Amazing Grace

Fourth Quarter Outside Reading Book Review

Amazing Grace by Jonathan Kozol. Harper Perennial, 1996. Genre: Biography


Amazing Grace by Jonathan Kozol is a novel about the lives of people especially children in the South Bronx, New York. Kozol interviews people who tell them about there lives and others. Kozol gets information about the people affected by AIDS and also the other tragedies that happen in the South Bronx like children getting kill in a shootout. Jonathan Kozol shows the side to poverty that most of the privileged class people in America don’t know about. He also tells about inequality issues, health care problems, and educational shortcomings.

“Kozol reminds us that, with each casualty, part of the beauty of the world is extinguished, because these are children of intelligence and humor, of poetic insight and luminous faith. Amazing Grace is written in a gentle and measured tone, but you will wonder at the end, with Kozol, why the God of love does not return to earth with his avenging sword in hand.” – Barbara Ehrenreich


Amazing Grace isn’t just for teachers who want to describe what other places are like in the world, this book is for everyone. The words are not difficult to understand; Kozol comes out and just says it he doesn’t use many metaphors or beat around the bush. Even though that it is easy to understand it doesn’t take away from the emotions he makes you feel. Amazing Grace makes you go up and down like a yo-yo with emotions. You always feel sad for the children in South Bronx but I also felt happy when sone of the children did something incredible. Kozol is the one who interviews all of the people in the South Bronx so what he writes is heartfelt and honest.

“The trouble with miracles, however is that they don’t happen for most children; and a good society cannot be built on miracles or on the likelihood that they will keep occurring. There is also a degree of danger that, in emphasizing these unusual relationships and holding up for praise the very special children who can take advantage of them, without making it clear how rare these situations are, we may see to be condemning those who don’t have opportunities like these or, if they do, cannot respond to them” (160).

I really enjoyed reading Amazing Grace, Kozol has a way of writing that you feel for the kids in South Bronx. I had to read Amazing Grace for a club I am in at school, I thought it was going to be a boring book but once I started reading it I couldn’t believe how good it was. I will most likely read more of his work in the future because I loved this one.

Who Am I?

Who am I
and who cares
I know I don’t
People think with
kaleidoscope imaginations

They think I need their help
but what do they know

I live here with my thoughts
which are enough for me
why aren’t they enough for
everyone else?

Obstacles Along the Way

Everyone has certain challenges they must face in life. By overcoming these hurdles, people become stronger and able to move forward. In the suspenseful novella, The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, Santiago struggled against some very powerful forces and obstacles. Some of these obstacles were the strength and power of the marlin, his being alone at sea and the various shark attacks. Santiago was dealing with many things which impacted his life. All three forces proved a great challenge on his voyage, yet he did not give up. There were a few instances where these forces appeared to win out, but in the end Santiago was able to overcome these obstacles.

One of the obstacles that Santiago had to deal with was the strength and power of this great fish. When he first encounters the power of this marlin, he is overwhelmed. The battle continues on for hours, they into days as he tries to tire the marlin out. At one point the devoted Santiago says “Fish, you are going to have to die anyway. Do you have to kill me too?” (92). It is apparent that the nervous Santiago is tiring and he is starting to lose a bit of faith in himself. He realizes this great fish is bigger than any he has ever seen and he must prove to himself that he is up to the challenge. The patient Santiago’s great determination and sincere attitude prevails as he prepares to kill this monster fish, and show everyone that he is still a great fisherman.

At several times in his voyage, Santiago reminds himself that he wished Manolin was with him. When Santiago hand cramps us, he remarks “If the boy were here he could rub it for me and loosen it down from the forearm” (62). Eventually the cramp does indeed ease up, and he again realizes he can overcome this problem, and return to the task at hand. At another point as Santiago is feeling the pressure of this great fish, he comments “If the boy was here he would wet the coils of line” (83). Again, he is second guessing his noble abilities, but soon he is able to make his way. Santiago realizes he is getting old and doesn’t maintain the strength he once had, yet he is succeeding in his mission to catch this great one. It is also apparent that Santiago enjoys the compassionate boys company, but understands his presence isn’t necessary as he is indeed a great fisherman. He constantly is overcoming these obstacles and forging ahead with determination.

