Columbine by Dave Cullen

Many of you are familiar with the events of April 20, 1999 which took place at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado even though you were probably very young on this day. Two boys came to school with the purpose of shooting the kids that picked on them and the two boys were part of something called the 'trench coat mafia' who were a bunch of angry 'Goth' kids, right? There was also a girl who said yes, she believed in God before they shot here, correct? Well, author and journalist Dave Cullen investigated the circumstances of this event and the aftermath ever since that tragic day and he's discovered that many of the details are completely made up or very different from reality. This book is one of the nominated titles for the 2012 Abraham Lincoln Award and the library just got a copy, maybe you should check it out and find out for yourself what the truth really is surrounding this horrific day in American history.

Kipling's Choice by Geert Spillebeen

Have you ever had something that you valued alot, but you were willing to give it up for a greater cause? Perhaps your time or money for a charity? How did you feel about your decision later? Good? Not so much? For famed British author Rudyard Kipling had to question whether the sacrifice of his son for his nation in World War I was worth it.

In Kipling's Choice by Geert Spillebeen, we see a fictionalized account of the real life story of Rudyard Kipling and his son John. Rudyard himself had been unable to serve in the military as a young man because of his poor eyesight. He hoped his son though would get to have the glory he was denied. His son though, was also physically unfit for service but Rudyard used his connections to get his son a commision as an officer in the Irish Regiment of the British Army in World War I. John leads other young men into battle in 1915 and finds that his first battle will be his last. He is wounded and as he lays dying, he has suffers from the madness of war and he thinks of all the things that led him to this point. Later, when Rudyard gets word that his son is 'missing', he too reflects on his role in his son's unfortunate mishap. Should he have done what he did to get his son in the army? Should he have written all those patriotic works that encouraged others to enlist? When you read this, ask yourself whether Rudyard's sacrifice of his son for their country and it's cause was a noble thing to do after all.

(call # FIC SPI)

To Save A Life

I have at least temporarily changed my mind and I have begun reading a different title for this month's Reading Raiders Book Club theme of books with movie connections. I was going to start reading The Lovely Bones but I came across a different book called, To Save A Life which I'd seen the movie for recently. So far 60 pages into it I've learned that it's about two boys who have been friends since grade school but have grown apart as they got to high school age. One reason is that one of the boys (Roger) has a bad leg from being hit by a car in the process of trying to save his friend (Jake). This accident has made it hard for him to walk and other students at their school make fun of him for it. Jake, on the other hand has gone on to develop some mad athletic skills and date the most awesome looking girl in school thus putting him with the 'in' crowd at school. Roger, ends up committing suicide and Jake realizes maybe he could've prevented it if he'd been a better friend. The incident has started to make him reexamine the way he looks at others and life in general.

So, that's it so far...by the next book club meeting on the 21st of April I hope to be able to share more.

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

Learning how to live in this world can be tough, but it's even tougher in the next life for Liz a 15 year old girl who dies suddenly. Liz finds herself 'on the other side' in an existance somewhat like earth and a bit like heaven. She finds it difficult to come to terms with her new circumstances and the life she left behind. With the help of others Liz will perhaps make peace with the hand she's been dealt.

Available in the EPCHS Library (FIC ZIN)/2011 Abraham Lincoln Award Nominee
http://www.amazon.com/Elsewhere-Gabrielle-Zevin/dp/0312367465/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269634984&sr=1-1

Welcome!

Welcome to the newest addition to the EPCHS Library's web site, a blog created so that anyone who wants to can give their thoughts (good/bad, but appropriate) about a book they've read. I (Mr. Atteberry) will figure out how posts will be managed but for now just send them to me at my staff email-attebcha (at)ep309 (dot org) and i'll post them. If you want a picture like this, let me know and i'll see that it happens. This by the way, is my selection for the April meeting of the Reading Raiders Book Club where we're reading books with movie connections. The movie for this one was pretty good, even though not a pleasant topic. I'll share with you my thoughts on the book pretty soon, so check back and see what i share and how this blog develops. Later!