M.E.A.T. Blog

Since the libraries closed, I haven’t had the chance to read many new books. Instead, I decided to search my house for books to reread. This is a list (not in any particular order) of my favorite childhood books that ended up in my permanent collection.  Harry Potter series by JK Rowling:  The Harry Potter series has been my favorite book series for a long time. I first read this series when I was 7 and have reread it many times since. In case you don’t already know, Harry Potter is a 7-book series about an 11-year-old boy (Harry) who was raised as a Muggle (non-magic person) in a Muggle family, but discovers he is an immensely famous wizard. His parents, Lily and James Potter, were killed by the magical world’s biggest enemy: Lord Voldemort. Harry somehow survived Voldemort's killing curse, and over the course of the series, he learns the skills necessary to defeat Voldemort at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Accompanied by his be...

**NO SPOILERS** Hello, everybody. Because of all of my newfound free time at home, I have had plenty time to read the fantastic book: Murder on the Orient Express . To preface my review, I would like to mention that this classic story also has many movie adaptations, however I have not seen any of them, but if they do the book any justice, I’m sure they are good. I made the decision to read this book after thinking about my past experiences reading mystery novels, such as Sherlock Holmes, and how they leave me at the edge of my seat when I read them. Needless to say, this book did not disappoint. My review: I am sure you have heard of this book, and have a basic idea of the plot, but if you don’t, here is a brief explanation of the plot: The book takes place on a train (named the Orient Express), in which many interesting characters temporarily reside in. One night, the train gets stuck in a large snow storm, so it must stay in place. The next morning, to everybo...

Quarantine has found me lazing around the house almost 24/7, giving an ample amount of time for various hobbies, with a notable portion dedicated to reading. A few weeks ago, I decided to revisit William Kamkwamba’s autobiography “ The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind,” a book I read around two years ago when I received it as a gift. Kamkwamba retells his life-changing experience of terrible famine in his home country of Malawi, and the innovative path he took to combat his critical situation and save his family. It’s the story of how the inventiveness and drive of a fourteen-year-old boy created a windmill from scratch to bring electricity to his village, his rise against seemingly insurmountable odds. “The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind” opens with an energetic prologue describing the moment when the culmination of his efforts finally reaches fruition, and he triumphantly stands at the top of his contraption. Kamkwamba then brings the reader back to the past, the start of his journey, and ...