives, but not many have experienced such a drastic change in scenery as Arnold did. It gives one some perspective on what their live really is like and how bad it could be. It is very easy to connect to if one has moved or changed schools in their lifetime, but I have not and it was difficult for me to truly relate to Arnold in a meaningful way. Alexei teaches that there is a point in fighting against the adversity and depression of the circumstances that we are put in and that if we keep trying we can be just like Arnold and overcome these obstacles to have a happy life.

This was really a unique and different story. Alexei attempts to bring the reader along Arnold's journey through adolescence and growing up. And while it is a sad life, with the death of his sister and the loss of his best friend, he shows that there is still hope in the world. The night is also darkest before the dawn and there is always a reason to have hope that things will turn out alright. It is important to never stop fighting and never give up on your dreams.

Out of 10 total part time Indians, I give this book 6 and a half part time Indians. The half isn't really half a person, just not an adult yet.

Speaker-
The story is told in a first person point of view and it really feels like the voice of a teenage kid, like he is telling you his story.

Occasion-
The book takes place in modern times on an Indian reservation in Washington. It takes on a bleak setting to mimic the bleakness of the reservation.

Audience-
The audience is young adults. From ages 12-14. Many people could read this book but the language in the book is more geared towards a younger audience.

Purpose-
The purpose of this book is to tell the story of a young boy who experiences great change and sadness in his life. Alexei stresses the importance of not giving and and perseverance. He wrote the book to show kids who change schools and experience change that it can be overcome if they keep their head up and keep trying.

Style-
The writing style closely resembles a narrative. Most of the writing feels like it is written by a fourteen year old and much of the language takes on the mannerisms of someone that age. It makes the book a very quick and easy read as it just seems like you are listening to a young child tell his story.
Tone-
The tone in this book is very bleak but there is always an essence of hope in it. He wants the reader to know that there is always a reason to keep fighting and that there is always a reason to hope. It has a tone of sadness for the plight of the Indian and it is clear that Alexei feels that they have been mistreated.

For the Love of Physics

While most kids dread physics and all that it encompasses, I find myself searching for more information and knowledge on the subject. For the Love of Physics is a book on introductory college physics written by a current college professor, Walter Lewin, at MIT. Lewin takes the reader on a journey through physics, from the magic behind rainbows, to the secret behind why stars twinkle, and why a vacuum can be created inside of a straw. He attempts to make all aspects of physics relatable and easy to understand. He begins with elementary, more facile subjects and then progresses to his field of expertise. Dr. Lewin is an expert on the science of x-rays; specifically the x-rays that are found originating from deep within the cosmos. He spends nearly half the book on subjects such as force, sound, and magnetism; however, the rest of the book is entirely dedicated to his work in the mid sixties with x-ray bursters. The chapters are divided by subject area, and he frequently intersperses his teachings with stories from various lectures he has given throughout his years of teaching. Not many people would be tempted to read 300 pages of lectures on physics, but Lewin presents the material in a way that any person could understand. It is not necessary to have any prior knowledge of physics to read and enjoy this book.

Lewin, along with all physicists who attempt to write, is confronted with the rather onerous problem of presenting the information in a way that is easy for the public to understand. While most of the American, adult population has at one point been instructed in the mysteries of physics, very few of them remember what is necessary to comprehend why stars can steal mass from one another. Lewin tackles this problem by slowly working his way into the real meat and bones of the subjects he wants to discuss. He gives his audience a working knowledge of the fundamental principles behind major celestial phenomena. However, he would have to write at least another book to provide his audience with enough information to understand all of the intricacies of each subject. This is where Lewin's genius really shines. He not only understands physics, he has the unique ability to make the complex seem rather straightforward. He generally avoids the technical terminology and relates each phenomena to an event that we all experience in our everyday lives. His target audience is adults with at least a high school education. Therefore, his writing takes on the feeling of a high school or college lecture. We have all had the quirky science teacher in our school days and because of the way Lewin writes, he brings the reader back to the days where science was actually made interesting. It is not the material that is taught but how it is taught.

