Jonathan Scribner

Period 5

Individual Reading Reflection 2017-2018

Reading Ladder
Least Difficult
1. “Patriot Pride” by Troy Brown
2. “The Atlantis Gene” (summer book) by A.G. Riddle
3. “The Atlantis Plague” by A.G. Riddle
4. “The Atlantis World” by A.G. Riddle
5. “A Long Walk to Water” (summer book) by Linda Park
6. “Dream Team” by Jack McCallum
7. “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!” By Richard Feynman
8. “I, Alex Cross” by James Patterson
9. “The Hidden Village” by Imogen Matthews
10. “The Identity Man” by Andrew Klavan
11. “The River is Dark” (summer book) by Joe Hart
12. “The Night is Deep” by Joe Hart
13. “Born to Run” by Christopher McDougall
14. “A Long Way Gone” by Ishmael Beah
15. “City of Thieves” by David Benioff
16. “Strangers” by Paul Finch
17. “The Martian” by Andy Weir
18. “A Cold and Broken Hallelujah” by Tyler Dilts
19. “Ghost Soldiers” by Hampton Sides
20. “Deception Point” by Dan Brown
21. “Hiroshima” by John Hersey
22. “I Am the Messenger” by Markus Zusak
23. “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini
24. “The Old Man and the Sea” by Ernest Hemingway
25. “The Sun Also Rises” by Ernest Hemingway
Most Difficult
*Summer books not included in book binds picture
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Period 5

Thoughts
Most of the books I chose this year were well within my comfort level in terms of vocabulary
and deeper meaning. I flew through the majority of my books, especially books in the genres of
fantasy/science fiction and mystery/suspense. Choice reading this year made reading enjoyable
for me again, and I developed a love for crime thriller books like “The Night is Deep”. Reading
non-fiction books and memoirs like “Hiroshima” and “A Long Way Gone” were beneficial for
me. These books gave me personal insights into the world and the lives of people around it
throughout history, and they were great learning experiences. The most challenging books for me
were the classics by Ernest Hemingway, “The Old Man and the Sea” and “The Sun Also Rises”.
These books provided me with a good challenge because although Hemingway has an overly
simplistic writing style, the dialogue in his books is still much different than today, and they are
filled with motifs and metaphors. I definitely took more time with Hemingway’s books,
especially “The Sun Also Rises”, in order to understand the story and message of the author.

Reading Rate
 Jonathan Scribner
Period 5

- Pages Read (including summer books):​ 7,882

- Pages Read (not including summer books):​ 7,067
- Books Read During School Year:​ 22

Thoughts
I am very proud of my reading this year. I read 22 books during the school year, surpassing my
hesitant goal of 15 coming into the year and the ultimate goal of 20. At the beginning of the year
the 20 book goal was very intimidating to me, and I thought that there was no way it was
possible. 15 even seemed like an immense stretch. However, I set a fast and consistent reading
pace from the beginning of the year and never looked back. I read on average 30-40 minutes
every day, about 200 pages a week, and completed a book every ten days or so. At the beginning
of the year I filled Goodreads with “Want to Read” books, selecting several books from all of the
genres (I did not read any poetry/verse or graphic novels). Throughout the year I changed some
of these selections and tailored them to my new interests. Taking the time to choose books that I
was genuinely interested played a huge role in helping me achieve the 20 book goal.

