Black Gold: The Story of Oil in Our Lives
By Albert Marrin
Alfred A. Knopf, 2012. 181 pgs. Teen nonfiction
Albert Marrin's timely book starts out explaining what oil is and where is comes from, then moves into its impact on the world, particularly how it relates to warfare, both in the sense that more oil reserves make for a better army and in the sense that countries are willing to go to war to get more. The book also discusses the problems with oil--such as natural disasters and the dwindling supply and concludes by discussing some possible alternatives to relying on oil and the pros and cons of each.
The book starts out slowly--the explanation of how we get oil is a little dry--but then it picks up considerably. Readers who push through will be rewarded with an enlightening look at how oil impacts us--and will likely be worried that the dwindling oil supply will run out any minute. Despite striking fear into the heart of the reader (or maybe because of it), this is the type of book that really makes readers think about the world we live in. Another excellent piece of nonfiction from Marrin.
4.5 stars. Clean read.
Showing posts with label Middle East. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Middle East. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Where the Streets Had a Name
Where the Streets Had a Name
By Randa Abdel-Fattah
Scholastic, 2010. 313 pgs. Middle Grade Fiction
Hayaat is thirteen years old and lives in Bethlehem, where her family has been forced to relocate after the creation of Israel and subsequent conflicts between the Israelis and the Palestinians. A Muslim Palestinian, Hayaat must live with curfews and restrictions on travel. Although her family lives only six miles from their beloved Jerusalem, they are not allowed to go there. However, Hayatt believes that getting a jarful of soil from her grandmother's (former) land in Jerusalem, she will be able to prolong her grandmother's life. So Hayaat and her best friend Samy, a Christian Palestinian, set out for Jerusalem.
This book is phenomenal. Have grown up in the U.S., I think there's definitely a bias toward Israelis and against Palestinians, since the U.S. has traditionally been an ally of Israel's. I think there's a prejudice toward Palestinians, thinking they're all a bunch of Muslim terrorists. However, this book does much to encourage readers to think about the Palestinian-Israeli conflicts and see how there are many similarities between the peoples; just as many Jews wanted a place to live and feel safe following the Holocaust, Palestinians wanted to have their ancestral land. There are some very thought-provoking scenes in this book and characters of a variety of faiths (Jews, Muslims, and Christians) representing a variety of beliefs. It's also a great coming-of-age story as Hayaat faces her fears and finds peace in herself and hope in the future even in a situation where it would be tempting to lose hope. Although this book is being promoted as Abdel-Fattah's "middle-grade debut" (she's written two other great books for young adults), I think the story is interesting enough to drawn in older readers as well.
Four stars.
By Randa Abdel-Fattah
Scholastic, 2010. 313 pgs. Middle Grade Fiction
Hayaat is thirteen years old and lives in Bethlehem, where her family has been forced to relocate after the creation of Israel and subsequent conflicts between the Israelis and the Palestinians. A Muslim Palestinian, Hayaat must live with curfews and restrictions on travel. Although her family lives only six miles from their beloved Jerusalem, they are not allowed to go there. However, Hayatt believes that getting a jarful of soil from her grandmother's (former) land in Jerusalem, she will be able to prolong her grandmother's life. So Hayaat and her best friend Samy, a Christian Palestinian, set out for Jerusalem.
This book is phenomenal. Have grown up in the U.S., I think there's definitely a bias toward Israelis and against Palestinians, since the U.S. has traditionally been an ally of Israel's. I think there's a prejudice toward Palestinians, thinking they're all a bunch of Muslim terrorists. However, this book does much to encourage readers to think about the Palestinian-Israeli conflicts and see how there are many similarities between the peoples; just as many Jews wanted a place to live and feel safe following the Holocaust, Palestinians wanted to have their ancestral land. There are some very thought-provoking scenes in this book and characters of a variety of faiths (Jews, Muslims, and Christians) representing a variety of beliefs. It's also a great coming-of-age story as Hayaat faces her fears and finds peace in herself and hope in the future even in a situation where it would be tempting to lose hope. Although this book is being promoted as Abdel-Fattah's "middle-grade debut" (she's written two other great books for young adults), I think the story is interesting enough to drawn in older readers as well.
Four stars.
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