Post 3: Informal Reflection

   I have finished the book Deadline by Chris Crutcher and my thoughts on this book are that overall it was a very good book. The plot is pretty well written and allows there to be some twists such as one of the football players and his girlfreind being killed in a car accident. Also there is  usual underlying love story involving Ben Wolfe the main character, and the love of his life Dallas Suzuki who may not give Ben the time of day in the beginning of the book. That is since she doesn't even know he exsist. The thing with Ben is, that he has a rare and incurable blood disease and is told that he has one year to live. And since Ben is 18, that means that the doctor can't break a code of confidentialality with Ben and his parents. Ben is then given the option of vigorous treatment that would only slow down the disease and make his life misreable, or to forgo treatment and live one last year. Ben decides to go against treatment and tries to fit a lifetime, into a year. Along with the good plot, twist, and love story, I thought that the author did a great job of developing the characters, and also finding a way to fit other less important characters into the story.

Book 1 Project: Fan Experience

Now available to you is the official memorabilia of the Best Selling book, Deadline by Chris Crutcher. This Bucket List Kit is symbolic to the story and Ben since he is always talking about what he plans on accomplishing before he dies. This official memorabilia kit includes an actual bucket to represent Ben’s “Bucket List”, a pad of cougar football paper to write down your very own bucket list, and even Coach Banks purple and gold Cougar Football pen.

In Deadline Ben Wolfe learns that he has only one year left to live because of a rare form of an aggressive blood disease with no cure, in which he decides against treatment. Instead he decides he will eat healthy foods, take many supplements, get plenty of sleep, and take whatever comes his way. Since Ben is 18, and considered a legal adult when he goes for his cross-country physical, the doctor isn’t allowed to break confidentiality to Ben’s parents, so instead settles with a compromise. The compromise being that Ben must go and talk to a therapist, Marla, twice a week. While talking with Marla for the first time, he tells her, “at some core level he was moving on early and, even through the initial terror and disbelief, is going to figure out, that come hell or high water (I vote high water), a way to consolidate a life into a year.” Ben then later explains that he has a list of things that he wants to accomplish including, “fall in love, marry, make smart investments, grow old, and die” in his 12 months that he has left, and make them the best 12 months he can have. After Ben’s talk with the therapist and his doctor, he also decides that he will trade in his cross-country shoes, for shoulder pads, and a helmet because as Ben says, “I’ve always had a fantasy of playing ball.” His fantasy becomes a reality with him first being a part of the team, then him playing special teams, and escalating into a breakout star. His football career culminated with an amazing game-winning touchdown catch from his brother, to beat their rival on Homecoming.   Throughout the story Ben continues to check off items on his bucket list, such as finding out the truth about his U.S History and Government classes, also his dream girl, and even the town drunk’s past.

This official Bucket List Kit will allow audiences to feel like they’re walking in Ben’s shoes. Each fan will ask themselves, what if I have only one year left to live, and knew it, what would I put on my list? The audience will use this kit to create their own bucket list. Fans that purchase this item will be eligible to win one of the 100 Bucket List prizes. This prize package will allow 100 fans the opportunity of a lifetime to experience one thing on their own bucket list, just like how Ben got to finish his “adolescence” with Dallas, the girl of his dreams. This premier product will be sold in bookstores, libraries, newsstands, and coffee shops. Chris Cructcher’s other novels, including Deadline will be able to be purchased at these same locations. This promotional opportunity is available to young adults through senior citizens.

Post 2: What is a book

A book is an adventure in any form, whether it's a hardback, paperback, or online e-reader version, it's all the same to me.  A book possess more than just words on pages of paper, it possess an escape from reality, and allows the reader to use their own imagination. I agree with Joe Meno’s definition of what a book is when she says, “For me, a book, in whatever form it takes…”  I believe that by this the author is stating that a book is a book; it doesn’t have to be just on paper. 

I believe that there is an endless possibility for the definition of “What is a book”, and that’s because a book means something special, or something different to everyone.  When Nancy Jo Sales says, “There’s something special about the physicality of a book, the way it feels and even smells—the notes written in the margins—that makes it a living, breathing companion…”  I strongly agree with Nancy Jo Sales on her point because to me, there is that special connection with the book when you’re actually holding it, but to others it may just be that; a book.  Those are the people that would say it’s the same story no matter the form. 

I also agree with Nancy Jo Sales when she claims that her life wouldn’t be the same if books had been coming to her in the form of a Kindle, iPad, or any other type of e-reader.  I agree with this because if I had always read books online, or on an e-reader, the way I read today would most likely be completely different.  Instead of using context clues to find the meaning of a word, I could have the e-reader just tell me what the word means; and I think that this would go for any kind of figurative language or reading strategies that are important to learn and use in many classes.