Thursday, July 19, 2007

LOOKING BACK - BOOKS WE’VE READ AND WARM UP QUESTIONS

Big Brain Book Group

 

THEMES

Adolescence

Adoption

African Heritage

Asian American

Authors of Color
Art

Books (the story itself is about books)

Classics

Comedy

Disability

Ethnicity
Food

Gender Identity

Generational Differences

Getting to Know Each Other
Time Travel

History

Illness

Immigrant/ Immigration

Latinx

Local Authors

Love

Magic

Male Authors

Memoir

Mental Health

Native American

Novel

Oppression

Psychology
Memoir

Refugee Experience

Resistance

Sacred Feminine

Science Fiction

Small Town

Spiritual

Spirituality

Time Travel
Travel

Whiteness

Women

Women of Color

 

2004

 
Sacred Feminine/ Spiritual/ History/ Novel
SEPT. 8, 2004 –
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant (Hebrew Women in Jerusalem)
Do you think about this part of your life? Why or why not, and how does this relate to power, history, and culture? How might we women, honor this part of our lives or integrate it more?

Sacred Feminine/ Spiritual/ Novel
OCT. 20, 2004 –
Initiation by Elisabeth Haich (White Woman with Egyptian Past Life)
Jot down phrases/sentences that resonate for you. How do we build, nurture, and support our own power?

Spiritual
NOV. 3, 2004 –
Zen Seeds: Reflections of a Female Priest by Shundo Aoyama translated by Patricia Daien Bennage (Buddhist Woman in Ashram)
No specific question, but we discussed the "seeds" that help us grow into powerful, spiritual women who can balance, accept, detach, and create (just to name a few ideas that came up).

History/ African Heritage/ Novel
DEC. 1, 2004 –
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (Southern Woman/Girl in Southern African Heritage Household)
No specific question, but we discussed what defined and who we thought might be the “queen bee.” We also discussed the black Madonna and white privilege.
 

2005

JAN. 5, 2005 – Skipped
 

Getting to Know Each Other/ History/ Ethnicity/ Novel/ Science Fiction
FEB. 2, 2005 –
Pastwatch: The Redemption of Columbus by Orson Scott Card (Taino in Caribbean Viewed from Post Apocalyptic Future)
Since reading this book, how do you now feel about Columbus and why? How do you feel/What do you think about Christianity being used the way it was in the book?

Getting to Know Each Other/ History/ Ethnicity/ Novel
MAR. 9, 2005 –
Charming Billy by Alice McDermott (Irish American in America)
No specific question, but we discussed Irish American (vs. Irish) culture, and Irish immigrant history.

Getting to Know Each Other/ History/ Ethnicity/ Memoir
APRIL 6, 2005 – Pata’s Poetry (Mixed)
No specific question, but we often had the same poems, and even lines, “starred” and “underlined.” There were many themes, but some we discussed included: being multiracial, wiccan, lesbian, women, and in therapy. We also seemed to share the same “favorite” authors, like Adrienne Rich. We realized that, when we knew more about the authors, we understood their work better.

Getting to Know Each Other/ History/ Ethnicity/ Novel
MAY 11, 2005 –
The Chosen by Chaim Potok (Jewish and Non-Jewish Friendship)
No specific question, but we discussed the absence of female role-models and the present male-male relationships (father-son, boy-boy), the power/impact of silence, and being true to yourself, your choices, and your dreams.
 

Women/ History/ Novel

JUL./AUG., 2005 – Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingslover (White Family in Africa)
No specific question, but we discussed “the culture of racism,” meaning, what is it about people (missionaries) that makes them feel that they can impose their ways on others. Not every culture did this, so we compared other books (ie: Hawaii by Michener) and history that we knew to see if there was something about some people having a culture which contained racist ideology – and that those happened to be the cultures which colonized countries with People of Color.

 

Women/ Psychology

SEPT. 7, 2005 – In a Different Voice… by Carol Gilligan AND/OR Reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher (Raising Girls into Women)
What do you see as important things young women need to know (or be educated about) in today’s world that might be different from our parent’s generation?


Women of Color/ Novel
OCT. 10, 2005 –
Brick Lane by Monica Ali (Muslim Indian in England)
In what ways were the women in the novel oppressed? And - How did they demonstrate their resistance to the oppression (what kinds of actions did they take)? How does this novel compare with other stories people have read about Indian/Pakistani immigrants (such as Interpreter of Maladies or The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri).


