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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Second day, second book.
I read The Wave, by Todd Strasser. It is a novel, but it hits the reader more like journalism and is read largely during social studies education. Why? Because The Wave is based on the true story of a California classroom in 1969. The teacher was surprised by his class’s response to a Holocaust video, so he started a club to prove to the students that the Holocaust could happen again and could happen to anyone (in essence).
As the tagline reveals, the experiment goes too far.
First there was the experiment, which the book says was significantly scary enough that it wasn’t talked about for years. In the 70s, the teacher, Ron Jones, wrote a fictionalized short story, “The Third Wave,” about what had happened. Fairly quickly, it was picked up as a TV special and then that special was novelized in 1981 by Morton Rhue (who is actually Todd Strasser and it is printed both ways).
As is to be expected, the story got crazier and crazier as it went from short story to TV to novel. (Yet, I was surprised how reigned in the story ultimately is.) There are still elements of truth to it, so that it is used today in classrooms both in the US and in Germany to augment teaching about the Holocaust.
While it isn’t the most eloquent of books, I couldn’t put it down. I really wanted to know how far the experiment would go and how the students would react. In the back of my mind, always, I was wondering what the real story was. I may have even preferred that the story was written as a nonfiction account of the experiment, like Columbine.
The main point of this book is to make you think. It definitely does that. This book can apply to really any time and any person. Currently, I find it applies most to our political parties.
Perhaps I didn’t agree with the simplified moral of individuality over community, but I think there is truth here: no matter what democratic community you are part of, you must fight for the freedom for all to think for, believe for, and express themselves. Members of a community should not be afraid to leave a community or hold a contrary belief. There should be no damage imposed for holding different beliefs, unless the person expressing them is causing real harm to others (and not just offending them), which would mean that the members and non-members feel and are safe and free.
The moral of this book is that individuals were willing to give up their rights to be part of a leader-ruled community, without thinking much about it. Would you?
The writing wasn’t spectacular. I liked the portrayal of the characters, but other than that… ehn. And the build-up didn’t quite deliver. Still, it’s an easy read that I think should be used to create discourse in the history or social studies classroom. I can see myself referencing it in years to come.
***THIS REVIEW WRITTEN FOR THE STARVING ARTIST BLOG***
I read The Wave, by Todd Strasser. It is a novel, but it hits the reader more like journalism and is read largely during social studies education. Why? Because The Wave is based on the true story of a California classroom in 1969. The teacher was surprised by his class’s response to a Holocaust video, so he started a club to prove to the students that the Holocaust could happen again and could happen to anyone (in essence).
As the tagline reveals, the experiment goes too far.
First there was the experiment, which the book says was significantly scary enough that it wasn’t talked about for years. In the 70s, the teacher, Ron Jones, wrote a fictionalized short story, “The Third Wave,” about what had happened. Fairly quickly, it was picked up as a TV special and then that special was novelized in 1981 by Morton Rhue (who is actually Todd Strasser and it is printed both ways).
As is to be expected, the story got crazier and crazier as it went from short story to TV to novel. (Yet, I was surprised how reigned in the story ultimately is.) There are still elements of truth to it, so that it is used today in classrooms both in the US and in Germany to augment teaching about the Holocaust.
While it isn’t the most eloquent of books, I couldn’t put it down. I really wanted to know how far the experiment would go and how the students would react. In the back of my mind, always, I was wondering what the real story was. I may have even preferred that the story was written as a nonfiction account of the experiment, like Columbine.
The main point of this book is to make you think. It definitely does that. This book can apply to really any time and any person. Currently, I find it applies most to our political parties.
Perhaps I didn’t agree with the simplified moral of individuality over community, but I think there is truth here: no matter what democratic community you are part of, you must fight for the freedom for all to think for, believe for, and express themselves. Members of a community should not be afraid to leave a community or hold a contrary belief. There should be no damage imposed for holding different beliefs, unless the person expressing them is causing real harm to others (and not just offending them), which would mean that the members and non-members feel and are safe and free.
The moral of this book is that individuals were willing to give up their rights to be part of a leader-ruled community, without thinking much about it. Would you?
The writing wasn’t spectacular. I liked the portrayal of the characters, but other than that… ehn. And the build-up didn’t quite deliver. Still, it’s an easy read that I think should be used to create discourse in the history or social studies classroom. I can see myself referencing it in years to come.
***THIS REVIEW WRITTEN FOR THE STARVING ARTIST BLOG***
The writing isn’t great, the dialogue borderline unbelievable, which is why I can’t give it five stars. These issues, however, are not enough to give it three stars because the book is important. The book is an important lesson in how the Third Reich rose to power, and it’s shown in a way that’s easy to digest and understand which is why I think it deserves 4 stars.
I’ve wanted to read the book for years, I remember seeing the movie in Hebrew school almost a decade ago. The lesson is powerful and it sticks with you, and I think it’s important. The text is an excellent supplement to Holocaust literature for an explanation of how people allowed 11 million people to be slaughtered.
It’s a quick read, I finished it in less than two hours. I recommend it as a lesson, as a piece to think about, even if it’s not the most well written text.
I’ve wanted to read the book for years, I remember seeing the movie in Hebrew school almost a decade ago. The lesson is powerful and it sticks with you, and I think it’s important. The text is an excellent supplement to Holocaust literature for an explanation of how people allowed 11 million people to be slaughtered.
It’s a quick read, I finished it in less than two hours. I recommend it as a lesson, as a piece to think about, even if it’s not the most well written text.
Why Mr. Ross is such a creep
but honestly I feel so bad for Robert, the poor boy finally had friends, finally became part of something meaningful
but honestly I feel so bad for Robert, the poor boy finally had friends, finally became part of something meaningful
informative
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Sad ending
Scary
That teacher must’ve never heard of ethics or personal responsibility
Scary
That teacher must’ve never heard of ethics or personal responsibility
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
Très bon livre pour comprendre le totalitarisme de manière vulgarisée.