One of the most amazing aspects of Dr. Lewin and this book is that as one reads more and more, one begins to hear a voice that he imagined for Lewin in his head. He conveys a sense of excitement throughout the whole book. It is very obvious that Lewin has a passion for physics and truly is amazed by all of the wonders around us. He paints everything to seem like a wonder. As the book progresses one begins to empathize with his sense of wonder and begin to look at the world differently himself. The way that Lewin writes this book causes a change in one's way of thinking. No longer will one just look at a rainbow and think that it looks pretty. One will now look at the world from the paradigm of a physicist. Lewin's tone of wonder throughout the book creates a feeling that everyday life is not something to be dismissed so easily, but rather something to be treasured and enjoyed. Lewin teaches that one should not accept everything one sees as a mystery; one should look at everything and see potential problems to be solved. For the Love of Physics leaves an impression that does not fade so easily. It leaves a lasting impression and a new sense of wonder with the world and the cosmos.

Out of 5 binary star x-ray bursters, this book receives 4 binary star x-ray bursters. It really made me think of the universe in a different light and helped me to understand the forces behind our universe; however, it could be a bit dull at times when he was explaining subjects that I already knew about.

Speaker-
Introductory physics including light, magnetism, electricity, force, and kinematics. As well as a focus on x-ray producing objects in deep space.

Occasion-
Most of the book seems to take place in a lecture hall at MIT because each chapter is adapted from lectures he gives. It feels like he is in the front of the classroom enthralling his students with his lectures. However, most of his research was done in the sixties when Lewin was young and the science of x-rays was a new and groundbreaking one. Therefore, the other half of the book is akin to Lewin telling a story to his audience.

Audience-
The audience for this book is high school educated adults. It is necessary for the reader to have some knowledge of physics and not many uneducated people or young teens would be interested in a book on physics.

Purpose-
Lewin's purpose in writing this book is to make the American public more interested in the world around them, and, more specifically, more interested in physics as it is not a very popular subject area. Furthermore, Lewin wants to share the things that he has discovered and that physics has uncovered about the world. He stresses the importance of curiosity and how each person should strive to uncover the mysteries of the universe.

Style-
Lewin has a unique style in writing this book. It is similar to a lecture in book form; however, because he is not writing to college physics students, he does not use technical physics diction, but instead utilizes words that most Americans are familiar with. He also utilizes many personal anecdotes in his writing to develop a connection between him and the reader. By the end of the book, one feels like there is a connection with Lewin- that Lewin was once one's teacher.

Tone-
The tone in this book is a tone of wonder and excitement. Lewin is truly excited by the world of physics and he wants to convey that through his writing. He makes it seem like something that is logical and fairly easy to understand. He wants his readers to be passionate and excited about physics; therefore, he is excited and passionate himself, hoping that the readers will adopt his enthusiasm.

Unbroken

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption is a story that truly exemplifies the power of the human spirit in the most trying of times. Most people have heard of the horrors of the holocaust. But thousands of miles away American soldiers were experiencing similar torment. The book tells the tale of Louis Zamperini, an Italian American track star made soldier at the onset of World War II. Zamperini is an emerging track star predicted to be the first man to break the 4 minutes mile. However, with war looming Zamperini enlists in the army to become a pilot and is quickly shipped out to serve in Hawaii. His campaign begins well as he flies many successful missions in the Pacific. Unfortunately, his luck does not last forever as his plane is caught in a storm and crashes into the ocean. He and his copilots survive in a life raft for 40 days until they are picked up by a passing Japanese ships. The next years of Zamperini's life are spent inside various POW camps where disease and beatings are common. He struggles to keep his fighting spirit as he is dehumanized and beaten on a daily basis. Luckily, the war is drawing to a close and United States soldiers free the prisoners at his camp. He returns to the United States and tries to recreate his track dreams. But his body is broken and he never reaches his goal of the 4 minute mile.

This was a truly fantastic story. It showed the worst that humanity has to offer, but also how when man is challenged he rises to the occasion. Louis Zamperini shows us that we can overcome any obstacle and rise to any occasion. But he also shows us how to forgive. During the 1998 Japan Olympics he forgives one of his most vicious and inhuman captors and shakes his hand. Laura Hillenbrand creates a moving story that connects you to the events and actions of Zamperini at all times. You feel the desperation and the hopelessness that comes with captivity. You feel his struggle to decide whether to give up or keep trying. Anyone can connect with Zamperini's dilemma. He is truly an American hero that we can all look up to. Hillenbrand teaches us that even in the most trying and horrific of times, there is still good in the world and that we can persevere.

