The Two Books We Chose Were "The Notebook" and "A Walk to Remember"

This was my first book group. and I think it was a great experience for me I enjoyed every minute of this assignment. When Dr. McNeal was givtng out numbers for our class to decide what group we were going to be in l was hoping that I would like my group and I did I benefited from having a book group. In many different ways, I made new friends and I learned to like to read. Before I have this class I definitely thought that reading was awaste of time.

When I saw on the syllabus that we had to choose a novel and write two papers on it I thought I was just going to find a book that had a movte to go along. With it and go from there I was wrong. Our group actually made the mistake in thinking that we had to read two books and do a paper on each one of them I look at this as not a bad thing but very positive I got to read two of the best books I have ever read by an awesome author.

The two books that we chose were The Notebook and A Walk to Remember both by Nicolas Sparks. If we didnt make the error in reading two books I would have never thought aboutAWalk To Remember which was a remarkable novel. The book group assignment enhanced my enjoyment for reading I am currently reading another one of Nicolas Sparks novels when I have spare time.

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My Book Group Ryan: I new Ryan because we are good friends from my freshman year so I was really glad to see her in my group it made me more comfortable with the other members. Ryan is from Bridget/rile PA and she majors in Elementary/Special Education. Ryan actually gave the idea to read The Notebook. She said I saw it on Oprahs book group website and thought that we should read it since we are five girls who can read love stories Ryan is basically the discusser or the initiator for the discussions we had.

She is very talkative and always has something to say. even if it has nothing to do With our novels we read. Katie: Katie was the initiator of our name exchange when we first got together in the right hand corner of the room. The first thing that I noticed about Katie was her accent, She is from Cleveland OH and is an Elementary/Special Education major. Katie and I have the same classed but not the same time so we always had something to talk about. Katie. in my opinion was the leader of the group. She always made sure that we had meetings scheduled and something to discuss. If we would get off the topic. since we are five girls. Katie would be the one who would interrupt us with one of her Views from the novel I liked Katie a lot because she was very down to eaith. Melissa: Melissa didnt say much in the beginning. She was very shy and didnt really put her inputs in until she got to know us better.

It seemed like Ryan. Lindsay. Katie and I were all seeing eye to eye on things when Melissa would just sit there and say something here and there, lam not saying that I didnt get along with her well but she just seemed different than the rest of the group. Melissa is from North Allegheny PA and she is a Public Relations major. Lindsay: Lindsay was a veiy big contribution to our book group. She had many ideas that helped me write my paper and her interpretations of the topics we discussed were very useful. Lindsay is from New Castle. PA. and majors in EIementaiy/Special Education I am so glad that she became a part of our book group because along with all the use information she gave she also gave the group some personality. When talking about the group she would say some funny things like. When I found out about Jamies secret. I wanted to throw the book out the Window! That put a smile on all of our faces.

Myself: I actually think of myself as a contributor of the group and the person who makes everyone laugh. I think that being with a group of people in and out of class cant be taken serious all the time. But there are times where you want to just get the work done and over with so I know where to draw the line. Along with Lindsay, I feel I also brought a lot of personality to the group I also feel that I contributed a lot I didnt go to the meetings without anything to say or discuss I came up with some helpful questions to interpret and also made the girls laugh. lfeel thatl couldnt have been placed in a better book group. My name is Tia Colangelo and I am from Pittsburgh. PA. I am an Elementary/Special Education major. Summary of The Notebook The Notebook is a romance novel that sparked my heart. Noah a low class boy from a small town, falls in love With Allie a prominent young woman from the big city.

Over the summer when they met. Noah and Allie felt the kind of love that married couples dont even experience true love. After finding out that Allie had to move back to her hometown because her father got a new job. both Noah and Allie decide to have a long distance relationship and work things out. Noah wrote Allie for two years without one response because her mother hid all the letters from him. Once the two years went by, Noah gave up. Fifteen years later, Allie decided to give Noah a Visit before she gets married to a wealthy lawyer after seeing Noah and his house he rebuilt in the newspaper. When Noah and Allie reunite they go on ajourney of falling in love with each other all over. Meetings for The Notebook Our first group meeting was held on Monday, September 24m and it was very successful. We established a couple of rules Within the group and they are; read the material that was given, come to the meetings on time and have some questions and statements ready for discussion.

