SMHS Library

This month’s book choice is Walking These Halls by SMHS senior Alex Burube.  Alex authored and published the book of poetry himself as part of completing his senior project.  Walking These Halls contains forty-five original poems revolving around themes such as Life, Love, and Lounging, and Nijas, Zombies, and Slams.  While Alex is going off to college in the fall to study computer science, he definitely has an artsy side.  In a recent interview for this website profile, he talked about his interest in poetry.  Here are some excerpts:

Question: Why a book of poetry? Alex: I think people have always seen me as a poet and I saw poetry as the best way to express myself.

Question: Did you have any regrets after taking on this project? Alex: I was told that I’d probably end up hating poetry after writing this much of it and, truthfully, I did hate it after about half way through the book. I took a break, though, and then went back to it.  In the end, I finished the project with a great deal of respect for the writing process.

Question: So, you went through Lulu in order to publish it? Alex: Yes.  Mrs. Porter told me about it.  I checked it out, liked it, and then simply chose my formatting.

Question: Do you have any favorite poems? Alex: I like Small Town Girl because I think it might especially speak to kids in Sunapee.  The girl’s in a big city and she finally gets the help she needs to move on.  After that, I’d choose Reminisce, which is about an older man reflecting on life.

Walking These Halls is now available in the library.

Three Cups of Tea (The Young Reader’s Edition) documents Greg Mortenson’s life story and the good works he has undertaken in Pakistan and other parts of Asia.  It begins with Mortenson’s failed attempt to reach the summit of K2 and his encounters with helpful locals.  Interested in returning favors and providing help to the villagers who had saved his life, Mortenson promises to one day return and build a school for the local children.  We learn that this goal wasn’t easily accomplished.  In order to carry out his plans, Mortenson had to overcome fund-raising difficulties, Asian corruption, misunderstandings, and death threats.  Ultimately, through amazing determination, his efforts resulted in a promise fulfilled.  The first school’s success bred additional successes and eventually Mortenson helped build the CAI, the Central Asian Institute, through which he and others continue to practice humanitarianism and bring education to impoverished villages.  Three Cups of Tea is a superb story of doing good, of appreciating goodness in others, and of attempting to bridge cultural divides and reduce violence through education.

Note: Three Cups of Tea is currently being read by groups at SMHS, SCES, and Abbott Library.  The library has several copies of the Young Readers Edition, which is most appropriate for middle school students, available for check-out.