Richard Ewell - Civil War - Lieutenant General - Army of Northern Virginia

Richard Ewell - Civil War - Lieutenant General - Army of Northern Virginia Richard Ewell - Early Life Career: The grandson of the primary US Secretary of the Navy, Benjamin Stoddert, Richard Stoddert Ewell was conceived in Georgetown, DC on February 8, 1817. Brought up in close by Manassas, VA by his folks, Dr. Thomas and Elizabeth Ewell, he got his underlying training locally before choosing to set out on a military vocation. Applying to West Point, he was acknowledged and entered the foundation in 1836. A better than expected understudy, Ewell graduated in 1840 positioned thirteenth in a class of forty-two. Authorized as a subsequent lieutenant, he got requests to join the first US Dragoons which were working on the boondocks. In this job, Ewell helped with accompanying cart trains of merchants and pioneers on the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails while additionally taking in his exchange from lights, for example, Colonel Stephen W. Kearny. Richard Ewell - Mexican-American War: Elevated to first lieutenant in 1845, Ewell stayed on the outskirts until the episode of the Mexican-American War the next year. Allocated to Major General Winfield Scotts armed force in 1847, he participated in the crusade against Mexico City. Serving in Captain Philip Kearnys organization of the first Dragoons, Ewell partook in activities against Veracruz and Cerro Gordo. In late August, Ewell got a brevet advancement to skipper for his gallant assistance during the skirmishes of Contreras and Churubusco. With the finish of the war, he returned north and served at Baltimore, MD. Elevated to the changeless evaluation of skipper in 1849, Ewell got orders for the New Mexico Territory the next year. There he directed tasks against the Native Americans just as investigated the recently obtained Gadsen Purchase. Later provided order of Fort Buchanan, Ewell applied for debilitated leave in late 1860 and returned east in January 1861. Richard Ewell - The Civil War Begins: Ewell was recovering in Virginia when the Civil War started in April 1861. With the withdrawal of Virginia, he made plans to leave the US Army and look for work in the Southern help. Officially leaving on May 7, Ewell acknowledged an arrangement as a colonel of mounted force in the Virginia Provisional Army. On May 31, he was somewhat injured during a conflict with Union powers close Fairfax Court House. Recuperating, Ewell acknowledged a commission as a brigadier general in the Confederate Army on June 17. Given a detachment in Brigadier General P.G.T. Beauregards Army of the Potomac, he was available a the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, however considered little to be as his men were entrusted with guarding Union Mills Ford. Elevated to significant general on January 24, 1862, Ewell got arranges later that spring to assume responsibility for a division in Major General Thomas Stonewall Jacksons armed force in the Shenandoah Valley. Richard Ewell - Campaigning in the Valley Peninsula: Joining Jackson, Ewell assumed key jobs in a string of astounding triumphs over unrivaled Union powers drove by Major Generals John C. Frã ©mont, Nathaniel P. Banks, and James Shields. In June, Jackson and Ewell withdrew the Valley with requests to join General Robert E. Remains armed force on the Peninsula for an assault on Major General George B. McClellans Army of the Potomac. During the subsequent Seven Days Battles, he partook in the battling at Gaines Mill and Malvern Hill. With McClellan contained on the Peninsula, Lee guided Jackson to move north to manage Major General John Popes recently shaped Army of Virginia. Propelling, Jackson and Ewell crushed a power drove by Banks at Cedar Mountain on August 9. Later in the month, they connected with Pope in the Second Battle of Manassas. As the battling seethed on August 29, Ewell had his left leg broke by a shot close to Brawners Farm. Taken from the field, the leg was excised underneath the knee. Richard Ewell - Failure at Gettysburg: Breast fed by his first cousin, Lizinka Campbell Brown, Ewell took ten months to recuperate from the injury. During this time, the two built up a sentimental relationship and were marry in late May 1863. Rejoining Lees armed force, which had quite recently won a dazzling triumph at Chancellorsville, Ewell was elevated to lieutenant general on May 23. As Jackson had been injured in the battling and in this way passed on, his corps was isolated in two. While Ewell got order of the new Second Corps, Lieutenant General A.P. Slope took order of the recently made Third Corps. As Lee started moving north, Ewell caught the Union army at Winchester, VA before crashing into Pennsylvania. The lead components of his corps were approaching the state capital of Harrisburg when Lee arranged him to move south to aggregate at Gettysburg. Moving toward the town from the north on July 1, Ewells men overpowered Major General Oliver O. Howards XI Corps and components of Major General Abner Doubledays I C orps. As Union powers fell back and focused on Cemetery Hill, Lee sent requests to Ewell expressing that he was to convey the slope involved by the adversary, on the off chance that he thought that it was practicable, however to maintain a strategic distance from a general commitment until the appearance of different divisions of the military. While Ewell had flourished under Jacksons order before in the war, his prosperity had come when his boss had given explicit and exact requests. This