Once it hits February, many people abandon their New Year’s Resolutions, are tired of the energy and effort required to follow through and begin to favor simple activities like scrolling through TikTok and procrastinating their laundry. Temporarily slacking in a resolution is no reason to not start it up again, after all, Chinese New Year is on Feb. 10.
If your resolution was to read more books (or even write one), this article is for you! B-CC has a variety of alumni authors, publishing from a diverse range of genres.
Media Specialist, Mr. Brian Baczkowski, said, “We have had some wonderful English teachers at our school. These teachers have taught classes to nurture kids who are interested in being creative writers [and are also just] excellent teachers who spend the time to develop kids’ writing talents.” He continued, “We are also blessed to have people who come from scholarly and writer backgrounds and with this combination of factors, our high school has had a great track record of talented authors and journalists.”
Some of these books are available at the Media Center, while others can be borrowed from the public library, or purchased in stores and online.
Joe Haldeman, Science Fiction Author, graduated in the late 1960s-
The Forever War (1974) is a science fiction novel based on Haldeman’s experience in the Vietnam War. He lived through warfare while working as a combat engineer, received a Purple Heart due to the injuries he sustained, and proceeded to write a book about an endless war that would never leave its participants. His experiences shaped Forever War into a deep novel that mixes time travel, war, and humanity.
Tracy Chevalier, Fiction Author, graduated in 1980-
Girl with a Pearl Earring (1999) is a modern classic surrounding a 16-year-old girl’s experience with the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer. As a servant in his house, she piqued the interest of her boss, began a relationship with him, and eventually became his muse.
A.M. Homes, Novel and Short Story Author, graduated in the late 1970s–
This Book Will Save Your Life (2006) is a novel about a man named Richard who lives alone in his house, trading stocks and staying isolated. One day he wakes up in unimaginable pain and, just like the pit in his stomach, a sinkhole opens up in the middle of his living room. Described as a deeply psychological and emotional story, this novel goes into the struggle of opening up to the world.
Laura Hillenbrand, Nonfiction Author, graduated mid 1980s-
Unbroken (2010) describes the experiences of Army Air Force bomber Louis Zamperini during WWII from his time as an Olympic sprinter to the moment he occupied a bomber shot down by the Japanese, surviving, and floating in the middle of the Pacific with no sign of land or survival.
Matthew Zapruder, Poet, graduated mid 1980s-
Why Poetry (2017) is a book about the importance of reading poetry and why it can be accessible to all readers. Zapruder reflects that the way schools have taught poetry reading has caused a misunderstanding about how poetry should be read. The book explains what poems are and how they are supposed to be read.
Love Dunn, Fantasy Author, a current Tattler Staff Member-
The Lotus Flower Champion (2023) follows Alaia and her family on vacation in Thailand and how Thai mythology comes to life, threatening to swallow the family alive. The main character works to fight off these magical creatures (Are they Gods? Are they even real?), get her family back together, and get home.
Whichever book you pick off the shelf, it’s never too late to add to your book count for 2024.
