Opinion essay

Is it important that people stay informed?

There are many different ways to stay informed in our world. One can see news on television or listen to the radio. Another chance to get informed is to read the newspaper or articles in the internet. In the following essay I will present some aspects why I think that people should stay informed.

First of all I want to start with the necessity of staying informed for the communication between human beings. Having good knowledge supports the self – confidence and makes people open – minded. So you can easily start a conversation and start on exchange of views.
Another aspect for the importance of a good know – how is the education. We should know what is going on in the world and not only live within our own four walls. We shouldn’t be shielded from the outside world but we should develop a thirst for knowledge. I think one of the most important news are the political ones because we live in a democratic state and everybody has the right to vote. In addition to that it could be that a bad political party gets too much influence on our state.
The last point for the necessity to stay informed is that you should broaden your mind. Concerning culture, politics, sport, nature, health, history,… To come to an own decision it’s very important to choose from a variety of different kind of opinions and then come to an own conclusion. You have to be informed to understand the world because there are many questions to be answered. For instance: Where does the gen - technology lead us to? How can our planet deal with the pollution?

To conclude, I must say that information makes the world go round. At the same time the main problem is that there is a flood of news and therefore the big challenge to choose between necessary and unimportant information. Without staying informed you can change nothing. Knowledge is power.

Graph description

This graph gives us precise information about the financial turnover situation. The years from 2000 to 2007 are indicated on the X-axis whereas the Y-axis expresses the money in million euros. In the year from 2000 to 2001 there was a slide but in the following year was a rapid rocket. After a second drop followed the next climb and this continues steadily. The prognosis says that this trend is going on.

Letter of application

Raphaela
Riedstraße 7
6840 Götzis
1.Feb.2009

Mr. Simon Rosenegger
Continetta Antionri
Restaurant
Jasomirgottstraße 3-5
1010- Wien
01/5337722

1.Feb.2009

Dear Mr. Rosenegger

Application for the cook position

I would like to apply for the cook position advertised on the Standard newspaper. The reason why I’m requesting for your advertisement is that I think I have got the essential skills. I’m very creative, I can handle with stress, I had a very good education and as well as I’ve got practical experiences.

I hope that these following experiences are also speaking for me:

• I worked in the Ambach restaurant as a cook for two years.
• For the period of five months I worked as a cook assistant of Tim Mälzer
• For the last one year I had the chance for a practical course in the Hilton Hotel in Vienna.

One of my reasons for applying is that I’ve always been cooking a lot and I like to practise my creativity through cooking. I hope these experiences will help me to get this job.

I would welcome the opportunity to discuss my application with you. I’m looking forward to hearing from you and I can be reached anytime via my cell phone, 0650/8977718. Thank for your time and I will hope that you give me the chance to work for you.

Sincerely yours,

Raphaela Klinger

Boys n the Hood

Group: 4
Evaluate this film: The pros and cons. Is the message relevant for us, too? Explain!

• Black Policeman:
  Racist against black people.
  Scene:
  1. A burglar gets into the house of Tre and there the policeman said: to bad that you don’t get him.
  2. Tre and Riccy drive home from the party. Suddenly the police stop them and one of the policeman hold a gun at Tre’s face.
  In Austria: That’s also like the situation here. It can also be that such a situation happens by us.
• Mother:
  Mother is different, because she earns more money. She lives different and she also doesn’t want to use slang. She wants to be integrated and be like white people. (The way she lives and the restaurant she chooses.)
  In Austria: A white woman from the middle class who wants to belong to the rich people.
• Education:
  It’s not usually that a black person gets a good job and a good education.
  The education is biased for white people not for black ones. For example: Riccy’s wife. Riccy is dead and so she has nothing now.
  In Austria: It is very important to get people educated otherwise it could be that they have nothing. Turkish people aren’t as good educated as Austrians.
• Drugs, alcohol, guns came from white people. It’s them making profits.
  In Austria: We don’t have a gun problem but the drugs and alcohol come from rich white people and are consumed by poor Austrians or Immigrants.
• Black people are interested in keeping their family together. Family, friendship, community -->Brotherhood.
  In Austria: Turkish people are interested in keeping their family. They don’t talk with white people, they don’t have a white community and they count themselves out
• A real man is not someone who kills and gets women pregnant.

