Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek.
To be quite honest, I cringed at the name. I mean really: me? Care about popularity? Wait a minute... this isn't quite right. Regardless, I looked into it further. I highly doubt John Green would mention this book in his video if he found its greatest value was telling impressionable young girls being popular was important.
As a matter of fact, this book was written by an impressionable young girl and also my name twin: Maya Van Wagenen. An eighth grader (now 15 years old) girl came across a book in her father's office titled "Betty Cornell's Teen-Age Popularity Guide". Maya is just like me (oh dear, this is going to be awfully confusing) in that she doesn't really mind being unnoticed. Her goal is to fold out a social experiment to understand what popularity is, but with a twist, Her plan is guided strictly by ex-model Betty Cornell and her aged ways of gaining friends and meeting "model standards".
The day I started reading this book was yesterday. The day I finished this book? Yesterday. How I managed to start and finish a book between miles of homework and thetorturous lovely 8 hour school day is beyond me, but I decided to tell you guys anyway. I suppose it's just another way to say this book will probably consume your life. :D
I believe my favorite part of the book was its universality. It's truly great for anyone who's concerned about popularity just as much as anyone who isn't. The messages sent are directly from a wise teenage girl to anyone who would even consider opening her book.
Naturally, I must acknowledge that Maya has something we've all been on an epic quest to find during the adventure that is English 1B:
Writer's Voice.
I could analyze it for you, but just reading it for yourself is much better.
To be quite honest, I cringed at the name. I mean really: me? Care about popularity? Wait a minute... this isn't quite right. Regardless, I looked into it further. I highly doubt John Green would mention this book in his video if he found its greatest value was telling impressionable young girls being popular was important.
As a matter of fact, this book was written by an impressionable young girl and also my name twin: Maya Van Wagenen. An eighth grader (now 15 years old) girl came across a book in her father's office titled "Betty Cornell's Teen-Age Popularity Guide". Maya is just like me (oh dear, this is going to be awfully confusing) in that she doesn't really mind being unnoticed. Her goal is to fold out a social experiment to understand what popularity is, but with a twist, Her plan is guided strictly by ex-model Betty Cornell and her aged ways of gaining friends and meeting "model standards".
The day I started reading this book was yesterday. The day I finished this book? Yesterday. How I managed to start and finish a book between miles of homework and the
I believe my favorite part of the book was its universality. It's truly great for anyone who's concerned about popularity just as much as anyone who isn't. The messages sent are directly from a wise teenage girl to anyone who would even consider opening her book.
Naturally, I must acknowledge that Maya has something we've all been on an epic quest to find during the adventure that is English 1B:
Writer's Voice.
I could analyze it for you, but just reading it for yourself is much better.
This is one of her 10 "popularity tips" that show you what she's learned throughout her experience. This tip perfectly encases her constant voice within her piece, even though it's a nonfiction book.
Overall this book was a quick but amazing read with lessons I'm sure a whole bunch could benefit from. :)
Happy Blogging!
I really like the way you write with a lot of voice.
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