Chapter 4: Ice ages and Sunspots
Why doesn't the Earth retain all the heat it receives from the sun? On the other hand, why doesn't all the heat escape into space? The sun does not warm the atmosphere, however the reflections of darker objects do. Many scientists wonder what causes the Earth to heat and cool, although in 1941 Russian scientist Milutin Milankovich published what he believed to be the cause of ice ages. Milankovich stated that there are 3 cycles that determine the Earth's climate. The first is the planet's orbit around the sun, which is more so the shape of an oval than a perfect circle, whose shape changes every 100,000 years or so. The second cycle has to do with the tilt of the Earth's axis, which determines where most of the radiation is located. This cycle takes about 42,000 years to complete. Finally, the third cycle takes about 22,000 years to run its course and deals with the wobble of the Earth's axis, which determines the intensity of the seasons. Although these cycles only alter the amount of sunlight reaching the Earth annually by .1 of a percent, that can cause the Earth's temperature to change up to 5 degrees celsius. According to Milankovich's cycles, the Earth should be getting colder, although human pollution has caused the Earth's temperature to increase. With the help of these cycles, climatologists have continued to study why the Earth's climate has varied over time. In the early 1600's, Italian astronomer Galileo, with the help of one of the first ever telescopes, noticed dark spots on the sun. Although these sunspots are slightly cooler than the sun's surface, the Earth seems to warm up when there are more sunspots. The impact on the entire climate of the Earth may be too small to measure, although the variations of solar radiation and greenhouse gasses do have a large effect. Solar radiation affects the upper stratosphere, while greenhouse gasses warm the troposphere at the bottom where the concentration is highest. The stratospheric cooling and tropospheric warming are caused by the ozone hole and greenhouse gasses, respectively, as sunspots can not be responsible for either phenomenon. Finally, fossils can help us determine climate change. Due to the shift of steady climatic conditions, scientists have determined that these shifts have moved entire species from one side of a continent to another.
Questions:
1) What effect can sunspots have on Canada's climate?
2) Which of Milutin Milankovich's cycles has the greatest effect on climate change?
3) Since the Earth should be getting colder, what effect has human pollution really had on the Earth's temperature?
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Gratitude Fan Letter
Dear Mr. Kertes,
I am writing this to compliment you on “Gratitude,” a book that my entire school just finished or are currently reading. It was good to hear your thoughts on the book, as it was obviously a difficult topic to write about. Your descriptions of Lili and her family seemed to portray those of many Hungarian Jews during the end of the Holocaust.
Obviously a lot has been written about the Holocaust and World War 2, although I’ve never read a book like this one that tells the story of a family and what those who were forced to hide from the Nazi’s had to endure. I also liked how the book talked about what others did to help the Jews that were trying to hide from the German forces. Lili, being the only survivor the day that her family is suddenly taken away by the Nazi’s, is a good character because she probably had the same sad story as many other children during the Holocaust.
I am glad that the book was written by someone who was so close to the Holocaust, and that you were able to effectively portray the lives of those trying to escape the German forces. The book is long and very detailed, so those who read it have an easy time understanding the characters and the situations which I found very useful. You were able to write the book in a dramatic and powerful way, and obviously knew what you were talking about when it came to this topic which is something that not everyone can say.
I have been taught a lot about the Holocaust at school, and find it very interesting, which is why I’m thankful to read a book that details the horror that some of the victims had to deal with upon capture or in hiding. I think that you are doing the world a favour by publishing works about the Holocaust, because it’s important that people understand what happen and that it should never happen again.
Sincerely,
Charlie Deacon
I am writing this to compliment you on “Gratitude,” a book that my entire school just finished or are currently reading. It was good to hear your thoughts on the book, as it was obviously a difficult topic to write about. Your descriptions of Lili and her family seemed to portray those of many Hungarian Jews during the end of the Holocaust.
Obviously a lot has been written about the Holocaust and World War 2, although I’ve never read a book like this one that tells the story of a family and what those who were forced to hide from the Nazi’s had to endure. I also liked how the book talked about what others did to help the Jews that were trying to hide from the German forces. Lili, being the only survivor the day that her family is suddenly taken away by the Nazi’s, is a good character because she probably had the same sad story as many other children during the Holocaust.
I am glad that the book was written by someone who was so close to the Holocaust, and that you were able to effectively portray the lives of those trying to escape the German forces. The book is long and very detailed, so those who read it have an easy time understanding the characters and the situations which I found very useful. You were able to write the book in a dramatic and powerful way, and obviously knew what you were talking about when it came to this topic which is something that not everyone can say.