methodology was counter to Lees style as the Confederate officer commonly gave optional requests and depended on his subordinates to step up. This had functioned admirably with the striking Jackson and the First Corps authority, Lieutenant General James Longstreet, yet left Ewell in a predicament. With his men drained and lacking space to re-structure, he requested fortifications from Hills corps. This solicitation was won't. Accepting word that Union fortifications were showing up in enormous numbers to his left side flank, Ewell ruled against assaulting. He was upheld in this choice by his subordinates, including Major General Jubal Early. This choice, just as Ewells inability to involve close by Culps Hill, were later seriously scrutinized and accused in causing the Confederate annihilation. After the war, many contended that Jackson would not have faltered and would have caught the two slopes. Throughout the following two days, Ewells men mounted assaults against both Cemetery and Culps Hill yet with no accomplishment as Union soldiers had the opportunity to brace their positions. In the battling on July 3, he was hit in his wooden leg and marginally injured. As Confederate powers withdrew south after the thrashing, Ewell was injured again close Kellys Ford, VA. In spite of the fact that Ewell drove Second Corps during the Bristoe Campaign that fall, he later became sick and given order to Early for the resulting Mine Run Campaign. Richard Ewell - The Overland Campaign: With the start of Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Awards Overland Campaign in May 1864, Ewell came back to his order and drew in Union powers during the Battle of the Wilderness. Performing admirably, he held the line at Saunders Field and later in the fight had Brigadier General John B. Gordon mount a fruitful flank assault on the Union VI Corps. Ewells activities at the Wilderness were immediately balanced a few days after the fact when he lost his self-control during the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. Entrusted with shielding the Mule Shoe remarkable, his corps was invaded on May 12 by an enormous Union ambush. Hitting his withdrawing men with his blade, Ewell urgently endeavored to get them to come back to the front. Seeing this conduct, Lee mediated, scolded Ewell, and took individual order of the circumstance. Ewell later continued his post and battled a ridiculous surveillance in power at the Harris Farm on May 19. Moving south toward the North Anna, Ewells execution kept on torment. Accepting the Second Corps administrator to be depleted and experiencing his past injuries, Lee calmed Ewell presently and guided him to expect oversight of the Richmond protections. From this post, he bolstered Lees tasks during the Siege of Petersburg (June 9, 1864 to April 2, 1865). During this period, Ewells troops kept an eye on the citys entrenchments and vanquished Union diversionary endeavors, for example, assaults at Deep Bottom and Chaffins Farm. With the fall of Petersburg on April 3, Ewell had to desert Richmond and Confederate powers started withdrawing west. Drawn in at Saylers Creek on April 6 by Union powers drove by Major General Philip Sheridan, Ewell and his men were crushed and he was caught. Richard Ewell - Later Life: Moved to Fort Warren in Boston Harbor, Ewell stayed a Union detainee until July 1865. Paroled, he resigned to his wifes ranch close to Spring Hill, TN. A neighborhood outstanding, he served on the sheets of a few network associations and furthermore dealt with a fruitful cotton manor in Mississippi. Contracting pneumonia in January 1872, Ewell and his significant other before long turned out to be gravely sick. Lizinka passed on January 22 and was trailed by her better half three days after the fact. Both were covered in Nashvilles Old City Cemetery. Chosen Sources Common War Trust: Richard EwellCivil War: Richard Ewell HistoryNet: Richard Ewell at Gettysburg

Technology Impact on Family Time Free Essays

The effect of innovation on family time Nowadays innovation is a piece of our genuine on the grounds that the vast majority have a similar need that is the accommodation. Despite the fact that innovation can give and serve numerous capacities and applications that help the human need however it likewise has an effect on our genuine also. The effect of Technology to our genuine is time on family. We will compose a custom paper test on Innovation Impact on Family Time or on the other hand any comparable point just for you Request Now Three advances that have effect on family are PC, Mobile Phone, and Tablet. The static of tablet deals in U. S. on year 2011 from NPD Group they said â€Å"U. S. Tablet Sales barring Apple Exceed 1. Million Units in First Months of 2011†,1 this is in one nation, that mean tablet is another innovation which each individuals join in. Tablet is a gadget that appropriate for unique individual since it simple to take and simple for do a business, yet on the off chance that you use it in your family. You will think just your tablet not takes care of part in your family. The impact of this circumstance will diminish time and relationship on family. In this manner, on the off chance that you are in the family you should utilize that gadget to cause your family to partake in together or don’t utilize its. Be that as it may, the vast majority of family despite everything take care of tablet by doesn’t consider affected on family time and relationship. Then again innovation despite everything has another gadget that can makes family