Tag Archives: Zina J. ’14

The Reason I Jump (review by Zina J. ’14)

January 7, 2014 mspelmanlibrarian Leave a comment

The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism by Naoki Higashida
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Reason I Jump, a non-fiction New York Times bestseller, was written by Naoki Higashida, a Japanese young adult with autism. The book contains fifty-eight questions and answers about autism based on Higashida’s personal experience as well as his paintings and short stories. As bestselling author David Mitchell explains in the introduction, although guide books, academic books, parental memoirs, and autobiographies — specifically success stories — about autism are common, no book from the perspective of a child struggling with autistism has been available; as a result, this book is revolutionary. The translation excellently expresses the author’s voice and struggles and has changed my perspective on autism. This book is a must-read for anyone associated with the autism community, including parents, doctors, and therapists. – Zina J.’14

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Brown v. Board of Education: A Civil Rights Milestone and Its Troubled Legacy by James T. Patterson (review by Zina J. ’14)

October 11, 2013 mspelmanlibrarian Leave a comment

Brown V. Board of Education: A Civil Rights Milestone and Its Troubled Legacy by James T. Patterson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The book, Brown v. Board of Education: A Civil Rights Milestone and Its Troubled Legacy, contextualizes the landmark Supreme Court case, establishes the prerequisite stance of African Americans, and analyzes the effects of the court case educationally, socially, politically, and economically. James T. Patterson excellently supports his arguments with a variety of evidence, such as pictures, primary evidence, secondary evidence, and charts. For example, Patterson cites a shocking statistic regarding the huge investment difference for African Americans and white students prior to the court case – 228.05 vs. 570 dollars. However, the book would have been even stronger if he expanded more on the effects of Brown v. Board on other underrepresented groups and movements, such as the feminist wave. Nevertheless, a Brown University professor, Patterson is clearly an expert in the subject. The book is a must-read for all Americans, especially historians, to greatly appreciate the civil rights movement and better understand the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court Case. – Zina J. ’14

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A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (review by Zina J. ’14)

July 29, 2013 mspelmanlibrarian Leave a comment

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns is so enchanting, I devoured it in three days. The novel illustrates the lives of Laila and Mariam, two Afghani women from different backgrounds, and emphasizes the stance of women’s rights in Afghanistan. The vivid imagery, violent motifs, perfect use of themes, and incorporation of cultural terms empowered the novel. This book made Khaled Hosseini one of my all-time favorite authors. This page-turner left a lasting impact on me, changed my perception of women’s rights internationally, and made me appreciate the feminist movement in America. This book is a must-read for everyone, especially those interested in the Middle East or the feminist movement. A Thousand Splendid Suns was even better than Hosseini ‘s earlier book, The Kite Runner, which is hard to surpass. – Zina J. ’14

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Whistling Vivaldi by Claude M. Steele (review by Zina J. ’14)

July 29, 2013 mspelmanlibrarian Leave a comment

Whistling Vivaldi: And Other Clues to How Stereotypes Affect Us by Claude M. Steele
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Claude Steele’s Whistling Vivaldi discusses stereotypic threats, their effects, and solutions to alleviate the problem. Steele’s tremendous knowledge in psychology is evident from the excellent studies and the anecdotes that make the research more personable. He grasps the sense of conscience with a twist; for example, he flips the stereotypical underdog in his anecdote about a white male’s conscience while attending a college class about African American history. On the other hand, the author’s verbose writing style, overuse of the pronoun I in describing research, and repetitious ideas prevent the reader from benefiting much from the book. Furthermore, he overemphasizes the stereotyped groups, such as African Americans and women, while neglecting to incorporate other minorities. Nevertheless, the author, a Columbia professor, is clearly an expert in his field. If you are interested in studying stereotypes, this is the book for you. – Zina J. ’14

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Crashing Through by Robert Kurson (review by Zina J. ’14)

June 13, 2013 mspelmanlibrarian Leave a comment

Crashing Through: A True Story of Risk, Adventure, and the Man Who Dared to See by Robert Kurson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Crashing Through shares Paralympic winner Mike May’s journey from blindness into a world of sight, the struggles of this journey, the science behind the surgery that made Mike’s vision possible, and his ultimate destiny. The book excellently increases the reader’s understanding of blindness both on a scientific and social level. Kurson thoroughly fleshes out Mike’s emotions, thoughts, and choices. On the flip side, the author spends about a third of the book explaining why Mike chose to have the surgery, yet determining Mike’s choice was pretty obvious just by looking at the cover of the book. The book did, however, become increasingly more interesting in the second half. Considering that Mike May’s story is rare, as this surgery has only been given to a selected few before, the book leaves an insight not only on blindness but also on the surgery. As a result, this book can appeal to any reader but is particularly interesting for those interested in blindness. – Zina J. ‘14

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