by Michelle BravoThere have been many books over the course of my life that I have read, but there are only a select few that have left their mark in my life. As a child I grew a love for reading when I realized how powerful my imagination could be through the interpretation of written words. To me, it was as entertaining as watching TV. From a young age, I never had much luck with developing a social life so books were my saving grace and kept me satisfied. My love for books is so grand that I would sacrifice many hours of sleep just to finish them. I was about 10 years old when my fourth grade elementary school teacher read Rick Riordan’s The Lightning Thief to my class. This book awakened my appreciation for Greek mythology and its ancient culture. Demigod Percy Jackson and his half-blood friends introduced me to the world of Olympus as well as Ancient Greek gods. The way that Riordan used the lore to his advantage in creating his own storyline fascinated me. This book was the epitome of fun in my eyes, Percy was such a relatable character that I found myself immersed in his world. This book was a definite milestone in my bookshelf and still holds a place in it till this day. The Lightning Thief was the first book I could not put down no matter what, the fact that it was a series made it all the better. I spent sleepless nights trying to finish this series because I had to know what would happen next. My appreciation for literature only transpired because of Percy Jackson and his missions to save Olympus. James Patterson’s Angel Experiment was one of those books one can get obsessed with because of how action packed it is. Collectively, it was a series of 8 books called The Complete Maximum Ride Series. The series was consistently well written and interesting all the way through. The reason this book changed my life was because I got to meet the mastermind behind the words. When given the opportunity to go meet James Patterson himself at his newest book release and signing, my 14 year old self almost cried from excitement. I brought with me every book I had purchased that he had written and carried them up to the table where he was seated at. He signed all 15 of them and I have kept each one in mint condition since then. He was quite impressed by how dedicated I was to his work. This book made me realize that the sci-fi genre was not off limits for me. It was a great escape from reality, a series full of adventure and action, some underlying romance and the fact that the main character was a heroin made it all the better. The most recent book to impact my life out of the three is Sherwin B. Nuland’s How We Die. This book was introduced to me during a slight academic transition in my life. It was an assigned reading in one of my classes from my first semester at a new college. Nuland’s words made me realize how any one of us could die at any moment. How every second we are alive we get closer to our inevitable death. There is no changing the fact that it will eventually happen, but this book took the fear out of death by explaining its process. Using medical terminology and concise language I realized that there is more than one way I could die, and contemplating death is pointless. This book gave me the push I needed to try to make the most out of my life, because it made me realize just how fragile and taken for granted one’s health could be. Wandering aimlessly and simply existing is not going to get you the life you desire. It’s a blessing to be healthy and able bodied, only you can control what you can accomplish during your lifetime.
Literature is something I hope never dies. But with entertainment options like TV, movies and Netflix less and less people are reading. This summer many people would comment on a book in my hand by saying, “Why are you reading? It’s summer” because they view reading as something one does solely for a grade in a class. The idea that a person could read for pleasure is no longer as popular as it once was. I hope at least one of the books I mentioned above will be a gateway to reading for pleasure in someone’s life. I’ve read many books over the course of my lifetime and without them I can’t even imagine the kind of person I would have turned out to be. With my nose always stuck between pages I never got into any trouble, it even inspired my love for writing. If I hadn’t picked up that first book I probably wouldn’t have come out of my shell and try my hand at trying to put words together myself; I wouldn’t be writing for an anthropology magazine. That’s how reading changed my life, it put me on a different path. Now, at the end of a long day all I seek is my bed, a good book and a literary world to escape to.
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by Amerra BukhariDr. Seuss once said “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” This quote is important to me because I grew up reading books by Dr. Seuss and being amused by the goofy images mostly. I failed to understand the messages behind some of his books but as I grew up and re-read the books, I understood how he guided his readers through his words. The words that affected so many lives and paved a path for them. That is why I chose this specific quote because reading is something I am very fond of. I’ve been a bookworm most of my life and having been asked to choose three books that changed my life was very difficult. As difficult it was, I ended up choosing the following: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl, and Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Parks.