Women of Color/ Memoir/ Books

NOV. 2, 2005 – Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books by Azar Nafisi (Iran Woman Teaching in Iran) AND/OR Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women by Geraldine Brooks (White Woman in Iran)
What is morality? Who gets to define it? How does wearing “the veil” compare/inform such things as whether or not to require school uniforms to be worn?
 

Oppression/ Movie

DEC. 14, 2005 – MOVIE, NO BOOK
(DVD) We will watch and discuss
“Crash”
 

2006
 

Women of Color/ Ethnicity/ History/ Novel
JAN. 4, 2006 – Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga (White Family In Africa) AND/OR
Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight: An African Childhood by Alexandra Fuller (African in Africa)
How do people cope with their fears; women’s rights and stresses; and class privilege? How different and too what degree is the Black vs. White experience during/after wars in Africa?

Women of Color/ Ethnicity/ History/ Novel
FEB. 1, 2005 –
The Bone People: A Novel by Keri Hulme (Wt Amer./Maori in New Zealand)
What is it that holds these people (any people) together? What role does cultural conflict (devastation) play?

Women of Color/ Ethnicity/ History
MAR. 1, 2006 – The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh (Indians in Indian islands) or The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan (Muslim Indian Dynasty in India)
“The hungry tide” concretely refers to the waters which “devour” an island twice a day at high tide. What else could “the hungry tide” symbolize? What hungers were in the 20th wife? Describe the power women have or are granted.

Women of Color/ Ethnicity/ History/ Novel
APRIL, 2006
On Beautyby Zadie Smith (African/African-American in America)
What do you think about this quote “It’s not WHAT I live for, but WHOM I live for”? How do people perceive other people and what does that do when people don’t know themselves, can they relate to other people?

Women of Color/ Ethnicity/ History/ African Heritage
MAY. 3, 2006 – Zenzele: A Letter for My Daughter by J. Nozipo Maraire (African in Africa)
How do parents teach and pass on family values? How are values prioritized?


Travel/ Memoir

JUNE 7, 2006 – Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert (White American Who Travels)
What do we know about these countries and experiences (being in a new place, learning a new language, meditating, etc.) that resonates, seems similar, seems different? I must admit, the food section reminded me of how much I enjoyed reading Amy’s emails of England! And, I can’t wait to hear from Tricia about her experiences of meditation – if you’re willing to share! Which sections did we like to most or least and why? What about Gilbert’s sense of humor? Writing style (all those metaphors)? Did it work for you or was it distracting? Other thoughts? Do you think you could write a memoir like this? Do you feel like your life is balanced? Can you imagine how you might be able to bring balance into your life?


Native American/ Spirituality
JULY 26, 2006 –
The Dancing Healers by Carl A. Hammerschlag or Theft of the Spirit: A Journey to Spiritual Healing by Carl Hammerschlag (Native American/Jewish Doctor in NA Reserve)
How can we promote better health in ourselves? What did Hammerschlag learn about himself? How can we integrate spiritual practices?

Native American/ Memoir/ History

AUG. 23, 2006 – The Scalpel and the Silver Bear: The First Navajo Woman Surgeon Combines Western Medicine and Traditional Healing by Lori Alvord (Navajo/White Woman in White World)
What can we learn from Indigenous practices which would improve our own state of mind and health?


Gender Identity/ Novel
SEPT. 6, 2006 –
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (Greek/Sexual Identity During 1960’s in America)
How does gender (outward appearance and internal feelings) affect our inner selves? And the way other people treat us?


Male Authors/ Spirituality
OCT. 11, 2006 –
The Art of Happiness by The Dalai Lama (Buddhist Male) OR Peace is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hahn (Buddhist Male Monk)
Do you already successfully use some of the techniques presented? Which ones work for you in what ways? How do you think you could bring MORE happiness, joy, and/or peace into your life using one or more of the techniques presented? Which ones? How do you feel about this quote from Peace is Every Step, “Although attempting to bring about world peace through the internal transformation of individuals is difficult, it is the only way. …Once these qualities are developed within an individual, he or she is then able to create an atmosphere of peace and harmony. This atmosphere can be expanded and extended from the individual to his family, from the family to the community, and eventually to the whole world.” In the books, Zen Seeds, Initiation and Eat, Pray, Love, the women took time to retreat and meditate. In what ways was this “time” they took similar or different than The Dalai Lama or Nhat Hanh? Does power and/or privilege make any difference in the ways these people achieve happiness? Does that make it seem more or less possible for us to do it too?