Task A: Beauty - a world of perfection

+ The Struggle for Beauty


“All that glitters isn’t gold”. Many people find themselves not beautiful and so they accept the risk of beauty surgery and accordingly they do all what they are able to do to be beautiful. It comes to a “Struggle for Beauty”. But beauty is a mixed bag of positive and negative aspects.

On the one hand there are a lot of people who think of the good way of the “Struggle for Beauty”. Some can become more self - confidence, if you make sure that you always look good and have the latest fashion and so on. So if you are an unhygienic person and you have always got horrible hair and your face is full of spots.., many people would look at you and whispering behind your back. One can avoid this if he looks after himself and owing to this ones appearance will be different.
Another pro argument is that if you have an accident and your face is full of scars, it is good to have the chance for cosmetic surgery. Due to this you can have your normal life back. In addition if you have a look after your appearance your chances for a good job will grow.

On the other hand there are also some negative aspects. One of many points of the negative side of cosmetic surgery is that if you are too young and your body is still growing a surgery could destroy your body and cause pain. Another negative aspect is the social pressure which causes a poor result. For instance if a girl wants to have her own crazy and manic style with colourful clothes and thick make – up she has to have a good self – confidence. Another con point is that if a woman is very beautiful she gets privileged. This could be when she applies for a job and her competitor is not a very good looking person, she has a better chance to get this job.

Weighing the pros and cons, I come to the conclusion that beauty gets overvalued. There is no doubt about cosmetic surgery if you had an accident and for example your face is disfigured. What I find very important to consider is the con argument about teens who constantly want an operation earlier. They are following the trend which our society prescribes. It’s also a big point in relationships or finding a partner. Because the “inner value” or rather the character isn’t so important as the look and the appearance.

To conclude “The Struggle for Beauty” shouldn’t be so brutal. Everyone should find his own opinion of beauty.

Social pressure and beauty for teens

Pro:

• Fashion labels concerns get rich (good for business)
• Everybody is looking for themselves (hygiene, fashion…)
• Boots self- confidence
• Beauty is success in our society, so why shouldn’t people make them beauty?
• Because of the high demand, there is more work for people
• We live in a free country, so everyone should be allowed to do with his/her body whatever he/she likes

Con:

• Social pressure because it’s not their own wish
• It’s a big risk to undergo surgery
• Addiction
• Teens haven’t finish their growth, so their body still changes
• You don’t get addicted, if you don’t look good
• A lot of teens buy more clothes than they have money
• Maybe they change their opinion, when they’re older, so it’s not good to change your body in this age
• Teenagers get influenced by advertisements
  

Additional thoughts:

• Personality is changing
• Will there always be the same beauty ideal?
• Will the surgery age go down?
• Will beauty be the most important thing in life?
• Is beauty really in the eye of the beholder?
• If you want to do that you do it, no matter if your mother also had a plastic surgery or not.
• Teenagers exaggerate with the beauty ideals

Letter of complaint

Raphaela
Wegeler 5
A-6840 Götzis
Dezember 4nd, 2008

BBC Complaints
PO Box 1922
Glasgow

G2 3WT


Dear Madam/Sir


Letter of complaint


I want to complaint about how women are presented in advertising. Something must be done about this! It can’t be that women are pressed into a cliché that had existed in the past. Watching not much TV I have a feeling that women are sex symbols and the only thing for what they are competent is housework. They have to present the product very attractive and that demands from them to be beautiful, sexy and silly, because an intelligent and competitive woman is a high challenge. Now the image of beautiful women should change and not being presented like a beautiful object. For instance in a washing powder advertising, where always a woman says how good it is and how clean the clothes will be. As a matter of fact nearby all advertisings with household appliances show a woman.

In summing up it can be said that I would be glad if you start to change the image of women. We should be ahead of our time.

Yours,
Raphaela

Essay

City life or country life?

Not everyone is convinced about the beauty of city life or of country life. The beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Both got different pro and con circumstances, but which life is better?

