Grayson+M’s+2017+OpEd+Article

I’m going to write my Muckraker about what I believe could be a dying art. In an epoch of overwhelming technological addiction I believe novels could be on a downward trajectory. With convenience, speed, and consumer comfort societies highest priority, books seem to be fading fast. As page turning, time spent thinking, and papercuts become nuisances of the past we are beginning to lose sight of one of the most powerful forms of human thought and connection. The books that I am going to write about are books that stirred me. Books that tug upon the heartstrings, books that fabricate genuine emotions. Books that make you cry, laugh, and rejoice. I feel this culture is all but lost at Foothill, EDA was not reading, the books we were encouraged to read in that class were candy novels. I am talking about books. 1000 page tales of adventure and love. Tough to read but engrossing nonetheless. You may ask some kids here if they read and plenty would say they do. Claiming that a reader simply must read habitually does not make the cut, I feel that a reader must delve into books that are challenging and difficult for fun. For the most part, they haven’t. The books they read for the most part are glorified childrens books. Allegiance, hunger games, Twilight, Maze runner, and books like those steal the light from books that don’t quite make the sugary cut, but run much deeper and are often overlooked. Yes the book thief is one too… (ps death can stop telling me how to feel already.) pss Death is a wimp For history fans and avid readers alike, Helprin's epic WW1 novel is for you. With sweeping prose and glittering imagery this book follows the tale of Alessandro Giuliani, an Italian soldier who fights upon the slopes of glaciers, in the cities of Rome, and in the trenches of Austria. His tale is one of love, violence, hope, and overall beauty. His search for peace and happiness spans 40 years. Alessandro has an intense passion for all things, including sex. So if you dislike intense descriptive scenes of lust and passion you might want to avoid this book. In addition, this book does NOT get to the point. It is nearly 1000 pages long and will easily spend three describing anything it damn well pleases. That is however, what makes this book so enjoyable, it's as if you are thrown into another world.

Quotes from the novel

“If it weren't for music, I would think that love is mortal.”

“And how does God speak to you?" "In the language of everything that is beautiful.”

“I'm not afraid," Rafi said. "Why not?"  "If I die tomorrow it will have been useless to have been afraid today.”

Name of the Wind My favorite fantasy novel of all time. Following the story of Kvothe, a young boy whose family is murdered by the Chandrian, a mystical and powerful band of killers. “I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.” This epic tale this one resonated with me as a young teen, for Kvothe outwits and outruns any danger that comes afoot with only his iron will and deft fingers.

“Using words to talk of words is like using a pencil to draw a picture of itself, on itself. Impossible. Confusing. Frustrating ... but there are other ways to understanding.”

“You can divide infinity an infinite number of times, and the resulting pieces will still be infinitely large,” Uresh said in his odd Lenatti accent. “But if you divide a non-infinite number an infinite number of times the resulting pieces are non-infinitely small. Since they are non-infinitely small, but there are an infinite number of them, if you add them back together, their sum is infinite. This implies any number is, in fact, infinite.” “Wow,” Elodin said after a long pause. He leveled a serious finger at the Lenatti man. “Uresh. Your next assignment is to have sex. If you do not know how to do this, see me after class.”

A recent read but my newest favorite series

Red rising follows the story of Darrow, a miner on the planet Mars. Humanity had after 4 millennium divided into evolutionary classes, based upon height, strength, intelligence, and looks. The red class, the miners of society, have been oppressed since their creation, Darrow and his wife Eo have big dreams to turn the tide. The sweeping plot follows Darrow and his friends as they adventure across the solar system, fighting for justice against all odds. This series is incredibly violent and depressing. Your favorite character will die, no matter who your favorite is, however don’t worry it is all worth it in the end. This series had me in the pits of despair, until after thirty minutes of white knuckled tension the plot resolved and left me elated, proud, and completely enraptured. This book WILL make you angry, and is guaranteed to satisfy. Writing this now I am shaking my head, jealous of all who are yet to experience the ride this series takes you for.

“I live for the dream that my children will be born free. That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father gave them.' 'I live for you,' I say sadly. She kisses my cheek. 'Then you must live for more.”

“Funny thing, watching god's realize they’ve been mortal all along.”

“I am the Reaper and death is my shadow.”



The Sparrow This book is absolutely terrifying. I remember reading the last few chapters in my room at night, not willing to turn light off, and much too scared to move. It follows the story of Emilio Sondoz, a South American Jesuit Priest in the future. The jesuits in this future world society have the best astronomers and scientists, they soon discover a faraway planet attempting to communicate. Then quickly assemble a team of explorers/priests to go into the dark reaches of space to attempt to reach this far away planet. Only one of them returns, Emilio, his hands destroyed and body ruined. This novel is his story. If you are easily disturbed, do not read this book. It involves every manner of terrifying atrocities. Which is strange to acknowledge because it is without a doubt one of the most stirring and beautiful books I have read. There are simply no words to describe it. It also includes Rape and God, so a very prominent challenge to christianity and faith itself.

-“The Jewish sages also tell us that God dances when His children defeat Him in argument, when they stand on their feet and use their minds. So questions like Anne's are worth asking. To ask them is a very fine kind of human behavior. If we keep demanding that God yield up His answers, perhaps someday we will understand them. And then we will be something more than clever apes, and we shall dance with God.”

-“There's an old Jewish story that says in the beginning God was everywhere and everything, a totality. But to make creation, God had to remove Himself from some part of the universe, so something besides Himself could exist. So He breathed in, and in the places where God withdrew, there creation exists."  So God just leaves?"  No. He watches. He rejoices. He weeps. He observes the moral drama of human life and gives meaning to it by caring passionately about us, and remembering."  Matthew ten, verse twenty-nine: Not one sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it." But the sparrow still falls.”

-“[John] watched the flames for a while. "I would have to say that I find God in serving His children. 'When I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, sick and you cared for me, imprisoned and you came to me.'" The words lingered in the air as the fire popped and hissed softly. Sondoz had stopped pacing and stood motionless in a far corner of the room, his face in shadows, firelight glittering on the metallic exoskeleton of his hands. "Don't hope for more than that, John," he said. "God will break your heart.”

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline;">I was going to include more books, but this is already lengthy.As a forewarning these books, with the exception of Red Rising are very difficult reads. They are long, wordy, and philosophical. However if you read them you will enjoy them I promise. This assignment was a Muckraker yes. If you are a “reader” you open these books and you are bored, you are not a reader. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline;">¯\_(ツ)_/¯ If you have read these books please come and talk to me, I would like to see who my new favorite people are. Oh, and do not come complaining about your nightmares, these books, with the exception of The Name of the Wind, are at at varying degrees disturbing and most are rated R. At any rate, happy reading. -Grayson McCoy