Wholistic Reflection
Since the beginning of the year, my reading habits have remained fairly consistent. I read
on average 30-40 minutes a day, between auxilium, in class time, and at home. I always read as
soon as I got home at night if I hadn’t already read that day, as it was an easy way for me to get
into the homework groove and it relaxed me from a long day of school and sports. Large portions
of my reading progress would also come from long car rides, where I would read for an hour or
two. Towards the end of the year I didn’t read as many genres and focused specifically on
biographies/memoirs and mystery/suspense books. The main reason for this was that I had
thoroughly completed the genre requirements, and I wanted to read genres I knew I would enjoy.
I think that as I move forward I will read different genres, as it’s good to be exposed to alternate
writing styles and to learn about the world from other prespectives.
For the first two quarters I did a great job conferencing, as I completed two a quarter. The
third quarter I forgot to conference before February break, so I only conferenced once this
quarter. I completely dropped the ball on conferences the fourth quarter, as I didn’t meet with
Mrs. Stein once. Nevertheless, the conferences that I did have were a great success. Mrs. Stein
made great book recommendations that I took her up on, and lead me in the right direction in
terms of what kinds of books I should read next. We had insightful conversations on the books I
had completed since our last conference, and it was a good experience to share my thoughts with
someone else.
Some of my favorite books were “A Long Way Gone”, “The Night is Deep”, and “The
Martian”, as all were rewarded with a five star rating from me. “A Long Way Gone” is a very
inspirational memoir about a refugee and child soldier in Sierra Leone. The writing style
captivated his constantly changing emotions very well throughout the book. His inspiring story
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Period 5

and motivation to give other kids in Africa a better life made me grateful for the security and
comfort I have in life. “The Night is Deep” is a crime thriller that had me captivated from start to
finish. The book was full of action, mystery, gore, and plot twists, which I love, and it built on
the first book in the series (“The River is Dark”) very well. “The Martian” is a science fiction
book with a great story. The main character is an astronaut stuck on Mars, and he must use his
botanist and engineering skills to survive long enough to get back to Earth somehow. He is
intelligent, creative, and funny, as I often found myself laughing or amused. This book strongly
focuses on math, science, and problem solving, which I’m interested in, because I’m pursuing a
degree in civil engineering.
This year the ability to choose my own books made reading fun for me again. I read my
books for the story line, not to over analyze the literary devices. By the end of the year I found a
good balance between selecting an easy read and challenging myself. I also dove into many
different genres this year, as I wasn’t restricted to reading American classics like in previous
years.
I would define myself as a thorough, consistent, and focused reader. I made it a priority
to read almost every day this year, and I achieved that goal. I believe that I am a faster reader
than most, especially when I like a book. When I’m not into a book, or it’s more challenging, my
reading rate is much lower.
Looking back on this school year, I am very proud of my reading progress. I didn’t think
I was going to have nearly enough time to complete 15 books, nonetheless 20. However, I
remained consistent and chose the right books, which lead me to easily finishing 22 books
without having to cram at the end of the year. Although many students believe this amount of
books is unnecessary, I’m glad that I was faced with the challenge, as it forced me to properly
plan and exercise good time management.

Goodreads
Reviews for “Hiroshima” and “The Martian”
John Hersey's "Hiroshima" is a classic nonfiction novel that tells the stories of six lucky
survivors of the Hiroshima bombing. On August 6, 1945, at 8:15 A.M., Hiroshima was
completely destroyed by the first atomic bomb ever dropped on civilians. Over 100,000 people
were killed by this bomb. They instantly obliterated, suffocated under the ruins, were burned
alive by the fires, bled out, or died later from radiation sickness. The terror and tragedy that these
Japanese endured is unthinkable. Thousands of dying people littered the streets days after the
bombing, casting a stench over the whole city. Parents had to pick and choose which siblings to
save before the fire engulfed them, and the screams of helpless buried victims went unheard as
people ran for their lives. The bombing and Hiroshima's rebuilding years are told through the
memoirs of these six survivors, each having their own unique experience. This book is
eye-opening and a must read for everyone. It illustrates the destruction and power of advanced
weaponry, and the conflict it can create. Being from the U.S., it allowed me to see what it was
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Period 5

like for the Japanese, and I deeply sympathized with them. I would recommend this book to
everybody. It's a great book, but certainly not a fun read or one someone can read in a day.