In the first place city life used to be more exciting than the life in a country. There you can avail yourself of more sorts of activities. For instance going out with friends in different kind of clubs, theatres, cinemas, shopping centres, sport events… . That’s why the country life is better appropriate to families with babies and toddlers. Another pro argument of country life is that there hardly ever exists the noisiness of traffic, the pupils, who are loudly crying, laughing and walking through the streets and the lanes... .
In the second place one is more private on the city than on the country where a lot of people know you an watch what you are doing, what you are wearing, how you are living and so on…
Lastly, one has got a good chance to become a international famous and active person with a good job. It’s often a good condition to work in the city. You have more possibilities, more offers, a bigger choice and you don’t need an own car necessarily to get to your working place.
I think that on the one hand the city life brings a lot of experiences, dun, excitements, varieties and new friends. But on the other hand living in a country is very peaceful, recreative and you have the chance to feel and live in nature directly. For me living in a town is like living in an artificial world. I wish one should be able to combine both worlds.

To conclude J can’t say which way of life is the better one but if the population grows on like it has done the last ten- fifteen years the country life will automatically diminish and our society will have to be very creative to offer good living conditions for everyone. Good luck!

My Lifestyle

Initially I have to say that I don’t belong to any youth group due to the fact that J have never belonged to anyone and J don’t want to. I think that I have to describe me a little bit as a loner by reason that I am not a human being who is trusting very quickly and who is speedily getting open up to someone. On account of this I have only got my few deep friends who I am telling those things which put pressure on me or are important to me. I choose my clothes depending on where I’m going to. For instance if I am in school I wear different clothes as if I am at home. At home all has to be extremely comfortable. So I wear a “jogging trousers” and some old T- shirts. I can’t say that I am always dressed with the latest fashion. For me clothes have to be comfortable, they must have something special and also show and match with my personality.
One important part in my life is horse riding. I can completely merge into this kind of sport. I love horses and I never mind whether it has plus or minus degrees or if it’s raining or snowing. In this sport I can put up with my problems, energy and it is also a balance to school days.
I love nature and I love animals and with this sport I can connect these two components. Riding a horse is more than only a sport for me.
Another important part is my family. They are keeping me grounded. By way of illustration if I have a problem I can always come and talk with my parents and sister and they will try to find a good solution for me.
Now my priority is based on the matura and owing to this on a secure future. For me it is necessary to get a good job which makes me happy and fulfills me.
We all get influenced of something whether it is the promotion, friends or… . A little bit of influence isn’t bad. I also get affected by my friends and family but it is necessary to cut one’s own path.

The Character of Charlie

At the beginning of the book „Perks of Being a Wallflower“ Michael a friend of the 15 years old Charlie commits suicide. This is one of many points which caused black moods in Charlie’s life. The main character is a very emotional, shy and sentimental boy. He always cares about the necessaries of the people around him and never looks at himself and says the word “no”. Charlie is weeping a lot because of Michael, his sister, his aunt Helen and about conflicts with his friends. The turning point in his life is when Patrick and Sam got in it. He becomes more open- minded and gets many new experiences. However not only good ones. Charlie gets in trouble with drugs, alcohol, smoking but through his new friends he becomes happier. Throughout the novel Charlie is in a conflict with himself. For instance when he realizes what Aunt Helen did to him and when he put up with the fact that his brother went to collage and Patrick, Sam and Mary E. are going to collage and the point that he is going to be alone again. Also the fact that his best friend Michael committed suicide. Charlie is interested in reading a lot of books and writes a lot. Those books have been given to him by his teacher Bill, who said that he is one of the most gifted people he knows. Sam and Patrick think that he is going to be an author in the future.

Review (“Perks of Being a Wallflower”)

The extremely interesting book with the title „The Perks of Being a Wallflower“ was written by Stephen Chbosky. It’s one of a very popular coming-of-age stories from the 1990s. This extraordinary and fascinating novel seems to be an autobiographic book. Writing letters to a not mentioned person the 15 years old Charlie depicts his life with all the ups and downs.In this work of literature the main character is Charlie. He is a very emotional person, who has to handle with the topics love, lose and having friends, conflicts, drugs and oppression. Charlie can’t say no and he doesn’t look at what is good for him. Weeping his eyes out and being very sentimental Charlie is getting more confident in the end of the book, whether there is such a shocking end. I find this book very interesting and especially his periods of life. Friends enable him to discover his joy of life. Charlie isn’t anymore this little introverted boy. He is much opener and likes to do all for his friends without looking at himself and that is the point. You should do things for your friends but never forget to focus one’s attention on oneself. Feeling fine, confident, contend and happy is the best chance to have good relationships. First this book has been really impressing. Second one can go through Charlie’s periods of life and see how he coped with them and that’s what made it gripping.

