The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams: This is a very random but highly entertaining book (the first in a series) about the worst Thursday in the history of the universe.
It does make some very intresting points that have nothing to do with anything. If you enjoy something by Dave Barry, this book is ideal for you. This book is very quoteable (the same goes for the ones that follow it) and
some of its phrases can be used in "normal" conversations. Just remember: 42.
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Grade: A
Dave Barry's Only Travel Guide You Will Ever Need, by Dave Barry: This is a hilarious book about, as its name suggests, traveling. Dave Barry's extremely untrue factiods about many popular and unpopular tourist
attractions around the US, Canada, and Europe. This is the sort of book you can read over and over again and crack up at, every single time. Very popular, people have a tendency to steal it, but who the hell cares? It doesn't cost much.
The best chapter is, by far, "How to Speak a Foreign Language in Just 30 Minutes Without Nesscisarily Having Any Idea What You Are Saying". Mandi has already found a problem with one of the Italian
phrases, and I believe Sarah has found a mistake with the french phrases. They remain entertaining anyway. This is probably the best Dave Barry book ever written. I challenge you to attempt to read this book with other people in the room.
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Grade: A+
Watership Down, by Richard Adams: This book had much well - meaning but ended up sucking. Greatly. Although some people (*cough* MIKE *cough*) enjoyed this book immensly, we have reason to worry about him anyway. Essentially this
is a book about a rabbit who gets this vision that the something VERY BAD is going to happen to the warren. He was right -- but you only find this out halfway through the book. Meanwhile he rounds up a group of rabbits, all of whom make it to the point
that they want to be at HALFWAY THROUGH THE BOOK. The remainder of the book is about the battle to get some female rabbits. Very boring; it was for school, thus making it more boring if that is possible. The redeeming qualilty of this book was the battle at
the end of the book.
Purchase the book here. But I don't know why you would want to.
Grade: D-
The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants, by Ann Brashares: Okay, as incredibly corny as the title and the plot of this book sounds, it's not. I promise. A pair of thrift store pants fit four totally different girls, in more ways than one. It fits each
girl's figure perfectly, and it fits each girl's lifestyle just as perfectly. This is a very touching and moving book about friendship, love, hate, family, and life. This is a chick flick movie waiting to happen - seriously. If you ever read it, you'll understand.
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Grade: A
John Adams, by David McCullough: And to think I found Watership Down boring. Let me stress that this was a summer reading book, but you would think that just MAYBE the school system could choose SLIGHTLY more entertaining books. But no. Anyway - as the title
says quite clearly, this is a book about John Adams' life, which happens to be highly dull. There were some entertaining bits in this book: John Adams' childhood, Thomas Jefferson (he was insane - as soon as he got a new home or whatever he would begin to plan
how to renovate and if i remember correctly, he renovated Monitcello about 4 times, the last time involving him ripping off the second floor) and Thomas Pinckney. The best part was the last 50ish pages, when people started to die because it was only a matter of time before our
dearest John dies. I know how sadistic that sounds, but trust me, it was the by far the best part of the book.
Purchase the book here. But we don't recommend you do this.
Grade: F
Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte: This book was actually pretty good. It's one of the first feminist manifestos, and it follows the life of heroine Jane from her childhood to her late 20s or so. First she puts up with way bitchy foster parents, goes to school where
her friends stick up for her and Jane realizes the importance of autonomy. She realizes men are the weaker force in life; always making girls do what they (the men) want. From there, Jane runs away from the man she thinks she loves and encounters her family. The only problem with this
book is that Mr. Rochester shows up way too early and wants everything for himself. It would have been better if Jane kicked Mr. Rochester in the balls, but hey, it's a metaphorical kick when she runs away from him.
Purchase the bookplease take me home