Their Eyes Were Watching God is a novel I read in my first literature class and made me want to change my major from Philosophy to English. I liked this book a lot because of the protagonist, Janie, who was so full of spirit and determined to overcome any problems she faces. Through the problems she faced and the people she met, she created her own identity. Also, after reading this text and talking about it in detail, I found out that I enjoyed doing this, so I quickly switched over to the English major. Man’s Search for Meaning was an excellent read because my philosophy/anthropology professor Atiba Rougier introduced us to this book. Once I began to read it, I could not put it down. I was engulfed into Viktor E. Frankl’s experience in the concentration camp and how he survived through it. I loved his determination and courage throughout his time at that treacherous place. He taught me that even in the worse situation, you can find a way to solve or escape from it. by Debbie ChanI never understood how joy came alongside with reading because when I was a child, reading was a task. Reading was a check mark away from my “to do list” and it was like a chore. My opinions, however, changed when I was in the third grade. I fell in love with how my teacher, Mrs. A, read and how each word, when read, flowed into its right place and ignited curiosity of the characters. The years after the third grade became more and more fruitful in enjoying the world a book can provide. I was a very fortunate kid to have been surrounded by people who loved and valued books and it was a privilege to be able to read, let alone be able to own books. Picture Credit: Debbie Chan Slaughter house five was the book I had no choice of picking whether if I wanted to read it or not, because the book was assigned to everyone in my English class. Although the book made me a frustrated reader, with perseverance the book has changed me as a writer. In high school, I was someone who only wrote poems or song lyrics because that was where I had my foundation with literature. I grew up reading poets like Edgar Allen Poe, Robert Frost, and Emily Dickinson, and I have tried writing short stories, but I would never be able to make them into a finished product. When I read Slaughterhouse five, something changed in me and I was inspired by the writing style Kurt Vonnegut had. The book was filled with confusing thoughts and the transitions between sentences, ideas, and settings were abrupt, but that was what made it so interesting to read. The protagonist, Billy Pilgrim, was a war veteran. When reading the book, the story would never make any sense, not until you finish it and reflect about what you read. It was so clear that Billy had post traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, who would think that the writing reflected on that so perfectly. The abrupt changes of setting made me as a reader feel the confusion and frustration Billy felt when that happened to him. I want to be a writer who can set do exactly what Vonnegut did. I want to be able to reflect my writing onto the reader and make them the extension of the main protagonist of the story. This book has made me the better writer I was yesterday. Picture Credit: Debbie Chan I didn’t grow up in a Christian household. I somehow found my way to love Christ when I was in high school when I join this youth group because my cousin was in it. The Five People you meet in Heaven made me curious about how I was living and saw my life. I had the cliché questions about what my purpose in life was, or what did it mean to live a meaningful and fulfilled life. When I read this book in high school, I didn’t wonder upon questions about my life beyond high school, because that wasn’t my priority. I didn’t see how vulnerable all of our lives were. Even experiencing deaths in my family, I never thought beyond my own death and that there was a high chance death wouldn’t pay me a visit. The thought of my own death never crossed my mind. Growing up, all I heard were people hoping that I live a long, fulfilled, and meaningful life, and that was my thought of what reality was. That everyone lived a long, fulfilled, and meaningful life, but this doesn’t always happen. I was just never affected personally to not see this happen because everyone that I knew who passed away were old. As young as I can remember, I had thoughts of my existence and wondered if there were things beyond this would for us, but I didn’t know what to call it. It wasn’t until I looked at colleges I had interest in applying to and saw, under majors, Philosophy. I began to be curious about what this subject was and what it entailed. The way of living and questioning everything in this world was what Eddie, protagonist, did he was at his final moments on earth. Picture Credit: Debbie Chan One day caught my eye, because I saw Anne Hathaway on the cover of the book. I had a few close friends in high school, but one was closer then the others. This friend was like a brother to me and our relationship was like salt and pepper. The book talked about the work of two friends and like them, my friendship with my friend included unnecessary drama that resulted in almost breaking our friendship. The chemistry between the the two protagonist, Dexter and Emma, reminded me that if the friendship was meant to be, it will reveal itself with time. I believe in the saying that if something was meant to be than it was meant to be, however, it doesn’t mean that you don’t work for it. I never counted myself as a romantic, but I surely have learned a few things about what taking care of a meaningful relationship means. I learned that friendship, not only takes time, but it is not instantaneous. A friendship is not an instant gratification thing, because you need to build it like a house.