A story, such as that of Louis Zamperini, only comes to be during times of great tragedy. It takes great skill to take the story from Zamperini's mouth and put it on paper while keeping all of the emotion involved. His story makes me proud to be an American (where at least I know I'm free). It is important for every citizen of our country to know what their freedom costs and who is fighting for it. While there are definitely dark portions of the book, there is also an element of hope involved. Hillenbrand takes you on Zamperini's journey throughout the Pacific and Japan and every step of the way you are rooting for Zamperini to just keep going. After reading this book I want to meet Zamperini and shake his hand because he is what makes America great. For all of these reasons I give this book ten kids named Liam who didn't actually read Unbroken for their last SOAPSTone out of ten kids named Liam who didn't actually read Unbroken for their last SOAPSTone.




Speaker-A third person point of view as Hillenbrand tells the story that Zamperini told her. It feels very much like someone is sitting in front of you while telling the story. She frequently mixes emotion with fact to truly bring the reader into the story.

Occasion-The years leading up to, and during World War II. It begins with his childhood in the the 1920's to the end of the war in 1945. It discusses many of the prominent issues at the time such as Hitler's rise and the Nazi threat. As well as a brief history of United States track.

Audience-The audience for this book is any American older than the age of 13. However, and person could pick up this story and enjoy the story of survival and durability of the human spirit. It is a truly inspiration book.

Purpose-The purpose of this book is to tell the story of a truly remarkable person as well as to inform Americans of what their freedom actually costs. Hillenbrand also stresses the importance of hope. All in all, the book is meant to teach us to never give up and to always persevere. I think she wrote the book because Zamperini's story truly inspired her and she wanted to share it with the rest of the world.

Style- Her writing style closely resembles a narrative. She relates the story in terms that everyone can understand. At some points she seems in awe of what Zamperini actually did. She takes you on his remarkable journey with him. She includes a lot of emotion in her writing. It makes it very easy to connect to the book. You feel like Hillenbrand could be sitting in front of you telling you about this remarkable man's story.

Tone- The tone is this book is very respectful, serious, and emotional. She presents Zamperini's story as one of true heroism. She frequently relates stories of how he inspires other prisoners to keep trying, keep surviving. It has a tone of patriotism and it is clear that Hillenbrand holds Zamperini in extremely high regard.

Why Mr. Matthews Should Not Make Us Go to Physics This Weekend

We have a 3 hour school day on Friday. Most of the teachers are not doing any real work on Friday. It makes no sense for one teacher to ruin it for the kids who plan to ditch by doing a real assignment. None of us want to be there and we have very little time to begin with so why should we even bother going. It's not like we're doing anything in Mr. Potts' class. We never do anything in his class. Also, we have a shortened Holiday Break this year and it is only a week and a half. Therefore, we should all ditch on Friday to give us more of a break. We all deserve it. But we all know that Mr. Matthews is going to ruin it for us and have a lesson on magnetism on Friday. Personally, I plan on being sick on Friday. Furthermore, Mr. Matthews' shirts are too small and he looked at my thumb and he is dumb. So we should not have to go to school because no one needs to see that.

Just Because He's Black

The election of 2012 promises to be one of the closest in recent memory, rivaling even the election of 2000. At first glance both of the candidates seem adequate, but with a closer look it is easy to see that Obama is the far better choice. And no, it is not just because he is black. Obama’s foreign policy, his plan for energy independence, and his plan for the economy are far superior to the those of Mitt Romney. Romney’s policies are shortsighted and only make sense for the top 1% of America. Four years from now, an Obama led America will have progressed. However if Romney is elected, America will only regress.

One of the most important parts of a Presidency is the foreign policy. It can either make or break a president’s term. Barack Obama is a man who gets things done. He has ended the war in Iraq. He got Osama Bin Laden. His foreign policy is one of strength, but also justice. He is the man with the mental fortitude to handle our enemies, and our friends, abroad. Furthermore, he has experience in this area. Romney does not.  Romney is weak. He does not have the strength necessary to lead our country. In addition, he is never clear in what he says. He wants to have closer ties with Israel, but that will not work if he does not know where he stands on issues. All in all, Romney does not have the strength of experience to lead this country in issues abroad. Obama does.

We have all heard about America's large energy dependence on foreign countries. We have all heard the theories that we went to Iraq for oil. We all agree that America needs to drastically reduce its foreign energy dependence. Obama has a plan to get us there. He wants to invest in green, renewable resources so that our country never has to worry about energy again. His plan is progressive and will lead America into the future. Romney's plan, on the other hand, wants to invest in coal and oil. He is thinking short term. It will work for a while, but in ten years we will be exactly where we are now. Obama has a plan that will work now and will work in the years to come. Romney's plan will only work in the short term. America needs a leader who can think ahead. Obama is that leader. He can, and will, lead our country into a future of clean, renewable energy.