time progressively. Reasons for PC applications are sure influenced on family time. From past to introduce, there are numerous kinds of PC, for example, â€Å"Super Computer†, â€Å"Computer PC†, and â€Å"Computer Notebook†. PC has a development of itself as should be obvious another age of PC has littler size than the old PC. Despite the fact that new PC has littler size, however capacities and uses of it’s not little like size. It can do and serve numerous things by utilizing capacities and applications, for example, do exchange on the web, Facebook, E-mail, learning, or playing game. Because of this model, the article of Washington State University, Vancouver analyzes the apparent impact of PCs on family time and connections. The outcome said (89% saw that the PC affected their family connections, 45% for the most part positive effect; 24% blended effect and 20% generally negative effect). 2 From this article, Computer has positive effect more than negative effect. That implies uses of PC not impact on family time and relationship. Correspondence by utilizing cell phone was cause on family time. The fundamental capacity of cell phone is utilized for impart between 2 individuals. On account of cell phone utilized for convey and furthermore bolster numerous capacities like PC to make impart without any problem. Things that new age cell phone can accomplish more than old age cell phone is conveyed by composing and video calling. This capacity is proper especially for convey, so in part of family. Cell phone was caused to makes family additionally talking, despite the fact that they can’t see or get together in the house. To summarize, innovation was caused on family time definitely, in light of the fact that it has a bit of leeway and impediment inside itself. it has a development all the time in term of segments or applications. Subsequently every family ought to learn and choose the benefit of every innovation, for example, use PC and tablet for learning more than playing game, or utilize cell phone for partake and convey in family more than visit to companion. In the event that your family can do like the model your family will acquire time and lessen sway on family. â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€ Reference 1 U. S. Tablet Sales barring Apple Exceed 1. 2 Million Units in First Months of 2011: lt;https://www. npd. com/wps/entryway/npd/us/news/pressreleases/pr_111122bgt; 2Jane D. Lanigan, Washington State University, Vancouver lt;http://familyscienceassociation. organization/archived%20journal%20articles/FSR_vol14_2008/2Jane_Lanigan. pdfgt; Step by step instructions to refer to Technology Impact on Family Time, Essays

Book Report 1. The Terminal Man By Crichton, Michael. Published By Alf Essay Example For Students

Evaluation of Leadership Development Plan of Maersk Oil in Qatar

1.0 Introduction Perhaps the greatest test of the advanced business time is the maintenance of a gifted and talented workforce for business associations, and the improvement of future pioneers inside an organization. Business associations are required to utilize a powerful technique to react to the necessities and yearnings of their workforce. A shrewd, very much planned representative advancement program can profit a business association to incredible degree in such manner and shape the eventual fate of the organization by exclusively forming the pioneers of things to come. Earlier research shows that representative improvement program is connected to more significant levels of execution and yield. It can make a repository of information that can empower business associations to show improvement over their rivals. The most significant improvement part of any representative is preparing them in administration aptitudes which can profit the business all in all. Transformational Leadership is a structu re which, as indicated by Barling, Christie and Hoption, advances the characteristics of â€Å"idealized impact, moving inspiration, scholarly incitement and individualized consideration† (reference). By showing inspirational characteristics and perspectives a pioneer can improve the productivity, capability and prosperity of representatives. The point of the proposed thesis is examine employees’ authority advancement plan at ‘Maersk Oil’, especially in reference to transformational administration preparing. Maersk Oil has been working in Qatar since the 1990s as a significant oil organization. It takes a shot at the Al-Shaheen Field which produces critical measure of oil. The company’s current creation level stands at 300,000 barrels of oil for every day. Because of that, Al-Shaheen Field is anticipated to be the greatest supporter of oil creation in Qatar, making the organization huge for the Oil business and the general economy of the nation. Mae rsk Oil is a global organization which is a piece of A.P. Moller †Maersk Group, working in different pieces of the world. Like any major global firm, Maersk Oil Qatar has an assorted workforce having a place with different nationalities (Maersk Oil, 2012). The assorted workforce present in the association should be overseen in a productive and successful way. The thesis will attempt to distinguish the significance of an initiative improvement plan, explore the present acts of the organization, assess its viability, and recognize basic hindrances for employee’s administration advancement plan at the organization. The exposition will likewise propose a few suggestions dependent on its discoveries for making a practical improvement to the initiative advancement program. The paper will be isolated into five sections. The primary part will be included the presentation, diagram of the exploration, foundation, and research goals. The subsequent section will detail the explorati on technique. The third part will introduce a writing survey and hypothetical foundation of the exploration. Fourth section will introduce the discoveries and investigate the information. At long last, section five will introduce the outcomes and finishes of the examination. 