Literature That I Would Read Again, and Again

1. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Betty Smith. I read this book in the 8th grade, and I have read it 3 additional times. I love the story line and how the description of Williamsburg really does mirror my own recollection of it. The main character's perception of her surroundings made a large impact in how I observe the natural and unnatural world around me.

2. The Outsiders, S.E. Hinton. This is one of my favorite books of all time for many reasons. Firstly, the characters, their names, and their overall meaning to the book is really unique in that they all correlate to create a very emotional story. The references to teen alcoholism and drug use contribute to the emotion behind the story itself, which is to almost teach the reader how gang violence, abusive homes, and close knit friendships may affect a teenager.

3. And Then There Were None, Agatha Christie. This is one of my all-time favorite mysteries because of the suspense that the story creates. The reader never really knows when or where a person may die next. Also, the culprit of the crime never seems obvious.

4. Metropolis, Elizabeth Gaffney. Anyone could ask me any question about this book and I would be able to answer it right away because it was my ID book for Mr. Martin's class. Also, it was a book that I really enjoyed reading because if its exciting features. The book follows a almost mystery man who recently immigrated to New York City from Ireland in the hopes of creating a new life for himself. However, he is shocked to find that the streets of NYC are not paved with gold, but rather dirty and full of crime. The ups and downs of this book really craft it into an excellent novel that I am truly happy I wrote an almost 30 page paper on.

5. Any Harry Potter books, by J.K. Rowling. The concept of Harry Potter is something that I have loved ever since my mother allowed me to read the first book. The description and creativity of the novels is absolutely brilliant. And it is quite remarkable to think that Rowling first began writing on napkins in local cafes in London.

6. The Series of Unfortunate Events, by Lemony Snicket. Yes, there books are quite childish and at some times depressing, but it was the first book, that I remember, that I could not put down. I read these books so fast that I was at Barnes and Noble buying the next book every couple days.

7. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. This book I have read twice, once in the 8th grade and once last year. I loved it even more after reading it the second time because I was able to look at the text with a wiser perspective. Gatsby is an incredible character whom I think really does make the story. I love the description that goes into the book. And since I have been to Long Island many times, I am able to picture where exactly the book takes place.

8. The Doorbell Rang, Rex Stout. This is one of the most interesting books I have ever read because it was a mystery, yet it was designed very differently than the average mystery book. This detective novel had interesting characters, interesting relationship, yet very convincing evidence. I really enjoyed this book and was able to do a very good project on it which went deeper into the connection's the book gave concerning the FBI.

My Opinion On The Book The Picture of Dorian Gray and its Story Line

I recently finished the book The Picture of Dorian Gray, which at parts had excellent story telling. The storyline of the book is a very complex subject that deals with the dilemma of growing old, and I believe that Oscar Wilde, its author, does indeed use great storytelling techniques to help make the complex topic more understandable. For example, when Basil finishes the portrait of Gray and then shows him, Dorian speaks about his sadness concerning growing old. The passage, “How sad it is! I shall grow old, and horrible, and dreadful. But this picture will remain always young. It will never be older than this particular day of June... If it were only the other way! If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old! For that-for that-I would give everything! Yes, there is nothing in the whole world I would not give! I would give my soul for that,” contributes a lot of emotion to the story, thus making it easy for the reader to see that Dorian does indeed wish to trade his soul for eternal youth. Although the book was written in the in the late 19^th century, Wilde does a grand job at really explaining how indeed Gray does become young forever, and emphasizes how by including this commentary. Something that I personally believe separates the good books from the bad ones is the authors’ ability to convey complex ideas using simple and understandable language. Wilde does not do this often in his text as many of his chapters, especially one in particular are quite confusing; however, in this particular passage, Gray’s wishes are expressed quite simply, which helps the reader follow the storyline. At the beginning of the book, I regretted choosing the text because I thought it would be a very dry read, but by the time I finished, I really did enjoy the story and how it ended.