A Future That I Couldn't Survive

So, another day, another book. I'm back on my kick of reading books that I should have read in high school and I chose an all time favorite for all, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. I had never read it before but the premise had always intrigued me. The story started out kind of slow but I kept with it and now I'm so glad that I did. There was action, suspense, murder, science fiction; everything a good story should have.
So, the reason I named this blog " A Future I Couldn't Survive" is because of what the book is about. The book is about a "fireman" named Guy Montag. He's not a fireman that we're used to; you know,the kind that put out fires but the kind that STARTS them. Yes, that's right! He starts them but what does he burn? He burns BOOKS! This is why I said that I could not survive in this future. The book is set in the future where reading and owning books is illegal. Everyone gets their information from wall to wall screens that cover every wall in the living room or parlor. The reason that books are illegal to own is because they make people unhappy. Stories, poems, plays etc. don't always tell of good fortune or happy endings. Some are very real and have unfortunate situtations in them. So, the people who made the laws in the book, the government, decided that books only confused and brought misery to the readers, so they banned any type of reading . How crazy is that! I love to read, obviously since I started a blog about books. I could never live in a time where reading was not allowed.
The other thing that got me was the part of the big screens that cover every wall and what was being played on them. These screens showed "people" or what the book called the family, going about their business like in real life. Does that sound familiar to anyone? hmm...reality tv perhaps? It was just interesting how some of the things that go on in the book resonate today, 50 years after the original publishing of the book.
it's a great read for someone who likes complicated and out of this world plots. Not a hard read but one that must have a little bit of time invested into it. Very science fiction so if science fiction isn't really your deal, I would still recommend it but I wouldn't be surprised if it's hard for you to get through. But I enjoyed it. A future without books, how CRAZY!

He's Just Not That Into You

Well, what can I say about this book? It was one of the most honest, horrifying, compelling, rude, funny books I've read in a long time. He's Just Not That Into You is a book written to women by a MAN! This is a new concept, which is weird because one would think that men should be the ones writing these books since they are the main topic. But anyways. I absolutely LOVE this book. I read it in 2 days and might read it again just to make sure I soaked up everything important.
This is basically a self help book geared towards women in horrbile, unfulfilled relationships. But unlike most of these self help books, it doesn't sugar coat the truth. It lays it all out there for the reader, so there isn't any confusion about what is being said. Just by reading the title, you can tell that there isn't going to be any bullshit.
The authors, Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo, give both sides of the very messy things that are relationships Greg gives you the no bullshit meaning to what guys say and Liz gives you how she reacted to these excuses and let you know that the way you react is normal.
It is a really easy read and it, not only gives you glossary for what men are trying to say when they say things, but gives you hope and confidence that you will find someone worth sharing your life with. I'm young and maybe not ready to get married but i also don't want to be alone. But Greg gives you good reasons as to why it's better to be alone then to be in a shitty relationship; that lowering your standards only perpetuates the cycle of horrible men knocking at your door.
I recommend this to anyone looking for a change in their love lives, whether they are a woman or a man. I say this because it could possibly teach a guy what he's saying and doing that is wrong; to learn if he's sending the wrong messages or sending messages that he doesn't mean to send.
So, if you feel like your love life has hit a "rocky road" a whole lot of "rocky road" then read this book. you'll feel refreshed and ready to conquer all the men in your life.

Oldie but a Goodie :)

Well, I finally just finished my first book since starting this blog. I had decided a few weeks ago that I was going to read everything that I was SUPPOSED to read in high school. So far, I've only read one book, "A Raisin in the Sun". But I greatly enjoyed it. I don't remember ACTUALLY reading it but i remember it was assigned at some point.
It's a play about a black family in the 1930's just trying to move from poverty and get beyond all the racism going on at the time. I loved how real the story was and how it depicted a time filled with hatred and ignorance. Though the whole play takes place in the small apartment of the Younger family, it is filled with characters of all backgrounds, generations and even color. I think that this is a great read for someone looking for something simple and short, as the language is easy to understand and the play is only about 150 pages.
I really felt connected to Beneatha, the younger sister of Walter Lee and sister-in-law to Ruth. She was trying to be a doctor, just like i am. She was trying to push ahead and make something of herself, like me. I felt that if I was born in the 30's, that I would probably be just like Beneatha, as I am somewhat like her now in this time. My favorite quote from the book is Beneatha explaining why she wants to be a doctor. I've never found a better way to describe my want to be a doctor. A friend of hers got hurt as a child; he split his face down the middle after hitting some concrete. She thought that he was going to die but the paramedics took him and when Beneatha saw him later, he was fine and he only had a small scar. She was astonished by what the doctors had done to him.

"That, that was what one person could do for another person, fix him up-sew up the problem, make him all right again. That was the most marvelous thing in the world...I wanted to do that. I always thought it was the one concrete thing in the world that a human being could do. Fix up the sick, you know-and make them whole again."

A great read and I'm looking forward to reading the many, many books that I was supposed to read in high school but didn't. Look out for my next post.

My First Blog

i didn't know they had a blog about the books that one has read. i am a avid reader ( i work in a bookstore) and LOVE to read so this is exciting. Plus, i always have something to say about the books that i have read. so yeah for me...a place to talk about what i LOVE to do.