ESSAY: VIOLENCE IN MOVIES

Day after day we are confronted with all kinds of violence on the playground, in classrooms, on TV programmes, leisure centres and so on. Lots of children love violent movies and watch them for many hours with the result of being affected by them.


Many experts as well as lots of parents and educationists recommend a ban on violence in movies. Because too many kids and young persons are captured in this circle of violence in films as a result of watching them too often and too much. An effect is that they are unable to decide whether it’s fiction or reality. Even non violent films can be successful too. A romantic movie also has a fascination that can create some kind of tension. A ban of violence seems to be quite reasonable because of the fact that the young imitate their idols in such films.
In contrast to the former arguments I want to mention points against a ban. First, I want to emphasize that most violent scenes are so unrealistic that’s why a normal person won’t copy it. Second, the majority of people doesn’t get violent as a result of watching violent movies. Finally it seems to be a fact that we won’t turn into a non violent society just because of violent movies being forbidden.


My point of view is to protect children from being influenced in their behaviour by violent shots. Adults may judge and choose much better.

Snow falling on Cedars

When we look at Hatsue Miyamoto and Ishmael Chambers, who became friends as small children we notice that such a relationship is doomed to fail under the circumstances of that time. As a young American boy, Ishmael had a deep friendship with a local Japanese girl. They spent a lot of time together and played on the beach however they felt a strong connection between them. To be more precisely one noticed that Ishmael’s feelings were stronger. Yeats passed and the first kiss happened.
The same situation happened four years later but the importance of this kiss was more serious. For him it was an overwhelming situation and in the contrary it was just an experience for her. But then again as teenagers they often hid in a hollowed-out cedar tree in the forest to hide their love because Hatsue, however, always experienced doubt regarding the nature of her feelings for Ishmael. On the one hand Hatsue feels a deep unity with the Japanese culture and her family background. But on the other hand there exist a story desire for a world without societal pressures and prejudices. That is what made Ishmael very desirable. Hatsue felt that the love between Ishmael and her was somehow wrong. Nonetheless Ishmaels love for her never ends.
Later Hatsue followed the Japanese tradition and the wishes of her parents by marrying a Japanese man. This act cut a deep wound in his heart and he retreated into his shell because she was his one and only love. Hatsue rejection left him bitter and resentful. Finally he never had the strength to leave his shell accept circumstances that he cannot change and perhaps find a new love. In contrast Hatsue, who married Kabuo Miyamoto always struggles for the reconciliation of both cultures and she would like to live both lives.

Correction

Task 1:

Dear Susanne

I have to describe my feelings and thoughts to you about Rockwell’s painting, “The Problem we all live with”, because it has bothered me a lot and I have to speak with someone about it. First of all I want to start with the description. In the centre there is a little black girl, wearing a white dress. She has got her School things with her and is carrying those with her left hand. The little girl is surrounded by four white men, who wear suits with a yellow band around their left arms. The words on the band read: “Deputy US Marshall.” Two of them are on the right side and two on the left. In the background you can see a wall with a smashed tomato on it. The wall also has the faded graffiti “NIGGER” sprayed on. In my opinion the artist Norman Rockwell wants to show us the racism, which rules the state. Maybe he wants to provoke a little bit or he has drawn what he saw on the streets. For me it is hard to see how people with a different skin colour are threatened. I cannot understand how some people can do such a worse thing. How can they do this? Can you give me an answer? How do you find this painting?
Yours , Raphaela


Task 2:

For me also photographs are art. Why not? This photograph shows us feet and a spade in a garden. The reason why I think it is art is because there is a hidden agenda “behind” it. The artist has thought something before making the photograph. What I find interesting is the meaning of every kind of picture I see. What has the artist been thinking, while he has been making this photograph? What does he want to convey us? Does he want to provoke or to criticize us? Or did he only have a boring day and that was his first idea? On the one hand this photograph is very funny because it only shows us feet and a spade. On the other hand in my perspective it is a very simple photograph and it could be a more gorgeous one. But that is different in every angle.

What happens when we die?

