'Fahrenheit 451', Bradbury's Most Popular Book, Lit Club Favorite

Great Sci-Fi Novel Predicted Crucial Parts Of American Culture

By AMIR ALI SAID

It's the twenty fourth century. Your a fireman. Your job is very important. You burn books. Why does anyone want to better their minds with books? Grab a comic or magazine and read away. Attach yourself to the television set in your home. Reading isn't a privilege, it's not even a right, it's illegal. But as a fireman you burn books you know nothing about. It's your job. But no, what's in the books you burn? You must find a way to find out. Now, your name's Guy Montag and you have a few decisions to make.

In Literary Club, we had one of the best discussions yet. Fahrenheit 451 provoked tons of talking points. For one, Bradbury's predictions for the future. Bradbury used book burning as a means to show how books would become extinct. He used this device to show how people would literally and figuratively destroy books where there hands and minds. Bradbury showed you and brought you into the fact that books would be replaced by T.V.'s He even went on to show how the only forms of ink on a page to be left around would be comics or magazines. Bradbury gave you a well-thought out prediction that is still happening today. Books are gradually becoming extinct.

Nose Diving Into 'Fahrenheit 451'

Bradbury's "Book Burner" Masterpiece On Tap

By Amir Ali Said

Fahrenheit 451 is one of those books you highly anticipate reading. In my Literary Club, we are just one week away from discussing about half of the book. I haven't even began reading Fahrenheit 451 but I'm already excited. From the little blurb that I was given in Literary Club during the first week caught my eye. Then when I came home and looked the book up on Wikipedia I was sold. After that, I noticed there was a film adaptation directed by François Truffaut and I was pulled in even more to read the book, in order to get onto the film.

Fahrenheit 451 is about an employed fireman, which in this dystopian time period translates to a person who burns books for a living. I haven't gone any further in researching what the book is all about. But that critical crux of the story was enough for me. Bradbury's brilliant idea has since made him one of the most well known authors because of Fahrenheit 451.

The idea of "book burning" is an important message for many people today. With the surging market of new technology, especially kindles and tablets, a book of this nature is extremely relevant. Although technology isn't literally burning books, it's practically making physical pages extinct. I think Fahrenheit 451 touches on a very interesting notion, book burning. Many readers have strong beliefs for the survival of books. Right now, more than ever, those readers need to be vocal. But I think Fahrenheit 451 could do all of the work for the readers who want to get there points across. I think Fahrenheit 451 is a very powerful book.

Amid Bankruptcy Filing, Borders Plans Mass Shutdowns

Does This Signal the End of Printed Books?

By AMIR ALI SAID

According to a DailyNews article, Borders is preparing to close 200 of its 674 stores and cut thousands of jobs during their bankruptcy filing. Reportedly, the closings began today. This news is an affirmation of the failure of the book store, Borders. Barnes&Nobles went first, and now Borders seems to be following. What does this say about book chains? Is this a permanent change, or temporary? I think that it's temporary and that in a few years ago you will see an emerging physical book copy market.

Books have been around for ages. I don't think technology has the overbearing power to completely expel physical book copies from the world. E-Readers are on the rise. Smartphones and tablets are also having a good time. But in the long run, I think Books will be back. I'm an avid book reader myself, and I know a lot others just like me. Plus, Mom and Pop, used book stores will always be around to support the everyday readers addiction. E-Readers, tablets, and smartphones simply cant outgrow books.

It's a simple temporary technology takeover. Attention spans across the country are growing smaller. Hence, the decrease in book sales and the closing of bookstores. But I believe the trend will change sooner than most people think. There are a lot of readers in America. In the world to make it even more clear. Technology is a source of help. It's gotten more people interested in reading in innovative ways, but books will always be there. Looming in the background, but back in the forefront as soon as possible.

Expecting 'The Maltese Falcon' Film To Hold Up To Book

Story Adaptation Similar To Original, In Many Ways

By AMIR ALI SAID

After completing The Matlese Falcon I look forward to seeing the film. It'll be a source of comparison. But it will also help me gather some new notes on the genre alone. Besides that, on the film and the book. The structure of both stories being different because of many reasons. Such as, censorship in regards to the film. Certain aspects of the book aren't captured in the film and I look forward to seeing in what way.

