You read 3 (or more) books this past summer. Which book from the summer reading list did you find to be the most "interesting"? In a paragraph or two, tell me what it takes to make a book interesting (in your opinion) and how the summer book you chose met the standard of "most" interesting. If NONE of the books qualified for that title (again, in your opinion) tell me where and why they fell short of your standard.

Finally, tell me what things you read OTHER than assigned books? Did you read magazines, other novels, travel guides for a vacation, instructions for how to work something, whatever? Think it over, this could be a longer list than you first imagine! Which of these other things was the most interesting.... did you use the same standard as you did for paragraph one? If not, why not?

The three books I read this summer were all very interesting but the most interesting I would have to say was The Color Purple by Alice Walker.  I think I found it so interesting was because the lives led by the two narrators were so vastly different than my life.  In real life there should be no way on Earth that I could smpathize with the characters yet in that book I found some way to relate.  In my opinion a book is interesting when it holds my attention.  If I think about it when I'm not reading it then it has caught my attention and I find it interesting.  There is not a particular topic that interests me when I look for a book to read but if the cover and/or author and description catch my eye I'll invest time in the book.  For me interesting also depends in part on my mood, if I'm in the mood to read a mystery I will not reach for a Nicholas Sparks book, yet I do find his novels interesting. The Color Purple met the standard as most interesting because it fully captured my attention.  It was captivating yet saddening.  But most of all it was real.  It was a life and a situation that anyone could have been born into.

The list of what I read other than assigned books is probably very short.  The number one thing would have to be text messages and then I read magazines and also packets for colleges and my work packet, especially when I was memorizing the menu.  I would have to say that I found the text messages the most interesting.  Since I don't see my friends every day texting them is extremely important to me, especially when someone is out of town.  I find these the most interesting because they directly relate to me and also my friends and family are very imporant to me so of course I invest interest into talking to them. I do not use the same standard for interesting because in my mind things like texts, magazines, and college phamplets are in this world and are related to me as a person and they are in actuality real.  Novels are something that escapes reality and creates a new one therefore they are under a different standard.

** I must say I TOTALLY agree with you about novels and escaping reality. However, some of the most entertaining novels I have read are those that seem the most "possible" or realistic as well..Isn't that odd?

Consider the novel you read for the theme SELF-DISCOVERY.

What exactly was it that the novel's main character discovered about himself/herself? Explain how this discovery was an integral part of the novel's substance or core.

How was this discovery applicable to you as the reader? In what sense could it be applicable to ALL readers? What did you learn about YOURSELF as you watched the character change within the novel?

For the theme SELF-DISCOVERY  I read The Kite Runner.  In this novel the main character makes many self-discoveries. One of the first and most prominent is his fear. It guides his actions and haunts him forever.  Another thing he discovers is the power of love and forgiveness.  These discoveries were very important because they guide his actions and how he views himself. The discovery of his fear leads him to hate himself and he tries to make others look bad to improve his self worth.  It causes him to alienate the one who loves him the most and creates a rift in the most important relationship in his life.  The power of love and forgiveness are what help him to become brave and keep going even though his lfie is difficult.  To realize after so much hurt and betrayel that he caused that someone could possibly still love him have him strength and courage to go and do what he knew he needed to do.  This story is applicable to me because it shows that no matter how long you hide the secret and bury your true feelings you should always come clean and confess and hope for that forgiveness that is what you truly need.  It is applicable to everyone because we all have done something we regret and whether or not we realize it we need that forgiveness, it shows that that does not solve the world's problems but it lends to the healing process and every step in the right direction to forgiveness and peace is a step no matter how small it is.  Through reading this novel I learned that I too can hold things inside and that that is not a wise approach, it is much better to seek forgiveness, because it is what one really needs.