Thursday, July 31, 2014

Thorsday Book Review: Shane

Well, we got Mark's summer reading list for 10th grade.  Want to see it?


I read Cyrano years ago.  Fan of the story; not a fan of reading plays.  So this one won't be on my to-do list.  But who am I kidding?  I have yet to finish Mark's (or Ryan's) summer reading from last summer.  Life gets in the way and all that.....

But, since I had to take Mark for a football physical, I grabbed this book.  It was short, so I figured, why not?  Worthwhile choice.

SHANE
by Jack Shaefer

This is the story of young Bob Starrett, who lives in Wyoming in the late 1800s, and his parents.  One afternoon, while working with his father, Bob noticed a rider a good distance away, and watched him approach.  The rider asked the favor of Mr. Starrett allowing him and his horse to drink, and introduced himself: "Call me Shane."  Bob's father insisted that Shane stay for dinner, and pass the night in the hired hand's quarters; that night turned into a season for Shane on the Starrett ranch, working the cattle, improving the barn and fences, removing a large stump.  The big rancher across the river, who resented the homesteaders, including the Starretts, and wanted to reclaim their stakes, started causing trouble; Shane found himself right in the middle of it.

This is billed as a teen book, but it didn't feel that way to me.  It's a story about friendship, hard work and loyalty.  I very much enjoyed it.  5/5

Happy Thorsday, everyone!

4 comments:

Pam said...

I read that book in high school and thought it was excellent.

Sue said...

Love both Lord Of The Flies and Great Expectations, but then I'm a big Dickens fan.

Anonymous said...

Oh, I wrote about Shane a couple of years ago -- book and movie. http://altadenahiker.blogspot.com/2012/06/weekend-matinee-shane.html

Claire S. said...

Read both Shane and The Old Man & the Sea in school...loved them both.