Male Authors/ Classics

NOV. 21, 2006 – The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (White American Male in 1920’s America)
What themes about men, America, and materialism emerge? How do we deceive ourselves? What happens when we hold on to the past (when have we done that?)?

DEC., 2006 – Skipped

 

2007
 

Women of Color/ Latinx
JAN. 9, 2007 –
La frontera/Borderlands by Gloria Anzaldúa (Latina in America)
What borders do you have in your life? How visible are they? Can other people see them and make judgments? How do you balance them? Choose between them? Defend them?


Illness and Disability/ Mental Health/ Adoption
FEB. 20, 2007 –
The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards (Downs Syndrome Child in America)
What kind of choices have we made that we can now see changed the course of our lives (and we might have done differently had we known)? What do you think about the lies and what they cause?

Illness and Disability/ Mental Health/ Novel
MARCH 13, 2007 –
Blindness by Jose Saramago (Blindness/Apocalypse in “America”)
What do you think his writing style symbolizes (look at the text, the punctuation, the indentations)? Think about what kinds of "blindness" we might have in our own lives, as well as what "blindness" symbolized in this book. What does it mean to see and to not see?"

Illness and Disability/ Mental Health
APRIL 19, 2007 @ 2:30 –
Expecting Adam: A True Story of Birth, Rebirth, and Everyday Magic by Martha Beck (Downs Syndrome Child in Cambridge, MA) or The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time*by Mark Haddon (Autistic Child in England)
What does having a disability means to the individual as well as to the family. Do we have any "disabilities" which other people need to accommodate when they are with us?

 

Love

MAY 20, 2007 @ 5:00 – A General Theory of Love by Thomas Lewis, Fari Amini, Richard Lannon (Scientific Research on Love and Memory)

What is love, and why are some people un/able to find it?
What is loneliness, and why does it hurt? What do we do about it both logically and emotionally?
What are relationships, and how and why do they work the way they do?
What makes one’s “narrative” authentic? or Who's real and who's a fraud?
What distinguishes parental love from romantic love?
Survival requires different tactics in different environments. What measures do the characters in the novel adopt to carry on?


Illness and Disability/ Mental Health

 JUNE 25, 2007 @ 4:00 – The Echo Maker by Richard Powers (Memory Loss) and The History of Love by Nicole Krauss (Jewish man in New York after Holocaust)


Time Travel/ Novel

JULY 19, 2007 @ 6:30 – The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (A Man with a "time travel gene" Meets his Wife to be, then She Grows Up and Meets him BEFORE he has Actually Traveled Back to Her Time)
How is time travel "normalized"? How does the author make the time travel "work" and be believable? What do you think about the love relationship? How does this compare with other time travel books?

Time Travel/ Novel

AUG. 15, 2007 @ 10:30 am – A Wish in Time by Laurel Bradley (Contemporary Woman Switches Places with her Counterpart in the Middle Ages)
How is this book similar/different from The Time Traveler's Wife? What do you think about the expression "no good deed goes unpunished" (or "all too often those that do good are rewarded with pain"). What do you think makes a person him/herself? Their body? Their mind? Their experiences?


Local Authors (Massachusetts, Boston, Concord, MA)/ History
SEPT. 24, 2007 @ 6:30 –
Walden by Henry David Thoreau (Concord, MA)
Please consider thinking about how the act of observing nature may transform IT and YOU. Also, think about what makes him a "man of his time" and whether you would have been able to do what he did (meaning, live out on your own, as well as be able to do it as a woman in that time period, etc.).

Local Authors (Massachusetts, Boston, Concord, MA)/ History
OCT. , 2007 @ 6:30 –
All Souls: A Family Story from Southie by Michael Patrick MacDonald (South Boston, MA)What causes a community to kill its own? Who are the “good guys”? What was it really like to be part of that time period when Boston bussing, the Irish community, and poverty overlapped?

Local Authors (Massachusetts, Boston, Concord, MA)/ History
NOV., 2007 @ 6:30 –
American Bloomsbury: Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Margaret Fuller, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Henry David Thoreau: Their Lives, Their Loves, Their Work by Susan Cheever (Concord, MA)Think of the “players” and ask yourself: What did we know about him/her before? What did we learn? Was anything a surprise? Validation of what we already knew? Other reactions?