Andy Weir's "The Martian" is an exciting science fiction novel that follows Mark
Watney, an American astronaut who has been stranded on Mars. Mark was separated from the
rest of his crew during a large dust storm on Mars, and they left him thinking he was dead. A
mechanical engineer and botanist, Mark is pushed to his limit in every mental and physical
sense. He is forced to use his ingenuity and use everything he has learned in school and astronaut
training to stay alive. He faces issues like starvation, dehydration, suffocation from a lack of
oxygen, and more. All the while NASA, experts from around the globe, and his crew are doing
anything they can to bring him back to earth in one piece. On Earth, Mark Watney is the most
talked about person on the news for over a year, but on Mars, Mark is completely alone. He
escapes his seemingly inevitable death on numerous occasions, amazing himself, NASA, and the
reader. I loved this book, and would highly recommend it to anybody who is interested in math,
science, or space exploration. The amount of math and science knowledge that Mark contains is
very impressive, and he takes you through his calculations and reasoning.Mark's story is told
mainly through his logs on Mars, and he never fails to express his emotions to the reader. He
never fails to crack a corny joke or make a sarcastic comment, and that keeps the book lively. I
thought that Andy Weir created a very likeable and real character in Mark Watney, which was
essential because the reader is with Mark for almost the whole book. Not only does this book
provide a great story, I also learned a lot about the science of space travel and NASA.

Reading Progress for “Deception Point”

February 11, 2018 – Finished Reading
February 10, 2018 –
page 520
93.53% "Senator Sexton receives Rachel's fax that contains proof that the government and
NASA faked the authenticity of the meteorite. He decides to put Rachel's life in danger and
spread the information. Gabrielle is shocked at this decision. The ship finally gives out and the
deck is tilted. The helicopter begins to slide down the deck, and Delta One tries to save it before
it crashes into machinery. He's too late."
February 9, 2018 –
page 494
88.85% "Rachel, Corky, and Mike are attacked by Delta one and the commander. Corky escapes
with a speedboat, thinking that divide and conquer is the best strategy. The helicopter lets off
Delta One and Two on board the Goya, and Delta One chases after Corky in the boat. He jumps
off the boat into shark infested waters right before the missile hits. Mike kills one of the
soldiers."
February 8, 2018 –
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Period 5

page 450
80.94% "Rachel, Mike, and Corky examine the meteorite sample aboard the Goya. They
discover that the rock could have originated from the Marianas Trench, where deep sea creatures
roam. The immense pressure from the tectonic plates and the 7 miles of water above it could
have theoretically formed the chondrules, which before were thought to only form in space.
Delta One approaches the Goya in complete stealth."
February 7, 2018 –
page 413
74.28% "One of Mike's employees, a marine biologist, claims that part of Mike's documentary is
false, but doesn't say what exactly is wrong. Mike, Rachel, and Corky plan to go to Mike's ship,
where they can speak to this person in private and run tests on Corky's meteorite sample. Delta
One has just killed William Pickering, as Marjorie Tench set him up by telling him to meet her at
the FDR memorial."
February 6, 2018 –
page 377
67.81% "Rachel, Mike, and Corky are still on their way back to D.C. They are analyzing the
evidence of the meteorite, and they discover to their dismay that the proof is not so conclusive.
Corky refuses to accept that the meteorite may be a fake fabricated by the NASA director.
Gabrielle meets with Dr. Harper and gets him to confess his lying in the interview where he said
the POD satellites were fully functional."
February 6, 2018 –
page 377
67.81% "Rachel, Mike, and Corky are still on their way back to D.C. They are analyzing the
evidence and speculating if the meteorite is actually authentic. They are beginning to realize that
the scientific proof is less and less conclusive, and Corky is reluctant to accept Rachel and
Mike's mindset. Gabrielle met with the Dr. Harper and he admitted to lying about the POD."
February 5, 2018 –
page 340
61.15% "Rachel, Corky, and Mike are being flown to safety. Sexton meets with a director of a
private space agency, who points out that NASA is lying about the functionality of the POD
satellites. Gabrielle feels awful about feeding Sexton anti-NASA information, and she is willing
to do anything to make it up. Pickering is suspicious that Tench is lying about the authenticity of
the president's interview."
February 4, 2018 –
page 306
55.04% "Rachel desperately tries to get through to the president before he makes the
announcement at 8:00, but Tench cuts her off and accuses her of attacking the president and
NASA. Rachel then calls Pickering, who was just called my Tench warning of Rachel's apparent
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Period 5