The most important issue of today’s America is the economy. We are currently in the greatest economic recession since the Great Depression. This puts us at a turning point in our country’s history. The next president has the power to change the course of our country. Obama wants to cut taxes for the middle class and have those of us who are more fortunate to pay a little bit more. Romney wants to cut taxes for everybody. This sounds good at first, but there is a problem. Romney also wants to give the military 2 trillion dollars. Where is this money going to come from? He can not do this without making serious, drastic cuts that will cripple our government’s ability to function. Obama’s tax policies will help the middle and lower classes get out of this recession. Romney will help the rich get richer, but only at the expense of those less fortunate.

This election will change the course of our country. It can either make or break us. It is up to Americans to decide what we want for our country. Do we want a man who is has no experience in foreign affairs and whose policies favor the rich? Or do we want a man who is experienced and wants to help the middle class? The choice is obvious America. Obama is the man for the job. On November 6, cast your vote for Obama.

I Am America! (And So Can You!)

Because of the upcoming elections I find myself with a political fervor that only happens once every four years. And no one can educate a person about politics like Steven Colbert. In I Am America (And So Can You!), Steven Colbert takes you on a journey through his mind discussing the controversial issues of America right before the 2008 election. He discusses everything from the role of the family to possible scenarios for the future. And he takes a very unique approach to each of these topics. You almost feel as if you are watching his show. It feels like he is talking to you. And even now, days after finishing the book, I still hear his voice talking to me in my head. With the election looming many of these same topics are coming out again. I care about these issues. I am a patriotic American and I love this country. Reading this book helps me to validate my own opinions on the issues of today. But it also helps expose me to another side of the issue. Even if it is a ridiculously radical side. I can relate to this book because throughout my life I have formed my own opinion ont these issues. And more often than not I disagree with the opinions of Mr. Colbert. In fact, I am on the other side of every argument that he presents aside from race. So in an effort to not ramble on for pages, whenever I inform you of a side Mr. Colbert takes (and there are a lot of them), assume I am on the other. I was raised in a liberal household in a liberal city. Therefore, I have liberal ideals. I come from a very different background than Mr. Colbert. The ideas he presents are extremely controversial and very arguable. So in an attempt to rid my mind of the ramblings of Mr. Colbert I am going to dump my thoughts out onto this blog much like Colbert dumped his thoughts into my head.

The book starts of with a section titled "My American Childhood." He believes in something called the 5 F's of childhood: Family, Faith, Furry Friends, and Fear of the Elderly. Now in this book there are very few things that Colbert actually approves of. He condemns social security and the elderly for not working. He wants a return to the traditional, sexist idea of a family. He only enjoys animals that have a use. And finally, like all good republicans, he condemns atheists as no-goodnik no-Godniks. The only thing he finds worse than atheists are agnostics who he affectionately refers to as "atheists without balls." In all of these chapters he presents the stereotypical, radical conservative agenda. The only things he approves of are Catholics and his pet Gipper. He is patriotic to a fault but he does make some good points. He, along with many republicans, believes that social security should be privatized and provides some evidence of that fact (although he also uses humor in his evidence). He stresses the importance of a family and pets in a person's early childhood. And he does say to respect the elderly. However, it is between paragraphs about how they are freeloaders. He does make valid points in this book, but they are almost overwhelmed by his radical propositions to fix what is wrong with America.You have to dig deep and read between the lines to see what he really wants you to think. But this section was only the beginning of a book that becomes more radical (and hilarious) with each page.

