Sunday, November 21, 2010

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

     Paper Towns by John Green is a fast-paced fiction that will have teens staying up late into the night reading to see what happens next. Margo Roth Spiegelman has always been an...interesting girl. So when she climbs through Quentin Jacobsen's window one night and asks him to follow her, he does. When their night of revenge ends and Margo disappears, no one gives it a second glance. But when Margo doesn't return, Quentin must find the girl who he always thought he knew.
     Although I've only finished part one of this book, I already love it. I recommend it for high schoolers, both girls and boys. My favorite parts so far have all been during Margo and Q's "midnight adventure". On a scale of 1-10, so far I'd give it an 8.5.


Tuesday, November 16, 2010

O. Henry- What's he about, anyway?

  • Born in Greensboro, North Carolina.
  • Born with the name William Sydney Porter.
  • Was raised by his paternal grandmother and aunt.
  • His mother died when he was three years old.
  • At the age of fifteen left school, worked at a drug store in Texas until he moved to Houston and took up multiple jobs.
  • Married in 1882.
  • Changed his name to O. Henry when released from prison(convicted for embezzling money) in 1901. 
  • Published 10 collections and over 600 short stories during his lifetime.
  • His last years were shadowed by alcoholism, ill health, and financial problems.
  • Died of cirrhosis of the liver on June 5, 1910 in New York.