1.1 Research Objectives Examine to what degree does the organization care for its representatives through its authority improvement plan Identify the centrality of workers initiative advancement plan Investigate practices of workers administration improvement plan Evaluate the adequacy of workers administration advancement Identify most regular obstructions for representatives initiative improvement plan 1.2 Research Questions What is the employees’ mentality towards the organization with respect to its transformational administration advancement program? Is transformational initiative more proficient than different types of administration? How does the transformational administration advantage the destinations and objectives of the organization? What is the criticalness of the transformational administration advancement plan for both the organization and its representatives? Whatever degree do the workers consider the advancement plan at the organization proficient? What are the normal hindrances re lated with the transformational authority improvement plan at the organization? 1.3 Rationale for the Current Research In spite of the fact that there is a huge cluster of writing on human asset improvement, professionals frequently go under analysis for doing almost no to assess the learning and advancement arrangements that have been intended to convey whereby noteworthy and regularly rare assets are assigned aimlessly being developed plans that are viewed as viable (Harisson, 2005). While experiencing monetary pressure, associations regularly cut back human asset advancement spending plans. Human asset advancement faculty experience tight investigation in supporting their uses and are required to demonstrate the adequacy of their worker improvement plans. Therefore assessment of worker administration improvement plan is a reasonable arrangement. The significance of assessment in further meant as the learning and improvement hypothesis and practices in the present day is experiencing an impressive change so as to stay aware of new conditional prerequisites. Truth be told, one of the significant cha nges happening these days and in the up and coming years is the authoritative changes driven by ‘higher combination between instructing, hierarchical turn of events (OD) and execution management’ (CIPD study, 2010: pg.6). So also Sloman (2007) made a few significant recommendations with respect to the continuous change in the representative improvement practices and approaches (see addendum 1). The move in the learning and advancement approach and worker improvement rehearses means the significance of assessing the present acts of an association to see whether they are side by side with the overarching best practices. Furthermore, worker improvement approaches and practices of the oil and gas rich Middle Eastern nations and the Gulf Nations is an under-inquired about territory in HRM writing. Besides, the accessible writing with respect to representative improvement rehearses sums up the Middle East and the Arab World as opposed to tending to singular nations or organiz ations (Harry, 2007). The current hole in the writing pays route for the current proposed study to assess the authority improvement plan at Maesrk Oil in Qatar. 2.0 Literature Review 2.1 Definition of representative administration advancement Representative advancement plans have been characterized as a lot of arranged endeavors by an association which encourages the learning and colleague of information, explicit aptitudes and practices for its workers; which are all basic for them to be effective in their present employments (Goldstein, 1993). Dotta (2009) characterizes it as a â€Å"sequence of simultaneous exercises, activities and projects that an association is engaged with to keep up, improve and upgrade the abilities, capacities and execution levels of its workforce and other staff members†. Worker improvement plan exemplifies different individual advancement plans. An initiative advancement plan goes above and beyond than this: just as giving the entirety of the help recorded over the worker is additionally being prepared for an administration job through the unpretentious improvement of the most attractive characteristics. As per Department of Defense of USA (2006), an individual worker improvement plan i s â€Å"a custom fitted composed arrangement created by the manager and representative illustrating the employee’s formative targets and the formative action for accomplishing these destinations. The motivation behind a representative advancement plan is to build the present capability, improvement, and movement of the worker through a deliberate improvement plan†. The individual movement of a worker must be acknowledged whether they have been told in the transformational authority characteristics which will upgrade the business all in all. In light of previously mentioned definitions, a few significant focuses can be expressed: Employees’ improvement plan is planned for upgrading the capacities and skills of an organization’s workforce. Employees’ improvement plan is additionally urgent for the movement of a lifelong way. Through administration advancement it is regular for associations to prepare and build up their workers to possess basic situat ions in future. A transformational administration improvement program encourages representatives to comprehend the key jobs of authority and create characteristics which will make them a helpful spark to their workforce. 