Next Colbert moves on to his "American Adolescence." Again he has his alliteration to explain the main parts of being a teen. These are the 5 Big S's of Adolescence: School, Sports, Sex, Sodomy, and the Silver Screen. This section is even more ridiculous than the last. After he discusses what sports that he deems actual sports, he moves on to the topic of performance enhancing drugs. He says he advocates them in his book, but his reasoning is so ridiculous that he actually ends up condemning them. His reasoning points out that performance enhancing drugs are changing the games we love and making them into something entirely different. He then moves on to the realm of sex and dating. A subject that many teens think about on a daily basis. However, Colbert is a firm believer in abstinence. He sees sex as only being an option when trying to procreate. In this way he advocates the agenda of many conservatives. Paradoxically, he advocates abstinence only for readers of his book while he is allowed to have as much sex as he wants. Reading between the lines here exposes the hypocrisy he sees in today's politicians and leaders. Or maybe he just wants to have a little fun. It's one of the few things that's up to the reader to decide. Now when Colbert says sodomy he really means a chapter on homosexuals. And guess what. He is against gay marriage and gays in general. He condemns them as liberals trying to corrupt our youth in the eyes of god. He even provides a list of the top things that are trying to make him gay. I won't spoil the top offender, but it is not gay people. Although he does attempt to convince the reader that it is immoral in the eyes of god. Finally (so to prevent my rambling on like Colbert), I am going to combine Silver Screen and School into one. He argues that both are attempts of the liberals to corrupt our youth. He sees Hollywood as immoral and full of Italians who need more regulation. He sees it as Big Government trying to control our every action. However, yet again, it is hard to take him seriously. He is extremely radical in all of his reasoning and many of his arguments only serve to strengthen the liberal ideology.

Now Colbert has grown up to to achieve "American Maturity." In this section he discusses the 4 S's and one M of maturity: Socioeconomics, Segregation, Science, Sombreros, and the Media. In all of these he condemns the liberals of trying to corrupt and change the American way of life. Whether it be through the media, through scientific "facts," or a potential middle class revolution. He sees each and every aspect of this chapter as a threat to America. He wants to get rid of Big Government. He wants to make the United States a republican utopia. In the Class War chapter, he defends the rich and says that the lower classes aren't working hard enough. In the Immigration chapter, he condemns all immigrants as ruining America. In the Science chapter, he accuses scientists of trying to advance the liberal agenda using only observations and not relying on God at all. In the Race chapter, he advocates for a race free future where everyone is equal. This is the only main point of his that I agree with. Our country would be better off without the barriers of racial discrimination. Colbert and I finally agree on something. Finally, in the media chapter he condemns the liberal media of trying to ruin America and of not being fair. He also says that Fox News is the most fair of the news networks. It is hard to find something in this book that Colbert is in favor of. He is against the media, immigration, any other religion except Catholicism, and Hollywood to name a few. Throughout this book he attempts to discuss some of the biggest issues facing America today and offers a few conservative solutions to these issues. I could go on forever talking about the ideas he presents but I'll leave you with a final word from Mr. Colbert. "If you want me to worship you as your God I understand."

Now I bet you're all expecting to use a rating system based on thumbs as this blog is thumb based. However, I don't want to conform to the social norm (I'm looking at you Annie). So I present my alternative rating system. This book received 85 horses and bayonets out of a possible 100. It used to be 91 horses and bayonets but you have to remember that we have fewer horses and bayonets now then when this book was written. Our rating system (and military) has changed. Maybe someone should go tell Mitt.

Speaker-First person ramblings straight from the mind of Steven Colbert. It sounds exactly like he's speaking to you. It seems like an extended episode of his show. He frequently uses humor whilst making points on homosexuals and religion. In addition, the ideas he presents are all drastically conservative.

Occasion-2007 just before the election. The race is just beginning to heat up although no candidates had been selected yet. He discusses the most important issues at the time of the race. He mainly advocates the position of the Republican party.

Audience-The same target audience of his show. It appeals most to people ages 18-49. However, anyone who is slightly knowledgeable about politics and has a sense of humor will enjoy this book.

Purpose-He states many times that he is trying to make everyone who reads the book think exactly the same as he did. He is trying to make everyone a far right conservative. However, he also states that he wrote the book to try and make money. In my opinion, I think he wrote this book to attempt to expose how many authors of other political books are ridiculously radical. He attempts to make fun of the political thinkers of today. In general, he is just trying to poke fun at the political world.

Style-His writing very closely resembles the way he speaks. The language is fairly basic, but he frequently makes use of equivocation to make a point. Or more often to make a joke. He takes you on a journey through his mind. You feel as if you're reading exactly what he is thinking. Straight out of his mind with no censorship.

Tone-Colbert leaves readers with no room to make their own opinions. He presents his opinion as the one and only opinion. However, in advocating his own opinion he almost advocates for the other side because he presents some ideas so radically and ridiculously. It has a tone of radical conservatism. But because it is so radical it also has a comical tone.

