The New Vanguard

Women's history month | Women writers | Fiction

Our critics chose 15 remarkable books by women that are shaping the way we read and write fiction in the 21st century.

By Dwight Garner, Parul Sehgal and Jennifer Szalai | March 5, 2018

Corey Olsen

In 2016, the feminist press Emily Books held a panel in Brooklyn titled, a bit cheekily, “What Is Women’s Writing?” There was no consensus, much laughter and a warm, rowdy vibe. Eileen Myles read from a memoir in progress and Ariana Reines read a poem, wearing a dress with a pattern of a city on fire. All of this felt exactly right.

But even if it puts your teeth on edge to see “women’s writing” cordoned off in quotes, you can’t deny the particular power of today’s women writers — their intensity of style and innovation. The books steering literature in new directions — to new forms, new concerns — almost invariably have a woman at the helm, an Elena Ferrante, a Rachel Cusk, a Zadie Smith. 

For Women’s History Month, The Times’s staff book critics — Dwight Garner, Jennifer Szalai and myself, Parul Sehgal — sat down together to think about these writers who are opening new realms to us, whose books suggest and embody unexplored possibilities in form, feeling and knowledge.

As we put together a reading list, we introduced a few parameters, for sanity’s sake. We confined ourselves to books written by women and published in the 21st century. And we limited our focus to fiction, but not without some grief. Memoir has emerged as a potent political and literary force in recent years (see the terrain-shifting work of Maggie Nelson, for example). And poets like Claudia Rankine, Solmaz Sharif and Tracy K. Smith are some of the most distinctive voices working today.

Read more...

Book Riot’s 2018 Read Harder Challenge

Book lists | Reader's Advisory | Reading

This year’s Read Harder challenged is presented by Libby.
Meet Libby. The one-tap reading app from OverDrive. By downloading Libby to your smartphone, you can access thousands of eBooks and audiobooks from your library for free anytime and anywhere. You’ll find titles in all genres, ranging from bestsellers, classics, nonfiction, comics and much more. Libby works on Apple and Android devices and is compatible with Kindle. All you need is a library card but you can sample any book in the library collection without one. In select locations, Libby will even get your library card for you instantly. Learn more at https://meet.libbyapp.com/. Happy Reading. Read more...

First Drafts, Conversations, Stories in Progress Ta-Nehisi Coates 10:39 AM Five Books to Make You Less Stupid About the Civil War

Racism | US History | Civil War

29th Regiment Connecticut Volunteers, U.S. Colored Troops in formation near Beaufort, South Carolina, 1864 Library of Congress

 

On Monday, the retired four-star general and White House Chief of Staff John Kelly asserted that “the lack of an ability to compromise lead to the Civil War.” This was an incredibly stupid thing to say. Worse, it built on a long tradition of endorsing stupidity in hopes of making Americans stupid about their own history. Stupid enjoys an unfortunate place in the highest ranks of American government these days. And while one cannot immediately affect this fact, one can choose to not hear stupid things and quietly nod along.

For the past 50 years, some of this country’s most celebrated historians have taken up the task of making Americans less stupid about the Civil War. These historians have been more effective than generally realized. It’s worth remembering that General Kelly’s remarks, which were greeted with mass howls of protests, reflected the way much of this country’s stupid-ass intellectual class once understood the Civil War. I do not contend that this improved history has solved everything. But it is a ray of light cutting through the gloom of stupid. You should run to that light. Embrace it. Bathe in it. Become it.

Okay, maybe that’s too far. Let’s start with just being less stupid. Read more...
 

Expert Picks — Books and Films You Should Check Out Before Traveling Abroad

Travel books | International | Reader's advisory

Foreign ambassadors to the U.S. share their book and movie recommendations for visitors to their countries. Be sure to read and watch them before you go!

By Dylan Lyons

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Illustration by Jana Walczyk

Cultural immersion is a large part of what makes traveling to a foreign country so rewarding, but you can take in the culture before you even set foot on a plane. We asked international ambassadors in Washington, D.C. to pick the book and film they believe first-time visitors to their country should consume before they arrive. Their choices range from the very popular to the relatively obscure, but they all offer a good starting point for travelers who long for a truly rewarding experience.

We have created a digital guide to these ambassador’s cultural picks, which we will continue to expand upon as more ambassadors contribute. This list can serve as both a resource for readers to learn about other countries and a cultural guidebook for travelers.
Without further ado, here are the picks for each country (in alphabetical order). Some choices include commentary from the ambassadors themselves.

