Facing History Book Cafe

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'll kick off the Book Cafe on Sunday, September 30th, 1-3 PM, at a home in Beverly Glen/West LA, with Timothy Snyder's On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century. This book is a very short, but essential read!

Please RSVP to me at liz_vogel@facinghistory.org. Location details will be shared upon RSVP.

I hope you'll join me!

Sunday, September 30, 2018