The incident whereby Santiago’s great fish is attacked several times by the shark is another horrible event that he must overcome. As he makes his way back to shore, towing the marlin, the fish is attacked by several sharks. He thinks quickly and reacts trying desperately to save his catch. After the first attack, the anxious Santiago says “But man is not made for defeat, a man can be destroyed but not defeated” (103). Santiago’s ambitious spirit prevails here. He has realized that no matter what happens to his fish, no one can take this great accomplishment away from him. Defeat is not in Santiago’s vocabulary. He is a wise man with great drive and self worth. He believes in himself even if others doubt him. His carefree spirit keeps him alive, and is the driving force in his life. He will prove to everyone that he is still a great fisherman who has earned their respect.

Santiago’s aggressive drive helped him to overcome some very difficult challenges in securing one of the greatest catches of his life. He reflects on his past, and comes to terms that he is truly a great man who still maintains the ability to catch such a wonderful fish. He is worthy of the others respect, and he is at peace with himself. Throughout life there will be obstacles and challenges that must be faced and overcome. By meeting these head on, we will become stronger individuals for it.

Lost and Found

It was the middle of winter and a strong eddy blew at my face. Most people were at home spending Christmas break with their family, but for me I was on the streets all alone. I looked inside a stranger’s window and could see a family. They were giggling and drinking hot chocolate by the fire, just like my family once did. I had to turn away as the memories of my family and the happiness we shared came flooding back. Tears started rolling down my cheeks as I continued down the boardwalk.

After my dad died, I prayed every night for things in my house to return to normal, but my mom started drinking and blamed me for my dad’s death, thus nothing was the same. We used to be the perfect family, but now I was on my own. I ran away before, but I came back because I didn’t have food or shelter, then my mom taught me a “lesson” or so she called it. This “lesson” involved my drunken mother throwing her empty vodka bottles at me calling me a horrible child and hitting me until she passed out on the couch. Right now, I was debating whether to go back to her. While I was thinking, I bumped into a man. Of course, he noticed that I was all alone and started a conversation.

“Hey there little man my name is Jasper, and I work over at Sarah’s Café, I’m the delivery guy. May I ask why you are out here all alone so late?” He asked with curiosity.

“Just looking, my name is Emmett by the way.” I said shaking his hand; at least my mom taught me some manners before she went crazy.

“Well you look like you could use some food. Would you like to come to Sarah’s Café and have some of her famous cookies and milk?” Jasper asked after noticing my tattered clothes and gaunt figure.

“Sure! Thank you so much.” I knew he realized that I was homeless. I usually didn’t go with strangers, but I had only eaten a paltry amount of food in the past few days so I decided to go with him.

Once in the café, I saw an old lady around seventy years old, who I figured, was Sarah. She took one look at me and retired to the backroom; once I got to the front she had a plate of the most delicious looking chocolate-chip cookies and a tall glass of milk. She put them in front of me and I dove in. In a few seconds, I was done eating and she started asking me questions.

“I heard from Jasper that your name is Emmett, do you have a last name?” Sarah asked.

“My last name is Longbottom. Emmett Longbottom. Nice to meet you,” I answered.

“Nice to meet you too, where is your mother?” Sarah questioned.

“Um… well I don’t really know probably at home,” I replied.

“I see that you have a few bruises on your face and what looks to me like a hand print on you arm. I am starting to get the feeling that you’re not telling the whole truth, but if you talk to me maybe I can help you get out of this quagmire.” She said.

“You are going to help me?” I asked with tears filling my eyes.

“Sure sweetie, tell me and I promise I will get you help,” Sarah answered back with a benign look.

I don’t know why I told her but I did. I told her about my dad and about my mother’s malignant behavior. While I talked, she held my hand while Jasper put a comforting arm around me.

