"Remember It's A Sin To Kill A Mockingbird"

To Kill a Mockingbird is only one of the best books ever written. It is still required in most high school reading lists, as I believe it should be.

Jem and Scout. Brother and sister. Best friends. Throughout the story we follow Jem and Scout's adventures through town (mostly involving the newcomer Dill and Boo Radley.)

Their father, Atticus, is the hero of our story, at least in my opinion. Knowing he would be creating problems, Atticus did the right thing and defended an African American who was accused of raping a white girl.

At the beginning of the novel, Scout and Jem are two children who admire their father because he is their father. By the end of the novel, I believe that they admire him because he is a decent man who does the right thing because it's the right thing to do. Not to gain anything.

Readers see that Atticus has his children's best interests at heart throughout the novel. He teaches them to read (earlier than he was supposed to, according to Scout's teacher when she first starts school) and helps them learn values. He shows them that money isn't the most important thing by letting people "pay" them any way they can, whether with food or goods or money.

Click here to read about an overview of To Kill A Mockingbird.

Everyone should check out this book. At least give it a chance. You'll grow up right along side Scout it seems.

Franny and Zooey

So I just picked up Franny and Zooey, a book by J.D. Salinger. I'm sure most of you have heard of Catcher in the Rye (which is a great book) but I'm interested to see what is offered through Franny and Zooey.

Working in a bookstore, I have opportunities to read books I normally wouldn't considering reading: books that test my emotions or books that force me to see the whole picture. For example, this summer I read a book called Eight Lives Down, and it was based on a soldier in the Iraq war. While neither agreeing with or disputing the war, this man tells the story of what it's like being there and how that is his job. It was a great read and since I've finished it I've branched out a little bit more and started reading a little bit of everything.

I encourage everyone to step out of their comfort zone with books and try reading something a little different. If you normally read fiction, pick up a non-fiction history book. If you normally read sports books, give mystery books a try. Just see what is available out there for you. You never know where the next book you'll love is hiding on the shelf.

Twilight mania!!

Bella Swan is an klutzy teenager who moves to a small town called Forks.



Edward Cullen is the mysterious boy that lives there, captivating Bella from the start.



Enter the world of Twilight. where monsters become reality but in a good way. Bella and Edward are the teens who fall in love, though she must come to grips with the fact that he is a vampire and Edward must overcome his basic instincts to drink her blood.



I've heard some compare Bella and Edward's love story to Romeo and Juliet. In a way it is. Throughout the series readers see that Bella and Edward do seem to be star-crossed loves who can't really be together, but can't be apart either. Therefore in lies the problem.

The series consists of four books: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. Readers take something different from each book. I am not going to lie, I personally liked New Moon, while I know others who can't stand it. It's strictly a matter of opinion.

Click here to see Stephenie Meyer's, the author of this amazing series, website. And get to reading Twilight.

Army Wives

So there is this show on TV called "Army Wives" that I am completely addicted to.

I love the fact that it's about this group of people who have loved ones in the army. Though it focuses on the army and the realities of war, it also shows a whole different side to the Army. These women, who are dealing with their husbands being in danger, become a family in their own right. They depend on each other and help each other through the tough times as well as the simple days.

What I truly love about this show, however, is that it does not defend the war, nor does it condemn it. I can honestly say that "Army Wives" hasn't once swayed my opinion of this war we are in at the moment. The whole point of the show is to see how it affects those left on the homefront and how they cope with fear, anger, joy, and loss. It's a great show.



All right, that's gonna be it. Have a good night and be safe.

-Ace

First Blog Ever!

I've never blogged before!

How's that for honesty. As a journalism major, facts are something I rely on. Well, it's a fact that I've never blogged before. Right now, however, I am struggling to remember why. This is cool.

Here's a little bit about me:
-I love to write. It's my life.
-I have two sisters and a brother
-My niece has captured my heart (in fact she did from the moment I laid eyes on her)
-I am addicted to the show (okay, cancelled show but I refuse to believe it) Gilmore Girls.
-My favorite book is Oliver Twist, and I think everyone should have a friend like Dodger.

So I guess I should talk about politics, since that seems to be all the rage right now. Well, I'm not going to. At least not in this blog. Maybe a little later on. But not right now.

While politics are in important issue, I also find that not being able to find your socks in cold weather can also be important. Last night, I was lying in my bed shivering. As two o'clock rolled around, I kept thinking over and over "man, I should just go get my socks." But my lazy butt just laid there, shaking almost uncontrollably, too damn lazy to get my socks. Oh well...hindsight huh?

All right, that's going to be it for this post. Be safe and have fun.

Ace