Blogpost #3: What are the thesis and main points of your book so far? What points did you find most effective. Give examples from the text. Do you agree with the author's arguments and conclusions? What questions would you ask the author if you ever had the opportunity to meet him/her? Completed by Friday, May 23
17 Comments
Jacob Brinkerhoff
5/22/2014 11:35:25 am
My book's thesis is all about the Columbine shooting. The author tries to answer the question that everyone has been asking. Why? The author explains that the shooters didn't see themselves as school shooters. The shooters were more focused on the placement and detonation of their bombs. All of the author's arguments make sense and he supports them with facts from the witnesses and family members of the shooters. If I had the opportunity to meet Dave Cullen, I would ask him why he wrote the book. Why take so much time out of your life to write about this event? That would be my main question.
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Paige Chesney
5/22/2014 10:21:00 pm
In this book Adam Shepard is trying to prove to his audience that hard work pays off. He intends for his story to be a rebuttal to "Nickel and Dimed" and "Bait and Switch" both by Barbara Ehrenreich. He stated that these books talk about the death of the American Dream and he is trying to prove them wrong. He states that, "Ehrenreich attempted to establish that working stiffs are doomed to live in the same disgraceful conditions forever," (xv) and he does not agree with this. In order to prove his point he moves to Charleston, South Carolina with nothing but $25, an empty gym bag, and the clothes on his back. He becomes homeless and starts to work for a company called EasyLabor, which provides jobs for the homeless. Although he is forced to face many difficult obstacles, he slowly saves up more and more money and is able to support himself a little better. I definitely agree with the author's argument that hard work pays off. After hearing most of his story I believe that the reason why some people aren't as successful as they hope to be is because they aren't motivated enough to put in the necessary amount of hard work. If I had the opportunity to meet Shepard I would ask him what the most difficult part of his journey was and how hard the transition was moving from the homeless shelter to his own apartment. Although it was probably nice to finally have his own place it would be far more difficult than living in a shelter for free.
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Alexandra Klumb
5/22/2014 11:10:42 pm
So far in The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls has been walking her audience through her childhood with different stories that set her apart from the "average family." From this, I gather that her main thesis is that her life was far from normal, and often times not the best, but her and her family knew no different, and they made the best of everything. She is arguing that anyone can make the best of what they are given. I very much agree with her argument and conclusions. Some of the stories she tells make me wish I could have gone on some adventures like her when I was a child, but others make me really happy that my childhood was what it was. If I had the opportunity to ask Walls questions, I would ask her how she was always so brave. She went through some tough and scary times at a young age, yet she never seemed scared.
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Victoria Radcliffe
5/22/2014 11:19:47 pm
The main points of my book are the struggles the author went through in order to receive the proper funding and technology he needed to successfully execute an expedition to find the Titanic. For example, he describes his experience with the Alcoa Seaprobe and its crashing calling the sight of the drill a "grisly scene of disaster" (62). The author also lists the people he had to contact in order to try to receive funding for his journey. such as the BBC, National Geographic, and Roy Disney. I agree with the author's argument that finding the Titanic was no easy task because of his descriptions of the setbacks he encountered and his inclusion of the dates all the events ocurred. For example, the author states that "I[the author] hoped that sometime in 1978 I could go after the ship for real" (59). The use of date emphases how long the process was. If I met the author I would ask him if he was ever nervous being in a submarine and what he has done since discovering the Titanic. Note: he may answer these later in the book, I have not gotten to the part where finds the ship.
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Megan Wessel
5/22/2014 11:23:37 pm
The main point in Lone Survivor is to tell about the experiences and life of a Navy SEAL, and to give insight into what it is really like on the battlefield for a person involved rather than a spectator. The point that I found most effective so far was Luttrell's opinion that people in Washington D.C. should not be making rules for people who are out in combat risking their lives. Luttrell states, "that's a very long way from the battlefield, where a sniper can blast your head, where the slightest mistake can cost you your life" (41). I agree with many of the authors views because I was brought up in a family with a strong military background and very strong opinions regarding the government and combat. My grandfather and all of his brothers each served in World War II and survived to tell about it. If I ever got to meet Marcus Luttrell I would have very many questions to ask him, but the first question I would ask would probably be about the relationships he built with his fellow SEAL team members and how they grew to become such courageous people.