The Hero of Thumbs

About four years ago I was losing my passion for reading. I had always read books as a child, but I had been struggling to find a series of books that I could really get into. I had outgrown all of the series that I read when I was younger and I wanted something more mature. My mom asked her friend to recommend a book for me because we had the same tastes in reading. She recommended a book called Elantris by Brandon Sanderson. I read this 500 page book in two days and wanted more. I asked my mom to buy another book by him and she brought me Mistborn the first in a trilogy of books. I quickly read that and the second book. But none of these are what I would call my favorite book of all time. That title goes to the third book in the series: The Hero of Ages. I could not and can not get enough of that book. It will probably always be my favorite book of all time because it represents a transition in my life to maturity. It rekindled my love for reading. I feel that I can relate to the characters in the novel. It is one of the few books that really speaks to me. I have since read every book that Brandon Sanderson has written and loved them all. I devour anything he writes. But no matter what The Hero of Ages will always be my favorite. Others come close but they are not the same. They do not have the same epic story. The same themes that persist throughout time. They do not address my fears and worries. My hopes and dreams. They do not speak to me like The Hero of Ages does.

The Hero of Ages made me love reading more than any book ever did. It was different than any other book series I had read before. It tackled such different and complex themes. I never expected this from a fantasy book. It had a seriousness to it that I had not experienced before. It truly felt as if the problems of that world were real and could really happen. I read this book while I was losing my innocence and becoming the teenager I am today. This book helped me to mature. It dealt with themes of hopelessness, freedom, finding the joys in everyday life, and destiny. Many of these themes exist in other books, but they were approached in a more adult way in this book. I learned that not everything works out in the end. I learned that life is not even remotely close to fair. I learned that freedom is worth fighting for. This book helped me to see the world as it really is. However, I do have a bias towards this book. I read it at a critical time on my life. Therefore, I see it as a very important book to me because it is associated with such an important time in my life. I was growing up and dealing with the issues that all adolescents experience throughout the tumultuous years of junior high school. This book shaped and molded who I am today. It taught me to never give up, never stop fighting, never stop trying to better myself and the world around me. These are some of my core values today. Without The Hero of Ages  I would be a very different person.

Imagine a world where the only person who was holding the world together has died. Imagine a world where a small percentage of the aristocracy has the power to burn metals to gain superhuman abilities. Imagine a world where the planet itself is being ripped apart by some unknown force. Now imagine trying to stop this apocalypse. This is the world that the Hero of Ages is set in. Vin and her husband Elend are the ruler of a fledgeling empire trying to stop the end of the world and God himself. The world is in chaos and all seems hopeless, yet they never stop fighting. This is not the typical preteen fantasy book. There are some spoilers ahead so if you have an interest in reading this book then skip to the next paragraph. In the end of this book, Vin and Elend die. There is no resurrection and no happy ending for them. They do not know if they have succeeded in saving the world. But they die fighting anyway. They never gave up. And now I do my best to follow their example. Finally, throughout the book the main characters are confronted with ethical dilemmas. There is not perfect solution to their problems. However, there is an ethical solution. They always act on what they believe. Vin believes that the ends justify the means. Elend believes that our morals are all that matter when making decisions. After reading this book I sided with Vin. I learned that if there is a beneficial outcome then we should do anything to reach that outcome (within reason of course). This book taught me to see the world as it really is and that the world does not like perfect solutions. It does not allow for everything to be alright. But it allows for things to improve through the heroic actions of a few.

I went into this book thinking that somehow and someway the heroes would prevail and all evil would ba vanquished. This turned out to be a glaring misconception. There was no fairy tale ending for Vin and Elend. After finishing this book I just stared into space and thought about the final events. I did not expect the ending. I was shocked. I could not stop thinking about the book. It consumed my thoughts for the next week. I kept trying to wrap my head around what had happened. It completely went against every other book I had read. And I loved it. I loved that a book could surprise me so much. I loved that it could surprise me so many times. The misconception that the book would follow the pattern of every other book I had read allowed me to be so completely surprised at the end. It caused me to think and think about the events in the book. That is what made this book so great for me. It made me think about everything that had happened and if it was all worth it. In the end I knew that it was. The ends justify the means. Even if the ends are not exactly what you want or expect.

Now four years later I still have a voracious appetite for reading. I read close to 20 books a year. I read every book that Brandon Sanderson writes. I simply cannot get enough of them. The Hero of Ages taught me many things. I now know to never give up. I know that freedom and happiness is worth fighting for. I know that things do not always work out, but we should enjoy the victories we do have.  I am going to spend every day working for what I believe and what I desire from my life. I will probably not achieve all of my goals. But if I achieve a few then all of my work will be worthwhile.