Decisions, decisions! Which one will it be? The great debate continues in promotion of the candidates for the 2015-2016 NCC Common Book. These are the current contenders. Be a part of the selection process!
Brother,
I’m Dying by Edwidge Danticat
(Battle of the Books presenter Brad Brothen)
(Battle of the Books presenter Brad Brothen)
In looking at a book to choose for Normandale Community
College’s Common Book, we must choose a book that crosses disciplines and
speaks to, and is accessible by, a multitude of staff and students. But the
choice of a Common Book is much more than just that. “Common” is the root word
in community, which is not only part of Normandale’s name but at the core of
its excellence. No book would better fill its role as a Common Book than
Edwidge Danticat’s Brother, I’m Dying, a
powerful memoir about family—both immediate and extended—and the immigrant
experience in America. It is accessible, educational, and ultimately, riveting.
Although it was published before the devastating 2010 earthquake that leveled
Haiti and killed an estimated 3 million people, it serves as a beautiful
backdrop for why Haiti is both a part of our collective history and deserving
of our attention and concern. The book opens with Danticat learning on the same
day that she is pregnant and her father is dying. This juxtaposition is the
framework for the reflective story that follows. It’s not, however, just a
story of the author’s life. It is a story of an overlooked part of our
hemisphere and a failed immigration system that needs immediate attention. Brother, I’m Dying is a must-read for
all of Normandale’s community.
Wild Flower: The True Story of a Romanian Girl in Africa
by Dr. Nina Smart
(Battle of the Books presenter Kim Socha)
Wild Flower: The True Story of a Romanian Girl in Africa is an autobiographical account of a young woman’s journey from Romania, to Africa, to the United States. She is marginalized as a person of color in Romania and then taken to Africa to experience an extraordinary new culture, but one in which she is faced with, and tries to escape, the tradition of female genital mutilation (FGM). This amazing true story of courage, rebellion, and love was lived and penned by Dr. Nina Smart, who currently runs Servicing Wild Flowers (SWF) International, a non-governmental organization that seeks to end FGM in Sierra Leone. Dr. Smart is based in Los Angeles, CA now and travels the world to raise awareness of FGM. All proceeds from her book sales and talks fund her organization SWF International.
Into The Beautiful North by Luis Alberto Urrea
(Battle of the Books presenter Kris Bigalk)
Nineteen-year-old Nayeli works at a taco shop in her Mexican village and dreams about her father, who journeyed to the US to find work. Recently, it has dawned on her that he isn't the only man who has left town. In fact, there are almost no men in the village--they've all gone north. While watching The Magnificent Seven, Nayeli decides to go north herself and recruit seven men--her own "Siete Magnificos"--to repopulate her hometown and protect it from the bandidos who plan on taking it over. Filled with unforgettable characters and prose as radiant as the Sinaloan sun, INTO THE BEAUTIFUL NORTH is the story of an irresistible young woman's quest to find herself on both sides of the fence. (from Luis Urrea’s website). INTO THE BEAUTIFUL NORTH is a part of the NEA Big Read, which means that there are lots of teaching materials, lesson plans, etc that are readily available to help teach the book.
(Battle of the Books presenter Kim Socha)
Wild Flower: The True Story of a Romanian Girl in Africa is an autobiographical account of a young woman’s journey from Romania, to Africa, to the United States. She is marginalized as a person of color in Romania and then taken to Africa to experience an extraordinary new culture, but one in which she is faced with, and tries to escape, the tradition of female genital mutilation (FGM). This amazing true story of courage, rebellion, and love was lived and penned by Dr. Nina Smart, who currently runs Servicing Wild Flowers (SWF) International, a non-governmental organization that seeks to end FGM in Sierra Leone. Dr. Smart is based in Los Angeles, CA now and travels the world to raise awareness of FGM. All proceeds from her book sales and talks fund her organization SWF International.
Into The Beautiful North by Luis Alberto Urrea
(Battle of the Books presenter Kris Bigalk)
Nineteen-year-old Nayeli works at a taco shop in her Mexican village and dreams about her father, who journeyed to the US to find work. Recently, it has dawned on her that he isn't the only man who has left town. In fact, there are almost no men in the village--they've all gone north. While watching The Magnificent Seven, Nayeli decides to go north herself and recruit seven men--her own "Siete Magnificos"--to repopulate her hometown and protect it from the bandidos who plan on taking it over. Filled with unforgettable characters and prose as radiant as the Sinaloan sun, INTO THE BEAUTIFUL NORTH is the story of an irresistible young woman's quest to find herself on both sides of the fence. (from Luis Urrea’s website). INTO THE BEAUTIFUL NORTH is a part of the NEA Big Read, which means that there are lots of teaching materials, lesson plans, etc that are readily available to help teach the book.
No comments:
Post a Comment