jenknox's Reviews (494)

Amazing. Brave. I'm surprised that so many people read this willingly, what with our addiction to happy endings and grandiose versions of reality.
Cheers for raising awareness and telling a good story at the same time.

If it disturbs readers, good. They probably needed to be disturbed.

I read this book after reading Franzen's Freedom, and I was thankful for this timing. I enjoyed Franzen's book, and it was definitely a different, more all-encompassing (macro) structure, but the circumstantial similarities between the books is there. As I read Therapy, I was exposed to a character who, like Franzen's protagonist (Patty), has endured abuse and suffered mental upset. And is retracing her tale through the lens of personal psychological discovery; unlike Franzen's book, however, this novel is centered on Rose's protagonist (Barbara)'s plight alone so we get to zoom in on her life, listen to her thoughts in a more in-depth way. Moreover, Barbara is believable. She's three-dimensional; she's self-sufficient; she's confused and yet not helpless; she's not merely looking for someone to rescue her or define her life. Instead, she is searching for her identity and the root of her pain, searching to define her own standards in a relationship, and yet she's doing so in what is actually a far more self-realizing decade than that of many coming-of-age novels/memoirs.
This book is important in that it breaks apart many common dilemmas men and women face in self-realization, and yet it does so without being overly sentimental or preachy. It also investigates the multi-faceted (and very personal, in this case) relationship between a psychologist and patient. It offers insight into what can happen when we rely too much on external forces to fight an internal battle. Perhaps most important, the book is well-written and moves seamlessly. I recommend it to anyone who's the least bit interested in psychology.

I loved the title, but the story was disappointing. Or maybe it was the writing style I didn't like. Cameron's novel feels like a long, drawn-out short story. There are a few insightful moments, but not enough. What bothers me most are the wasted words, which, if pulled out and transfered to a blank document, would probably fill about twenty needless pages.

As I read Ghost Runners, I was not only moved, I actually felt as though I were being transported. Ghost Runners is a story about young men who want to compete, to run, to prove themselves physically and challenge the limits of their bodies in the Olympic games. Their physical obstacles are juxtaposed with the depravity of real, social barriers. The horror of the time, of the way people did (and still) treat each other due to ignorance and fear: the two factors that drive any sort of racism or classism, sets the background of a story about humanity and struggle that these two boys face. This book is a piece of historical fiction that shows the endurance and tenacity it took for these runners to exercise simple human rights, and as they risk so much; brave so much, they do, in no small way, change the world.

The care that Robert Rubenstein puts into portraying this story is evident. The delicate, zoomed-up portrait into these boys' lives is utterly transcendent and remarkably powerful. This is a book that will stand the test of time, as it confronts the endurance of spirit amidst the horrors that people can inflict when they attempt to dehumanize others. Ghost Runners tells a tale that has been waiting to be heard, that of actual runners Marty Glickman and Sam Stoller, and in my opinion, this book should be taught widely, and read by everyone. If I could give it more than five stars, I would.

The title of this book pretty much sums up the revelation within, but what caught me off-guard was the way Monica M. Brinkman develops her myriad of unexpected and dynamic characters. I loved the voices, the down-to-earth feel of the characters (which, I admit, I didn't expect from this book for some reason). Brinkman ties all of her characters' lives together, in a singular way, showing how given the same or similar experiences, it is up to them to make the right decisions, the responsible decisions. Some do, some don't, but all of the decisions come back to this town. This book takes a unique look at a town with a cumulative, single consciousness, and how it is up to the decisions of individuals to seal their fate. There's no hiding from Karma!

I used the 7th/8th Edition for my Freshman Comp course.

Overall, it was a good book. I'm not crazy about the order of chapters, but this was easy enough remedied.
There were a few typos in this book. Which, I know, I shouldn't be one to hone in on, but... it is an English textbook!

My biggest gripe with this book was the choice of Readings. I do wish there would have been more variety. It seems that there wasn't a good representation of the styles of essay that are taught at this level. I think the book could benefit from replacing a few of those readings, but again, many of them ("My Teacher is a Dropout", "College Lectures: Is Anybody Listening?", and a few others) were very, very well-directed pieces.

The assessment tests are somewhat redundant. But, I didn't use them, so that worked out.

I believe teachers should use the text as a tool, not a guide, and so for this purpose, with my style of teaching, Langan's book worked well. I may use it again, though I am very open to suggestion.