Another thing I want to see is how much of the story in the film is based on the book. The time surrounding the film could mean a lot of things. One of which being the story of the detective and the rest of the characters. Ideally, adaptations will be based on the story as much as possible. But some can be completely different from the original. In the case of The Maltese Falcon it would appear that only certain aspects won't be captured in the film.

The structure of The Maltese Falcon (Book) is something that could pose a challenge to any filmmaker. However, I don't think that's the case with John Huston. He's a classic filmmaker. I think I'll be greatly impressed by his work when I get around to seeing the film. But one thing to look for is the producers, director, and screenwriter's decisions. This adaptation seems to be relatively similar to the original, but what will be cut out?

'The Maltese Falcon' In Reading Queue

Time Capsule Of the 30s Captured In Mystery Novel

By AMIR ALI SAID

I have a strong deeply rooted interest in mystery novels and films. The Maltese Falcon is on tap for the rest of the week and I can't wait to finish. The story follows a Private eye, Sam Spade and his partner Miles Archer who are hired into service by a woman who calls herself Miss Wonderly to follow a man, Floyd Thursby. Wouldn't want to spoil the twist... As a matter of fact, you won't even want me to delve into the story to much. That's just enough. This mystery novel, and later film has enough material to get you through the night.

I've gotten through fifty pages and six chapters of The Maltese Falcon. If I made the decision to fully commit to reading the book in a day I wouldn't have had any objections. The sheer writing alone keeps me around reading the book. But also the looming film adaptation that has been talked about. I yearn to be able to compare the book to the film. Both will have separate, quality differences. The only thing I wonder is what will be lost or gained from the novel to film level.

The Maltese Falcon set off the Private Eye genre. Dashiell Hammett practically created the genre. The P.I. themed stories, books, and films then went on to catch fire throughout the film noir period of film. Around the same time, in, around and after, P.I. themed books had an explosion as well. One of the best creations in books for the future came when The Maltese Falcon was born. There's no doubting the book's significance. Which is why I have more respect, and interest for the genre and book. But the 30s were a forced to be reckoned with.

The level of writing in the 1930s, the year of The Maltese Falcon hasn't been explored much by me. But I'd have to say that this book has gotten me interested in seeing what's to be found. There's a sinister mystery side to all the writings introduced in the time period. The root of all the sinister mystery must have something to do with the economy and attitude of the people at the time. I think that atmosphere and attitude can be found, and was captured well in The Maltese Falcon.

'The Hobbit' (Book) Makes 'Lord Of the Rings' (Movie) Better

Interlude to Book Series Engaging, Great Support

By AMIR ALI SAID

If you had any sort of interest in The Lord of the Rings you must read The Hobbit. If you interest in the series was sparked by the series of films, you certainly should read The Hobbit. But if you liked the films then The Hobbit should've been read a long time ago, it puts the series in a completely different, better light. In fact, after reading The Hobbit in enhanced my thoughts on the film series.

The Hobbit is considered the interlude to the Lord of the Rings series. After about twelve chapters in, I've come to realize why it's the interlude. Characters are introduced, as well as, an adventure and more. But above all, The Hobbit is a book that stands on its own. Going into the reading, I didn't expect much from the book. In fact, I was sort of reluctant. But the fast-paced story and intricate characters pulled me in. There was an intimacy between the book and I that I couldn't put down or resist. Which led to my interest growing.

Since I've enjoyed the book so much I've already decided to compare the actual series to the films. If all goes well, the books will be just as good as the films, if not better. When you read a book your imagination gets to wander more and you get to make your own pictures. That was the case with The Hobbit, the story allows a lot of room and keeps the reader engaged. I've even had interest in the author J.R.R. Tolkien. If any of his other writings compare to this book, I may have some more material I'd like to read. But as far as The Hobbit goes, you must read it for various reasons.

