Genre Screenwriting: How to Write Popular Screenplays that Sell by Stephen V. Duncan gives an organized, formulaic aproach to how to write Screenplays in the film industry. While this book gives its information in a clear, easy to understand format, the central idea of the book – you should only write screenplays you know will make money – besmirches the art of writing a story. Stories are written because they have meaning to the author, not because they make money. An author who focuses solely on the latter cannot be considered an artist like other authors can. Throughout the entire book the author reiterates that only screenplays written in certain popular genres will sell. This is offensive to a great many authors who believe that one should not jump on the bandwagon but create it. Genre Screenwriting: How to Write Popular Screenplays that Sell is an insult to creative authors everywhere.

Gandhi, Soldier of Nonviolence is a poignant, inspirational book. It is an in-depth telling of the life of Mahatma Gandhi, from his birth to his ashes being scattered in the Ganges river. The book highlights his achievements, shows their effect, and ultimately teaches a lesson we all can learn. The author tells everything in vivid detail, creating a vivid image of Gandhi’s transformation from a proud English gentleman to the peasant man in the loincloth who chose to live in poverty, and his journey to liberate India from the crushing rule of the British. The book does not paint a picture of him as some saint though, it does tell of his shortcomings, making it very clear that Gandhi, although called “the Great Soul” was only human just like the rest of us. It also places an emphasis on how his ideals worked marvelously, and how mankind can learn a great many lessons from Gandhi. It was a great read, one full of little nuggets of wisdom to make the reader stop and think. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

The Picture of Dorian Gray is the tale of a young lord who sells his soul in exchange for etenral youth and beauty. The lord, Dorian Gray, is able to live a life of decadence and sin without aging, while the portrait painted by his friend Basil is the only thing that shows the corruption in his soul. The book is beautifully written, with a poetic feel and superb use of the English language. There are parts that can get very lengthy and yet have no real purpose to the plot (such as the entirety of chapter eleven), but overall the detail is striking and the wording is fantastic. While a modern reader may find it hard to relate to some of the characters, as many of them are nobles in Victorian England, they are nonetheless very intriguing. Dorian Gray, while very corrupt in his lifestyle, does have his moments where all you can do is pity him, as he was once innocent until the ponderings of his friend lord Henry get him thinking and ultimately leave him confused and bewildered. With it’s poignant use of language and intriguing plot, The Picture of Dorian Gray is a timeless masterpiece.