“Well I am going to get some more cookies for you and we can talk some more,” she said getting up and running to the back, asking Jasper to come along.

“Okay,” I said a little confused.

She was gone for a long time. I heard a fracas, the sound of pages turning, and a dial tone. That’s when I figured she was calling my mother telling her where I was. I couldn’t believe she was doing this after I told her what happened. I knew in a few minutes my mother would come staggering in to pick me up and bring me home to smack me and say awful things to me. I was getting up from my chair, about to walk out of the restaurant, when Sarah called my name.

“Wait Emmett, don’t go!’ She screamed.

I looked at her with petulant disgust and asked, “Why would you do this to me? After what I told you I thought you were going to help me, but you don’t care about me! You don’t care if I live or die.”

“You got it all wrong. Sarah is just trying to help you. She helped me and she is helping you.” Jasper said with pleading eyes.

Before I could respond I heard my mother’s shrill voice. “Emmett come with me now!” she yelled in her authoritarian tone. I followed her command and went outside. I turned around to see Sarah jogging behind me, with a grave face. As I rounded the corner I saw red and blue flashing lights. There were ten police cars surrounding the street. One police officer was holding a gun at my mother. I wished he would fire but he at least he arrested her. First, he read her the legal rights, and he told her to lie prostrate on the ground. The officer put handcuffs on my mother and escorted her to the cruiser. At that moment, I knew I wouldn’t be hurt again by her.

I ran to Sarah throwing my arms around her. “Sorry I didn’t believe you, but thank you so much. I’m free! I’m free!”

After that night my life turned around. I lived with Jasper in his apartment, and I worked in Sarah’s Café after school. Also, my mother got sentenced to twenty-five years to life in prison, so she could never hurt me again.

Lost and Found (Draft 2)

It was the middle of winter and a strong eddy blew at my face. Most people were at home spending Christmas break with their family, but for me I was on the streets all alone. I looked inside a stranger’s window and could see a family. They were giggling and drinking hot chocolate by the fire, just like my family once did. I had to turn away as the memories of my family and the happiness we shared came flooding back. Tears started rolling down my cheeks as I continued down the boardwalk.

After my dad died, I prayed every night for things in my house to return to normal, but my mom started drinking and blamed me for my dad’s death, thus nothing was the same. We used to be the perfect family, but now I was on my own. I ran away before, but I came back because I didn’t have food or shelter, then my mom taught me a “lesson” or so she called it. This “lesson” involved my drunken mother throwing her empty vodka bottles at me calling me a horrible child and hitting me until she passed out on the couch. Right now, I was debating whether to go back to her. While I was thinking, I bumped into a man. Of course, he noticed that I was all alone and started a conversation.

“Hey there little man my name is Jasper, and I work over at Sarah’s Café, I’m the delivery guy. May I ask why you are out here all alone so late?” He asked with curiosity.

“Just looking, my name is Emmett by the way.” I said shaking his hand; at least my mom taught me some manners before she went crazy.

“Well you look like you could use some food. Would you like to come to Sarah’s Café and have some of her famous cookies and milk?” Jasper asked after noticing my tattered clothes and gaunt figure.

“Sure! Thank you so much.” I knew he realized that I was homeless. I usually didn’t go with strangers, but I had only eaten a paltry amount of food in the past few days so I decided to go with him.

Once in the café, I saw an old lady around seventy years old, who I figured, was Sarah. She took one look at me and retired to the backroom; once I got to the front she had a plate of the most delicious looking chocolate-chip cookies and a tall glass of milk. She put them in front of me and I dove in. In a few seconds, I was done eating and she started asking me questions.

“I heard from Jasper that your name is Emmett, do you have a last name?” Sarah asked.

“My last name is Longbottom. Emmett Longbottom. Nice to meet you” I answered.

“Nice to meet you too, where is your mother?” Sarah questioned.

“Um… well I don’t really know probably at home,” I replied.

“I see that you have a few bruises on your face and what looks to me like a hand print on you arm. I am starting to get the feeling that you’re not telling the whole truth, but if you talk to me maybe I can help you get out of this quagmire.” She said.