2.2 Significance of transformational initiative turn of events In today’s business condition, which is described as multi-confronted, exceptionally perplexing, incredibly serious, and dynamic, associations are required to be truly adaptable and versatile so as to endure and succeed. Representative turn of events, a training that tries to help associations in meeting their business objectives through consistent learning and advancement (Harisson, 2009) is a basic component for accomplishing that adaptability and versatility. So much that frequently human asset advancement work force are qualified as ‘agents of change’ (Harisson, 2009). It is just through consistent, compelling learning and advancement of workers that cutting edge associations can gain the basic abilities to adjust to another conjuncture. Transformational authority is critical as it benefits the pioneer being referred to, yet additionally the confidence of the representatives. Possibility for the advancement program will be shown the conventional strategies for authority, for example, how to assume liability and adequately deal with a group, while likewise being instructed to be persuasive, moving and compelling among their associates (Barling, Christie and Hoption). 2.3 Best Practices in Employee Development Plan Various examinations have suggested a few fruitful methodologies towards worker advancement programs. There is a general consensu

Railroad reading

Railroad reading Harrisburg Update: Yesterday, I biked 20 miles with Ben, see? I was trying to find myself but was unsuccessful. Then we went to Shawnas house and played Guess Who with the extra rule that you couldnt ask about anything tangible, you could only ask questions that required value judgments. What socioeconomic class would you say your person belongs to? Do you think it would be viewed as strange if your person and Maria dated romantically? If you dipped your persons head in liquid nitrogen so their hair froze exactly as it was, would you be able to roll it like a bowling ball? It rocked. Today Sams Mom and I went for cheesesteak at my favorite place downtownits not exactly an authentic Philadelphia experience (which I had in June), but I never go to Philadelphia and I wont eat Cheez Wiz anyway because of its association with food murderer Sandra Lee. So, good enough. Then I visited Dot, my across-the-street neighbor, and she gave me plenty of great recipes for Apple Bake, Burton-Conners annual culinary competition that Conner 2 always totally dominates. We dont get Bravo at MIT, so this evening I watched Battle of the Network Reality Television Stars and Celebrity Poker Showdown, both of which featured Charla, the plucky midget from The Amazing Race 5, which made me ecstatic. Finally, I went to Allisons and watched Sin City and as a result I cant sleep for days so I figured, hey, what the heck, I might as well write a blog entry. And then we went to humanforsale.com and found out that Allison was worth the most because shes a girl and artistic. I was worth in the neighborhood of $1,680,000, for your reference. Make sure you have a popup blocker or, better yet, Firefox before you go. Anyway, today I got a phone call today asking for a book recommendationone thats suitable for the beach, but also dark. Right. So I suggested Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre. In this entry, I thought Id prove to you that MIT students really do read by telling you what I thought of various books that I enjoyed, despised, or wholeheartedly attempted to read this summer. Of course, I turned down a job as head literary critic for the New York Times to come to MIT, so Im a total authority on all of this. Plus, Im worth $1,680,000, so you know you can respect my opinion. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (Jonathan Safran Foer) His first novel, Everything is Illuminated, is my second-favorite book, with a sparkling, majestic portrayal of an imaginary shtetl, risky literary devices that actually succeed, and Alexs unforgettable, guileless narration. So, I knew his second book would be a total letdown because I found the first so amazing. Its about a boy whose father died in 9/11, so its a quite depressing read, although Foer does find several new (to me) ways of expressing grief, and there are a few amazing passages, including an elementary school staging of Hamlet and the firebombing of Dresden. My main complaint was that Everything Is Illuminated, though carefully constructed, never seemed that way because the writing was so natural. This time, I knew all of Foers old tricks, and his new ones werent so impressiveit often felt like Foer writing rather than Oskar Schell talking, which is something I could never say about Alex Perchov. Portnoys Complaint (Philip Roth) This is essential reading for every male in Western society, I think. I dont think theres any way that a female could possibly enjoy this book. Roth can really write, and I want to get acquainted with some of his less prurient works. The Day of the Locust (Nathanael West) This book is the origin of the name Homer Simpson, although I dont