HHS Book Club reviews 'Unbroken' at library lunch series

Janie Richey retired from teaching years ago.

So, what does Mrs. Richey do with her free time?

She teaches.

As the leader of the Harrisburg High School Book Club, she encourages students to read and conducts numerous meetings each year for the purpose of hearing the student review the books they have read.

Richey dubbed herself the "Media Goddess" of Harrisburg High School when she took over the media curriculum at the school. She is still encouraging students to love reading and learning.

Wednesday she and two freshman girls explained the book club to those in attendance at the monthly noontime "Brown Bags and Books" meeting. BBB is a library program which brings in guests over the lunch hour and allows them to speak to the group.

This month Richey addressed the group.

The two freshmen women were Jenny Buchanan, 15, and Ashley Church, 14.

Church said, "I joined the club because I can take home two books at a time. Romance stories are my favorites. I love reading."

"I don't have a lot of time, but I make time for good suspenseful stories," said Buchanan.

"The guys don't like romance stories and the book list used to be heavy on romance. But that is changing. This year there are sports and war stories that the guys would like."

One war story that everyone should like because it is also a story of hope in the face of adversity is the biography "Unbroken." Authored by Laura Hillenbrand it is the tale of roughneck kid who changes his ways and becomes an Olympic runner. When World War II begins he enlists in the Army Air Corps and ends up in the Pacific theater where his bomber crashes in the ocean. He and a few survivors drift in a rubber raft until the Japanese find them and they are taken prisoner. The brutality of Japanese prison camp life fails to break the resolve of the main character.

"It is a book that should appeal to all," said Richey. "It is a war story and boys will like that. But it is also a story of hope and courage in the face of adversity."

The movie with the same title was popular in theaters about two months ago. Angelina Jolie directed the film.

"A lot of people were disappointed because the last third of the story was edited out," said Richey.

During that last third the main character suffers PTSD when he returns home and must learn to overcome it.