“You are going to help me?” I asked with tears filling my eyes.

“Sure sweetie, tell me and I promise I will get you help.” Sarah answered back with a benign look.

I don’t know why I told her but I did. I told her about my dad and about my mother’s malignant behavior. While I talked, she held my hand while Jasper put a comforting arm around me.

“Well I am going to get some more cookies for you and we can talk some more.” She said getting up and running to the back, asking Jasper to come along.

“Okay” I said a little confused.

She was gone for a long time. I heard a fracas, the sound of pages turning, and a dial tone. That’s when I figured she was calling my mother telling her where I was. I couldn’t believe she was doing this after I told her what happened. I knew in a few minutes my mother would come staggering in to pick me up and bring me home to smack me and say awful things to me. I was getting up from my chair, about to walk out of the restaurant, when Sarah called my name.

“Wait Emmett, don’t go!’ she screamed

I looked at her with petulant disgust and asked, “Why would you do this to me? After what I told you I thought you were going to help me, but you don’t care about me! You don’t care if I live or die.”

“You got it all wrong. Sarah is just trying to help you. She helped me and she is helping you.” Jasper said with pleading eyes

Before I could respond I heard my mother’s shrill voice. “Emmett come with me now!” she yelled in her authoritarian tone. I followed her command and went outside. I turned around to see Sarah jogging behind me, with a grave face. I turned the corner I saw red and blue flashing lights. There were ten police cars surrounding the street. One police officer was holding a gun at my mother. I wished he would fire but he at least he arrested her. First, he read her the legal rights, and he told her to lie prostrate on the ground. The officer put handcuffs on my mother and escorted her to the cruiser. At that moment, I knew I wouldn’t be hurt again by her.

I ran to Sarah throwing my arms around her. “Sorry I didn’t believe you, but thank you so much. I’m free! I’m free!”

After that night my life turned around. I lived with Jasper his apartment, and I worked in Sarah’s Café after school. Also, my mother got sentenced to twenty-five years to life in prison, so she could never hurt me again.

Lost and Found (Draft 1)

It was the middle of winter and a strong eddy blew at my face. Most people were at home spending Christmas break with their family, but for me I was on the streets all alone. I looked inside a stranger’s window and could see a family. They were giggling and drinking hot chocolate by the fire, just like my family once did. I had to turn away as the memories of my family and the happiness we shared came flooding back. Tears started rolling down my cheeks as I continued down the boardwalk. After my dad died, I prayed every night for things in my house to return to normal, but my mom started drinking and blamed me for my dad’s death, thus nothing was the same. We used to be the perfect family, but now I was on my own. I ran away before, but my mom seemed to find me or I would come back because I didn’t have food or shelter. Right now I was debating whether to go back to her. While I was thinking, I bumped into a man. Of course, he saw that I was all alone and started a conversation.

“Hey there little man my name is Jasper, and I work over at Sarah’s Café, I’m the delivery guy. May I ask why you are out here all alone so late?” he asked with curiosity.

“Just looking, my name is Emmett by the way.” I said shaking his hand; at least my mom taught me some manners before she went crazy.

“Well you look like you could use some food. Would you like to come to Sarah’s Café and have some of her famous cookies and milk?” Jasper asked after noticing my tattered clothes and gaunt figure.

“Sure! Thank you so much.” I knew he realized that I was homeless. I usually didn’t go with strangers, but I had only eaten a paltry amount of food in the past few days so I decided to go with him.

Once in the café, I saw an old lady around seventy years old, who I figured, was Sarah. She took one look at me and retired to the backroom; once I got to the front she had a plate of the most delicious looking chocolate-chip cookies and a tall glass of milk. She put them in front of me and I dove in. In a few seconds, I was done eating and she started asking me questions.

“I heard from Jasper that your name is Emmett, do you have a last name?” Sarah asked.

“My last name is Longbottom. Emmett Longbottom. Nice to meet you” I answered.