Midway Through 'The Taming of the Shrew'

Reading First Shakespeare Play

By AMIR ALI SAID

Recently, I've began reading my first Shakespeare play, The Taming of the Shrew. The famous play written by Shakespeare from 1950-1954 is a classic comedy which used many devices and techniques not seen before its time. An induction, of its nature wasn't seen before, and it gave a pre-play that has a lot to do with the actual main plot and story of the real play. A device like this is also something new to me, as well as, something to study and learn from. Plus, The Taming of the Shrew is one of the greatest classic early comedy's.

The Taming of the Shrew is about a man, Petruchio, of Verona who wants to marry Katherina, a blunt, hard-headed shrew. The taming comes in when Petruchio is practically the only male who dedicates any time to taming Katherina. She's a maiden who naturally pushes men of all kinds away from her because of her own personality. But this isn't any ordinary shrew Katherina isn't the kind to be easily drawn in, a lot of work must be put into getting her. Her sister, Bianca, on the other hand may not be as hard. Therein lies a sub-plot and a competition of her own.

After reading about 191 pages and four acts, I've been able to gather enough thoughts about the book. I've been able to solidify my own great opinion of Shakespeare, his writing style, and this play alone. Simply put, I like The Taming of the Shrew and William Shakespeare. Shakespeare's style of writing and his incredible usage and mastery of the English language is unlike anything I've seen, read or heard. Shakespeare is a writer that I've never read before, which is why I look forward with great suspense and hurry to reading more of his works. So far, I believe he truly is one of the best writers to ever exist.

I don't only read this play for fun or entertainment. But also to learn a lot of new words and history. This play was written in the 1500s, a time that I know for certain I haven't enough history on. A time where certain words where in style and used amongst many. All of these variables and I've been able to push and urge myself to read with great understanding. A story and play, The Taming of the Shrew of this magnitude can only be read repeatedly for understanding and knowledge. If you haven't read a Shakespeare play, The Taming of the Shrew certainly isn't a bad place to start.

Twain's 'Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' In Reading Queue

Reading Another Edition In Classic American Literature

By AMIR ALI SAID

The first Mark Twain book I'm reading is Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. One of the most important books in American Literature sits on my bookshelf. After yesterday, I'd read the introduction written by John Seelye and thirty pages. To say the least, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn isn't anything near what I thought. It took me about ten pages to get adapted to the writing style, setting, and feel of the book. I realized that certain grammar and word decisions were made in order to deal with the time and characters. Once I got past that part, I was able to dive into the book.

Since I started reading Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, I don't think there's a page that doesn't have yellow ink. I'm highlighting practically every other sentence or paragraph. The main reason why I'm highlighting so much is because I plan on reading this book a number of times. I plan on understanding as much as I can from this classic so that I can participate in multiple discussions, as well as for my own use. I don't think I'm the only person who wonders why this book was written in this fashion. I'm also not the only one who wants to know the history of this book and its relationship with the time it was released.

The book's release in the late 1800s, after the Civil War is rather interesting. Twain himself has a backstory of his own relating to the Civil War and his life. I don't plan on going into that now. However, I think it's important to note that Twain said that his views of major topics within the Civil War changed and developed over his lifetime. I think that may be why this book was written on a rather radical slant. But even through that, I believe that Twain's style of writing is just as great as Dickens. Both writers have heavy prose, intricate details, and realistic characters. A comparison between the two would be interesting.

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is one of those rare timeless writing masterpieces. It's a book that is widely adored in literature and is studied by many. I'm a new reader thrown into the mix. This book is going to kick off a heavy rotation of Mark Twain literature that I hope to gain a lot from. So far, I've already begun eating up this book as if it's an information hub. Twain is a classic writer that I think warrants every American's attention. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a great place to start. It's like a history lesson, great fiction, and prose all in one.

