Reading Challenge Book Reviews February 14, 2010-February 20, 2010

1984, by George Orwell
100+ Books, Support Your Local Library, 451 Challenge

WOW... So I finished reading 1984 this evening. And I am so glad I re-read this. I read it 18 years ago as a high school freshman and have thought to read it again several times. It was worth it!

This particular version was not edited to American spellings, and honestly, I enjoyed it. I believe that some of the phrasing and slang was unchanged as well if I remember the notes correctly.

I am chosing not to do an overall review of the book but instead to focus VERY narrowly on one particular piece of the book. I wrote this up quickly by hand during the course of reading the book because it struck me SO strongly, and I decided that this is all I really want to say about 1984. There's so many other reviews out there. So here goes...

I first read this at the age of fourteen. Long before i ever had my first sexual encounter. With so much of Part II devoted to the discussion of sex and how the deprivation of sex leads to better Party members, I don't know how a class of young kids could truly understand it.

The idea of denying sexual release to give more energy to the Party members for Party purposes (such as the Two Minute Hate, Hate Week, etc.) makes sense now that I understand how much energy can be released with a good sexual release!!! But how would an average 14 year old know that?? So therefore, how would most 14 year olds get this book fully?

Still, it was a GREAT GREAT read and I'm SO glad I read it!!

How Starbucks Saved My Life, by Michael Gates Gill-100+, Buy One and Read It

This was a great, fast, lighthearted read about a 64 year old white guy down on his luck who finds himself suddenly working at Starbucks. He learns respect for himself, his Partners, and the Guests.

Mike, as prefers to be called at Starbucks, fills the book with memories of his childhood and pre-Starbucks life.

I found myself DEVOURING this book, IN my local Starbucks!! Loved it.

In Progress: Soldier Dead