by Katherine SantanaThe three books I have chosen, are Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson and Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl. I have chosen these books, because each demonstrate the hardships and beauty of life. These books, have taught me that life is beautiful. Our hardships, help us grow stronger and our mistakes allow us to thrive. There is so much more to life than what we make it out to be. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley The story of Frankenstein is one of just many gothic classic novels that have always spoken to me. While it is a work of fiction, it carries several life lessons that changed my outlook on life and people. I started reading Frankenstein at a very young age and was one of the very first books that got me to into reading in the first place. I have watched several versions of Frankenstein movies books. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley like many other works on Frankenstein, demonstrates the fear of the unknown. It taught me how human beings, tend to reject and avoid something that they do not understand. Frankenstein, was a misunderstood creation and because of that, it frightened many. It also expresses the fear of oneself, as sometimes we can be driven by impulses that seen unfathomable. The effects of playing “God” is also key as Dr. Frankenstein felt the need to create a human being out of body parts of the dead. This book showed me that one must not tamper with nature. Life is a cycle in which everyone that is given life will die at some point. This book has taught me, that the world is full of judgement and misunderstanding. It made me think about moments in which I have misunderstood others. It made me think about moments in which I have encountered fear. Frankenstein, taught me that the unknown is scary yet magical. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, is once again one of many dark classic novels that intrigued me. The display of human personalities, demonstrate the complexity of human behavior. Everyone in this world, is like Dr. Jekyll as he like everyone else has a dark side. His dark side, is none other than Mr. Hyde. Everyone has a dark side, and it demonstrates the many faces that human beings must keep up with in this world. Dr. Jekyll is feeling the effects of expectations set by society and set by himself. Mr. Hyde is the result of unrealistic expectations and repressed emotions. This is much like us human beings today. We all face the constraints of society and the desire to release. Personality and human emotions is very difficult to understand and even harder to control. This book I feel, is an amazing way in understanding the complexity of human behavior. It made me think about ways in which that I have repressed my emotions, and moments that I have felt as though I was being given too high of an expectation. It made me think about my own behaviors and my own dark side. This book helped me realize that each person is unique, complex and fascinating at the same time. Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl Man’s Search for Meaning has got to be by far one of my most favorite books. I read this book as part of Professor Rougier’s Death and Dying course and it taught me many things. This book demonstrates the courage and strength that everyone has within them. Most importantly, it depicts the different forms of suffering and how meaning is created. Viktor Frankl, had a first-hand experience of the horrors in the Nazi death camps. He shares his story, as he expresses how he was able to keep moving forward despite the horrendous environment and mistreatment. Amidst the chaos, he was able to come up with a form of psychotherapy called logotherapy. Logotherapy, are the ways in which people find and pursue meaning in their life. This was very prevalent in Frankl’s book, as he teaches that suffering is essential to human development. There is no such thing as living life without suffering and we must be able to accept it and conquer it. Frankl demonstrates, how the love for his wife kept him alive. He, stresses the importance of solitude and taking time to think about one’s own life. My favorite sentences in this book, is that suffering is unique to everyone. I connected a lot with this, because my suffering can be different from someone else’s. Suffering for everyone is unique. The way we cope with suffering is unique. However, we must all learn from our experiences and use it to create meaning. Frankl never lost hope, and mentions how having hope is essential as you never know what will be at the end of the road. This book taught me that life is difficult, but it is also beautiful. Life is complex, people are complex and sometimes it takes time to understand both life and people. These books, have taught me that the world is not black and white. The world is scary, yet beautiful. It is destructive, yet life producing. The world is full of suffering and yet filled with happiness.
by Nelson HerasIn our lives, we all have come across that book that has touched our hearts and that have changed our lives forever. Books that stay with us for years to come. Thankfully I have three amazing books that have taught me things and have changed my life. The first being The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, although a children's book, holds a great message. By that I mean that an adult reading this book will gain a great message from the plot and understand the book in perhaps a more complex manner. As a child I read many books, both for school and for pleasure, however, no book has engraved itself in my mind as this one has. When reading this book, you witness the love between the character of the tree and the "Boy" as the tree likes to call him despite him changing in age. The tree does whatever is in her control to make the Boy happy at all stages of his life even if it means taking a piece of her, literally and figuratively. You can see the love of a mother and child and how a mother, in this case a tree can love her child unconditionally and always do what she can to see her child happy. A mother will live her entire life to please their children, a happy child is a happy mother. This book changed my life because it taught me such a meaningful lesson at such an early age. I learned from reading this book that love can be so pure and unconditional and when we receive that love from anyone we should appreciate it and never take advantage of it. I've mentioned in many of my writings that I have never considered myself to be a religious person. Being religious for me (you may think otherwise) is pertaining to a specific religion, finding the need to attend church in order to feel God’s presence, and rehearsing specific prayers time after time. I do not believe in such things because I am a firm believer of God and know that He is where I am, despite the location. I don’t think that God’s presence is only felt in church and also, I don’t believe in praying the Hail Mary, but instead believe that talking to God is a much better feeling. That being said, the second book that has drastically changed my life is the Bible, in which has managed to get me out of many difficult situations in my life. Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3 is one of my favorite verses, it tells you that there is a time for everything, to be patient because the perfect time will come. "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance." Whether you are religious or not these are very wise words anyone can learn from. What I have learned is that everything happens for a reason and that everything that occurs in our lives, all our experiences, have a meaning. Sometimes we are not aware of that meaning, but it's there and sooner or later we will notice it. Again, I do not think I am a religious person, however, I am a believer of God and his miracles. I love God the way I feel I should, not how anyone or any religion tells me I should. My intention is not to offend anyone with my words, I respect every individual’s beliefs. The Bible is beautifully written and can be read and enjoyed by anyone. Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar is a book that has recently changed my life. The actual content of the book is not what changed my life, but because I read Memoirs of Hadrian the love I had for reading flourished once again. The book has a great message and I recommend it, but the gift it gave me was opening the doors for other books to have a greater impact in my life. The reason why I chose Memoirs of Hadrian as a book that changed my life was because it was the beginning of something beautiful. Memoirs of Hadrian is one of those books which you can read over and over again and each reading will always be different. As our life transitions and as we go through new experiences it’ll be a whole new book, however, it will always remain with the same essence. By reading this book I gained some life hacks, those being to live your life in the way that makes you happy, accept everything that enters your life because nothing in life is meaningless. Although Memoirs of Hadrian and the other books were a requirement to read in Professor Rougier's Death and Dying class, they all changed my life because they introduced other styles of writing and other genres that if it weren't for the class, I would walk by them in a book store. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed them all. Not only did these books make me start reading other genres, but it also changed my writing style for the better, which I am thankful for. All three books, although different in content all put in its grain of sand to help me become a self I am happy of, a different person I was before coming across these beautiful texts. by Kevin TranThe Electric Daisy Carnival, or commonly known as EDC, is one of the largest festivals of electronic dance music in the entire world. This festival is held every year in various locations around the world such as New York, Japan, and Mexico, with its flagship held annually in Las Vegas. This was my first exposure to this type of scene since I was introduced to its music back in 2014. I was able to attend the festival in Las Vegas this year, and let me simply say that it has been one of the greatest experiences I have had since in my young life. Heading to the airport in June, I was about walk into an experience I would never forget. June 15th, the day before EDC was set to begin, I boarded the plane and headed to Las Vegas. I was anxious because I did not know what I was walking into. It was the first festival I had ever attended. I arrived around midnight, Vegas time, and decided to hit the strip. Being from New York City, you think you have seen everything there is to see about bright lights and fun until you step foot into Vegas, where no one truly sleeps. My friends and I did not do anything crazy the first night and decided to rest until the next day. The next day, I was so anxious to get ready to head there but at the same time I was not sure for what was in store for me. Videos of previous sets could never do justice so what you experience first-hand once you step through those gates. Since I purchased the shuttle ride, we headed to the boarding area at Las Vegas Village, and this was probably one of the worst lines I have ever been on. (Even worse than when I used to camp out for sneaker drops.) I got the location around 5:30 pm and the line stretched around inside the boarding area to all the way on the other side of block. These are not New York City blocks either, they are enormous. Waiting on all these lines, my best friend and I met some people from Colorado. When we finally arrived at the Vegas Speedway, it was around 10:00 PM, and from the moment I walked through the gates, I fell in love with the entire venue. Everything around you made you feel like you belong, and it stirred up my love of music. Since I was new to this scene, our new friends from Colorado took us around to various stages there where I got to see new artists and others whom I had heard about. The sights and sounds were visually stunning in every way, shape, and form. I got back to my hotel room about 4:00 AM and went to sleep to build up strength for day 2. The next morning, my friends and I headed to the hotel pool until it was time to leave, playing pool volleyball for a couple of hours. I noticed that people can drink liquor anywhere in Las Vegas, unlike New York where we receive a summons for having an open container. The culture is noticeably different than what I am accustomed to here at home. We headed up to our hotel room around 3, hoping to head to the shuttle early so we wouldn’t have to wait there for hours. By the time I got out of the shower, both of my friends said that they were sore and no longer wanted to go to day 2. However, I was not about to waste money I paid for this trip so I decided to venture to the speedway by myself. This time, I got to the bus shuttle area early and was