Mickey Catalan is a star catcher for her softball team. When she and star pitcher, Carolina, are in a car accident just months before conditioning begins for her final high school season. Determined to be ready, she turns to Oxycontin for support in getting through physical therapy. Suddenly, she has a new group of friends who supply her with more Oxy and when their supply runs dry, they switch to heroin. Her performance on the field has also been affected more by her addiction than by her injury. This is a very dark, graphic portrayal of a girl spiraling into drug addiction. Mickey doesn't believe she's an addict. She'll wean herself off after the season, she keeps telling herself. This story stuck with me after I finished it. I recommend this book, but with a warning about how graphic it is with a shocking twist.
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In alternating chapters, Scott Kelly discusses his year at the International Space Station and his life leading up to the mission. In the chapters about his mission, he describes the space station, adapting to weightlessness, maintaining equipment, going on spacewalks, the hardships of being away from his family, and the friendships with the other astronauts on the station. It was interesting to hear about what life is like on the station and some of the issues they had to deal with that we here on Earth take for granted. After reading this, I found a virtual tour of the space station. In the other chapters, Scott Kelly tells of his childhood, his education, becoming an engineer, military pilot, test pilot, and finally being accepted into the NASA program. He struggled in school and it wasn't until he read Tom Wolfe's The Right Stuff before he discovered what he wanted to do. He goes into the training he went through before becoming a pilot and then for each space mission. He even goes into his personal life: marriage, becoming a father to two daughters, his divorce, relationship with his parents and twin brother, and being up in space when his sister-in-law, Representative Gabby Giffords was shot in Tucson, Arizona. I listen to this memoir and it was read by Scott Kelly. I enjoyed hearing his voice and tone throughout. It was neat to hear about all of the friendships he developed with astronauts and cosmonauts from all over the world. Those who are interested in the space program will find this a fascinating read. |
AuthorMr. Andrusyk is a school librarian at IC Catholic Prep in Elmhurst, Illinois. Past Book RecommendationsClick here to view a listing of Mr. Andrusyk's list of favorite authors, series, fiction, and nonfiction. Archives
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