Local Authors (Massachusetts, Boston, Concord, MA)/ History
DEC. 27, 2007 @ 11:30 am –
Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation by Cokie Roberts (American Revolution Women)
We know that there were women during the Revolutionary War, but what exactly were they doing? What did we know, what did we learn?
 

2008 

 

Women/ History/ Illness/ Latinx
JAN 31, 2008 @ 6:30 –
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Marquez (South America)
Think about the themes of aging, disease, and love which are all portrayed in the book: Do you agree with Urbino and Ofelia Daza that “old people have no business being in love – or making love?” What metaphors/places involve disease? What do you think of “divided love”?

FEB., 2008 – Skipped

 

Sacred Feminine/ History
MARCH 27, 2008 @ 6:30 –
The Secret Magdelene by Ki Longfellow (Jewish and Christian)
What do we know about the historical people in this book? We’ve probably read a lot of books between us, so what can we confirm or not? Which inconsistencies are most intriguing? What does this story tell us about faith (humanity and divinity), God (inner or outer?) and how beliefs manifest across religious practices?
 

Comedy/ Time Travel/ Books/ Novel
APRIL 22, 2008 @ 4:00 for dessert and tea/coffee –
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (Time Travel Through Books)
If only we could jump to the good parts and skip over the bad, check out this site for an interesting
essay. We used the discussion questions from this site.


Comedy/ History/ Novel

 MAY 20, 2008 @ 6:30 – Any book by Christopher Moore: You Suck, A Dirty Job, Fluke, the Stupidest Angel, Lamb, The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove, Island of the Sequined Love Nun, Coyote Blues, Bloodsucking Fiends, Practical Demonkeeping (Science Fiction Under Water)
 

Women/ Local Authors/ Male Authors/ Novel
JUNE 3, 2008 in Concord –
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (Classic, Women's Rights)
We'll look at themes. A passage from the introduction to The Scarlet Letter: "Human nature will not flourish, any more than a potato, if it be planted and replanted, for too long a series of generations, in the same worn-out soil. My children have had other birthplaces, and, so far as their fortunes may be within my control, shall strike their roots into unaccustomed earth."


Adolescence/ Novel

JULY, 2008 – Any book by Jodi Piccoult (Popular Author, Contemporary Themes)

What's our favorite and why? What do we think about her interpretation of the "hot topics" she chooses to delve into in her books?


Women/ Novel

AUG., 2008 – The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand (Classic, Objectivism)Are the characters real? What do the characters show about integrity? Who are the “good guys” and “bad guys”? Which characters did you like? What is “Objectivism”?


Comedy/ Books/ Novel

SEPT., 2008 @ 7:00 – The Thursday Next Series by Jasper Fforde

How does the author deepen the "world" he has created? What did we think of each of the books? SUPERLATIVES


Adolescence/ Mental Health/ Women/ Oppression/ Novel

OCT. 30, 2008 @ 7:15 – Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (Suicide)
Why was Hannah unable to deal with the things that happened to her? Why was she unable to get help/allow people to help her? What support did she or did she not have? What does her experience teach us about children, schools, and educators?
 

Adolescence/ Mental Health/ Women/ Oppression/ Novel

NOV. 25, 2008 @ 6:30 – Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman (School Cliques)
This book is the basis for the Movie Mean Girls. For the second month in a row we were joined by our daughters; two teenage girls. It was interesting to hear their interpretation of our “parenting style.” One said her mom was a little bit of each and the other said, “nope, nope, nope” as she scrolled through the list. I like to think I’m the “Loving Hard-Ass Parent” but who knows? We speculated a little on the other parents of daughters who we might know (the teenage girls had lots of opinions on this).


DEC., 2008 – Skipped


2009

 

Psychology/ Oppression/ Male Authors/ History/ Whiteness

JAN. – Outliers, Blink, or The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell (Psychology Behind Assumptions, Decision Making, and Invisible Advantage)


Immigration/ Generational Differences/ Ethnicity

FEB. – The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz (Dominican)

If you knew what was missing in your life, and could travel back in time, what would you go back and do differently?


Immigration/ Generational Differences/ Ethnicity

MARCH – Waiting by Ha Jin (Chinese American)

We asked ourselves, “Who was waiting in this novel?”


Immigration/ Generational Differences/ Ethnicity/ Novel

APRIL – Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri (Asian Indian)

What themes do we see in this novel?