able to travel to the speedway on one of the first buses. I got there a couple of minutes before it was set to open and the sun was beaming hard. Here is where I met various random people from all over the globe who came to Vegas in order to rave. I spent most of this night at Kinetic Field and was able to get all the way to the front of the stage. This is where everyone would stay for hours waiting for their favorite artists to come. I raved by myself for a couple of hours before I met up with some other people from John Jay. However, for the 4 hours that I raved by myself, it was the most fun I have had in a very long time. You get to be free and at one with the music. I think that’s what had me so in tune with everything that was going on around me. I was still in love with this scene. Day 3 was something so special for me. Being able to go to the final day of EDC helped me prove to myself that I could party 3 straight nights, with little to no rest and still be able to function. One person I was anticipating seeing was Metro Boomin, even though I was surprised that he was one of the DJs scheduled to be there this particular weekend. It was about 11:30 when he finally came on and let me tell everyone this: IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT. After he was on for about 40 minutes, he brought out a guest artist who happened to go by the name of Drake. This is where the crowd got ridiculously crazy, with everyone pushing each other back and forth. Everyone, including myself was ecstatic and all over the place because Drake is one of my favorite artists. He did not disappoint one bit and by the end of the set, I had completely lost my voice. Still, my night was not over and I decided to head to another set of DJs, who had made me fall in love with this type of music in the first place. Yellow Claw is a group from Amsterdam my cousin introduced me to originally. Yellow Claw helped open my eyes to this scene. Seeing them live made me feel like a little kid. This feeling that I accumulated was something I have never felt before. Mainly I felt like I belonged here. That made me extremely comfortable. After these three days, I was not ready to give it all up. I wanted to keep reliving this weekend because of the vibes and scene that surround this particular weekend every year. I conquered the biggest rave of the year and plan on attending many more in the future Especially the EDC event in New York; it is supposed to come back after being cancelled this year. by Samantha SheetsInto the Wild Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer is non-fiction recount of Christopher McCandless’ journey in the Alaskan wilderness in the 1990’s. During his retelling of the events that inevitably led to McCandless’ demise, Krakauer follows in his muse’s footsteps to the infamous locations McCandless resided. Instead of opting for a more tradition route after graduating college with remarkable grades, McCandless chose to explore the wastelands of America, specifically Alaska. While the main elements of the novel revolve around being a member of society and what that entails, I found myself focusing my attention on McCandless’ favor of solidarity. I read this book my junior year of high school, right before I began applying to colleges. While Into the Wild was a required reading for my AP English class, my teacher Mr. Guille insisted I read the book regardless of the impending assignment; he felt I could learn a lot from McCandless’ journey of self-discovery. Even with the deadline of the class’s final paper approaching, I deliberately chose not to read the book; I resented required readings and had the notion built in my mind that there could be nothing gained from reading what I deemed a nature book. While I could avoid reading the novel, I could not escape from watching the movie adaption of it in class. Fast-forward one-hundred-and-forty-eight minutes later, and I was sobbing in the middle of Mr. Guille’s class. McCandless’ story touched me. I sat through the rest of the day with the book in my hands and scanning the pages vigorously. McCandless was an extremely bright man, and instead of marching alongside society into what was expected of him, he disconnected from the world around him. He simply packed his belongings and traveled, something I’ve learned I want to follow suit in. The same English teacher who pushed and pushed me to read this book also nudged me not to attend college, but instead join the Peace Corps and travel. He’d slyly leave a Peace Corps application or pamphlet in my book bag as a joke and I declined his suggestions daily. As I begin my third year at John Jay college, I’ve come to the realization this teacher knew me better than I knew myself. He read me like an open book. I do not know what I want to do in life, or even the kind of person I’d like to be, but I’ve begun to be more and more like McCandless. I do know that I want to travel as much as I can and this book taught me that. That being said, I can confidently affirm that I will not be exploring Alaska. “Make a radical change in your lifestyle and begin to boldly do things which you may previously never have thought of doing, or been too hesitant to attempt. So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservation, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future.” (Krakauer, 1996) “A Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Raven” Both of Edgar Allan Poe’s pieces “A Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Raven” are impeccable and have shaped how I write. While Poe’s stories are different in many ways, they bare the similarity of evoking an emotion out of the reader through the use of descriptive details. “A Tell-Tale Heart” surrounds the murder of a man and the guilt consuming the murderer into a frantic and insane state. This shows the reader the intensity of emotions and their relation to their mental well-being. In the story, the man inevitably confesses to the murder to the police after hearing the dead man’s heart beating where he has hidden the body. Similarly, “The Raven” is about a young man whose grief has drove him insane. His unstable mental state leads him to converse with a raven that remains perched on a bust in his manor. I’m drawn to Poe’s work, because both are internal pieces and explore dark themes. They also become more intense as they continue, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. Like the murderer in “A Tell-Tale Heart”, my heart pounds as each line approaches