Eragon, one of the worst films I've seen recently, was based on a novel written by fifteen year old Christopher Paolini (although he was closer to 18, when the book was released). The movie, like the book, suffered mainly from a complete lack of originality, as well as poor to average writing (a fact forgivable in a fifteen year old, less so from Hollywood screenwriters). I only read the book to see if I could recommend it to the aspiring novelist that is my 14 year old niece, Largo, who also noted the book was not very well writen (but has said the second book,Eldest, is better). As is often the case, Eragon was promoted more on the writers age, than on his emerging talent.
Anyhow, the latest edition on Extension has the winners of it's Short Story Contest for Catholic High School students, and I must say that I'm impressed. I have only read a few, but most of the stories have a strong understanding of what it means to have faith, and how to live it out. Naturally the writing is a tad better than you would expect from public school kids, and more structured than you might find in those home-schooled.
For me, the best thing is how well these young people can gently inspire some of us old farts, by reminding us why we are alive, and Who we are, or should be, living for.
Happy reading, and as a dear old friend is known to say,
“Reading is to the Mind what Exercise is to the Body"
“Reading is to the Mind what Exercise is to the Body"