Psychology/ Mental Health

MAY – Skipped, but I have a summary for another book A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink (Neurology, Social-Emotional Well-Being)

 

Women/ History/ Science Fiction/ Novel

JUNE – Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel (Early Humans/Hominids)

What can we learn about relationships and evolutionary history?


Women/ Mental Health/ Novel

JULY – The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry (Salem, MA, Mental Illness)

What do we learn about lace reading, abuse, mental illness, and enabling others.

 

Travel/ Spiritual

AUGUST – The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (Travel, Spiritual Journey)


Women/ History 

SEPTEMBER – The Seven Daughters of Eve by Brian Sykes (Early Humans)

Think about what the author says about DNA evidence and how it makes/breaks other theories (like those related to farming becoming more popular than hunting/gathering)

 

OCTOBER – Skipped


NOVEMBER – Skipped


Women/ History/ Spiritual

DECEMBER – Mother of the Believers by Kamran Pasha (Birth of Islam)

What rites of passage (traditions) have we experienced or witnessed?


2010
 

Women/ Psychology/ Generational Differences/ History/ Novel

JAN. – The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff (Mormon Religion)


Women/ Psychology/ Generational Differences/ History/ Novel

FEB. – The Help by Kathryn Stockett (Servant in Antebellum South)


Women/ Psychology/ Generational Differences

MARCH – Raising a Left Brained Child in a Right Brained World by Katherine Beals (Neurology, Social-Emotional Well-Being)


Women/ Psychology/ Generational Differences/ Novel

APRIL – Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout (Small Town New England)


Women/ Psychology/ Generational Differences/ Novel

MAY – Ahab’s Wife, or The Star Gazer by Sena Jeter Naslund (Women, Whaling)


Women/ Psychology/ Generational Differences/ Novel

JUNE – The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery (Age and Youth, Intelligence)

How does it feel to be invisible? What is beauty?


Memoir/ Women

JULY – Getting the Pretty Back by Molly Ringwald (Actress Reflecting on What She Has Learned About Becoming an Adult)

Various topics about getting older and having kids.


AUGUST – Skipped


Women/ Psychology

SEPTEMBER – Denial: A Memoir of Terror by Jessica Stern (Rape, PTSD- Trauma)

What trauma have we experienced with family, students, friends, and/or ourselves (if we a comfortable bringing the stories to the table)? How has it affected our psyche? And what has been our coping/treatment methods?


Immigrant/ Refugee Experience

OCTOBER – Strength in What Remains: A Journey of Remembrance and Forgiveness by Tracy Kidder and What is the What by Dave Eggers

What would you do if you were a refugee? Could you survive? Or, on the flip side: Would you be able to an ally to a refugee?


Immigrant/ Refugee Experience

NOVEMBER – Tis by Frank McCourt (Irish-American)


Oppression/ African Heritage

DECEMBER – The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates by Wes Moore (African Heritage)


2011
 

Science Fiction/ Novel

JAN. – Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Think about what it means to have and/or be leader and to have/be "controlled" - as well ls how much of Orson Scott Card's "science fiction" turned out to be a "science fact" - remember this book was first published in 1984. The Internet became widely used in 1992 and portable laptop computers in 2000.

 

Time Travel/ Novel

FEB. –The Traveler by John Twelve Hawk


Science Fiction/ Novel

 MARCH – The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

  

Small Town/ Male Authors/ Novel

APRIL – Freedom by Jonathan Franzen 

 

Women/ Magic/ Novel

MAY – Lady Macbeth's Daughter by Lisa Klein


Women/ Magic/ Novel

JUNE – The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown


Women/ Magic/ Novel

JULY – Anything by Alice Hoffman

 

Oppression/ Asian American

AUGUST – Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok


Local Authors

SEPTEMBER – Ice Cream Stand by 21 Authors


History/ Oppression

OCTOBER – 1493 by Charles Mann (Native American)


History/ Oppression/ Novel

NOVEMBER – Sarah's Key by Taitiana DeRosnay (Jewish)


History/ Oppression

DECEMBER – Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn

 

2012

 

Local Authors

JAN. – The Tin Ticket by Deborah J. Swiss (Australia)

 

Local Authors/ Novel

FEB. – Spanish Soap Operas by Erin McCormick

 

Oppression/ History

MARCH. – The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (African Heritage)