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Alisse Urig
5/22/2014 11:29:57 pm
The book "Into the Wild" has a main point that money doesn't make a person happy. Belonging things doesn't make a person happy. At least not in the long run. A person needs to get out of his or her comfort zone and experience things he or she would never dream of experiencing. A person needs to get out and do and see things that person would never dream of doing or seeing. A person can't succumb to the normal ways of living and follow everyone else. A person needs to do things for himself or herself and think for himself or herself. Don't get into something you/'' never be able to escape and don't settle for a boring life living day to day doing and seeing the exact same things. A person needs to venture out into the world unknown (not always physically speaking but Chris McCandless did) and discover who he or she truly is. McCandless abandoned his car, burned his money, gave away his money to charity, left all his belongings and decided to travel the world. He saw a deeper meaning to life that what other people were doing. He wanted to discover much more. McCandless met many amazing people on his journey, connecting with them and becoming part of them. He impacted many of these people for the better. McCandless had a good time with every new person that he met and even after he left, as the story accounts, he made a lasting impression on them.A man, named Charlie, that allowed Chris to live in an empty trailer home said that Chris was looking for something and he had many complexes to him. McCandless was looking for the true meaning of life and true happiness, I believe. And before he died, I think he found it. McCandless was a very happy soul travelling the world, experiencing and meeting new people every day, having no responsibilities, having no baggage,and living his life exactly the way that he wanted to. If I were to ask the author, Jon Krakauer, any questions they would be:
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Haley Wakelam
5/22/2014 11:51:27 pm
The main thesis of I am Malala thus far is this: it's important to be introspective so as to deter oneself from committing vice. The people from which Yousafazai descends, the Pashtuns, believe it is necessary to extract revenge after one has been wronged. But what, Yousafazai asks, does that help to accomplish? It was only after Mahatama Ghandi's campaign for civil disobedience in India that the very concept of non-violence was introduced into Pashtun society. The most important thing someone can do to better the situation is to better themselves. It's a cliche that one should be the change they wish to see in the word, but in the case of Yousafazai, it's true. If, for example, someone steals something for the first time, and after vowing not to steal again, steals a second and third time, the objects he or she steals will only continue to become more daring. Yousafazai had nothingt to apologize for in being shot by the Taliban, but imagine is she'd felt the need to extract revenge. She'd only continue the cycle of violence that has already claimed so many lives. Before she was shot, she used to think about what she might say if ever she was attacked. "Okay," she'd say, "shoot me, but first, listen to me." Listening. That's the key. It's hard to imagine a world in which everyone listened to one another, allowing the words of others, who perhaps possess different view points, to break down social and political barriers. Yousafazai's philosophy is powerful; her wisdom is shared by humanitarians across the globe. They understand that the most worthy of individuals are those that are honest with themselves, that are willing to work with others, and that overcome the urge to perpetrate violence. If I could ask Yousafazai a question, it would be this: Why you? Why, out of the millions of Pakistanis that came before you and live along side you, why are you among the first to vouch for an anti-violent campaign?
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Megan Eckstein
5/23/2014 04:31:48 am
In Quiet, Susan Cain points out that introverts are not always the shy, quiet people that sit in the corner, but have qualities that are extremely useful in innovations and even in positions of leadership. Cain shows that many of our great innovators were introverts. They were successful due to their concentration and ability to work alone. She shows that teamwork is actually less productive than working alone. Working alone, especially for introverts, helps improve creativity, whereas if people were to work in groups, they may just follow the majority and not contribute their ideas. Cain also demonstrates the power of introverts by naming many successful people who fit into the introverted category. Some of these people include Dr. Seuss, Charles Darwin, Madeleine L’Engle, Rosa Parks, Warren Buffett, and many more. The points that I found most effective were those that used studies to prove her point because it was backed by scientific evidence. One of Cain’s interesting points is that “introverts outperform extroverts in high school and college.... One study tested 141 college students’ knowledge of twenty different subjects, from art to astronomy to statistics, and found that introverts knew more than the extroverts about every single one of them,” (167). I found this very effective because it brings up a point and supports it with concrete evidence. Another point that I found both interesting and effective was Susan Cain’s chapter on introverts and creativity. She writes “there’s a less obvious yet surprisingly powerful explanation for introverts’ creative advantage- an explanation that everyone can learn from: introverts prefer to work independently, and solitude can be a catalyst to innovation,” (74). This chapter was effective because the support was drawn from studies. I agree with the author’s conclusions thus far, because many of the ingenious inventors were ones who worked into the wee hours of the night and worked in solitude. They may have collaborated with others, but the majority of their ideas came from working alone. If I had the opportunity to meet Susan Cain, I would ask her about what intrigued her to write about introversion and extroversion. I would also ask her about how long it took her to write this book because I find that it is very well written and factual.