see how Matt Groening used Wests character as a model, really. The novel was okay, but The Great Gatsby is basically the same book, only much better, and youve probably already read that one. West is generally an excellent writer, but Id only recommend his Miss Lonelyhearts, about a newspaper columnist who keeps having creepy symbolic nightmares. The Dream Life of Balso Snell (Nathanael West) This is total crap. I read it because West only wrote four novellas and Id read the other three. A guy crawls into the anus mirabilis of a wooden horse and then West just wrote whatever weird ideas popped into his head. Its only sixty pages long, but each page you read subtracts one day from your life. There is one interesting thinga sect of Christianity that worships a flea that lodged itself in baby Jesuss skin. There, I saved you the trouble. Animal Farm (George Orwell) This was $2.50 at the Harvard Bookstore used, so I figured Id pick it up. I took it on an eight-hour train ride back home without realizing it only takes two hours to read. Its enjoyable and well-written (in the style of a childrens book), and thematically important enough that everybody should probably read it on some rainy afternoon or bus trip. Snow in August (Pete Hammill) I started this one during a particularly hot week in Boston; it was kind of like wishful thinking on my part. This ones a pretty good realistic portrayal of a poor boy growing up with his mother in New York. However, I find it hard to take seriously any book that includes a fart joke, even if its made by lovable Rabbi Judah Hirsch (named after the Taxi actor?). Also, I found the last fifty pages horrible and offensive on a basic moral level, but you might love them. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving) This might be my third-favorite book now; its terribly long and compendious in its description of Vietnam-Era Gravesend, New Hampshire, but Irvings writing is so conversational and flowing that I barely noticed the length. Owen Meany is one of the least forgettable characters Ive ever encountered, and there was one passage so powerful that I was afraid to turn a page for five minutes. Heck, it begins with a foul ball accidentally killing the narrators mother at a little league gamethat alone is worth the price of admission. Light in August (William Faulkner) Ive liked all the short stories of Faulkners Ive read, so I thought Id give this one a shot. Its good and not as difficult to read as most modernism, but its the most sweltering book Ive ever readeverything is about shoveling sawdust and smoking cigarettes and being dirty and sweaty in the middle of the summer in Mississippi. When it got to be 90 degrees in Boston, I just couldnt take art imitating life any more, so I stopped a quarter of the way through. Ill try to pick it up again in IAP. Fight Club (Chuck Palahniuk) Ive actually never seen the movie, and I was glad that I had no basis of comparison. There are a lot of powerful passages in here, either in terms of deep paranoia or ultraviolence. I found it sometimes hard to read, because a lot of bad Xanga entries have ripped off Palahniuks short, choppy, violent style. However, I assume the Xanga writers have imitated Palahniuk rather than the other way around, so, even though I really, really hate one-sentence paragraphs, Ill semi-enthusiastically recommend this one. Vernon God Little (DBC Pierre) Its about a school shooting and reality television. Take from that what you will. Vernon isnt the most likable narrator ever, which started to turn me off about a third of the way through. However, he complains less and does more interesting stuff as the book goes on, and winds up in the most satisfying ending Ive encountered since The Shawshank Redemption. A great book, almost worth it just for Pierres mixed metaphors describing the smells and squalor of small-town life in Texas. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley) This is Ruths favorite book, I think, so she lent it to me. Im not quite done yet, but I think Im through all the important parts. The writing style and technological references are a little dated, but the ideas and themes arent at all. Its longer and somewhat more ponderous than Animal Farm and 1984, but it definitely had a lot more of an impact on the way I view our society than either of those did. Well, Ive done a lot better than last summer, when all I got through was Wests other two novellas. Anyway, Im headed to the beach next week, and Ive got three books for thatThe World According to Garp (John Irving), Cosmopolis (Don DeLillo), and Guns, Germs, and Steel (Jared Diamond). Ive started on the last one and Im really excited about it; Ive always had an interest in the evolution of humans from monkey to Mozart (I did my AP Bio research paper on hominid bipedalism), and Diamond seems to be a pretty fair and well-researched writer. Today I talked to Allisons Dad and I found out that when he went to the beach, he read a bunch of mystery novels from the 1980s starring Eleanor Roosevelt as the detective. However, theyre apparently out of print and available only on certain online auction sites. Otherwise, Id totally be there. I was going to link to all of the books above, but I feel like a certain internet book seller doesnt need any more hits from my blog readers. Plus, its already been advertised extensively by another mitblogger. Anyway, I have confidence that you guys are competent enough to seek out these books if youre really interested. Unless you go to MIT, in which case you dont know how to read.