 

Oppression/ History

APRIL – State of Wonder by Anne Patchet


MAY – Skipped

 
JUNE – Skipped

 

Small Town/ Novel

JULY – Empire Falls by John Irving


History/ Women

AUGUST – The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh


History/ Food

SEPTEMBER – A History of the World in Two Books
A History of the World in 100 Objects by Neil MacGregor 

A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage

 

OCTOBER – Skipped

 

Women/ History/ Novel

NOVEMBER – Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff

 

Oppression/ Novel

DECEMBER – The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian

 

2013

 

JANUARY – Skipped

 

Comedy/ History/ Male Authors/ Art/ Novel
FEBRUARY –
Sacré Bleu by Christopher Moore

 

MARCH – Skipped

 

Women/ Comedy/ Memoir

APRIL – How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran

 

Women/ Comedy/ Memoir

MAY – Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler

 

Women of Color/ Comedy/ Memoir/ Ethnicity

JUNE – My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor (Latinx)

 

Male Authors

JULY – In One Person by John Irving

 

AUGUST - DECEMBER – Skipped

 

2014


Women/ History/ Classic

JANUARY – A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

 

Women/ History

FEBRUARY – So Far From Story Street by Jeanne Lavallee

 

Women/ Science Fiction

MARCH – Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett and Niel Gaiman

 

Women/ Oppression

APRIL – At Fault by Kate Chopin

 

Women/ Oppression

MAY – Dirty Love by Andre Dubus

 

History/ Food

JUNE – Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan

 

Women/ Science Fiction/ Magic

JULY – The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman

 

Women/ Oppression/ Novel

AUGUST – The Professor's House by Willa Cather

 

Women/ Oppression/ Resistance/ Novel

SEPTEMBER – The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

 

History/ Art/ Novel

OCTOBER – The Art Forger by B. A. Shapiro

 

Science Fiction/ Magic/ Books/ Novel

NOVEMBER – Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

 

DECEMBER – Skipped

 

2015


Women/ Memoir/ History

JANUARY – Wild by Cheryl Strayed   

 

Comedy/ History/ Novel

FEBRUARY – Lamb by Christopher Moore

 

Comedy/ History/Science Fiction

MARCH – Ready, Player, One by Ernest Cline

 

History/Science Fiction

APRIL – Ishmael by Daniel Quinn  

 

Women/ Memoir/ Oppression

MAY – The Mother's Recompense by Edith Wharton

 

History/ Art

JUNE – Priceless: How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World's Stolen Treasures by Robert K. Wittman and John Shiffman

 

JULY – Skipped

 

AUGUST – Skipped

 

Women/ History

SEPTEMBER – The Wedding Officer by Anthony Capella

 

OCTOBER – Skipped

 

Women/ History

NOVEMBER – Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child by Bob Spitz

 

DECEMBER – Skipped

 

2016


Women/ History/ Oppression

JANUARY – Sima's Undergarments for Women by Ilana Stanger-Ross

 

FEBRUARY – Skipped

 

Women/ Oppression

MARCH – Blue Eyes in a Black Wonderland by Erin McCormack

 

History/ Oppression/ African Heritage

APRIL – Forty Acres by Dwayne Alexander Smith

 

MAY – Skipped

 

Women/ History/ Oppression/ Native American

JUNE – My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem

 

JULY – Skipped

 

Women/ History/ Oppression

AUGUST – Waking Up White by Debby Irving

 

Women/ Comedy

SEPTEMBER – Yes, Please by Amy Poehler

 

OCTOBER – Skipped

 

Women/ History/ Oppression

NOVEMBER – Jarrettsville by Cornelia Nixon

 

DECEMBER – Skipped

 

2017


Small Town/ Novel

JANUARY – Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger

 

FEBRUARY – Skipped

 

Women/ History/ Memoir/ Comedy

MARCH – Carrie Fisher

 

APRIL – Skipped

 

Women/ History/ Memoir/ Gender Identity

MAY – Becoming Nicole: The Transformation of an American Family by Amy Ellis Nutt

 

Women/ History/ African Heritage/ Oppression

JUNE – The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

 

Women/ History/ Oppression/ Ethnicity/ Asian American/ Adoption/ Immigration

JULY – The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See

 

History/ Art

AUGUST – The Muralist by B. A. Shapiro

 

History/ Oppression/ African Heritage

SEPTEMBER – Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

 

