Truth in Memoir

•             How true does a book have to be in your mind to be considered non-fiction?   Why?

I think that a non-fiction book has to be at least 90 percent true to be labeled as a non-fiction book. I think this because; it doesn’t really matter if the author expands the truth just a little bit because he is still telling most of the truth. Like with the book a million little pieces. He said that just 18 pages were over exaggerated, which is equivalent to 5 percent of his book so 95 percent of his book is still true. Also if you like a book and find out that it isn’t true I don’t think you will care much because it was still a good book.

•             Are half-truths okay if it’s still a good story? Does it matter if Frey or Mortenson bent the truth to tell their stories?

I think that half-truths are ok but only if it is a good story. Because I don’t think anyone wants to read a book that is a bunch of way over the top lies and the book isn’t even well written.

•             Is David Shields right?  Do we need lines between genres—do we need to label something fiction or non-fiction?  Why does it matter?

I think that David Shields is right. I think this because it doesn’t really matter what the genre of the book is, it matters if it is a good book and people read it. Also it doesn’t matter because if a person likes a book that is labeled fiction, it would still be the same book if it was labeled non-fiction. I don’t really care what the genre of a book is, I don’t look for certain books that are in certain sections of the library.

Readicide

Who gets to decide what good writing is?  Who should decide?  Why?

The teachers get to decide what books the kids read in school. I think that this is dumb because the books we read are books that adults like, not books that teenagers like. I think that the kids should take a class vote on what book they read and the teacher should have to read it to. Because the teachers don’t read the old bad books every time that they are assigning to the students, and we have to read and get tested on and have to take notes on every chapter, so even if it is a good book you don’t stay in the flow of reading because for every important part in the book you have to stop copy down a quote and then write down the page and stick the post it note in it. I think that the student should get to choose the books because the teachers don’t know what books we like so we end up reading books that are really bad and it makes reading not any fun so you don’t really want/ like reading anymore. In class there has not been a single book that we have read and I actually like.

•             What should a 21st century English class reading list look like?

I think that a 21^st century English class should have some books like the hunger games, or twilight that they don’t need to take notes on and don’t have test. But then one or 2 books that the teachers choose that are old classics that you have to take notes on and have tests on.  I think this because kids need to enjoy some reading but they also need to know what the writing was like back then, and the teachers do need to know if you are reading or if you aren’t.

Moneyball trailer