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10th Grade
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According to Ponyboy, there are
two kinds of people in the world: greasers and socs. A soc (short
for "social") has money, can get away with just about anything,
and has an attitude longer than a limousine. A greaser, on the
other hand, always lives on the outside and needs to watch his
back. Ponyboy is a greaser, and he's always been proud of it, even
willing to rumble against a gang of socs for the sake of his
fellow greasers--until one terrible night when his friend Johnny
kills a soc. |
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When the downtrodden beasts of
Manor Farm oust their drunken human master and take over
management of the land, all are awash in collectivist zeal.
Everyone willingly works overtime, productivity soars, and for one
brief, glorious season, every belly is full. The animals' Seven
Commandment credo is painted in big white letters on the barn. All
animals are equal. No animal shall drink alcohol, wear clothes,
sleep in a bed, or kill a fellow four-footed creature. Those that
go upon four legs or wings are friends and the two-legged are, by
definition, the enemy. Too soon, however, the pigs, who have
styled themselves leaders by virtue of their intelligence, succumb
to the temptations of privilege and power. |
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A hard-hitting story of the
unraveling of a young black man who was the drunk driver in an
accident that killed his best friend. Andy cannot bear his guilt
or reach out for help, and chapter by chapter his disintegration
builds to inevitable suicide. Counselors, coaches, friends, and
family all fail him. The story is artfully told through English
class assignments, including poetry; dialogues; police and
newspaper reports; and letters. From time to time, the author
veers off into overt lessons on racial issues, but aside from this
flaw the characters' voices are strong, vivid, and ring true. This
moving novel will leave a deep impression. |
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When Mitch Albom hears on
television that his old college professor, Morrie Schwartz, is
dying of a neurological disease, he goes to visit him and ends up
taking what he refers to as 'our last class' - the subject of this
book. The professor embarks on a series of Tuesday studies,
decanting the wisdom of his years for the benefit of Albom.
Together, the pair talk about death, regrets, money, family,
feeling sorry for yourself, marriage, culture and forgiveness.
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While his dad is in prison, Ty
Johnson is holding the family business together--the family drug
business. A bright teenager, he has already incorporated surefire
business principles into his daily life: never lose control; know
your enemies; practice patience; and don't have a girlfriend until
age 21. His self-discipline, brains, and business acumen are
amazing for a 17-year-old, even though they are invested in a
drug-hustling dead end. An alternative school and a lovely young
mother seed doubts about his chosen profession, but it is a
tragedy that finally convinces him to start over. |
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