Nicholas Sparks Biography

Nicholas Sparks is the author of the book I'm currently reading. December 31, 1965 an extremely successful writer was born however, no one could ever guess. He was the middle of three children and moved around the country until he was about eight years old. Finally his family settled in Fair Oaks, California. He remained there until he graduated as valedictorian and then went to  the University of Notre Dame on a full track and field scholarship. During his freshman year Nicholas set the 4 by 800 relay which still stands today. However after that season he got injured which ended his career. He then later majored in business finance. the year after college he met his future wife Cathy Cote. When they were married on July 22, 1989 the new couple moved to New Bern, North Carolina. The first book he ever got published was called Wokini in 1990. After that he needed a more substantial job so he began selling pharmaceuticals and then was transferred to Washington DC. Then in his spare time during 1994 he wrote the Note Book. A literary agent, Theresa Park saw that it had great potential and decided to represent the book. In 1995 the Time Warner Book Group paid 1$million dollars in advance to publish the book.This is how Nicholas Sparks became the successful writer he is today. Since 1996 he has published eight-teen novels, ten of which has been adapted into films.

Backround information 1950s

The beginning of A Walk to Remember takes place in the 1950s. During this time period the United States had the most powerful military in the world. Since WW2 ended the economy was booming which meant new cars, suburban homes, and many other new developments. The Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas took place in the 1950s. This now allowed colored kids to go to school with white kids. When you hear 1950s the first thing that comes to my mind is modesty. Religion was a strong indicator of anti-communism during this time period, because of this people dressed very conservative, men wore suits and women wore dresses.   

Just like today music was a part of everyday life. In the 1950s rock 'n roll was developed from a mix of Southern blues and gospel. Billy Haley, Elvis Presley, and Jerry Lee Lewis were idolized by teens across the nation. Television became the main source of media. Newsman now could not only tell a story but also include videotaped pictures from the event. History programs were widely watched and gave viewers a new perspective. Due to the development of t.v. you would expect that radio would have a declining audience however this is not the case. Radio was still a source of information and a easier way to share music. I believe that all of these aspects will shape the book in the future and possibly impact the main character. 

Works Cited

Bradley, Becky . "1950-1959." American Cultural History. Lone Star College-

    Kingwood Library, 1998. Web. 7 Feb. 2011. 

Setting of a Walk to Remember

Last week I started reading A Walk to Remember. For those of you who haven't read this book, in the beginning it takes place in Beaufort, North Carolina during 1958. This was a small town where the roads were gravel and narrow. All year long it smelled of sea salt and pine, a scent unique to the area. To me the beach setting creates a mood that is chill and relaxing. Churches were on ever corner and that is what their lives were centered around. Landon spent his time making fun of his minister, Hegbert Sullivan. He was old and all he had left was his daughter Jamie. Every year Christmas pageants were thrown and Landon Carter was stuck sitting through every one of them. His father was a congressman for thirty years and was always out of town. In my opinion this makes the town look small and almost insignificant.

Works Cited

Ritika. "360 Degree Thoughts." 360 Degree Thoughts. N.p., 23 July 2010. Web. 1 Dec. 2013.