I have been taught a lot about the Holocaust at school, and find it very interesting, which is why I’m thankful to read a book that details the horror that some of the victims had to deal with upon capture or in hiding. I think that you are doing the world a favour by publishing works about the Holocaust, because it’s important that people understand what happen and that it should never happen again.
Sincerely,
Charlie Deacon
Monday, February 18, 2008
Woman Novelist Blog - Blood Sports
There are a few things I found worked well in Eden Robinson's novel, "Blood Sports." She does a good job describing the lives of the different characters, especially those of Tom, Paulie and Mel. Tom and his girlfriend Paulie, both with a history of drugs and other sorts of crime, live in a messy apartment in a bad neighbourhood with their daughter Melody, or Mel. Tom's has a bad history with his cousin, Jeremy, who is a terrible influence on Tom's life. There is a lot of direct dialogue between the characters, which I found made it easier to follow what was happening and where everything is taking place. In particular, I especially liked when she wrote about Tom and Jeremy which was described in detail and easy to understand.
There were a few things, however, that I didn't like about the book. I would have preferred that the author include more about Tom's brother, Jeremy, at the beginning of the book. The majority of the opening pages of the book revolve primarily around Tom, Paulie and Mel, and there is no mention of Jeremy until well into the story. I would also liked to have learned more about Jeremy and Tom's relationships with their mother and father, although there are some points of the book that do discuss their past and what their parents are like. For example, Jeremy paying nearly $40,000 to put his mother into a rehabilitation clinic as a Christmas present.
"Tom checked the clock above the front doors. Two more hours until the morning shift showed. The security buzzer bleated as a young guy in a baseball cap walked in. Behind the man, Tom noticed the black van cruising into the empty parking lot. The distance from the shop blurred the Crime-Stoppers worthy details like the license plate, model, and make, but he was sure that it was the same van that had been through the lot twice before.
Tom ignored the urge to lock the front doors. There were lots of non-robbing reasons people would wait in a deserted parking lot with their van's headlights off and he engine running. Maybe this was a lost tourist who kept stopping to check his map. Maybe this was some horndog picking up women. Maybe this was just some dealer waiting for a drop. The van disappeared out of the lot and down the deserted street. Tom massaged his temples. Or maybe sleep deprivation was making him bug-eyed."
The reason I liked these particular two paragraphs is because they provide a good example of what this book is about. Tom is working late and sees a van which he believes is stalking him, which is something that he should be concerned with as his brother always seems to be watching him. The paragraph's also provide an example of how insecure Tom feels wherever he goes, which is something else he is forced to deal with throughout the story.
There were a few things, however, that I didn't like about the book. I would have preferred that the author include more about Tom's brother, Jeremy, at the beginning of the book. The majority of the opening pages of the book revolve primarily around Tom, Paulie and Mel, and there is no mention of Jeremy until well into the story. I would also liked to have learned more about Jeremy and Tom's relationships with their mother and father, although there are some points of the book that do discuss their past and what their parents are like. For example, Jeremy paying nearly $40,000 to put his mother into a rehabilitation clinic as a Christmas present.
"Tom checked the clock above the front doors. Two more hours until the morning shift showed. The security buzzer bleated as a young guy in a baseball cap walked in. Behind the man, Tom noticed the black van cruising into the empty parking lot. The distance from the shop blurred the Crime-Stoppers worthy details like the license plate, model, and make, but he was sure that it was the same van that had been through the lot twice before.
Tom ignored the urge to lock the front doors. There were lots of non-robbing reasons people would wait in a deserted parking lot with their van's headlights off and he engine running. Maybe this was a lost tourist who kept stopping to check his map. Maybe this was some horndog picking up women. Maybe this was just some dealer waiting for a drop. The van disappeared out of the lot and down the deserted street. Tom massaged his temples. Or maybe sleep deprivation was making him bug-eyed."
The reason I liked these particular two paragraphs is because they provide a good example of what this book is about. Tom is working late and sees a van which he believes is stalking him, which is something that he should be concerned with as his brother always seems to be watching him. The paragraph's also provide an example of how insecure Tom feels wherever he goes, which is something else he is forced to deal with throughout the story.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Letter to Rick Reilly
Dear Mr. Reilly,
First of all, I would like to say I am a huge fan of all of your work, especially with the Sports Illustrated magazine, and some of my favourite articles that I have ever read have been by you. It’s a shame that you won’t be writing for SI anymore, I am sure that they will miss what you bring to the magazine every week.