I would describe the hereafter as a kind of paradise, very beautiful and harmonically. My imagination of the paradise be described like this: There isn’t any war, human being are happy and peaceful. Life there is like a warm and sunny spring day. All the flowers and trees are getting their lush colours. Leaves and buds open. When being there one should be able to communicate with those still alive. It should be possible to make the experience to be someone else, feel and live a complete different, exciting and new life. The life of someone one has always wanted to be. One should be able to speak understand all languages. I imagine that when J leave my dead body my spirit will feel on incredible freedom and fly.

Dear editor,

After having read the article about Mr. Giuliani’s reaction concerning Ch. Ofili´s painting I have to announce my opinion. Objectiveness in this matter is very important. The Mayor Rudolph Giuliani shouldn’t mingle his opinion as a private person with his opinion in his capacity as a mayor. Because there should be room for a great variety of different opinions, specifically in a Museum like this. Artists are often ahead in their way of thinking and in their creative urges. Art has to stimulate, excite, strike, change, provoke and shock. I strongly believe that shocking art has a kind of appeal because it is shocking and fascinating at the same time and that makes it special. I think that one should „never shut all the windows. One always has to leave one open, in order to have the chance to get impressions, ideas, statements which will avoid to cement our own opinions.

Yours,
Raphaela

THE LOST DAUGHTER

Every morning I was expecting the newspaper to come because I was waiting greedily to read an ad that gave me some information about my relative who I didn’t know. Some years ago my parents told me that I had been born as a twin but my sister had been stolen immediately after our birth. What a shock for my parents. The police had been involved but without any results. Years went over. I felt lonely and sometimes I was captured in a big cave of sadness. I could never explain my feelings but I was missing something. In spite of that the hope still remained to find my second half.
That’s why I studied page by page very carefully. Stop! This headline seemed to be quite striking.
“Money makes people silent! Bride was fooled by her fiancé.”
The photo belonging to this article showed a couple and I could hardly believe my eyes. The bride looked exactly like me and she had the same birthmark on the same spot on her face. Unbelievable. Identically. The only difference was her dark hair.

Some minutes later I packed my suitcase and also took my photoalbum with me. A taxi brought me to the station and I went to Little Hampton by train. What a strange situation and what a strong desire. How would my sister react? Would she accept me?

After an hours journey I arrived and straightaway went to the kiosk nearby. A group of elderly women were putting their heads together, whispering, laughing, chatting and many “ahas” and “ohos” could be heard. I touched one on her shoulder showed her the couple’s photo and formed my question. Silence followed and astonished faces turned towards me. “Excuse me, could you please tell me where this woman lives and do you know her address?”
Silence again. Suddenly they burst out laughing.
“What a silly cow! Stupid girl. Mr. Rochester is such a softy! Typically for such a man. Rich and has an affair with the governess. The young thing believed his promises. ........But what do you want from her?”

“Mmh, well, I’m a reporter from a women’s magazine and I’d like to write an article about her.”

“Green Lane 701”, whispered one woman and immediately they put their heads together again and started chattering like crazy geese.


The nearer I came to my aim the bigger the tension was. Suddenly I stood in front of a big and luxurious house. Green Lane 701. My heart was beating extremely loud.
Step by step I walked up the stairs and pressed the call button.
Someone opened the door.
Jane!
My second half!
I had the feeling to see my mirror image.
None of us said a word.
We must have been standing there for at least ten minutes or even longer. Like frozen figures. Then my feelings overwhelmed me and I embraced her. Tears followed and we both sat down on the step and started telling our stories.
It was getting dark and we were hungry.
This was the best day of my life!

Doubtful

London (J.H.-R.K.) Yesterday a young boy called Oliver Twist (10) attracted big attention because he was suspected to having stolen things out of Mr. Brownlow´s pockets. For things he hadn’t done he should go into prison.

The day before Oliver Twist, who was trained to be a thief was allowed to get out onto the streets with to other thieves. Later these boys went to a rich looking man, who was standing neat a book shop. They grabbed things out of his pockets and when he turned round Mr.Brownlow saw Oliver Twist standing there. He screamed: “Hold on this boy he is a thief.” Many people were running after him till he got hold of by a man. The police came and took him to judge. There the judge wanted to lock up Oliver Twist. Hasn’t there been Mr. Brownlow, who changed his opinion because of how the judge was treating O.T. with him. One of these policemen told the London News: “Such children should be locked up, punished and not released. The evidences were all against him and for this reason it should be clear what we have to do with such a boy. Miss Turtle declared to this event: “If they looked a bit clearer they would be able to see that O.T. was very sick. He was so sick that he couldn’t stand. I cannot understand people, who are able to treat such a young boy like Oliver Twist. I only saw him standing there, doing nothing and at a moment's notice all the human beings were running behind him. I don’t like people, who suspect someone although he didn’t do anything.”

