Let's talk about BOOKS baby!

Written on 7:52 AM by Ur English Teacher

So, I'm writing this post to show you how to write a post about a book. Too many people make the mistake of talking only about the plot of the book (what happens, then what happens next, etc. etc.). The problem with that is that anyone who read the book already KNOWS that and anyone who will read the book doesn't WANT to know that. See? So you have to think about what you can say about the book that has to do more with your own thoughts about it than about what happens in it. It's not as easy as it sounds, if, in fact, it sounds easy to you. So, here's an example:

Title: Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
Type: Non-Fiction (bestseller on the NY Times list)
Author: Malcolm Gladwell

Snap decisions, instantaneous judgements, and stereotyping are usually considered terrible brain lapses, but in this 2005 page turner, Gladwell shows the positive side of thinking that happens faster than the blink of an eye. How did a firefighter who thought he and his men were going in to fight a kitchen fire know after the first spray of water that if he and his men didn't get out of the house right that second they would all die? How did an art critic look at a museum piece that had undergone scientific scrutiny for months and know immediately that it was a fake? How can you learn when to trust your "gut" feelings and when to wait a little longer before making a decision? From mind-reading to racism, Gladwell thoughtfully considers the way our powerful brains make sense of the world in all its complexity. You're going to want to find a friend to read this book with you because it will leave you thinking and talking about your own experiences for weeks.

Links for this book:

Amazon.com
Test yourself: The Harvard Implicit Association Test

Posted in How to write about a book and say something interesting

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