Book Groups: Blog Post #4

All Quiet on the Western Front:  Re-read pages 294 and 295, where Baumer muses on the impact of the lengthy war on soldiers like himself.  Reflect on the struggle that Baumer shows in his narration on these two pages: what ideas is he actively rejecting, and what conceptions of himself and/or of his future is he facing?  How does your thinking about these questions impact your interpretation of what happens to Baumer in the end?

Second, spend a little time writing about what YOU take away from this book. How might you live/think/learn/exist a little differently because you have read this book?

To Hell and Back:  Re-read from the middle of page 273 (starting with “Within a couple of hours…”) to the top of page 274. Reflect on what Murphy believes he has gained and lost from being a soldier in this war: what does he really believe in now?  In your opinion, how might his idea that he “may be branded by war, but...not be defeated by it” (273) have affected his  post-war life?

Second, spend a little time writing about what YOU take away from this book. How might you live/think/learn/exist a little differently because you have read this book?

Where Men Win Glory:  Re-read page 406, where Krakauer muses on how Pat Tillman might have fit Nietzsche’s profile of the Ubermensch (the more-than-man). Reflect on whether this profile is an accurate assessment of Tillman, in your opinion. Then, think about how idealism is perhaps a necessity for successful “soldiering” but also, perhaps, creates a vulnerability or potential weakness in a solder. How does your thinking about these ideas affect your ultimate understanding of Tillman as fallen hero?

Second, spend a little time writing about what YOU take away from this book. How might you live/think/learn/exist a little differently because you have read this book?

The Kite Runner: Re-read from the bottom of page 369 (“Next to me…”) to the end of the book. Reflect on the metaphor of the kite games and kite running, and how it influences the ideas of loyalties, defense of ideals, and the reasons people go to war that are raised in the novel. What does Amir learn about his country, his heritage, and the struggles of cultural identities through his story? What does Hosseini, the author, show us through Amir’s “processing” of these tricky life questions?

Second, spend a little time writing about what YOU take away from this book. How might you live/think/learn/exist a little differently because you have read this book?

Book Groups: Blog Post #3

After watching the recruitment videos put out by the U.S. Marine Corps, the Chinese Army, the British Army, and the propaganda short made by Disney during WWII, think about which of these messages would “speak to” the characters/individuals featured in your book. Think beyond the surface here: which subtle messages in the videos would have a significant influence on the thinking and actions of your characters/individuals? Explain your rationale.

Book Groups: Blog Post #2

Blog Post #2: First, please answer the question(s) below that are specific to your book in a paragraph or more for each question. Then, in closing, write a reflective paragraph in which you comment on something that seemed surprising or caused you to wonder or question in the reading that you’ve done so far. Feel free to ponder connections between yourself and the characters/events.

The Kite Runner: How does the relationship Amir has with Hassan reflect the climate of the city of Kabul and, perhaps, of the country as a whole? Explain the parallels you’re able to develop from what you’ve read so far. Second, how do the stresses of having lived in war-torn Afghanistan for many years appear in Amir’s life with Baba once they’ve settled in Fremont, CA?  Explain why these elements of life in the U.S. feel so difficult.

Where Men Win Glory:  First, contemplate the principles of Pashtun-wali (see the bottom of page 21). Why/how is this concept relevant to the book on multiple levels, based on what you’ve read so far? Second, why do you suppose that Krakauer alternates chapters/passages about the growth/development of Tillman as a scholar and athlete with the growth/development of Osama bin Laden as a leader of militant extremists?

To Hell and Back:  Based on what you have read so far, what elements of the war bother Murphy the most?  Why do you think these are the things that really get to him?  Second, in his interactions with Italian citizens, what does Murphy realize about their perceptions of American soldiers and about himself?

All Quiet on the Western Front: On page 56, the narrator, Paul, says: “We march up, moody or good-tempered soldiers--we reach the zone where the front begins and become on the instant human animals.” What does he mean, and what elements of the scene on the front reinforce his message here?  Second, remember that this is a novel. What function does the character Himmelstoss serve?  In other words, why is his character part of this story?

Book Groups: Blog Post #1

Blog Post #1: First, please answer the question(s) below that are specific to your book in a paragraph or more for each question. Then, in closing, write a reflective paragraph in which you comment on something that seemed surprising or caused you to wonder or question in the reading that you’ve done so far. Feel free to ponder connections between yourself and the characters/events

The Kite Runner:  First, discuss your observations about Amir’s perspective on his own father (Baba) and Hassan’s father (Ali). Then, reflect on what you have learned so far about Amir and his childhood in Kabul.  Finally, complete the reflection referred to in the general prompt above.

Where Men Win Glory: First, discuss the dilemma faced by Pat Tillman’s commanding officer on the day Tillman was killed. Then, try to summarize what you have learned (so far) about the history of recent conflict in Afghanistan, including the immoralities exercised by the mujahideen, the PDPA (People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan), and the Soviet army. Finally, complete the reflection referred to in the general prompt above.

To Hell and Back: First, discuss your observations about why Audie Murphy was so intent on seeing combat? What factors of his childhood/adolescence may have driven him to want to see “action” in the war?  Then, try to summarize the “lessons learned” from war that he has shared in these early pages of the memoir. Finally, complete the reflection referred to in the general prompt above.

All Quiet on the Western Front:  First, discuss the shift the narrator, Baumer, points out in the young soldiers’ perspectives about the generation of “authority” -- those like Kantorek, their professor, who recruited them to fight in the war. Then, reflect on what you have learned so far about the impact of the war on Baumer and his peers. Finally, complete the reflection referred to in the general prompt above.

Blog Post 1: How do you define patriotism? Is patriotism always a positive attribute? Explain your responses in a well-written, multi-paragraph post. Use examples and anecdotes to reinforce your points.