the story’s climax and the thrill I feel when reading Poe’s work wants me to emulate that emotion within my own work. His work has shaped my own writing and has changed me as a writer. “I would define, in brief, the Poetry of words as the Rhythmical Creation of Beauty” (Poe, 1850). Grief is a Thing with Feathers This novel was written by Max Porter in 2015 and bares similarities to Poe’s “The Raven”. Both pieces are about men grieving and interacting with a talking bird. This book, like Into the Wild was also read as a class assignment; I read it in Professor Rougier’s class on Death and Dying during my sophomore year at John Jay. Again, bearing a similarity to Poe’s “The Raven”, the book is written poetically. This is evident in not only the style Porter chooses to write in, but the word choice and emotion presented as well. Professor Rougier’s class was fascinating to say the least; every student approached death differently and our views on the books we read reflected that. I’ve been lucky enough to not have lost many important people in my life, but this book still had the ability to strike a chord inside me. Every line is like a puzzle that holds hidden symbolic notions, and I was eager to learn how the death of a wife could impact the lives of a family so deeply. The bird teaches the family and the reader how to grieve, and while this lesson was not needed at the time of reading this book, it will be used in the years to come. As the book explains, grief is unavoidable, but manageable. “Moving on, as a concept, is for stupid people, because any sensible person knows grief is a long-term project” (Porter, 2015) By Samantha Sheets
Donny, who dreams of becoming famous off his music, decides to form an all-veteran bandstand in hopes of winning a competition and going to New York City. This band, for all those involved becomes a coping mechanism to forget what had been seen at war. The musical here makes an interesting choice by making most of the veteran band members hold a specific trope or condition of those who’ve returned from war. Donny Novitski, is the pianist and is clearly struggling with survivor’s guilt over the death of his friend. Jimmy Campbell’s (James Nathan Hopkins) a saxophone and clarinet player who is now becoming a lawyer, focusing entirely on getting through college thanks to the GI Bill. Davy Zlatic, (Brandon J. Ellis) plays bass and turns to drinking to cope, becoming an alcoholic. Nick Radel, (Alex Bender) is a trumpet player who now unhappily teaches and has bouts of anger. Lieutenant Wayne Wright, (Geoff Packard) who plays trombone, suffers severe OCD and has trouble turning back into a civilian, running his family like a unit he commands. Lastly, Johnny Simpson (Joe Carroll) plays the drums, but has memory issues after a car accident. Inevitably, Julia reluctantly becomes the group’s singer, filling the required veteran quota through Michael. The show bares similarities to the Tony Award winning show “Once”, by not only residing in the same theatre, but all the actors actually play the instruments they hold on stage. As a former clarinet player in a wind ensemble, I was thoroughly impressed by the cast’s ability to perform on all levels. While the band itself was captivating, after the formation of the band is when the show begins to fall flat. With the minimalistic set remaining stagnate and the constant gigs played by the newly formed bandstand at bars, the pacing of the show slowed down immensely. Both Julia and Donny break the flow of rehearsals and gigs through their budding relationship, another fault of the show. The show breaks the formula of traditional musicals by opting out of having an antagonist (Expect for MGM briefly at the end) and, yet decides to incorporate an unneeded love story. While the show tries to balance and juggle the bandstand story with it’s love story, the two plots fail to harmonize. What results is too much time spent pandering to romantic cliches as opposed to devoting more time to the consequences of recovering after war. That being said, the duet shared between Julia and Donny in act II entitled, “This is Life” is one of the best numbers in the musical, with Cott and Osnes making the most of their romance as they try to avoid admitting their obvious chemistry. While the pacing of the first act was off, the Tony Award Winning choreography shines through. It is especially evident in “Love Will Come and Find Me Again” when the dancers ecstatically take the stage and Julia is held upside down while singing. Luckily, the shows pace picks up in its second act. Whether it is because of the change of location from Ohio to New York City, or the lack of repetitive bar scene performances, I was glad to see a progression occur. The reveal of Donny’s connection to Michael’s death is also worth mentioning. Although it was not the most surprising revelation, both Osnes and Cott sell the emotion they are pitching on stage. You can see Cott shaking and choking back tears as he recounts the story of Michael’s death. Osnes, meanwhile, is begging him to stop, despite having spent all of act I trying to talk about Michael; she runs off in hysterics, Act II also held the best number in the entire show, the chilling “Welcome Home Boys (Finale)”. After making it to the finals in the bandstand competition, the band decides to change their set last minute after learning they will lose their initial song’s rights if sung. So they sing “Welcome Home Boys”, a song about the veterans in the band and their sacrifices. The juxtaposition of the song’s quick pace and jazzy beat, contrasted with its heartbreaking lyrics, struck a chord into the entire audience. Osnes belts her heart out as it’s worn on her sleeve, all while keeping up with the tempo and crying simultaneously. As an audience member, I was overwhelmed and tears rolled from my face, just as they did hers. It was a magnificent number orchestrated to perfection. The live band, for it’s part, played spectacularly, keeping up with the tempo and time, each member getting a small solo as Osnes describes them in song. While the show struggles to find its footing, the entire second act easily makes up for that, thus making it a show worth seeing. Osnes and Cott hold powerhouse voices and the songs help their star quality shine through. The band, meanwhile, ultimately make the show, driving not only it’s plot but also it’s music. It may not be a show you need to see twice, but the amount of fun the cast has on stage makes it noteworthy to witness.
