Here’s what I’d like you to be most aware of as you read your chosen nonfiction book. (Making notes or flagging passages with stickies may be helpful, since I’ll ask you to illustrate your points with a few examples from your book):
· The writer’s voice
· The research or experience behind the book: how did the writer gather and process the information? For example, in A Walk in the Woods (which no one chose), Bill Bryson hiked the Appalachian Trail, structured casual encounters along the trail into funny or dramatic scenes, researched many aspects of the trail from archives (geology, bear behavior, history of murders, etc), and so on.
· Structure of the book
· Value added: What did the writer add to the basic factual information in the book through his/her own intelligence, experience, or interpretation?
· And finally, your critique. Did the book work? Was it an enjoyable read? Did it add value to your life? Why or why not?
That’s it. Enjoy!
I didn't pick A Walk in the Woods, but I did really enjoy that book. Would you email that whole list of books to us? I'd like to have it as a reading list, I was tempted by a number of them.
ReplyDeleteMary