On the subject of your book, however, I have all the same praises for “Who’s Your Caddy?” The comedic aspect of your writing that I enjoy so much from your magazine articles is certainly not missing from your book. Each chapter, which features a new personality in each one, has a fantastic story behind it. I am sure the time that you spent with all of these PGA Tour pros was quite an adventure, and the idea behind this book is brilliant. I felt like I learned something new and interesting about a new person each chapter. In fact, even the titles of the chapters are funny.
My favourite chapter, by a wide margin, is the one you wrote on John Daly. One of the greatest characters in all of sports, Daly is everything that you see on T.V and then some. Although most of the things that you describe aren’t appropriate to repeat, I had a really good time reading about Big John. The way that you describe his life is extremely funny, and it really allows people to realize how insane his life really is.
Another thing I enjoyed about the book was the differentiation between chapters, and the type of people you wrote about. For instance, it was not just professional golfers that were used; for example, the chapter on Donald Trump was really funny and interesting, and really expresses what kind of person Trump is behind the scenes. Obviously, there is a great difference between what people see on “The Apprentice,” and what he is like behind closed doors. I’m sure caddying for him was as wild as it sounds.
Anyways, I would like to congratulate you on a fine piece of literature, and look forward to hopefully reading more of your work in the future.
First of all, I would like to say I am a huge fan of all of your work, especially with the Sports Illustrated magazine, and some of my favourite articles that I have ever read have been by you. It’s a shame that you won’t be writing for SI anymore, I am sure that they will miss what you bring to the magazine every week.
On the subject of your book, however, I have all the same praises for “Who’s Your Caddy?” The comedic aspect of your writing that I enjoy so much from your magazine articles is certainly not missing from your book. Each chapter, which features a new personality in each one, has a fantastic story behind it. I am sure the time that you spent with all of these PGA Tour pros was quite an adventure, and the idea behind this book is brilliant. I felt like I learned something new and interesting about a new person each chapter. In fact, even the titles of the chapters are funny.
My favourite chapter, by a wide margin, is the one you wrote on John Daly. One of the greatest characters in all of sports, Daly is everything that you see on T.V and then some. Although most of the things that you describe aren’t appropriate to repeat, I had a really good time reading about Big John. The way that you describe his life is extremely funny, and it really allows people to realize how insane his life really is.
Another thing I enjoyed about the book was the differentiation between chapters, and the type of people you wrote about. For instance, it was not just professional golfers that were used; for example, the chapter on Donald Trump was really funny and interesting, and really expresses what kind of person Trump is behind the scenes. Obviously, there is a great difference between what people see on “The Apprentice,” and what he is like behind closed doors. I’m sure caddying for him was as wild as it sounds.
Anyways, I would like to congratulate you on a fine piece of literature, and look forward to hopefully reading more of your work in the future.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
"Skin Tight" Carl Hiaasen
"Timmy Gavigan had looked like death for most of his adult life. Now he had an excuse. His coppery hair had fallen out in thickets, revealing patches of pale freckled scalp. His face, once round and florid, looked like someone had let the air out."
This quotation reveals that the character, Timmy Gavigan, has had a history of making poor decisions throughout the course of his life, and is sitting in a hospital bed because he allowed a juice company to experiment on him with their latest product. Among other things, this proves that Timmy isn't a very intelligent character and doesn't seem to have any intention of taking care of his body.
"Stranahan had purchased his house dirt-cheap at a government auction. The previous owner was a Venezuelan cocaine courier who had been shot 13 times in a serious business dispute, then indicted posthumously."
Mick Stranahan, the main character of the novel who has a killer after him, is clearly not a very rich man. Purchasing a cheap house that had been previously owned by a deceased cocaine courier definetly proves this, and that Stranahan may not always understand what he is getting himself into. Mick spends most of his time running away from a killer, and he is clearly not helping his own cause.
"Stranahan watched the pudgy little man wheeze back and forth behind the baseline and marveled at the atrociousness of his hairpeice. It was one of those synthetic jobs, the kind you're supposed to be able to wear in the shower. In Dr. George Gingers case, the thing on his head looked like fresh roadkill."