“Nice to meet you too, where is your mother?” Sarah questioned.

“Um… well I don’t really know probably at home, drinking” I said with a sigh.

“Drinking? Honey, tell me more and maybe I can help you get out of this quagmire.”

“You are going to help me?” I asked with tears filling my eyes.

“Sure sweetie, tell me and I promise I will get you help.” Sarah said with a benign look.

I don’t know why I told her but I did. I told her about my dad and about what my mother’s malignant behavior. While I talked, she held my hand while Jasper put a comforting arm around me.

“Well I am going to get some more cookies for you and we can talk some more.” She said getting up and running to the back, asking Jasper to come along.

“Okay” I said a little confused.

She was gone for a long time. I heard a fracas, the sound of pages turning, and a dial tone. That’s when I figured she was calling my mother telling her where I was. I couldn’t believe she was doing this after I told her what happened. I knew in a few minutes my mother would come staggering in to pick me up and bring me home to smack me and say awful things to me. I was getting up from my chair, about to walk out of the restaurant, when Sarah called my name.

“Wait Emmett, don’t go!’ she screamed

I looked at her with petulant disgust and asked, “Why would you do this to me? After what I told you I thought you were going to help me, but you don’t care about me! You don’t care if I live or die.”

“You got it all wrong. Sarah is just trying to help you. She helped me and she is helping you.” Jasper said with pleading eyes

Before I could respond I heard my mother’s shrill voice. “Emmett come with me now!” she yelled in her authoritarian tone. I followed her command and went outside. I turned around to see Sarah jogging behind me, with a grave face. I turned the corner I saw red and blue flashing lights. There were ten police cars surrounding the street. One police officer was holding a gun at my mother. I wished he would fire but he at least he arrested her. First, he read her the legal rights, and he told her to lie prostrate on the ground. The officer put handcuffs on my mother and escorted her to the cruiser. At that moment, I knew I wouldn’t be hurt again by her.

I ran to Sarah throwing my arms around her. “Sorry I didn’t believe you, but thank you so much. I’m free! I’m free!”

After that night my life turned around. I lived with Jasper in the apartment above the Café, and I worked with Sarah during the day after school. Also, my mother got sentenced to twenty-five years to life in prison, so she could never hurt me again.

The Rescue

Second Quarter Outside Reading Book Review

The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks. Grand Central Publishing, 2000. Genre: Romantic Fiction

The Rescue is about a volunteer fireman named Taylor McAden and a single mother named Denise Holton who live in a small town in North Carolina. Both meet each other during a terrible storm and start a relationship, although this makes Taylor open up and talk about his life that has been locked up inside him for years. This makes Taylor choose to make the biggest commitment of all; to fall in love with someone.

“Sparks, who is becoming well known as a sophisticated writer of romances, has a beautifully natural way of portraying a complicated and intense love story. THE RESCUE is yet another example of his imagination and skill.” – South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)

The Rescue shows Nicholas Sparks telling about men with problems not just the women. We get to see it from both of the main characters sides, Taylor’s and Denise’s. We get to see how their past affects their choices, and Nicholas Sparks writes with strong passion when we see it through the two main characters eyes. Even though this is the first book I read by Nicholas Sparks I saw the movie called The Notebook, which was a book written by Sparks. The Notebook reminds me of The Rescue because of the setting and the passionate love story.

In The Rescue you get to see how some love is complicated and not always a fairy tale. Nicholas Sparks shows people who are afraid to fall in love because they don’t want to hurt anyone. We see that women aren’t the only ones who have problems in their past and women aren’t the only ones to not open up to someone.

I am now a huge fan of Nicholas Sparks after reading this book. I love how Sparks doesn’t make this love story sappy as some other authors do. This showed me what struggles people go through to fall in love because real life isn’t like Cinderella. I really enjoyed the way he writes The Rescue because I would think it would be the woman in the book, Denise who would have the problems to fall in love, but it is really the man, Taylor who does. I am definitely going to read more books by Nicholas Sparks and hope they are as good as or better than The Rescue.