We did get off track at one point talking about classes, boy etct, typical stuff five girls would talk about when they are put in a room together. The first thing that came out of all of our mouths was, I LOVE THlS BOOKIH! I cant put it down. We started talking about our first loves and Lindsay asked if we think our first love will always be with us. Katie answered definitely, that he stays With you forever, We all agreed With her when she said that you compare every other person to that person. if you were completely in love with him or her. Another interesting topic that came up was what the house and letter meant as symbols to Allie and Noahs relationship. Ryan thought the house represented Allie and Noahs love. She stated. The house was new when Allie and Noah started going out. When they had to leave each other the house fell apart but when Noah bought it and restored it, it symbolized a new beginning for Allie and himself.

After talking about what the house meant, we talked about what the letters represented. Katie said The power of the written word is so important in The Notebook because of the letters Noah Writes and Allie never receives, the letters Allie Writes but never sends, and the poetry Noah reads to Allie. We mainly talked about the book itself and all the aspects that went along With it Our second meeting was on Sunday, September 301h. That meeting went as well as the first one did. We discussed the whole book in its entirety since it had to be read and everyone commented on how they cried at least one time Melissa asked if intense love could last forever. Lindsay replied yes, that it could, Adding to that she said, But thats because I am one of those girls that think when you get married that your love should be as strong on your wedding day as when the two of you pass.

I hope that when i find Mr. Right that our love will be as strong as Noah and Allies. Our group as a whole agreed that we all Want to find the kind of love that Will stick With us for the rest of our lives and that Will never die. My Interpretation on The Notebook In my first paper, before I read AWalk to Remember, I said that this was the best book I have ever read, lwoLild like to change that to this is one of the best books l have ever read This novel. to me. symbolizes a true wonder and a sincere romance. I am still young and Ive never really found love as strong as Noah and Allie had when they were my age. The symbols in the novel that signified Noah and Allies bond were the house and letters. Allie saw Noahs house in the paper. which brought her back to him. The letters and poetry writes the story of Noah and Allie, which in the end of the novel plays a really big part During previous actiVIties when I had the option olwatching the Video or reading the book, I chose the Video but in this case I chose the book.

I think that is why everyone loves it, because it Just grabs you. Overall, its a great book and better than most books I have read. It is a love story and it is the kind of love everyone is looking for. Summary for A Walk to Remember AWalk to Remember is set in 1950s North Carolina when women wore dresses and the men put on hats. Landon, the son of a congressman, falls deeply in love with Jamie, the daughter of the towns Baptist minister. They went to school with each other their whole life but Landon didnt pay any attention to her until their senior year because they ended up in drama class together. Jamie was a goodyrtworshoes and always kept to herself and the thought of even being friends With her never crossed Landons mind. She carried around a bible With her schoolbooks. rescued animals each chance she got and helped out With the local orphanage.

Then a tWIst of fate made Jamie his partner for the homecoming dance, and Landon Carter‘s life would never be the same. Somehow Landon ended up getting the lead in the Christmas play opposite Jamie. Each night he walked her home after rehearsals because it was too dark for her to walk her home by herself and thats how they both got to know each other. When her true beauty came out at the play when Jamie played an angel, Landon fell utterly in love With her, Only then did he find out a terrible secret Jamie had been hiding for the past seven months. Landon found the true meaning in love and saw that miracles do happen. Being with Jamie showed Landon the intensity of the human heart and led him to a decision that ascended him right to the road to manhood Meetings for A Walk to Remember Our first group meeting for this book was held on Monday, October 29th at 7:30 pm in the Slippery Rock library and it was very successful. Ryan and I walked into the library together because we had Mental Retardation before that. As we walked in i saw Katie, Melissa and Lindsay sitting on the bench waiting for us.

All of us greeted each other and Went to a common area to discuss our feelings about the book. We decided to have the Whole book read by this meeting because We didnt have much time left in doing the paper. Just like our first meeting with The Notebook, the first thing that came out of our mouths was, I LOVE THIS BOOK! I cant put it down. We started to talk about the significance of Jamies bible. Katie replied, Jamie carried her bible around with her wherever she goes. At school, during lunch she Will sit and read it alone. Her father is the minister in the church, so this is the reason that everyone gives for her being so involved With it. Landon found out that the reason she carries her bible everywhere is because the bible was her mothers, who died when she gave birth to Jamie. She gave Landon her bible for a Christmas present and he was oven/vhelmed. She wanted Landon to have it because she knew she was going to die and because she knew that he would take good care of it, Just as he had taken care of her. All of us totally agreed With Katie when she said that, it was like she took it right out of our mouths.

