Author Steve Sheinkin Speaks to Middle School Boys

Middle School boys were treated to a visit from author Steve Sheinkin on February 14, 2018.  This lecture was made possible by the Kronengold Authors Fund, which was established in 2016 by sixteen Old Boys who wanted to honor their former second-grade teacher, Ms. Kronengold, who taught them how to write and inspired a lifelong passion for reading.  

For the third consecutive year, Ms. Kronengold attended the lecture and was delighted to see former students.  Henry L. introduced Mr. Sheinkin and explained why his books are among his favorites.  Henry also shared that he, his father, and grandfather had all enjoyed reading Mr. Sheinkin’s book Bomb.
 
Mr. Sheinkin began his lecture by describing how he became an author.  When he was young, he was obsessed with the dream of making movies with his brother.  He and his brother fulfilled that dream when they lived in Austin and made their first movie.  It was a political satire that, sadly, did not get good reviews.  He moved to New York and found a job as a text book writer, where he learned how to practice something every day.  During the editing process he was required to omit details from the text books which he found most interesting.  He realized that he wanted to find a way to share captivating historical stories.  Inspired by non-fiction events, he follows stories that peak his interest and weaves multiple narratives together.
 
His working method includes a lot of research. His desk is always covered with books.  He often looks through the notes in the back sections of books to learn more.  These clues lead him on wonderful journeys.  After the initial research, Mr. Sheinkin writes his favorite stories on index cards and posts them on bulletin boards.  He learned his trick from movie making and finds it helpful to see each story come to life in a visual way.
 
Mr. Sheinkin spoke about two of his books to give the boys a better idea of how he brings history to life through storytelling.  Bomb tells the story of the race to build the atomic bomb at a remote site in Los Alamos.  While focusing on the main character of Robert Oppenheimer, Mr. Sheinkin interspersed the stories of Theodore Hall, a scientist and spy, and Norwegian commandoes who parachuted into the mountains of Germany to destroy specific commercial manufacturing plants.
 
Undefeated tells on one of the best underdog sports stories of all time by focusing on the football team at a small Native American boarding school in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.  Jim Thorpe was one of the players on the team, and he turned out to be the greatest athlete in the world at that time.  In 1911 the team played against their biggest rival, Harvard.  Through the use of creative and trick plays, they earned a huge win. With the assistance of two St. B’s boys, Mr. Sheinkin re-enacted a famous trick play.
 
The boys thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Sheinkin’s lecture and are big fans of his books.  When Mr. Sheinkin was in the library before the talk, boys quickly lined up to ask him for his autograph.
 
We extend our thanks to Mr. Sheinkin, Ms. Kronengold, and Mr. Schwartz.  Special thanks to the Old Boys who established the Kronengold Authors Fund and continue to inspire younger generations to pursue their passion of reading.
 
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