Railroad reading

Railroad reading Harrisburg Update: Yesterday, I biked 20 miles with Ben, see? I was trying to find myself but was unsuccessful. Then we went to Shawnas house and played Guess Who with the extra rule that you couldnt ask about anything tangible, you could only ask questions that required value judgments. What socioeconomic class would you say your person belongs to? Do you think it would be viewed as strange if your person and Maria dated romantically? If you dipped your persons head in liquid nitrogen so their hair froze exactly as it was, would you be able to roll it like a bowling ball? It rocked. Today Sams Mom and I went for cheesesteak at my favorite place downtownits not exactly an authentic Philadelphia experience (which I had in June), but I never go to Philadelphia and I wont eat Cheez Wiz anyway because of its association with food murderer Sandra Lee. So, good enough. Then I visited Dot, my across-the-street neighbor, and she gave me plenty of great recipes for Apple Bake, Burton-Conners annual culinary competition that Conner 2 always totally dominates. We dont get Bravo at MIT, so this evening I watched Battle of the Network Reality Television Stars and Celebrity Poker Showdown, both of which featured Charla, the plucky midget from The Amazing Race 5, which made me ecstatic. Finally, I went to Allisons and watched Sin City and as a result I cant sleep for days so I figured, hey, what the heck, I might as well write a blog entry. And then we went to humanforsale.com and found out that Allison was worth the most because shes a girl and artistic. I was worth in the neighborhood of $1,680,000, for your reference. Make sure you have a popup blocker or, better yet, Firefox before you go. Anyway, today I got a phone call today asking for a book recommendationone thats suitable for the beach, but also dark. Right. So I suggested Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre. In this entry, I thought Id prove to you that MIT students really do read by telling you what I thought of various books that I enjoyed, despised, or wholeheartedly attempted to read this summer. Of course, I turned down a job as head literary critic for the New York Times to come to MIT, so Im a total authority on all of this. Plus, Im worth $1,680,000, so you know you can respect my opinion. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (Jonathan Safran Foer) His first novel, Everything is Illuminated, is my second-favorite book, with a sparkling, majestic portrayal of an imaginary shtetl, risky literary devices that actually succeed, and Alexs unforgettable, guileless narration. So, I knew his second book would be a total letdown because I found the first so amazing. Its about a boy whose father died in 9/11, so its a quite depressing read, although Foer does find several new (to me) ways of expressing grief, and there are a few amazing passages, including an elementary school staging of Hamlet and the firebombing of Dresden. My main complaint was that Everything Is Illuminated, though carefully constructed, never seemed that way because the writing was so natural. This time, I knew all of Foers old tricks, and his new ones werent so impressiveit often felt like Foer writing rather than Oskar Schell talking, which is something I could never say about Alex Perchov. Portnoys Complaint (Philip Roth) This is essential reading for every male in Western society, I think. I dont think theres any way that a female could possibly enjoy this book. Roth can really write, and I want to get acquainted with some of his less prurient works. The Day of the Locust (Nathanael West) This book is the origin of the name Homer Simpson, although I dont see how Matt Groening used Wests character as a model, really. The novel was okay, but The Great Gatsby is basically the same book, only much better, and youve probably already read that one. West is generally an excellent writer, but Id only recommend his Miss Lonelyhearts, about a newspaper columnist who keeps having creepy symbolic nightmares. The Dream Life of Balso Snell (Nathanael West) This is total crap. I read it because West only wrote four novellas and Id read the other three. A guy crawls into the anus mirabilis of a wooden horse and then West just wrote whatever weird ideas popped into his head. Its only sixty pages long, but each page you read subtracts one day from your life. There is one interesting thinga sect of Christianity that worships a flea that lodged itself in baby Jesuss skin. There, I saved you the trouble. Animal Farm (George Orwell) This was $2.50 at the Harvard Bookstore used, so I figured Id pick