delirious state. Pickering believes Rachel's story and accusations of false evidence, but nobody
knows for certain why or how."
February 3, 2018 –
page 281
50.54% "Rachel, Corky, and Mike find themselves on another ice shelf about 10 feet below the
large iceberg. Delta One throws a grenade and dislodges the platform from the main iceberg.
Floating away in the ocean, hypothermia quickly sets in. Rachel hits the iceberg with her pick
axe sending out an SOS signal. A submarine almost directly below them hears the signal and
rockets to the surface to save them."
February 1, 2018 –
page 235
42.27% "Gabrielle is in shock from her interview with Marjorie Tench. She plans to go visit with
the senator ASAP. Norah has been killed by the U.S. special forces, as they stuffed snow down
her throat to suffocate her and leave no signs of murder. They are about to do the same to Corky
when Mike attaches a balloon to his and Rachel's harnesses. Corky is attached to them, and the
three of them are ripped away by the wind."
January 31, 2018 –
page 215
38.67% "The scientists continue to debate the source of the plankton and salt water. Marjorie
Tench is the one who has been sending Gabrielle all of the secret NASA information. She meets
with Gabrielle and reveals that Senator Sexton is making illegal deals with private space
corporations and that she has picture evidence of Gabrielle's affair with the senator. Rachel,
Norah, Tolland, and Corky go outside to investigate."
January 30, 2018 –
page 176
31.65% "One of the scientists found something suspicious in the water. He was about to take a
water sample and show it to everybody when the soldiers watching the hab flew a device into his
eye so he fell into the ice cold water. He slowly drowned and nobody knows of his death.
Rachel, the administrator of NASA, and others discover the suspicious activity in the water.
They confirm that the water has salt in it."
January 29, 2018 –
page 136
24.46% "The significance of the meteorite is revealed to Rachel at last. Embedded within the
meteorite are fossils of bugs, which provides proof that life exists somewhere else in the
universe. The bugs also fit into a group of bugs on Earth, which mean that the bugs on earth
came from a different planet. Senator Sexton has his interview with the President's senior
advisor, and he is clueless to NASA's discovery."
January 28, 2018 –
page 101
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Period 5

18.17% "NASA's discovery is finally revealed to Rachel. They have found a common type of
meteorite in the ice, but it contains something that will forever change our perception of the
universe. In the meteorite are fossils of bugs, which proves that there is life somewhere else in
the universe. Senator Sexton is thrilled that the President is pulling out the big guns with his
senior advisor, because he appears desperate."
January 27, 2018 –
page 84
15.11% "Rachel Sexton has been contacted by the President and he wants to meet with her in
private. They have a meeting together aboard Airforce One, which takes Rachel by surprise. He
alerts her of a massive discovery NASA has made and orders her to visit with the administrator
of NASA. A fighter jet takes her to the Arctic, where NASA's satellites have made a discovery of
an unusual meteorite."
January 26, 2018 –
page 30
5.4% "A geologist is held at gunpoint and forced to board a helicopter with his four sled dogs as
well in the Arctic. The armed men through him and his dogs out of the helicopter when it is very
high. Senator Sexton is running for President and he is gaining momentum in the polls. His
daughter, Rachel, hates his views and his personality. She works for the government and gives
important information to the president."
January 26, 2018 – Shelved as: fantasy-science-fiction
January 26, 2018 – Shelved as: english-class-books
January 26, 2018 – Shelved
January 26, 2018 – Started Reading