Listicle: Cannery Row

 My listicle for the book Cannery Row by John Steinbeck gives three quotes that are examples of why you should read Cannery Row. 

1. "Its inhabitants are, as the man once said, 'whores, pimps, gamblers, and sons of bitches' by which he meant Everybody. Had the man looked through another peephole he might have said  'Saints and angels and martyrs and holy men' and he would have meant the same thing" (pg.1) 

This quote is used in the first paragraph of the novel when the author is describing the people that live in Cannery Row. Throughout the novel we can see that the characters in the novel are not your average main characters. The novel focuses on a group of men who live together to avoid unique troubles, they drink, do not work much, and often lie to get their way. Steinbeck shows through this novel, that although many judge them as bad people and people choose to ignore that they have good qualities. Similar to some other Steinbeck novels, the focus is on "real people" who have obvious flaws. The novel beautifully portrays how although very different all people desire to be accepted and loved. 

2. "I bet Mack could of been president of the U.S if he wanted" (pg.84)

I think this quote gives a great example of the humor used in Cannery Row. Mack and his friends are on private property, when approached by the owner of the land and asked to leave, Mack is able to become immediate friends with the land owner and is invited to the man's house. Mack does so through a series of complete lies and the ability to manipulate others very well. This is ironic that Mack's friend unknowingly compares Mack's lies and manipulation to the job of the U.S. president. Ironic humor like this is present through the novel. In addition, humor can be found in the unique situations the characters find themselves in. 

3. "Mack and the boys came down to this place happily. It was perfect. If frogs were available, they would be here. It was a place to relax, to be happy" (pg.76)

Although the characters mentioned in this quote have no house or job, they are able to be very content with what they have and the places they go. It is refreshing to read about characters that are not obsessed with the possession of material items, money, and success. Instead, they enjoy nature and the companionship of their friends. Even though the book has little suspense or clear plot, it is full of vivid descriptions, interesting characters, and insight into a community unlike those in other books. 

-Eleanor 

Celebrating Yourself

     The Prince and the Dressmaker, by Jen Wang, is about two loveable and charming characters. The first is a prince suffering an identity crisis. His problem is is that he likes to wear dresses, a strict no-no at the time. The second character is a dressmaker. She's isn't making much and doesn't like her employer. However, once they meet each other, their problems seem to be solved.

    The Prince and the Dressmaker begins by informing us of a grand royal ball being hosted by the prince. All the young ladies simply must have a new dress made for the occasion. One such lady happens upon Frances, an aspiring young dressmaker that's earning minimum wage and wishing she could work for someone else. The young lady states that she had a dress but it was ruined when she went horseback riding, so she couldn't care less what Frances designs for her. In fact, she requests Frances to make her look like "the devil's wench" (Wang 6). The reader is then taken to the ball, where we see the young lady wearing Frances' dress. The dress is nothing like the other formal gowns at the ball. It is all black and has a cape and a mask to go with it. However, young Frances will lose her job because of it. Something so obscene cannot go without punishment after all.

    But wait! There is hope for our dressmaker friend! For an unknown royal has deemed her dress a work of art and is wishing to hire her! Frances is taken to an elaborate palace, where she meets her royal. However, the royal's face is hidden behind a veil, and it isn't until Frances trips and grabs the veil that she realizes it is none other than Prince Sebastian himself! After some confusion, Prince Sebastian reveals that he is the one that wanted to hire her and that he wants to wear the dresses. Fast forward two days and we find Frances hanging out with Sebastian in public. But wait! Sebastian is wearing a dress, so that makes him (or should we say her?) the esteemed Lady Crystallia.

    Simply because I don't want to spoil the entire book, I'll let you guys find out what happens next :)
The Prince and the Dressmaker is a really great book. I sat down with it and read it in one sitting. The message from the author is clear. Express yourself. Sebastian won't let being a prince stop him from his dream of wearing dresses, so why should you let something, big or little, from stopping what you want to do? Even if you don't have anything you want to express, still try this book (it's a graphic novel by the way) because I think you'll like it.

Nathaniel Wiesbrook

The Barn by Luca

The Barn by Avi was published in 1994. Avi is the pseudonym of American author Edward Irving Wortis. Avi was born in New York City on December 23, 1937 (Wikipedia contributors). Avi has written over seventy books for various age groups and currently lives in Colorado with his wife (Wikipedia contributors). 

