The Story of Art

The Story of Art
By E.H. Gombrich
Read in 8th Grade
Gombrich gives an extensive(really really long) history of art and architecture, from cave art through the Dark Ages to modern expressionist and abstract art. He explains what "Art" as we see it is, and why Art doesn't really exist, only artists. He takes celebrated pieces of art from each period and style and explains how it was revolutionary, why we get the reaction it invokes, and what they all imply about the way people view art.
I enjoyed reading this book because it was pretty in-depth without seeming like a list of facts or too much of an informational text.

CNN 10 4/6/2020 ~ 4/10/2020

Go to cnn.com/cnn10 for latest video

Monday, April 6th, 2020
President Trump has told the United States to brace for its worst week of the coronavirus pandemic. However, not everything is bad. In New York, cases have reportedly reached a plateau or at least a peak, and Italy, which has seen the worst of the European pandemic, has begun to see a decline in deaths. To try to help with the health crisis, a tech company called X-Mode, which tracks the devices of users, is seeing where people from heavily-hit areas are traveling to try to predict any new outbreaks. It says that it doesn't collect the identities of its users and puts consumer security first. Lastly, we take a trip to the Hakkoda Mountains in northern Japan, one of the snowiest places on Earth. But in the snow, many find beauty.

Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre
By Charlotte Brontë
Read in 7th Grade
Jane lives with her detestable aunt and cousins. Her apparently lowly parents died shortly after her birth, and she was taken in by her uncle. As his dying wish, he told her aunt to take care of Jane. However, jealous of her husband's affection for Jane, her aunt only maintains her to the lowest of standards, and she is constantly bullied by her cousins. One day, a man named Mr. Brocklehurst arrives from an educational facility to take her away. There, she learns much and becomes rather content. Eventually, she finds a job as a governess at Thornfield Hall, owned by a certain Mr. Rochester. She finds that he is very rich, but is almost never home. Then one day, she meets him on an icy day when he falls off his horse, without a clue as to who she is. Although she does not realize it, he has a deep affection for her.

A Little History of the World

A Little History of the World
By E.H. Gombrich
Read in 8th Grade
Despite its title, this book is not a monotonous list of facts and dates and names. Although it is too short to accommodate every civilization and event, it goes through most major events from the Stone Age through the world wars. It provides facts in a fun way, like a journey through history. Although I had already learned about most of the events, I found it a nice, amusing review. I would highly recommend this book to students entering middle school.