My Bucket List: an independent reading list

1. The Looking Glass Wars/ Frank Beddor/ I want to read this book because it has a strict resemblence to the novel, "Alice's adventures in Wonderland," while also throwing a new spin on the brightly colored world of Lewis Carroll.
2. Catcher in the Rye/J.D. Salgier/ Many have told me great things about the readability of this book, and the amazing writing skills used to weave the marvelous story of this book. It has been recommended time and time again by many I know, and to finally read the book that has so many people raving is a dream of mine.
3. The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland/ Lewis Carroll/ It is a classic book that has inspired many classic stories from the time it was written to this very day. I write from time to time, so I believe it would be an honor to see some of the inspiration that this book provides to so many writers.
4. Ranger's Apprentice Series/ John Flanagan/ The story of a lone boy named Will, The Ranger's Apprentice is a series that is reccomended to me by many friends for it's amazing action sequences and the writing skills used to create this page-turning, intriguing series.
5. Maximum Ride: Fang/ James Patterson/ One of the most recent books in the Maximum Ride series, this series is centered around six human children. Well, I say human, but there is one small difference: These children are 98% human, and 2% avian. Many have said great things about the series, but I must find out what happens next.
6. House of Night: Hunted/ P.C. Cast and Kristen Cast/ I have read the beginnnigs of the House of Night series, but only to this book. Centered around Zoey Redbird, this series follows her as her life turns upside-down.
7. Paranormalcy/ Kiersten White/ Many have reccommended this novel to me, and I have been told it is about werewolves, vampires, and witches. Many paranormal creatures all in one novel with a name that ties it all together, what these creatures all have in common: Paranormalcy.
8. Cirque Du Freak/ Darren Shan/ I have seen the movie about this series, and in my experience, the book is always better than the movie. I loved the movie, with the suspense and action that it contained, and I am hoping that the book comes up to the challenge.
9. City of Lost Souls/Cassandra Claire/ A series based around New York, Clary and her friend Simon are dragged into a world that has, until now, only existed in books. A world full of Demons, Angels, and children of both. A world that they live in, surrounded by magic. The most recent book in the series, City of Lost Souls is said to be the best, and I hope to think so, too.
10. Clockwork Angel/ Cassandra Claire/ A prequel to the Mortal Instruments series, this book begins the Infernal Instruments series. Centered around a young girl named Tessa, she is launched into a world  that she never believed existed, one not even considered except by those that know it: A Shadow World, living around them. I have heard great things about it, and I wish to read it and experience it's wonder myself.

~The Nazi who cried Pity~

There were many nazis in World War II, but how many ask forgiveness? Not many, right? Well, there was one in the book, The Sunflower, that did. The author, Simon Wiesenthal, lived through WWII and was a Jewish prisoner, but while in an old school converted to Nazi hospital, he was taken to an injured SS trooper.  Here, the trooper told his story of Dnepropetrovsk, and asked for pity. Whether or not to forgive him was on the soldiers of Simon, and the man would never get another chance to attone for his sins.  He shot the people that jumped out of the windows of burning buildings, and he still remembers the facial expression. In my own opinion, even if it was a dead lie, I would have told him that I had forgiven him, merely so that he would die in peace, instead of being miserable for the last minutes of his life. But, that's just me.

Should a "Death Doctor" be forgiven?

"Death doctors" are doctors who help terminally ill patients to commit suicide. This, in my opinion, is a good cause. Many people who are terminally ill will die either way, and even today, these "Angels of Death" administer euthanasia to patients who are incapable of being cured. Examples of these doctors have been recorded in people such as Dr. Joseph Mengele, a nazi enthusiast who also used chemical showers to kill those he deemed "Imperfect," and Dr. Jack Kevorkian. These two killed those with incurable illnesses.  Doctors, even those who try to save patients, kill people every day.  Doctors, those people who are supposed to heal everyone who is sick, are the third leading cause of death in the United States. What difference does a misinterpreted diagnosis make from a dose of euthanasia? So many people will find this outlook wrong, but really, the outcome is the same. The person who put their lives in their hands will die. So, should they be forgiven? If you would forgive a "doctor" that screwed up his diagnosis, you should forgive the one who knew EXACTLY what he was doing.