Book Club Post 11/19

After finishing the book I noticed many changes in Laura Hillenbrand's writing style. At first, she relied on quotes and recalling personal events and in the third part of the book the story becomes more fact based. She does a fantastic job of being historically accurate. I found myself losing interest because there were too many details of battles and other events. It started to sound more like a history textbook than a profile on Louis Zamperini.

I would definitely say that this book is a profile, but one thing I noticed was how the story changed from a profile to an essay of place. In the second and third parts, Laura Hillenbrand is describing the situation during World War II and being a prisoner of war in Japanese prisons. The focus turns away from Louis and becomes more about his surroundings.

Death of a Playmate

After reading this piece, I can see how a magazine feature allows for more creativity and it has less of a strict structure. I had trouble following the story because of the way it was set up, but the writing was easy to follow. At times the story wasn't engaging and it was very long. Teresa Carpenter used multiple quotes. I didn't always feel like they added to the story. She was also able to include other people's thoughts on certain issues. Carpenter unveiled a side of Dorothy not many had seen before and talked about problems with her marriage. The topic was interesting, but I enjoyed reading "Pearls Before Breakfast" more.

Mid-term Portfolio Link

Youssr Attia's Midterm Portfolio

Book Club Post 3 - 10/29

By the third part of the book, Laura Hillenbrand has finally gone back to preface at the beginning of the story. Louie and some crew members are sent on a rescue mission to search for the missing B-24. Ironically, on this rescue mission the engines on their plane begin failing and they crash in the middle of the ocean.

The author uses vivid language that forces the reader to become emotionally invested with Louie's story, especially because we know it's a true story. Mac, one of the members on the crew, becomes insane. The trauma of the crash causes him to be so distraught and I really felt for him. I was surprised as to how strongly a person can be shaken. However, weeks later, Mac becomes a hero, and he saves Louie's life. Hillenbrand does a great job showing the multiple sides and layers of every character.

After 47 days, they finally see land, but a Japanese boat gets in their way and they become prisoners of war. The fact that Louie survives under all if the extreme circumstances is a miracle. The odds were never in his favor. The author's description of the torture they endured is historically accurate and intense. Hillenbrand mention the "Night of a Thousand Suicides." In the Japanese culture, people believed that becoming a prisoner of war would bring shame to family, and a family's dignity is above all.

Book Club Post 2 - 10/15

The story has been fascinating so far. During our group's discussion last week we wondered how Laura Hillenbrand found out about Louie Zamperini because he was much older. Hillenbrand had been writing a story about a Depression-era race horse and she was reading a 1938 clipping about a horse when she happened to turn it around. It was a profile on Louie Zamperini. She heard about him again later on and decided to send him a letter. He replied and told her his story and that's how it came about. We have already read nearly 200 pages of the book and the amount of research she conducted is unbelievable. At times, just one paragraph holds ten stories.There are so many details and she manages to make it really easy to follow. Louie's character shines through and I can't wait to finish reading the book.

Book Club Post 1 - 10/8

The section my book club group had to read was jam-packed with with information and story. The book is based on the story of an Italian boy named Louis Zampernini whose parents immigrated to the U.S. He was always a troublemaker, but eventually it lead his older brother, Pete to coach him in track. Just after the first year, he became the first student from his town to compete in the all-city finals. He continues to enter competitions and becomes a college track star. I think the author, Laura Hillenbrand, is trying to show how his perseverance was intensified through every stage of his life. The preface is a scene from when he was stranded in the middle of the ocean during World War II. They'd been stranded for 27 days and everyone was weak. But Louis makes a daring move to try to save himself when the Japanese bombers attack. Although that story isn't complete yet, we know he has lived to tell it, so his decision to hide underwater pays off. His resilience and bravery started from a young age. Hillenbrand takes us back to the beginning of his story - when he was in grade school - to show us his transformation.

Reading Reflection 9/29

I always thought that the more quotes you use, the livelier the story would be. However, you have to be careful not to overpower your own writing. The story about the Colombian at Walmart showed me just that. Using less quotes makes the quotes you do use even more powerful. Dialogue keeps readers interested and so do details. The smallest details can complete a story and give the reader a fuller experience. I have also decided to write my story in chronological order because that's how most stories are told and heard. One thing I learned about this is that certain time periods can be sped up or slowed down. That was very helpful because after conducting my interview, I felt like I knew more about my interviewee's youth.