Classics Like 'The Great Gatsby,' Very Beneficial

Forty Pages Is Enough To Be Engaged, Comprehension Is My Main Focus

By AMIR ALI SAID

I've started reading The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. After about a hour of reading for the first day I got through forty pages. Had I not been paying attention to most of the story I might've gotten more reading done. However, I take pride in comprehending as much as I can on each page of a book. The case was no different with The Great Gatsby. In fact, I wanted to pay attention even more since I know this is classic that has been read by many. Nonetheless, here's a breakdown of what I've read so far; as well as my thoughts.

The narrator, Nick, is a recent graduate of Yale. Nick is from the midwest and after fighting in The Great War (A.K.A. World War I) he returns home. It's a short stay because Nick intends on heading to New York in order to learn the "bond business." But one thing about is Nick is that he comes from a wealthy family. However, you wouldn't notice it. Nonetheless, Nick's has a friend named Tom that he stays with in New York. Nick's next door neighbor is a mysterious man named Jay Gatsby. I'm not sure if this turns out well, but it doesn't seem like it. So far I'm engaged and interested in what's to come.

One thing I instantly notice about The Great Gatsby was the sleek spacious pages. There seemed to be a lot of words on the page but there was more space. As opposed to IT and a couple other previous books that I've read they had confined space and smaller text. When you have a lot of information and writing to get across in a lot of pages it's understandable. However, I certainly don't prefer smaller text because it strains the eye. Nonetheless, the book itself is very engaging. I also notice prolonged time spent on developing the storyline and characters. The story feels lifelike, as if I'm in it. With novels I think that's always a very important thing to get across to the readers.

Reading classics like The Great Gatsby and Tale Of Two Cities will be beneficial to my writing and reading routine. These are both books that have historical context and excellent writing. One common thing that I noticed about both books is how each author took his time with the story and characters. I'm not finished reading The Great Gatsby but if it's anything like what I expect then I'll be satisfied. But the most important thing for me will be comprehending as much as I can. Nonetheless, this story and book is worth the read. I want to write a review and a comparison between this and Tale Of Two Cities but that's in the works.

Finished Reading 'IT,' Brief Review Of Hefty Book

One King Book Down, Plenty More To Come

By AMIR ALI SAID

One Stephen King book down, one more to go. I finished reading IT last week. The book was a very lengthy engaging horror tale. IT is the story of a clown who terrorizes kids of all ages. This clown appears in many different disguises and uses childish techniques to engage his prey. He also appeared only in small-towns, possibly to maneuver and kill rather easily. All in all, this man, clown wasn't anywhere near ordinary and any kid that spoke to him, well, they never spoke again...King as a writer himself is impressive. Here's a brief review of the book.

Stephen King is a very good writer. His style is based on elaboration and intricate details within his storylines. As I read different parts of IT these points slowly became much clearer in my eyes. For example, the first story in IT took a lot of time to develop. There were two brothers who were creating a boat. One of the brothers was sent out to find the boat after they allowed it to slip away from their grasp. It's rather unfortunate the youngest brother had to leave the home and follow the boat to the sewer. Some young kids don't have very good awareness of a situation. Obviously if you see a man in a sewer with balloons you'd most certainly u-turn or run. Too bad that kid didn't do that, because then he floated with the balloons. Horror is a genre that I'm just starting to branch into.

Horror films and books aren't what I prefer. However, Stephen King alone has gotten me more interested in the genre. I see that the Horror genre has a lot more storyline to it than I thought. Take for example The Birds or the Saw series. Both of these films are only separated by the storyline they use. However, both have very detailed storylines that can't be missed. As I read King's work I realized that this essential fact is present in IT. This was a case of a very unique storyline that was treated as such. I also think that many readers hold the same view as me when I say this is one of our favorites.

Besides King's endless writing in IT I found no reason to stop reading. The story was engaging and the book took my imagination to a new high. Each detail of the story I imagined and felt. The horror genre also found its way into my constant thoughts when I think of books. Now, I'll be looking out for more horror stories to compare to IT. I'm not sure if they'll be any comparison but I'm up for a shot. I also think that my writing is and has improved since I've started reading IT. I'm certainly going to start devoting more time to building out details within my stories and articles. But above all, once again, IT is a must read.