Dr. George Ginger is a potential threat to Mick Stranahan, and is a surgeon. Stranahan is meeting him to ask a few questions, and the physical description is fitting for what the doctor is like. Dr. Ginger is clearly making a fool of himself, most likely without even knowing it, and doesn't receive much respect from any of his friends or patients.
"As best he could, Reynaldo Flemm made mental notes of Whispering Palms during the tour. He was posing as a male exotic dancer who needed a blemish removed from his right buttock. For the purpose of disguise, Flemm had dyed his hair and greased it right back; that was all he could do to bear to alter his appearance. Secretly, he loved it when people stared because they recognized him from television."
Reynaldo Flemm is a bad actor who is under disguise visiting a hospital. Flemm hopes to be seen by people who watched his show, although the show is not very popular and he isn't recognized by anyone. Flemm believes he is more important than he actually is, although is very good at working undercover.
"'Chloe Simpkins Stranahan was up and pacing now, arms folded across her chest, heels clicking on the Spanish title. :So you see," she said, "this is why I hate my ex-husband so much.'
'Chemo said, "So you want to get even?'
'Boy are you swifty. Yes, I want to get even'"
This is a conversation between Chemo, a hitman, and Chloe Stranahan, Micks ex-wife. She is angry because of a situation that occurred between Mick and another man, and she is trying to get him killed. Obviously, she is an angry woman, and probably a bit crazy for hiring someone to kill her husband for something so minor.
This quotation reveals that the character, Timmy Gavigan, has had a history of making poor decisions throughout the course of his life, and is sitting in a hospital bed because he allowed a juice company to experiment on him with their latest product. Among other things, this proves that Timmy isn't a very intelligent character and doesn't seem to have any intention of taking care of his body.
"Stranahan had purchased his house dirt-cheap at a government auction. The previous owner was a Venezuelan cocaine courier who had been shot 13 times in a serious business dispute, then indicted posthumously."
Mick Stranahan, the main character of the novel who has a killer after him, is clearly not a very rich man. Purchasing a cheap house that had been previously owned by a deceased cocaine courier definetly proves this, and that Stranahan may not always understand what he is getting himself into. Mick spends most of his time running away from a killer, and he is clearly not helping his own cause.
"Stranahan watched the pudgy little man wheeze back and forth behind the baseline and marveled at the atrociousness of his hairpeice. It was one of those synthetic jobs, the kind you're supposed to be able to wear in the shower. In Dr. George Gingers case, the thing on his head looked like fresh roadkill."
Dr. George Ginger is a potential threat to Mick Stranahan, and is a surgeon. Stranahan is meeting him to ask a few questions, and the physical description is fitting for what the doctor is like. Dr. Ginger is clearly making a fool of himself, most likely without even knowing it, and doesn't receive much respect from any of his friends or patients.
"As best he could, Reynaldo Flemm made mental notes of Whispering Palms during the tour. He was posing as a male exotic dancer who needed a blemish removed from his right buttock. For the purpose of disguise, Flemm had dyed his hair and greased it right back; that was all he could do to bear to alter his appearance. Secretly, he loved it when people stared because they recognized him from television."
Reynaldo Flemm is a bad actor who is under disguise visiting a hospital. Flemm hopes to be seen by people who watched his show, although the show is not very popular and he isn't recognized by anyone. Flemm believes he is more important than he actually is, although is very good at working undercover.
"'Chloe Simpkins Stranahan was up and pacing now, arms folded across her chest, heels clicking on the Spanish title. :So you see," she said, "this is why I hate my ex-husband so much.'
'Chemo said, "So you want to get even?'
'Boy are you swifty. Yes, I want to get even'"
This is a conversation between Chemo, a hitman, and Chloe Stranahan, Micks ex-wife. She is angry because of a situation that occurred between Mick and another man, and she is trying to get him killed. Obviously, she is an angry woman, and probably a bit crazy for hiring someone to kill her husband for something so minor.
Monday, December 3, 2007
In the Place of Last Things
a) Russ Littlebury
"Alone now down the hallway to the room, the door admitting a light upon the instruments and the body of his father laid open in the open casket he had chosen for him. He said, I've come for you. Well I'm not here. So who am I talking to? You've found what matters to you, there is something holy after all."
This passage is from a flashback Russ haves about his fathers death, and it shows a different side of Russ than is demonstrated in the rest of the book. It shows how important Russ' father was to him, and that there are people in his life that he cared about as opposed to some of the people he meets during his travels.
b) Jack Marks
"The Marks stood and leaned over and scratched the animal with one hand, while with the other he took the cigarette from his mouth and cupped it. He brought it in from behind the dog's head then pressed it fast into the animals ear."
