#aplang19primary

This part in my book was interesting to me, as of right now, Alvarenga and Cordoba were found and were located in the far side of the Ebon Lagoon. The name of this chapter is called “Found but Lost” I thought it was interesting Franklin named it this because yes, They were on land but they weren't home. Alvarenga was feeling stressed and confused, Thoughts were rushing to his mind on if he would ever make it back to his home, If he had to start his life over in a new country. The part that really stuck out to me was when he was describing his first night indoors and said “even lost at sea, The stars reminded me that everything was okay” I thought this was so interesting that something as small as the stars helped him through his journey and gave him hope. 

The non-fiction book that I chose is called the incurable romantic, it is written by a guy named Frank Tallis. He is a psychologist and author out of London. The book takes you through the journey of 11 of Tallis’s actual patients and there struggles with love, desire, madness, and various mental illnesses. I thought that this was very interesting because he talks a lot about how what is going on in our head affects the way we love but also they way that we live our lives. I think that the abstract of this book is going to be The limitations on society; Tallis heavily discusses an idea of normal and abnormal in a sense of the way that our brain works and I think that it plays a key role in how his patients fit into society. 

 As of right now, They have been lost for 379 days. The part that really stuck out for me is when Franklin said “despite his fears and secret knowledge of the monsters of the deep, Alvarenga assumed that the ocean must be benevolent. how else could he still be alive?” and “He was scared and tired- Relief flooded his body.”  This chunk is explaining how Alvarnga and Cordoba were facing their fears of having to “hunt” for their food in OPEN waters. Jonathan Franklin uses imagery to describe what they are going though, making it seem like I’m on the boat with them, lost at sea.

This part in my book restored my hopefulness in thinking that Alvarenga and Cordoba were going to survive being lost at sea, As of right now, They have been lost for 45 days. In this chunk the author is explaining how they were not doing good mentally, physically or emotionally but then talks about how they began to pray to God and ask him for help. I related to this chunk personally, whenever I’m at a low place in my life, I pray to god that it will get better. my mom always says “whatever it is, it will pass and you will survive.” The author says “prayer itself can work because... it slows down your breathing... it’s also using up residual capacity in the brain, which otherwise might be taken up with anxiety and fear components.” This part in my book really stuck out to me, Alvarenga and Cordoba were praying for hope and survival.

This part in my book made me sad and upset. Alvarenga, Cordoba, the Mexican Coast Guard and the US Coast Guard have all started to lose hopefulness in the thought of surviving. So far they have been lost at sea for six days, screaming and calling for help. The part that made me most upset is when the author quotes the thought process of both coast guards saying “how long do we search? what are their chances for survival? are they even upright?” which yes, these are all valued questions in the process of trying to find them. however, It really has been only six days and they are giving up and loosing hope? that is horrible, it hasn't even been a full week. 

In the Author’s Afterword, it talks about Alvarenga’s life after a few months of being home. It talks about how much hes grown as a person from his situation, shows him having hope, learning to appreciate the ocean again and gives some words of advice to anyone struggling. This, Is by far my favorite part of the book. On the last page, The last paragraph highlighted in yellow the author quotes Alvarenga saying “Be strong. Think positive.” Personally, I think this chunk is screaming have hope in anything you do!! 

I also chose this book because this is a new author for me. I want to get to know this author and his life. I’m excited to start reading and excited to get to know his story. I found this book through Barnes and Noble. When we were told to find a nonfiction book, I searched through Barnes and Noble and found this! I will say that Barnes and Noble was a confusing place, but while I read the first few pages in the store I was in awe. Finally a nonfiction book that I would thoroughly enjoy.