The Barn is a story about a boy named Ben and his family. Ben lived in a boarding school in Portland, Oregon, when he suddenly receives some unsettling news. The headmaster of his school calls him into his office one day and tells him what any 9-year-old boy would never want to hear at a boarding school. Ben's father has fallen ill with something the local doctor can only describe as "...a fit of palsy" (Avi 7). Ben is picked up from boarding school by his sister Nettie, and they go home to take care of their father. 

One of the fascinating things about this book is that it is incredibly short (only 106 pages), yet the author manages to fit such a well-told story in such a short book. Typically with shorter books, the author does not give a very elaborate story, and the plot ends up being relatively straightforward. Avi does a phenomenal job of creating a complex world for the reader by being extremely descriptive of the setting and characters in the story. I enjoyed this quality of the book. 

Something else I found interesting about this book is that it has won several awards since its original release. The Barn won Booklist, Best Books of the year, in1994. Also, in 1994, The Barn won Bank Street Children's Books of the year, "outstanding," Starred, focus Review, Booklist, American Bookseller, Pick of the Lists, New York Public Library, Best Books of the Year, Editor's Choice, and Booklist, CCBC Choice, VOYA, Outstanding Book. In 1995 the book won ALA Notable, 1995 and ABC Children's Booksellers' Choice, 1995 ("Avi Author of Books for Children and Teens").

Overall, The Barn is an excellent book for anyone who wants to read a story about a young, talented boy who leaves his prodigious life in boarding school to take care of his ill father in the Oregon wilderness. I do not want to spoil the end, so I recommend that you read this book if you would like to find out what happens to ben and his family. It is a short book that can be read in one sitting, so if you happen to have some free time over the summer, I highly recommend you check this book out.

Works Cited

"Avi Author of Books for Children and Teens." Avi's Blog, Avi, www.avi-writer.com/index.html. Accessed May 15, 2021.

Wikipedia contributors. "Avi (Author)." Wikipedia, Wikipedia, 20 Apr. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avi_(author).

The Stonewall Reader: An Anthology That Made This Reader Surprised - Savindi

“Because of the Stonewall uprising, people saw homosexuals no longer as criminals or sinners or mentally ill, but as something like members of a minority group. It was an oceanic change in thinking” (White 14).    

Recently, I picked up The Stonewall Reader by Edmund White thinking that it would just be a good book to get some information for my history project. However, I was positively surprised. Yes, The Stonewall Reader was incredibly helpful for my project, but it was also a great book to read during my free time. I expected to read the minimum and only read what was necessary, but I found myself immersed in the book and reading the whole thing from cover to cover. 

The Stonewall Reader is an anthology with excerpts from books, articles, journals, and letters by LGBTQ+ rights activists, writers, journalists, Stonewall riots witnesses, and many others related to the LGBTQ+ rights movement. The plethora of unique stories are divided into three sections: “Before Stonewall,” “During Stonewall,” and “After Stonewall.” Because it is organized in this way, The Stonewall Reader gives a raw depiction of how LGBTQ+ people were treated by society and how that slowly changed after the Stonewall riots, which is incredibly interesting to read. 

In addition, The Stonewall Reader also conveys many emotions, showing the reader how LGBTQ+ people felt after the horrible treatment in the past. Every author included in this anthology has their own personal and powerful message to the reader, and they all have a unique story to share. Two excerpts I would like to highlight are the excerpts from Virginia Prince’s “The How and Why of Virginia” and Chirlane Mccray’s “I Am a Lesbian.” Both are inspirational, motivational, and emotional stories detailing their journeys as LGBTQ+ individuals.  

“I find now that now that I can be accepted by her [Virginia’s wife] I have also learned to completely accept myself and as a girl I’m interested in feminine relaxation and comfort as she is” (White 79). 

Virginia is a transgender rights activist, and in this excerpt, she recounts her journey with her gender identity. She describes the discrimination she faced as a trans woman, which makes the reader empathetic towards Virginia as well as angry and disappointed at those who hurt her. Some aspects of the story make the reader feel warm inside and happy for Virginia’s happiness. One part of her story I love is how her wife was supportive of Virginia. Overall, her story gives a glimpse at what it was like to be transgender, what discrimination she faced, and how she began to feel comfortable as a trans woman.  

“I may not have turned out exactly as they [Chirlane’s parents], but I do have what they seemed to want most for their children—love and happiness” (White 327).  