This passage details the cruelty of Jack Marks, who is putting a cigarette out in the back of a dogs head. Jack Marks is the "bad guy" of the novel, and this just outlines one of the many cruel things he does and says throughout the story. Most of the other people that Russ meets during his travels are nice, accommodating people, with the exception of Jack Marks.
c) Tara Harding
"I know you're committed to your students, Russ, but it's easy to forget what's at stake for them. And John's the oldest one in each class. He won't make it without some help."
Here Tara is talking to Russ about one of their students, John Overstreet, who is illiterate and can't do well in their courses. Tara ends up giving John a good mark, which says a couple of things about her. It is clear that she has good intentions, but doesn't make a great teacher because of how soft she is on her students. At the time, she is unaware of some things that have happened in John's personal life, but she feels like it is the right thing to give him a good mark on one of his papers.
d) Lea Bollins
"What is it, Lea?" He was leaning towards her.
"I really thought I was pregnant. But like you say, there's definite signs, I guess."
"You were never pregnant. You know that now."
"I thought it would make sense that I would be."
Lea has realized that she isn't pregnant, and she is explaining to Russ what had happened during her travels. Lea is very young and naive, and easily manipulated. Her ordeal with Jack Marks was a difficult one because of how poorly he treats everyone, and the threat of becoming pregnant at that age would be very scary. Lea doesn't know much because of her age, although she becomes a little wiser by the end of the book.
e) Mike Littlebury
"When a call came from the manager of the Colliston Icemen asking Russ to play the last half of the season, he knew that Mike had set up the invitation, and accepted it. There were daily practices and games twice a week in which Russ took the role of the seldom-used seventh defenceman who sat at the end of the bench."
This passage, along with the pages surrounding it, display the kindness and generosity of Mike Littlebury, Russ' dad. Mike sets up an invitation for Russ to play hockey with the Icemen, but that is only the start. Mike is very kind to everyone, including Russ, Skidder, and anyone else he came to know. This is one of the reasons Russ was so fond of him, and why Russ flashes back to times he spent with his father on numerous occassions throughout te book.
"Alone now down the hallway to the room, the door admitting a light upon the instruments and the body of his father laid open in the open casket he had chosen for him. He said, I've come for you. Well I'm not here. So who am I talking to? You've found what matters to you, there is something holy after all."
This passage is from a flashback Russ haves about his fathers death, and it shows a different side of Russ than is demonstrated in the rest of the book. It shows how important Russ' father was to him, and that there are people in his life that he cared about as opposed to some of the people he meets during his travels.
b) Jack Marks
"The Marks stood and leaned over and scratched the animal with one hand, while with the other he took the cigarette from his mouth and cupped it. He brought it in from behind the dog's head then pressed it fast into the animals ear."
This passage details the cruelty of Jack Marks, who is putting a cigarette out in the back of a dogs head. Jack Marks is the "bad guy" of the novel, and this just outlines one of the many cruel things he does and says throughout the story. Most of the other people that Russ meets during his travels are nice, accommodating people, with the exception of Jack Marks.
c) Tara Harding
"I know you're committed to your students, Russ, but it's easy to forget what's at stake for them. And John's the oldest one in each class. He won't make it without some help."
Here Tara is talking to Russ about one of their students, John Overstreet, who is illiterate and can't do well in their courses. Tara ends up giving John a good mark, which says a couple of things about her. It is clear that she has good intentions, but doesn't make a great teacher because of how soft she is on her students. At the time, she is unaware of some things that have happened in John's personal life, but she feels like it is the right thing to give him a good mark on one of his papers.
d) Lea Bollins
"What is it, Lea?" He was leaning towards her.
"I really thought I was pregnant. But like you say, there's definite signs, I guess."
"You were never pregnant. You know that now."
"I thought it would make sense that I would be."
Lea has realized that she isn't pregnant, and she is explaining to Russ what had happened during her travels. Lea is very young and naive, and easily manipulated. Her ordeal with Jack Marks was a difficult one because of how poorly he treats everyone, and the threat of becoming pregnant at that age would be very scary. Lea doesn't know much because of her age, although she becomes a little wiser by the end of the book.
e) Mike Littlebury
"When a call came from the manager of the Colliston Icemen asking Russ to play the last half of the season, he knew that Mike had set up the invitation, and accepted it. There were daily practices and games twice a week in which Russ took the role of the seldom-used seventh defenceman who sat at the end of the bench."