I would lastly like to thank New York Theatre, specifically Jonathan Mandell for giving me the opportunity to see this production. Bandstand closes on September 19th, and I am grateful to have seen it before it departure. by Jordan DelesparraI think I had a typical summer, comprised of spending time with family and friends, working extra hours, and enjoying some free time. However, I made a pact with myself to spend my free time experiencing new things. To start, I asked my boss for a raise. It was the first time I had ever asked for a raise, and I was extremely nervous. I thought about it for weeks and kept making excuses to push it off to the next day, and the next. Finally, I mustered up all my courage and went straight to my boss and asked. I did not think he would deny me, but for some reason I found myself quite intimidated by him. Even so, I was awarded the raise, which my boss was happy to give me. I like my job and my coworkers, so I didn’t mind spending the majority of my summer vacation at work. Aside from working, I spent each of my days off doing something new. My brother had told me about DUMBO, Brooklyn a long time ago, so I decided that I needed to explore the neighborhood for myself. I walked the Brooklyn Bridge, strolled around the Brooklyn Bridge Park, took some pictures by the Manhattan Bridge, and ate some really good margarita pizza. There is also a lot of street art in DUMBO, which I enjoyed looking at while wandering around. I got lost on purpose in that neighborhood; it was the best way to get the full experience. About a week later, my friend and I took a trip to Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. We had heard that Jim Thorpe was a quaint town that has a couple really nice mountains for hiking. I did some research and decided that Glen Onoko Falls was the mountain we were going to go to. It was about a three-hour drive from home, so we got up Sunday morning, packed our bags and set out for the mountain. The base of the mountain had a beautiful creek where crowds of people were swimming and enjoying some fun in the sun. There was only one trail for hiking, so we briefly walked along the creek and then set out on the trail. All along the hike were signs saying “THIS TRAIL IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED. EXTREME CAUTION SHOULD BE OBSERVED AT ALL TIMES.” It was an extremely physically challenging hike, with areas of steep incline that required you to hold on to branches as you climbed, and even narrow parts of the trail that with one false step could have sent you tumbling down a cliff. Thus, the hike made me apprehensive at times but was overall fantastic. I enjoyed the danger aspect of it, and the difficulty level. The best part was the incredible scenery, especially the various waterfalls. More recently, I attended a film festival in Bryant Park with a few friends. The movie “Pillow Talk” was screened the night we attended. “Pillow Talk” (1959) is a romantic comedy that was directed by Michael Gordon. It is about a man and a woman who shares a telephone party line and cannot stand each other, but he enjoys romancing her with his voice disguised. It was sweet and quite entertaining to watch. In addition to the movie, various vendors were set up in the park offering food and drinks, and during the movie, the festival staff was handing out free popcorn. It felt as if we were transported back in time. My friends and I also tried Waffles and Dinges, which I had wanted to try for the longest time. Eating waffles in the park while sitting in the grass underneath the night sky, watching the movie with some great friends, I felt utterly content. This summer, as well as every summer, ended with my birthday celebration. As I reflect back on the summer, I can say that it was filled with loads of relaxation, good company, exciting and new adventures, and memories I will never forget. I definitely fulfilled the pact that I had made with myself to experience as many new things as possible, which was overall a great way to spend my vacation. by Katherine SantanaThis summer, was a summer full of new experiences and adventures that I never thought I would have. It was a summer that brought new memories that I will treasure for the rest of my life, even if they are simple. My summer started off with the UniverSoul Circus which was located in Mount Vernon, NY, and I have to say that it was one of the best experiences I have ever had. It was my first time ever at a circus and upon arriving, I felt the upbeat atmosphere even before the start time. What was so amazing about this circus, was that they incorporated the current trends popular with the young generation. You could tell that the kids were enjoying it so much because they could relate to it. The circus performers made sure that every single person in the audience was having a good time, even stepping out of the stage and onto the seating areas just to dance