Books I’ve read since Books I’ve read since school got out last year school got out last year

(edited)(edited)

Mr. JacksonMr. Jackson

May, 2015May, 2015

Danse MacabreDanse Macabre

By Stephen KingBy Stephen King– This is an insider’s This is an insider’s

look at how look at how suspense is suspense is created.created.

Brain on FireBrain on Fire

By Susannah By Susannah CahalanCahalan– A woman is A woman is

misdiagnosed with misdiagnosed with a mental illness.a mental illness.

Lady MacbethLady Macbeth

By Susan KingBy Susan King– And now…her side And now…her side

of the story. of the story. – This actually made This actually made

me re-think things me re-think things that I had taken for that I had taken for granted for a long granted for a long time about this time about this character.character.

Mr. MercedesMr. Mercedes

By Stephen KingBy Stephen King– This book is quite This book is quite

graphic at times, graphic at times, but it is Stephen but it is Stephen King, after all. It King, after all. It reads like more of a reads like more of a detective story. detective story.

The Hybrid TigerThe Hybrid Tiger

By Quang HuangBy Quang Huang– This is a glimpse This is a glimpse

inside the world of inside the world of Chinese/American Chinese/American education. education. Probably more for Probably more for parents than for parents than for kids, but some kids, but some students may like students may like it.it.

BruceBruce

By Peter Ames By Peter Ames CarlinCarlin– As a huge As a huge

Springsteen fan, I Springsteen fan, I loved this book. loved this book. However, anyone However, anyone interested in how interested in how the music industry the music industry worked/works, worked/works, would appreciate it.would appreciate it.

Sycamore RowSycamore Row

By John GrishamBy John Grisham– Riveting legal Riveting legal

thriller about a thriller about a woman who is woman who is willed millions of willed millions of dollars by her dollars by her employer—a man employer—a man almost no one almost no one seems to know.seems to know.

Thanks for the FeedbackThanks for the Feedback

Stone and HeenStone and Heen– Not many students Not many students

would like this, but would like this, but parents and parents and teachers might. It teachers might. It made me re-think made me re-think what kind of what kind of feedback that I was feedback that I was giving people in my giving people in my life.life.

This Dark EndeavorThis Dark Endeavor

By Kenneth OppelBy Kenneth Oppel– This was our “One This was our “One

book, one school” book, one school” choice this year. It choice this year. It is the prequel for is the prequel for Mary Shelley’s Mary Shelley’s novel about Dr. novel about Dr. Frankenstein. It Frankenstein. It was a decent read.was a decent read.

The ShiningThe Shining

By Stephen KingBy Stephen King– I finally got the I finally got the

nerve to read what nerve to read what many feel is King’s many feel is King’s masterpiece. It masterpiece. It didn’t disappoint. It didn’t disappoint. It is NOT just like the is NOT just like the famous movie with famous movie with Jack Nicholson. Jack Nicholson. King flexes all of his King flexes all of his writing muscles writing muscles here.here.

RedeploymentRedeployment

By Phil KlayBy Phil Klay– I didn’t realize this I didn’t realize this

at first, but it is at first, but it is actually a series of actually a series of short stories about short stories about the recent wars. the recent wars. Incredibly graphic Incredibly graphic at times, this is at times, this is definitely for definitely for mature audiences mature audiences only.only.

Dr. SleepDr. Sleep

Stephen KingStephen King– Dr. Sleep is the long Dr. Sleep is the long

awaited sequel to awaited sequel to The ShiningThe Shining. As our . As our own Mr. King put it, own Mr. King put it, you will never look you will never look at an RV the same at an RV the same way again.way again.

The GoldfinchThe Goldfinch

Donna TarttDonna Tartt– It is difficult to It is difficult to

classify this novel. classify this novel. Overall, it is a great Overall, it is a great story for the mature story for the mature reader. I enjoyed it reader. I enjoyed it immensely, but immensely, but some may find it some may find it too slow too slow developing.developing.

IdenticalIdentical

By Scott TurowBy Scott Turow– Identical twins are Identical twins are

involved in a crime involved in a crime many years ago, many years ago, but now that DNA but now that DNA evidence is a evidence is a possibility, the legal possibility, the legal challenges begin. challenges begin.