This passage, along with the pages surrounding it, display the kindness and generosity of Mike Littlebury, Russ' dad. Mike sets up an invitation for Russ to play hockey with the Icemen, but that is only the start. Mike is very kind to everyone, including Russ, Skidder, and anyone else he came to know. This is one of the reasons Russ was so fond of him, and why Russ flashes back to times he spent with his father on numerous occassions throughout te book.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Last Stop Sunnyside
"Last Stop Sunnyside," by Pat Capponi, is the latest book that I've read, and unfortunately it has been my least favourite thus far. Dana Leoni, who lives in a rough neighbourhood in Toronto, is shocked one day when a woman who everyone in her rooming house is very fond of, is found missing. The police arrive a few days later and say that she has been murdered, which stirs up Dana and all her friends. Unfortunately for them, the police are unable to find a key suspect, or any for that matter, which leaves Dana and her posse no choice but to take matters into their own hands. Resources are low for these folks, as they have very little money and not one car among them. Slowly, however, they start to narrow down the suspects, and eventually find the man, named Mallick, who killed their beloved friend.
The book was not particularily well written I thought, especially compared to some of the other books we've read (or are currently reading) this year. The author, Capponi, lives in Toronto, although has previously had a stint in a mental hospital, so she is good at explaining some of the delinquent characters. I was not very fond, however, of her writing style because she does more time explaining what her surroundings were like than she does talking about the murder and the potential suspects. I found myself getting bored at some parts, because I wanted to know more about the murder than I did about her drug addict and prostitute neighbours. On the other hand, her style is very detailed and thorough, unfortunately it was just not my cup of tea.
There are a couple of particular quotes that I liked because of the detail of the writing, such as:
"I still can't see, but it's true what they say about blind people, about their senses taking over. I know where he is, just passing the barbeque, I can hear him breathing. I gather myself together, ready to spring."
"Scattered here and there were there male counterparts, shirts grey with grime and dirt and perforated with cigarette burns; they mumbled to themselves, leaned against the mailboxes and street lights as if all their energy had deserted them."
"She even helped clean rooms that had gotten out of control, those belonging to paper hoarders or bottle collectors who were risking eviction as fire hazards or public health concerns, and she did it cheerfully, respectfully, without expectation of thanks."
I chose these quotes because they are very descriptive, especially the latter two, which explain some of the people that Dana Leoni got to know at her rooming house, and as you can tell they aren't the most privileged people in the city. These quotes are good depictions of what Dana is feeling at the time, and what she thinks of the people around her. I'm not sure I would recommend this book to everyone, and unfortunately it wasn't my favourite, but I'm sure the books in my later posts will be more fun to read.
The book was not particularily well written I thought, especially compared to some of the other books we've read (or are currently reading) this year. The author, Capponi, lives in Toronto, although has previously had a stint in a mental hospital, so she is good at explaining some of the delinquent characters. I was not very fond, however, of her writing style because she does more time explaining what her surroundings were like than she does talking about the murder and the potential suspects. I found myself getting bored at some parts, because I wanted to know more about the murder than I did about her drug addict and prostitute neighbours. On the other hand, her style is very detailed and thorough, unfortunately it was just not my cup of tea.
There are a couple of particular quotes that I liked because of the detail of the writing, such as:
"I still can't see, but it's true what they say about blind people, about their senses taking over. I know where he is, just passing the barbeque, I can hear him breathing. I gather myself together, ready to spring."
"Scattered here and there were there male counterparts, shirts grey with grime and dirt and perforated with cigarette burns; they mumbled to themselves, leaned against the mailboxes and street lights as if all their energy had deserted them."
"She even helped clean rooms that had gotten out of control, those belonging to paper hoarders or bottle collectors who were risking eviction as fire hazards or public health concerns, and she did it cheerfully, respectfully, without expectation of thanks."
I chose these quotes because they are very descriptive, especially the latter two, which explain some of the people that Dana Leoni got to know at her rooming house, and as you can tell they aren't the most privileged people in the city. These quotes are good depictions of what Dana is feeling at the time, and what she thinks of the people around her. I'm not sure I would recommend this book to everyone, and unfortunately it wasn't my favourite, but I'm sure the books in my later posts will be more fun to read.
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