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meliagelinas's review
5.0
This book is really good because the stories in here are all stories that I doubt I ever would have read otherwise. It's a good way to see what else is out there.
We didn't read all of the stories in this book, just a selection for class discussions, but each one was interesting in its own way and I'm happy to have read them. None of them felt like a waste of time.
But the stories in here were also mostly odd, like very strange, but, at the same time, it felt right.
I will probably read the rest of the stories in this at one point, maybe even pick up the different editions. :)
We didn't read all of the stories in this book, just a selection for class discussions, but each one was interesting in its own way and I'm happy to have read them. None of them felt like a waste of time.
But the stories in here were also mostly odd, like very strange, but, at the same time, it felt right.
I will probably read the rest of the stories in this at one point, maybe even pick up the different editions. :)
aubster249's review
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
nikogatts's review
4.0
A great collection of stories, comics, poems and longforms, as always (though I still miss that compilation of lists and flash fiction and miscellaneous stuff that used to precede the longer pieces).
My favorite pieces were "Who Wants to Shoot an Elephant?" "The Contestant," "Wear Areas," "An Inventory," "An Oral History of Neftali Cuello," "Sky Burial," and "Fear Itself."
My favorite pieces were "Who Wants to Shoot an Elephant?" "The Contestant," "Wear Areas," "An Inventory," "An Oral History of Neftali Cuello," "Sky Burial," and "Fear Itself."
oliviapengle's review
3.0
Though I didn't finish every piece, I really enjoyed this. A good sampling of different genres. I checked out the two graphic novels excerpted from the library and was glad to have been introduced to the works.
Favorite pieces:
- Wells Tower, "Who Wants To Shoot an Elephant"
- Shane Bauer, Josh Fattal, Sarah Should, "780 Days of Solitude"
- Ammi Keller, "Isaac Cameron Hill"
- Claudia Rankine, "You are in the Dark, in the Car..."
- Joan Wickersham, "An Inventory"
Favorite pieces:
- Wells Tower, "Who Wants To Shoot an Elephant"
- Shane Bauer, Josh Fattal, Sarah Should, "780 Days of Solitude"
- Ammi Keller, "Isaac Cameron Hill"
- Claudia Rankine, "You are in the Dark, in the Car..."
- Joan Wickersham, "An Inventory"
miss_tricia's review
4.0
These really do vary quite widely in how much I enjoy them, don't they? This one had quite a few good pieces in it, and didn't feel like it was weighted overly towards one kind of thing.
I liked the poems Dynamite by Anders Carlson-Wee, You Are In the Dark In the Car by Claudia Rankine, and Four Poems by TJ Jarrett. I loved the fiction The Future Looks Good by Lesley Nneka Arimah, Chainsaw Fingers by Paul Crenshaw, and What the Ocean Eats by Kawai Strong Washburn. I enjoyed the nonfiction The High Road by Bryan Stevenson and Out of Eden Walk by Paul Salopek. I omitted 5 things I liked, but were not quite good enough to justify typing them out.
I liked the poems Dynamite by Anders Carlson-Wee, You Are In the Dark In the Car by Claudia Rankine, and Four Poems by TJ Jarrett. I loved the fiction The Future Looks Good by Lesley Nneka Arimah, Chainsaw Fingers by Paul Crenshaw, and What the Ocean Eats by Kawai Strong Washburn. I enjoyed the nonfiction The High Road by Bryan Stevenson and Out of Eden Walk by Paul Salopek. I omitted 5 things I liked, but were not quite good enough to justify typing them out.
cookingwithelsa's review
3.0
Having read this for many years, there are many things I miss in the way this collection has come together. I still miss the front section. I miss the foreword from an author chosen by these young editors. And now I think I just miss Dave Eggers hand in this project. Still, a fun read with a whole lot more nonfiction than fiction this year. I used to read this collection to meet new authors. This year I met new journalists.
debz57a52's review
4.0
When I first heard that these Nonrequired Reading compilations were determined by the 826 Valencia students, I was immediately intrigued, and I've bought several of the collections (or asked for them for Christmas) for the last decade.
This 2015 edition is the one I've read the most from, ever. I don't know if my reading interests are briefer, as the rest of my life is chaotic and I don't have a lot of extra bandwidth to read a long novel, but these selections were also just really good.
I was pulled in with Wells Tower's account about elephant shooting, held there with the excerpt from 780 Days of Solitude (which I had read about), laughed and cried during "The Christmas Miracle," told other people about the interesting results of "Wear Areas" (and want to construct my own), get sympathy for "Isaac Cameron Hill," added Brown's graphic novel about Andre the Giant to my to-read list, and sat on the edge of my seat while reading "Fear Itself."
I admit I tried but turned out skipping a few of the excerpts, for various reasons. But overall, really liked the compilation and look forward to reading the 2016 edition.
This 2015 edition is the one I've read the most from, ever. I don't know if my reading interests are briefer, as the rest of my life is chaotic and I don't have a lot of extra bandwidth to read a long novel, but these selections were also just really good.
I was pulled in with Wells Tower's account about elephant shooting, held there with the excerpt from 780 Days of Solitude (which I had read about), laughed and cried during "The Christmas Miracle," told other people about the interesting results of "Wear Areas" (and want to construct my own), get sympathy for "Isaac Cameron Hill," added Brown's graphic novel about Andre the Giant to my to-read list, and sat on the edge of my seat while reading "Fear Itself."
I admit I tried but turned out skipping a few of the excerpts, for various reasons. But overall, really liked the compilation and look forward to reading the 2016 edition.
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