You may be familiar with the Japanese word tsundoku, a noun that describes a person who buys books but never reads them, and then lets them pile up everywhere.
I can relate! My reading list grows almost daily. I'm drawn, more than ever, to books that can help make meaning of the world around me. It's no surprise that I gravitate to stories tied to the big questions that Facing History examines: identity and belonging, we and they, racial justice, civic engagement.
That's why this year I'm piloting a Facing History Book Cafe, to help me read some of the incredible books I've stacked up in my home and office! Every other month, I'll host a bookclub conversation in a private home, open to teachers, students, donors, community members and friends. I've chosen a selection of books (see below) from a variety of genres - YA fiction, memoir, historical nonfiction and social commentary.
Each book aligns with a theme within Facing History's scope and sequence of study, which will provide a loose frame for discussion. You can choose to read one book in the series or as many of them as you like. This is meant to be an informal opportunity to learn together.
I hope you'll join me!
Sunday, September 30, 2018
On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder
Facing History Theme: Choosing to Participate
Sunday, December 2, 2018
A Hope More Powerful Than The Sea: One Refugee's Incredible Story of Love, Loss and Survival by Melissa Fleming
Facing History Theme: Identity and the Power of Labels
Sunday, January 13, 2019
The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein
Facing History Theme: We and They
Sunday, March 10, 2019
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Facing History Theme: A Case Study
Sunday, May 5, 2019
The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row by Anthony Ray Hinton
Facing History Theme: Judgment and Legacy
I look forward to learning together!