I think that the main pan of the bible is when Landon opened it up when he first fund out about Jamies secret and found: I cry to you, my Lord. my rock Do not be deaf to me. for if you are silent, I shall go down to the pit like the rest. Hear my voice raised in petition as I cry to you for help as raise my hands, my Lord, toward your holy of holies. It was underlined because I think Jamie prayed that prayer every day in hoping for a miracle and in a Way God heard her plea and answered her With a phenomenon. After We talked about the bible Melissa asked if We thought it was Gods plan for Landon and Jamie to be together. Lindsay said. Yes, I do think that it Was Gods plan for Jamie and Landon to be together. Landon gave Jamie a miracle and her dream. I also think that God brought them together to make Landon a better person. I agreed With Lindsays statement and I also think that when Landon asked God for help he answered and Landon knew exactly what to do.

Our next meeting was Tuesday, October 30th, during common hour in the libraiy The first thing that we started to talk about was when asked if anyone thought it was shallow for Landon to fall in love With Jamie after he saw her outer beauty that came out during the play. Ryan said, I think that he began loving her before he saw her outer beauty but didnt realize it until later on. I dont think that Landon would have done everything he did for her just because he Was being nice. I think that something deep down inside compelled him to help her. An example of this is when he put his savings into the cans for the orphanage. When she said this | Was feeling the same thing observation. I also think that he always thought of Jamie before the play but rejected the fact of it because of who she was and what his friends thought. Our main topic of the meeting was What is the walk and its importance.

All of us said basically the same thing. For Sparks the walk to remember is at the end when Jamie Walks down the aisle to marry Landon. This is important because of Jamies illness and also this walk and her effort represents how much she loves Landon, and how much she would last for him The other so-called walks are when Landon walks Jamie home every night after rehearsals Ryan said that those walks represent their relationship and I agree because that is when they truly got to know one another, My Interpretations ofAWalk to Remember This novel, to me, symbolizes a genuine miracle and a heartfelt romance. I honestly wouldnt know what I would do if I lost my true love Landon proved at the end when he showed his devotion to Jamie and proved to be a true man. The two main symbols in the novel were James Bible and her last walk. The bible showed Landon how much she really cared for him and James walk down the aisle revealed her affection towards Landon. This book grabbed my attention the minute I picked it up. Its a love story and it truly showed the power of a miracle.

Conclusion I like A Walk to Remember better than The Notebook only for the simple fact that in A Walk to Remember their characters age were around the same age as me so I could relate to what was going on. Both of the books wrote by Nicolas Sparks were amazing. They made me feel what was really going on and to tell you the truth, a book has never made me do that. I got into both of the novels; I Just didnt want them to end. The Notebook made me realize that there is that certain someone and no matter how Allie and Noah tried to deny it, they Just couldnt stop loving one another. Its the kind of love I know I want to have when I find my certain someone. liust couldnt putAWalk to Remember down.

Its the fastest book I have ever read. It took me about four hours to finish. This book is probably the best love story I saw or read. It made me realize that love is what you see in someones inner beauty. not outer. Landon definitely fell in love With Jamie because of who she was inside. not what she looked like or whom she hung outwith. Both novels sparked my heart in a way that l have never felt when reading anything. Having a book group was probably one of the most beneficial things that has happened to me this semester. I learned so much from it. The best thing that came out of it was I learned to like to read. I hated the fact thatl had to read two books in the beginning of the course but now that it is all said and done, Iwouldnt change anything I wouldnt change my book group, Iwouldnt change my books and I wouldnt change the fact that we made the mistake in reading two books.

In a way, I think that reading both books made my papers a lot better, espemally this last paper. Havmg a book group made me dissect the stories a lot more and got my brain thinking. I think that I am one of the luckiest students in the class because I love my group, I loved BOTH of my books and I had a really good time doing the assignments, I even liked doing the presentation because it was on something that I felt so strongly for. Overall. having a book group is probably the best way to go when reading a novel I am just saddened that when I read my next novels by Nicolas Sparks I wouldnt be able to share them with my group of girls, The Five Stars.