and have fun with the audience. During each break period before the next performance, music would be played in order to keep the people entertained while they waited for the next performance. In fact, they had special performers during this time to keep the crowd elevated and filled with smiles. Even my sister, who is usually very uptight, was having an incredible time. She couldn’t take her eyes off of the entire performance, and the best part was that she was off her phone which signaled that she was having a blast. My next trip was to the Madame Tussaud Wax Museum. Located in W42nd St. the wax museum was somewhere I had been dying to see for a long time. Accompanied by a friend, we purchased the celebrity package which comes with the Ghostbusters and Kong: Skull Island Experience. Upon stepping in, I was shocked by how grand and beautiful it was. Everything was adorned in red, it looked so elegant and regal. The first wax figure we encountered was Pink, who surprisingly was dangling from the ceiling upon going up the steps to see the wax figures. It was followed by the wax figures of Jenna Marbles, Kim Kardashian and so much more. The wax figures were all arranged in sections. For example, singers such as Selena Gomez, Rhianna, Prince and Whitney Houston were all in a section dedicated to singers. There was also a sports section, a section dedicated to the movie ET, the Ghostbusters section and Kong Section. Then there was the television program section which featured programs like Live with Kelly and Ryan. There was a section which included important figures, such as the presidents, Pope Francis, Martin Luther King Jr. etc. I have to say though, that the wax figures of Martin Luther King Jr. and Selena Gomez were not well done and unrecognizable. Nevertheless, it was an amazing experience and incredibly fun, the atmosphere created in each section was superb and fit perfectly with the theme of each section. I then went to the Central Park Zoo, located in Central Park. I was accompanied by the same friend who came with me to the wax museum and it was great. I was apprehensive at first about going to the zoo, as I have been to the Bronx Zoo several times and didn’t want to see any other zoo out of boredom. However, I am glad I went to the Central Park Zoo. It was a great experience filled with smiles, the first animal we saw was the sea lion. It was in a beautiful, almost fountain like pool, we only saw small glimpses of the sea lion so we moved on to the other exhibits. What I loved the most about this zoo, was that everything was open. For example, the bird exhibit did not restrict the birds from flying over the top of our heads. They were free to fly around the entire room, and occasionally we would get sprayed with water. We then moved on to the tropic zone, which contained bats, snakes, turtles, lizards etc. We also went into the temperate territory which included snow leopards, red pandas and even snow monkeys. Before the zoo closed, my friend and I had to see the children’s zoo not too far from the regular zoo. Here, there were pigs and cows and goats. We were even allowed to feed them and pet them, as long as we paid attention to the signs stating if it was safe to do so. I have to say, that I spent more time and fun at the children’s zoo than the regular zoo. My next trip was to a Prince Royce concert which took place in Madison Square Garden on July 26th. Prince Royce, is an American singer and song writer who focuses on bachata and Latin pop music. Upon entering the location, me, my mother and a couple of friends immediately had to go through security check points to ensure that we were carrying nothing dangerous. The process was quick, and once that was over we continued up the steps and into the theater. All of the staff were very helpful, and we were able to find our seats with no problems. The concert was set for 7:30pm, however, it didn’t start until ten minutes later. The first hour of the concert, was dedicated to the singer Luis Coronel who focuses on regional Mexican music. He sang for the first hour, which I found to be quite boring. Most people didn’t look interested, after an hour, we had to wait more than twenty minutes for Prince Royce to go on. I found this twenty minute period to be very boring. However, after the time passed, Prince Royce finally arrived and the concert was amazing. He played all of his hit songs, both old and new. He interacted with the crowd very nicely, and I have to say that he does a very good job at engaging his audience. Overall, it was amazing, exciting and hilarious. But most importantly, I gained a new experience.
I am grateful for the experiences that I have attained this summer, it felt great to go out and do something for myself and have the chance to experience this with others. These are memories that while simple, hold a special place in my heart. |
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