Writer of the Broadway musical Hadestown, Anaïs Mitchell, describes the process of writing the lyrics to a sung-through musical. The book has the lyrics of each song, as well as that song’s particular past and journey to its current version. Mitchell tells the story of the making of this musical, as well as the storytelling through this book.
As the book writer for Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark, Berger writes about the creative process for writing a musical. Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark had a much more complicated beginning than most musicals. From rewrites to funding issues, to injuries, this musical’s origin story had its share of troubles.
NOVA: Mysteries of Sleep is an enlightening documentary that delves into one of the most essential yet least understood aspects of human life: sleep. This documentary provides a fascinating exploration of why we sleep, what happens during sleep and how it affects our physical and mental well-being.
Roger Highfield’s The Science Behind Harry Potter is an exploration of the intersection between magic and science, bringing the fantastical world of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series into the realm of real-world science. Highfield uses the wizarding universe as a foundation to discuss fascinating scientific concepts, from the physics of flying broomsticks to the chemistry of potions and the biology of mythical creatures.
This book is a super informational book describing the ways in which one can build better habits. It goes into microscopic detail on how to make these habits and how they impact our lives for the better (or for the worse). By using scientific research & studies, the author illustrates and backs up his many different steps on forming habits.
Having a good reputation among the AP test preparation community, the Princeton Review’s AP Biology review book is a wonderful resource for both the course and the exam. The text is clear and concise. The explanations are straightforward and the diagrams are beneficial to mastering the material. Though it is direct, much of the content is unnecessary for the course. The Princeton Review provides many more examples than you would ever need for both the course and exam. I would recommend reading specific sections from the book that you believe you need to review.
Palms sweating and anxious, Chris Anderson walks on the stage of TEDx to discuss the future of TED Talks, and what he wants to accomplish as a whole. He never knew that his ambitious idea would take off and become popular worldwide. This book covers the key concepts of public speaking and offers tips and tricks for turning a tedious lecture into an impactful speech that will influence millions. Our worldview changes with each person, yet it takes many for that change to become reality.
This was a very interesting, insightful book that centers on a fatal car crash and the aftermath of the incident. When Reggie, a college student in Utah, drives & kills 2 rocket scientists, he is faced with life-changing consequences. This book follows the aftermath of that crash and how Reggie changes from it. The book also includes many science experiments to really show what may have happened at the time of the crash. Was Reggie distracted & texting? Or was it just an unfortunate accident?
The Lost City of Z, a nonfiction historical biography, written by David Grann, tells a story of exploring the dense Amazon rainforest. Percy Fawcett, an explorer who wanted to find the “Lost City of Z”, believed that there were indigenous groups of people living in the Amazon and had built a great city. In the forest, Percy must overcome many challenges such as disease carrying mosquitoes, vicious animals, starvation, and exploring uncharted territory.
Unbroken, a nonfiction book, written by Lauren Hillenbrand, is an autobiography told through events of World War II. Louis Zamperini was one of the best runners in high school and college and set records. Louis Zamperini just wanted to participate in the Olympics and live out his dreams. However, as he was set to go to the Olympics, WWII started, and he had to join the army. He endures many challenges to try and survive, from surviving sharks and starvation to the horrendous conditions of POW camps.