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5/23/2014 04:49:05 am
Mitch Albom's main argument and thesis revolves around the meaning of life. The main points so far have been about education and learning, happiness, disease, and death. The most effective of these points to me was happiness even in the face of death. In the book Albom writes about how happy and healthy Morrie was especially when he was dancing, "He would close his eyes and with a blissful smile begin to move to his own sense of rhythm." to when Morrie was given his "death sentence" and even then he wouldn't let it get to him, "He would not wither. He would not be ashamed of dying." I agree with pretty much everything Mitch Albom has to say and love his views and experiences he shares in this wonderful book. I just wish he would of stayed in contact with his professor, Morrie, after school. Morrie is a great man and one tough cookie. If I came into contact with Mitch Albom I would first ask him to marry me and sign everything I had with me. :) just kidding (but really). Concerning the book I would ask him what his greatest take away was from writing this book and if he could do it again what would he do differently. Hopefully stay in contact with Morrie :)
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Katie Lake
5/23/2014 06:18:11 am
Thus far, the thesis of my book revolves around Greg Mortenson and his attempt to help the people of Northern Pakistan. Many obstacles hinder his ability to do so, including political and cultural differences as well as a lack of money. On page 47 of my book Mortenson begins to explain the difficulties of funding money for his project. On page 52 it is noted that he started a fundraiser called "Pennies for Pakistan in which he collected two forty-gallon trash cans filled with 62,345 pennies ($623.45), which wasn't nearly enough. Some of the main points that I've noticed in my book so far is that through his writing, Mortenson really emphasizes and encourages people to turn hardships into opportunity. In the beginning of the novel, Mortenson's plan to climb the summit of K2 failed after he spent numerous days on a rescue search. Although his trip was unsuccessful, he decided to use his failure as a motivation for success. So far I do agree with Mortenson's conclusions because I think his overall message is to give a first-hand experience that good things can result from the bad. If I ever had a chance to meet him, I would want to know if he would ever try to climb the summit of K2 again since it did not work out the first time.
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Jessalyn Fedrick
5/23/2014 10:31:33 am
The main point of Twelve Years A Slave is the contrast between the good and bad parts of slavery. The author bounces back and forth between the two which effectively proportions the ideas so it's not too much of one side all at once so that the other side has no chance of a rebuttal. He even says at one point "I was doomed to endure such bitter trials as the poor slave only knows, and to lead no more the comparatively happy life which I had led". With this the reader sees that there isn't only good or bad, there is a bit of both which I love. I wish more people knew that there were different sides, so much hate was built from ignorance. So if I were to run across the author (being he still were alive) I'd ask him the most basic, yet so powerful of questions. Where did you find the stress to relive your horrors?
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Becca Johnson
5/23/2014 10:53:02 am
My books thesis is that the typical thinking of a David and Goliath, a clear underdog and a clear side with an advantage, is wrong. He argues that sometimes advantages don't always work to our advantage and that what we perceive as disadvantages can sometimes work to our advantage. All of his points are very effective because of all the examples he uses to back them up. One example that he uses is that it is not always better to go to the most prestigious college that we can get in to. He proves this by using a study that shows that PhD graduates at the top of their class at very small universities published more articles in their first six years after graduating than did PhD graduates lower in their class at more prestigious universities. In addition to this broad study he also uses a specific example of a student who went to brown college for science, and though she was very smart did not feel good enough compared to her peers and dropped out of hr science program. The student admitted that "If [she'd] gone to the University of Maryland, [she'd] still be in science"(63). Gladwell also argues that what we see as a disadvantage in dyslexia can sometimes serve as an advantage. He supports this with the story of David Boies who had dyslexia and to compensate learned to be a great listener. This skill helped him later in life to become a very successful learner. In his case dyslexia had an advantage. Gladwell also points out that this is not a rare case but "an extraordinarily high number of successful entrepreneurs are dyslexic"(106). I agree with the arguments and conclusions because of the strong logic that he uses to convince me of his point. If I could meet the author I would want to ask how he comes up with his ideas. All of his points make so much sense once he explains them, but I never would have been able to think of the on my own.
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Oscar Ryland
5/23/2014 01:11:48 pm
Gladwell's thesis in Outliers is that those who stand out and are "self-made men" owe most of their success to circumstances well out of their own control. One point is that the best hockey players, and subsequently most outliers, owe most of their success to when they were born. "40 percent of the [Canadian professional hockey] players will have been born between January and March" (23), which shows this tendency for birth to matter in success. This also corresponds to being born during times in which business and cultural trends allow for growth in new areas. This is how Joe Flom reached success, as "the work that 'came in the door'" (125) as he started his career was not pursued by the larger law firms, allowing him to become a stand-out in such matters. Another point is that the amount of practice someone gets can be a very big part of why that person reaches success. When the Beatles went to Germany, they "had to play for eight hours" (35) many nights, which was a big reason for their spontaneity as a group later on. I fully agree with Gladwell's arguments and conclusions. His logic, reasoning and information is all very easy to understand. I think and make analogies very similar to him, which really helps me identify with his style. If I had the chance to meet him, I would ask how he thought to look for the stories he did. Most of his stories are of successful people, but those whom hardly any average person would know, such as Joe Flom or the people of Rosetta. His information is intriguing, mostly because he tells of historical events and people that are never talked about by other authors. I would also ask how he had the time to research so many little known stories and informative tidbits.