it up. I took it on an eight-hour train ride back home without realizing it only takes two hours to read. Its enjoyable and well-written (in the style of a childrens book), and thematically important enough that everybody should probably read it on some rainy afternoon or bus trip. Snow in August (Pete Hammill) I started this one during a particularly hot week in Boston; it was kind of like wishful thinking on my part. This ones a pretty good realistic portrayal of a poor boy growing up with his mother in New York. However, I find it hard to take seriously any book that includes a fart joke, even if its made by lovable Rabbi Judah Hirsch (named after the Taxi actor?). Also, I found the last fifty pages horrible and offensive on a basic moral level, but you might love them. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving) This might be my third-favorite book now; its terribly long and compendious in its description of Vietnam-Era Gravesend, New Hampshire, but Irvings writing is so conversational and flowing that I barely noticed the length. Owen Meany is one of the least forgettable characters Ive ever encountered, and there was one passage so powerful that I was afraid to turn a page for five minutes. Heck, it begins with a foul ball accidentally killing the narrators mother at a little league gamethat alone is worth the price of admission. Light in August (William Faulkner) Ive liked all the short stories of Faulkners Ive read, so I thought Id give this one a shot. Its good and not as difficult to read as most modernism, but its the most sweltering book Ive ever readeverything is about shoveling sawdust and smoking cigarettes and being dirty and sweaty in the middle of the summer in Mississippi. When it got to be 90 degrees in Boston, I just couldnt take art imitating life any more, so I stopped a quarter of the way through. Ill try to pick it up again in IAP. Fight Club (Chuck Palahniuk) Ive actually never seen the movie, and I was glad that I had no basis of comparison. There are a lot of powerful passages in here, either in terms of deep paranoia or ultraviolence. I found it sometimes hard to read, because a lot of bad Xanga entries have ripped off Palahniuks short, choppy, violent style. However, I assume the Xanga writers have imitated Palahniuk rather than the other way around, so, even though I really, really hate one-sentence paragraphs, Ill semi-enthusiastically recommend this one. Vernon God Little (DBC Pierre) Its about a school shooting and reality television. Take from that what you will. Vernon isnt the most likable narrator ever, which started to turn me off about a third of the way through. However, he complains less and does more interesting stuff as the book goes on, and winds up in the most satisfying ending Ive encountered since The Shawshank Redemption. A great book, almost worth it just for Pierres mixed metaphors describing the smells and squalor of small-town life in Texas. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley) This is Ruths favorite book, I think, so she lent it to me. Im not quite done yet, but I think Im through all the important parts. The writing style and technological references are a little dated, but the ideas and themes arent at all. Its longer and somewhat more ponderous than Animal Farm and 1984, but it definitely had a lot more of an impact on the way I view our society than either of those did. Well, Ive done a lot better than last summer, when all I got through was Wests other two novellas. Anyway, Im headed to the beach next week, and Ive got three books for thatThe World According to Garp (John Irving), Cosmopolis (Don DeLillo), and Guns, Germs, and Steel (Jared Diamond). Ive started on the last one and Im really excited about it; Ive always had an interest in the evolution of humans from monkey to Mozart (I did my AP Bio research paper on hominid bipedalism), and Diamond seems to be a pretty fair and well-researched writer. Today I talked to Allisons Dad and I found out that when he went to the beach, he read a bunch of mystery novels from the 1980s starring Eleanor Roosevelt as the detective. However, theyre apparently out of print and available only on certain online auction sites. Otherwise, Id totally be there. I was going to link to all of the books above, but I feel like a certain internet book seller doesnt need any more hits from my blog readers. Plus, its already been advertised extensively by another mitblogger. Anyway, I have confidence that you guys are competent enough to seek out these books if youre really interested. Unless you go to MIT, in which case you dont know how to read.