History/ Oppression/ Native American/ Ethnicity

OCTOBER – You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me by Sherman Alexie

 

NOVEMBER – Skipped

 

History/ Oppression/ Asian American

DECEMBER – Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

 

2018


Comedy/ Oppression/ Women/ Mental Health

JANUARY – Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple

 

Comedy

FEBRUARY – Whaletalk by Chris Crutcher

 

MARCH – Skipped

 

Authors of Color

APRIL – All the Women in My Family Sing: Women Write the World: Essays on Equality, Justice, and Freedom by Deborah Santana

 

Authors of Color/ African Heritage/ Memoir

MAY – Born a Crime by Trevor Noah (South African Childhood)

 

Authors of Color/ Asian American

JUNE – Human Acts by Han Kang (Asian American, South Korea)

 

Authors of Color/ Latinx/ History/ Ethnicity

JULY – Puerto Rico Strong (Latinx graphic novel)

 

Authors of Color/ Comedy/ African Heritage/ Whiteness

AUGUST – You Can’t Touch My Hair by Phoebe Robinson (African Heritage) – no notes yet

 

Authors of Color/ Native American/ History/ Mental Health/ Memoir

SEPTEMBER – Heart Berries by Terese Marie Mailhot (Native American)

 

Authors of Color/ Comedy/ African Heritage/ Memoir/ Whiteness

OCTOBER – I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World of Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown (African Heritage)

 

Authors of Color/ Memoir/ History

NOVEMBER – Never Caught: The Washingtons’ Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge by Erica Armstrong Dunbar (African Heritage)

 

DECEMBER – Skipped

 

2019


Authors of Color/ History/ Oppression/ African Heritage/ Memoir

JANUARY – The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row by Anthony Ray Hinton (African Heritage, Prison)

 

History/ Oppression/ Novel

FEBRUARY – Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan

 

Immigration/ Refugee/ History/ Oppression/ Novel

MARCH – Refugee by Alan Gratz

 

Authors of Color/ Oppression/ African Heritage/ Novel

APRIL – On the Come Up by Angie Thomas (African Heritage)

 

Native American/ Local Author/ Novel/ History

MAY – In Regalia by Erin McCormack

 

JUNE – Skipped

 

History/ Oppression/ Whiteness

JULY – White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo

 

Authors of Color/ Oppression/ Adoption/ Immigration/ Asian American/ Novel

SEPTEMBER – The Leavers by Lisa Ko

 

OCTOBER – Skipped


Authors of Color/ History/ Oppression/ Asian American/ Memoir

NOVEMBER –  Island of Sea Women by Lisa See

 

DECEMBER – Skipped

 

2020

 

Authors of Color/ Oppression/ Novel/ Native American/ Science Fiction

JANUARY –  The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline


Authors of Color/ History/ Novel/ Native American

FEBRUARY – The Fire Keeper (book 1) J. C Cervantes

 

MARCH – Skipped (COVID-19)


Authors of Color/ History/ Oppression/ Asian American

APRIL – The Love Wife by Gish Jen (Virtual)


History/ Oppression/ Memoir/ Jewish

MAY – Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots by Deborah Feldman  – either book or Netflix series (Virtual)


Authors of Color/ History/ Oppression/ Native American/ Ethnicity

JUNE – Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer


Authors of Color/ History/ Oppression/ African American

JULY – Invisible: The Forgotten Story of the Black Woman Lawyer Who Took Down America's Most Powerful Mobster by Stephen L. Carter


Authors of Color/ History/ Oppression/ Asian American

AUGUST – On Gold Mountain Book by Lisa See


Authors of Color/ History/ Oppression/ African American

SEPTEMBER –  Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Ibram Kendi

 

Authors of Color/ History/ Oppression

OCTOBER –  My Grandmother's Hands by Resmaa Menakem

 

Authors of Color/ History/ Oppression

NOVEMBER –  Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement by Angela Yvonne Davis

 

DECEMBER – Skipped

 

2021

 

Authors of Color/ History/ Oppression

JANUARY –  Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent by Isabel Wilkerson 

 

FEBRUARY – Skipped

 

Authors of Color/ History/ Oppression

MARCH – Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

 

Authors of Color/ History/ Oppression

APRIL – Osage Rose by Tom Holm

 

Authors of Color/ History/ Oppression

MAY – White Tears/Brown Scars: How White Feminism Betrays Women of Color by Ruby Hamad

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