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.
In my opinion, Atomic Habits is one of the most accessible and actionable self-help books out there. Author, James Clear presents a lot of useful strategies, like the "Habit Loop," where a cue triggers a routine that leads to a reward, and he emphasizes the importance of designing your environment to make good habits easier to follow. What I really liked is how Clear breaks down complex psychological ideas into simple, relatable examples.
My Body by Emily Ratajkowski gives input on the stresses placed on women in life. The genre of this book would fall under feminist essays. Ratajkowski uses her emotional experiences in order to give a sense of raw truth. The title My Body is seen throughout this book filled with essays, and allows readers to connect their own experiences to her well written ones. Emily Ratajkowski narrates her life beginning with her childhood to her recent divorce.
This nonfiction war novel was beyond impressive. This book will help you change the way you view the people involved in World War II and give you insight into the scary world of war. Louis Zamperini is the main character and the story goes in depth to tell you his background, accomplishments and role within the war. The major turn events occur when Zamperini goes from the Olympics to the military and he arrives upon difficult foreign land. I think that the most compelling aspect of this book was the continuous feeling of not knowing what will happen next.
Science Comics: Volcanoes is a graphic novel by Jon Chad that explains volcanoes in the fashion of a story. This book is set in the future in which the earth has completely frozen over and there are many groups of people, calling themselves tribes, who have to find random human-made things from long ago to burn up to provide heat and energy. However, a young girl named Aurora thinks there must be a better way to help her tribe.
Science Comics: Dogs by Andy Hirsch, is a graphic novel that explains the science and history of Dogs in the fashion of a story. We follow a dog named Rudy as he time travels throughout history, looking for his tennis ball. At first, Rudy discusses where dogs fall in the taxonomic system, as well as how genes and alleles work, bringing certain wolves earlier in history to be more friendly towards humans, and making them eventually turn into dogs.