EuphoriaEuphoria

By Lily KingBy Lily King– This is a historically This is a historically

based novel about based novel about anthropologists in anthropologists in the 1930’s. This is the 1930’s. This is probably more for probably more for mature audiences mature audiences as well.as well.

Killing PattonKilling Patton

By Bill O’ReillyBy Bill O’Reilly– I never really I never really

understood the understood the circumstances of circumstances of the general’s the general’s untimely death, and untimely death, and I learned about it, I learned about it, and much more in and much more in this selection from this selection from the series of how the series of how iconic people died.iconic people died.

Gray MountainGray Mountain

By John GrishamBy John Grisham– I absolutely loved I absolutely loved

this novel because this novel because of its down-to-earth of its down-to-earth writing style that writing style that many could relate many could relate to. Classic to. Classic Grisham.Grisham.

The Tipping PointThe Tipping Point

By Malcolm By Malcolm GladwellGladwell– Nice effort about Nice effort about

why things go a why things go a certain way in certain way in business, history, business, history, and life in general. and life in general.

The Great HungerThe Great Hunger

By Cecil Woodham By Cecil Woodham SmithSmith– This was not an This was not an

easy read, but well-easy read, but well-worth the effort. It worth the effort. It was amazing how was amazing how the many in the the many in the British Government British Government let (and even let (and even wanted) this wanted) this catastrophe to catastrophe to happen.happen.

Rocket BoysRocket Boys

By Homer HickamBy Homer Hickam– I thought that I I thought that I

knew the story from knew the story from the movie the movie October October SkySky, but I did not. , but I did not. Riveting tale of Riveting tale of dreams in a small dreams in a small West Virginia town. West Virginia town.

RevivalRevival

By Stephen KingBy Stephen King– Less of a horror Less of a horror

story, and more of a story, and more of a morality lesson, I morality lesson, I really enjoyed this really enjoyed this tale of a boy who tale of a boy who can’t really shake can’t really shake the presence of one the presence of one man for his whole man for his whole life.life.

When Books Went to WarWhen Books Went to War

By Molly Guptill By Molly Guptill ManningManning– Unexpectedly Unexpectedly

revealing about revealing about people’s need to people’s need to read and the U.S. read and the U.S. Government’s Government’s efforts to satisfy it. efforts to satisfy it. While Hitler was While Hitler was burning books, we burning books, we were supplying were supplying them.them.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta The Immortal Life of Henrietta LacksLacks

Rebecca SklootRebecca Skloot– I read this story that I read this story that

takes place in and takes place in and around Baltimore at around Baltimore at about the same time as about the same time as the riots were going on the riots were going on there this year. It was there this year. It was pretty ironic considering pretty ironic considering what happened to the what happened to the Lacks family because of Lacks family because of her cancer cells.her cancer cells.

A Painted HouseA Painted House

By John GrishamBy John Grisham– This is another non-This is another non-

legal tale (so far) legal tale (so far) about how poor about how poor farmers in Arkansas farmers in Arkansas tried to survive tried to survive based on the based on the outcome of cotton outcome of cotton crops in the 1950’s.crops in the 1950’s.

Hell from the HeavensHell from the Heavens

By John WukovitsBy John Wukovits– This is the 5This is the 5thth book book

that I’ve read from that I’ve read from my friend John. He my friend John. He has given his time has given his time to our school on to our school on many occasions. many occasions. The USS Laffey’s The USS Laffey’s heroic battle in heroic battle in 1945 is riveting and 1945 is riveting and unforgettable, and unforgettable, and Wukovits helps to Wukovits helps to make it so.make it so.

I left a couple of books off the list…I left a couple of books off the list…

……I wasn’t sure about their I wasn’t sure about their appropriateness. The books in this appropriateness. The books in this power-point may not be appropriate power-point may not be appropriate for everybody, either. Together, you for everybody, either. Together, you and your parents need to decide and your parents need to decide what is best for you. Please e-mail what is best for you. Please e-mail me at me at andrew.jackson@apps.k12.mi.usandrew.jackson@apps.k12.mi.us if if you have any questions.you have any questions.– Mr. Jackson, May 16, 2015Mr. Jackson, May 16, 2015