Similar to Virginia Prince, Chirlane Mccray recounts her own journey as an LGBTQ+ individual, specifically a black lesbian woman. She describes how she lived “in fear of discovery and in fear of not being liked” (White 316). She describes her coming out to her parents and their reaction. Like the other excerpts in The Stonewall Reader, this excerpt gives a raw depiction of the mistreatment Chirlane faced as a lesbian. It also gives a sense of empowerment when she describes how she overcame her struggles and talks about her achievements as a writer. Overall, it is filled with emotion that moves the reader.

Every story is powerful and meaningful on its own. However, it is much more interesting to look at them as pieces of a bigger picture. In the “Before Stonewall” section, the excerpts describe how LGBTQ+ individuals were treated. Many were sent to conversion therapy, which was often painful and cruel, and many were even arrested or killed just for being themselves. LGBTQ+ people were thought of as inferior. Sylvia Rivera, an icon of the New York City LGBTQ community and Puerto Rican and Venezuelan activist with the Gay Liberation Front and Gay Activists Alliance, explained that gay people were seen as “the lowest scum” (White 177). They were not treated as real, normal human beings but rather as someone below heterosexual people. In addition, LGBTQ+ people were always at the mercy of the police. However, this changed during the Stonewall Riots.   

In the “During Stonewall” section, the excerpts describe what the Stonewall riots were and how they started. It was the first time gay people had fought back and essentially won. Although many riots had occurred before, what set the Stonewall riots apart was how it started a movement for equal rights. Movements such as the Black Rights and Women Rights movements influenced the Gay Rights movement. Because of the Stonewall riots and the influence of other rights movements, the Gay Rights movement was born, which is what makes the Stonewall riots different from the riots that occurred before it. Then, the excerpts in the “After Stonewall” section describe the Stonewall riots’ impact. After this important event occurred and the movement was started, many individuals were motivated and inspired. The fight for equal rights grew stronger, and it is still going strong today. 

Combining these sections together, the reader sees this raw depiction of how LGBTQ+ people were treated by society and how that slowly changed after the Stonewall riots. In a sense, it is like a story, but it is entirely true and ongoing. Overall, The Stonewall Reader is an incredibly informative and inspiring anthology, and although it is a nonfiction book, I found myself enjoying it immensely. I tend to prefer novels with riveting plots and dynamic characters, but I still found myself invested in every story as well as the overall larger story. I felt warm inside as I read uplifting and motivating stories, and I felt angry and disappointed as I read stories of discrimination and hate. This anthology takes you through a rollercoaster of emotions as you take a small dive into LGBTQ+ history, and I highly recommend it to those who want to learn more about the Stonewall riots and its impact on the Gay Rights movement.         

Works Cited

White, Edmund. The Stonewall Reader. Penguin Books, 2019.

Wyrd Can Be A Good Thing - Nathaniel

     Terry Pratchet's Wyrd Sisters is a story of three witches, a ghost, a duke, a fool, and an actor, among other things. It is a fantastical, comedic story that uses different perspectives to make sure the reader understands (almost) everything that is going on. While it is part of a series of books that take place in Discworld, which is the world all the characters live in, no prior knowledge of the series is needed to understand and enjoy the book.

    Wyrd Sisters starts by introducing us to the Discworld, a world being carried by giant elephants that ride the back of a humongous space turtle. Next, it goes on to describe the current storm over the land of Lancre, where our story takes place. Wyrd Sisters shows us the storm's perspective and thoughts so we see why it is storming. Finally we meet the fabled Sisters themselves. While not being sisters by blood, the three witches are part of a makeshift coven. Nanny Ogg is cheerful, easy going, and frivolous. Granny Weatherwax is strict, mysterious, and frightening. Magrat is... well she's Magrat. Young, fanciful, and showy. From the start of the book the reader can tell that the witches are carefree and also demanding of respect.

    After meeting the witches, the reader is rushed away to glimpse a carriage rushing through the storm, then quickly rushed away again to meet the former king of Lancre, Verence I. Verence has just been murdered by Felmet, a greedy relative that wanted Verence's throne. Verence is seen talking to Death about his new ghostly form and the aspects of living as a ghost. Within a few pages the reader is once again whisked back to the three witches, who are about to interact with the carriage mentioned earlier. The carriage comes to a screeching halt in front of the witches, and out topples a man who hands Granny a bundle of clothes before falling over with crossbow bolts in his back. Upon getting rid of the pursuers of the carriage, the witches find themselves to be in the possession of a baby boy, one that seems to be a prince judging by the crown with him.