Interview with Professor Doctor Huffelpuff:

Interviewer:
Prof.Dr. Huffelpuff, you are an expert of historical events specifically the Victorian age, that’s why we are so glad to have this extraordinary chance to ask you some questions concerning this time.
Prof.Dr.Huffelpuff:
Thank you for inviting me and I love to give answers referring this topic.
Interviewer:
Well let’s start with our first question: What did the Victorian age chance and did it have a favourable or a negative effect on the society?
Prof. Dr. Huffelpuff:
In general one can say that this period of time can be compared with a revolution. So many things changed in every respect. For instance in science and technology the Victorians manifested the notion that one can create solutions to problems, that man can establish new ways in order to improve himself. The Victorian age lasted for a long time and it was a very powerful time. A very positive effect of that period of time is their sense of social responsibility.
Interviewer:
How were the children treated in that time?
Prof.Dr.Huffelpuff:
Poor children at the age of about five had to work in mines, factories... under really bad conditions. A few time later rules were fixed. One rule reads as follow: Children have to be more than ten years old in order to be allowed to work in a mine. But there were still children working in mines when Queen Victoria died in 1901. Poor families had to make their toys on their own, because they didn’t get the money for this. Differently from poor people, rich ones got a special room called nursery. There children played with expensive toys, ate, slept and got their own woman, who was called nanny, to look after them.
Interviewer:
Did all the children have the chance to get a good education and how were the circumstances at school?
Prof.Dr.Huffelpuff:
At first only a few people went to school, because the others had to work for money for their families. There schools existed that were workshops in reality. 1870 a school had to be in every country and village and all children had to attend a school. Boys and girls were separated. For example they had different doors to get into the school and sat in various rows. Children were punished with a cane or ruler when they didn’t listen to the teacher or for making an inkblot on their paper.
Interviewer:
Queen Victoria’s regim was a period of intensive industrialisation, urbanisation and social change.
What kind of role did the women play in that time?
Prof.Dr.Huffelpuff:
Women had a very important task because they had to be a model mother, wife and daughter. They had to keep a sharp eye on moral values. Those women had to be devout, respectable, busy and virtuous.
Interviewer:
Thank you very much Prof.Dr.Huffelpuff for your excellent explanations. We are looking forward to our next conversation that takes place in a month. Then we are going to talk about the Renaissance.
Prof.Dr.Huffelpuff:
It’s a pleasure for me to and you are always welcome.

Review of the book: " Jane Eyre"

The powerful book with the title “Jane Eyre” was written by Charlotte Bronte. This novel was first published in the Longman Simplified English series 1949, as well as the new edition 1990. “Jane Eyre” is an autobiographic novel. Having looked at her own life a bit, Charlotte Bronte got lots of inspirations and good ideas. In this novel aren’t only love, bad childhood with punishments mentioned, there has also been written about struggling to make a life for her own. The story generally takes place in England, specifically in Gateshead and Thornfield. In this novel Mrs. Reed and Mr. Rochester are often named. But the main character is Jane Eyre because she is telling us her life. Jane is direct and a not very good looking person. Mrs. Reed is a frustrating woman, lying and with a cold heart. Mr. Rochester is the opposite of Mrs. Reed. He has a nice nature and he is a good entertainer. Jane is punished by Mrs. Reed, whose dead husband was Jane’s uncle. She lives with her because her parents had died and her mother wanted that her brother Mr. Reed to parent her. Mrs. Reed deports Jane to the Lowood institution. There Jane meets Helen and they get friends. A little while later Helen died of fever and Jane’s loneliness gets back. She finishes the school and becomes a governess by a house in Thornfield. There she falls in love with the head of the household, Mr. Rochester. But he gets a terrible secret which can load their love. I like autobiographic books because reading about another person’s life is very interesting and impressing. One can have an exciting train of thought into another period of time and see the results of a bad blow on person’s life. The book kept me in suspense most of the time.