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Anthony Jantzen
5/23/2014 01:25:02 pm
So far in my reading, The Hot Zone contains two main points. The first consists of explaining the devastating effects of the Ebola/Marburg viruses. Preston effectively illustrates this view with numerous accounts of the victims, with symptoms including extremely bloodshot eyes, jaundice, rashes, red and palpitating bumps, swelling or bruising, and blood clotting, which all lead to the final stage of severe hemorrhaging, bodily orifice bleeding, and internal organ damage beyond repair. Along with this comes Preston's idea that, although the viruses can only spread through blood and bodily fluids (or at least that's what I've learned so far), they still have immense potential to wipe out mass amounts of people. In one account, a nurse named Mayinga caught the Zaire virus. She came into face-to-face contact with dozens of people, even "shared a bottle of soda pop" with someone, but none of them fell ill, thus proving the virus was not contagious through the air (130). And yet, the several strains existing in both Zaire and Sudan were able to wipe out whole villages here and there, demonstrating their swift and stealthy attacks on the victims. Unless the book is grossly exaggerated, there is no doubt in my mind that Preston's accounts are accurate. The stories of the victims, as well as those who have encountered them or studied the viruses, are depicted too vividly (and disturbingly) for the human mind to imagine. His citations and references to the numerous researchers, scientists, and victims have me in agreement with his conclusions as well. If given the opportunity, I would ask Richard Preston what his motivations were for writing The Hot Zone. I would also like to know how he discovered these events, as well as his reactions toward his experiences with each of the people he interviewed. I think it would be fascinating to see how each of their stories affected him and compare that to the way I currently feel about them. Right now, the book entices me to keep reading, but it also makes me not even want to pick it up for fear of somehow contracting the viruses.
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Samuel Webb
5/23/2014 01:43:58 pm
The Hot Zone does not have a clear thesis, since it is written more like a horror story rather than a regular nonfiction book. Instead Preston focuses on the horrible power and malice that the Ebola can strike within someone he does this through realism, and is exemplified when he talks about Monet when he was on the plane, "Brings up an incredible quantity of blood from his stomach and spills it onto the floor with a gasping moan... then comes a sound like a bedsheet being torn in half, which is the sound bowels opening and venting blood from the anus. The blood is mixed with intestinal lining"(23-24). The author does not have any conclusions so far, but his descriptions of the virus have horrified me. I'm at the part in the book where a level four virus is in Washington D.C. and it scares me that something like this could reach anyone at anytime. One question I would ask the author is how did you become interested/aware of these dangerous hot viruses? These viruses seem to be very top secret so I was wondering how he knew about these dangerous viruses, while the majority of the population has had no idea about most of these outbreaks.
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Chris Rosing
5/23/2014 01:58:49 pm
In the book, Why Smart Executives Fail and What You Can Learn From Their Mistakes, Finkelstien goes into depth about the companies who fall as a result of irresponsible executives. His interesting analysis explains the fundamentals of why these companies fail but he discusses what these executives could have done to save their companies. Most individuals would consider an executive public appearance a strength but Finkelstien argues its a liability for the company (pg 52). His most effective argument so far in the book tends to be his layout of how executives should react in a new venture. The book suggests that that companies should consider new ventures as long-term investments. In addition, he is very direct stating if there are low barriers of entry in a new venture for a company, it should "run" (pg 46). In other words, when creating a new business strategy, businesses should be vigorously conservative meanings they should stray from fancy big investments. The author discusses how "sexy technology plays with tremendous growth prospects" like with the company telecom. Large investments are good if that new technology gets you profitability. His writing style appeals to the reader as he claims, "There is a difference between a good idea and a good business idea in one word-profitability" (pg. 38). His claim through an antimetabole is supported through the example in companies like Webvan who tried to create a supermarket as a online grocery provider. With this large investment, Webvan needed to create large barriers of entry in their business ideals. It was a good idea but overwhelming risk for an online provider to bring the gap to deliver almost anything to a person instantly resulting creating a bad business idea.
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Austin Madden
5/24/2014 01:39:33 pm
In my book "Into the wild" A main theme or point i'm noticing is Freedom, Chris starts this life travelling into the wilderness, wanting to be free from the rule over him in society, and the example would be him leaving his life. I personally disagree with decisions like these because i probably wouldn't be able to survive in the wild. If i ever met the author in person I would ask why he chose this story and why he tells the story the way he did.
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