    With the scene painted, the story works on coming together. The child is given to a travelling couple in the play industry. King Verence comes to terms with the fact he is a ghost and starts haunting his castle. Lord Felmet takes the throne of Lancre and declares himself king. The witches do whatever pleases them, one of such pleasures being to bless the child they sent away with the travelling actors. At this point, the reader sees a bit of the new king's perspective, and how he is traumatized from killing his predecessor and is very paranoid about everything, namely trees. Years pass by, and the new king decides to oppress the witches. The witches in turn retaliate by speeding up time to ready Verence's successor, the child from that fateful stormy night. 

    Wyrd Sisters is a fun and easy read. I would recommend it to fantasy and comedy lovers, as well as anyone in need of a good story and potentially new series. Nanny, Granny, and Magrat are charming and funny characters that are very expressive with their own unique personalities. I will say it once again, give Wyrd Sisters a try.

Prejudice in To Kill A Mockingbird - Eleanor

     To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a novel set in the town of Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression. The books main character is Scout Finch who lives with her brother Jem and her father, Atticus, who is a lawyer. The book shows Scout learning about the racism and classism in her town and how her father helps her to understand it. This book shows the importance of moral education and the how prejudice that is taught to kids from a young age in schools. 

     "I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks" This is said by Scout to Jem when discussing why everyone does not get along in their community. This quote shows that Scout's views all people as equal and does not understand why differences in race or wealth cause conflict. Jem on the other hand is able to understand the cause of the conflict. Because Jem is a few years older, he is able to better understand the conflict because he has learned more about inequalities in their community and how it affects people. Scout is more oblivious to these inequalities in the beginning, this allows the reader to see how only a few years can affect someone's view of the world and we are able to see how Scout's views change throughout the book. 

    Throughout the book Atticus works very hard to teach Scout and Jem to be understanding and sympathetic to others. He teaches them to have concern for injustices in society. However, Jem and Scout's teachers teach the opposite of Atticus. For example Atticus tries to show his children that people are not either all good or all bad but instead have good and bad qualities. In contrast, Scout's teacher judges people as good or bad without considering the reasons a person may act a certain way.

    I love the way the author shows the development of Scout's moral education and understanding of the world around her. Atticus also teaches Scout to be aware and concerned about social issues without becoming too negative or cynical. I think that this is a very important lesson that is still relevant today. I have read To Kill A Mockingbird before but I love to reread it because each time I am able to better understand it and appreciate it even more. 

Eleanor Kraatz 

Floors by Luca

     Floors was written by Patrick Carman and published in 2011. The book tells the story of a 10-year-old-boy named Leo who lives in the basement of the Whippet Hotel in New York City. Leo's father is the caretaker of the hotel. The designer of the hotel, Merganzer Whippet filled his hotel with lots of mysterious rooms and strange contraptions. Floors takes Leo and his friend Remi on the scavenger hunt of a lifetime. 

   

When Merganzer Whippet suddenly goes missing, strange boxes start to arrive for Leo. Each of these boxes gives Leo directions to different rooms in the Whippet hotel. At this point, Leo's friend Remi joins in on the hunt for Mr. Whippet, and together, the two solve the puzzles in the strange boxes. 

    The story of Floors is obviously about Leo and Remi's quest to solve all the puzzles, however, one thing the author does very well is intertwining that story with the story of a millionaire named Bernardo Frescobaldi trying to sabotage the hotel to get the owner to sell it to him. 

    Patrick Carman does a wonderful job of giving the reader practically two different stories in one and delivering each story well. In this case, it can be easy to focus more on one story and disregard the other, but the author has managed to give a substantial amount of each story. 

    Another quirky addition to the book is the integration of animals into the plot of the story. An example of this is the ducks that inhabit the roof of the hotel and how they interact with the guests of the hotel, as well as with Leo and Remi. 

 

    I have had this book on my shelf for a while but never got around to reading it until recently and I realized that I had been missing out on a good story with admirable characters, and a whimsical plot. Although some might say that this book is made for younger readers, my opinion is that this book is for anyone who wants to enjoy a story about a fantastical hotel with mysterious rooms, eccentric characters, and adorable ducks.