Note: "H.E." stands for His or Her Excellency, the official title for ambassadors to the U.S.
Happy reading and viewing!

Austria

H.E. Wolfgang A. Waldner recommends:

• Book: The Tobacconist (2012), by Robert Seethaler
• Film: The Third Man (1949), directed by Carol Reed

“The Tobacconist (translated into English by Charlotte Collins) is set in 1937 just before the German occupation. It follows 17-year-old Franz, who moves to Vienna to become the apprentice in a tobacco shop. Its quiet wisdom and sincerity resonated with me very deeply."
“The Third Man, the British noir from 1949, feels as fresh as ever. Shot entirely on location, you see the city [of Vienna] in ruins and split up into French, American, British and Russian sectors with spies and suspicious officials everywhere. The catchy film score, performed by Anton Karas on a zither, sets the perfect tone."

Azerbaijan

H.E. Elin Suleymanov recommends:

• Book: Ali and Nino (1937), by Kurban Said
• Film: Ali and Nino (2016), directed by Asif Kapadia

Ali and Nino recounts the love story of a Muslim Azerbaijani boy and Christian Georgian girl in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku from 1918 to 1920.

Bhutan

Ambassador and Permanent Representative H.E. Kunzang C. Namgyel recommends:

• Book: Treasures of the Thunder Dragon: A Portrait of Bhutan (2006), by Her Majesty the Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck
• Film: Travelers and Magicians (2003), directed by Khyentse Norbu

Treasures of the Thunder Dragon: A Portrait of Bhutan is a blend of personal memoir, history, folklore, and travelogue, creating a portrait of the Himalayan kingdom.
Travelers and Magicians is about Dondup (Tsewang Dandup), a Bhutanese official infatuated with American culture, who is bored with life in his tiny village and dreams of visiting the United States.

Read more...
 

Unearthing the history made by well-behaved women | BookRiot

Booklists | Non-fiction | Women in history

by Ann Foster August 5, 2017

You have likely come across Laurel Thatcher Ulrich’s well-known quote, “well-behaved women seldom make history,” on ironic cross-stitch samplers, tote bags, and fridge magnets. Removed of its original context, it has become a rallying cry for women to make history by misbehaving, suggesting that the only way to stand out is to misbehave. In context of Ulrich’s original writing, though, the quote is less a rallying cry and more a depressing truism: women born outside of royal families, who followed the rules, who stayed out of trouble, tended not to have their actions recorded. The women we best know from history did so because they stood out from the crowd: as royals, saints, murderers, murder victims, performers, artists, and more. This doesn’t mean the “well-behaved” women weren’t as interesting or worthy, only that we have few documents left to let us know who they were. The following nonfiction works use letters, diaries and other primary sources to help excavate the lives of women who — like Eliza Schuyler in Hamilton — found themselves removed from the narrative.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
This bestselling biography outlines both the unknowing medical contribution Henrietta Lacks made, as well as the nuances of both her life and that of her daughter, memorably portrayed in the recent HBO film by Oprah Winfrey.
Read more...

12 Books to Celebrate the Solar Eclipse | Off the Shelf

Solar eclipse | Reader's advisory | Books

 by Erin Glaaen| August 21, 2017

On August 21, all of North America will be given the opportunity to view one of nature’s most awe-inspiring sights—a solar eclipse. While from our offices here in New York we’ll only see a partial eclipse, we’re still celebrating this celestial event with a list of some of our favorite “sun” and “moon” books!

 

Circling the Sun

by Paula McLain

 

From the author of THE PARIS WIFE, a historical novel about a woman ahead of her time. Following her untraditional childhood in Kenya, Beryl Markham defies gender norms to ultimately become a record-setting aviator, all while caught up in a passionate love triangle with safari hunter Denys Finch Hatton and Karen Blixen.

12 Books to Celebrate the Solar Eclipse: Get your eclipse glasses and your reading glasses.

11 Inspiring Reads for Recent Graduates | Off|-the-Shelf

Reader's advisory | Books | Inspiration

By Tolani Osan | Monday, May 22, 2017|Print This Post

At the George Washington University 2010 commencement, Michelle Obama gave an awe-inspiring address and a call to action, which I know my fellow classmates have since carried out in their lives. “Keep going. Keep giving. Keep engaging,” she told us, and her words still inspire my passions today. Graduation season often contains a cocktail of emotion: from joy to confusion to anxiety to relief. Luckily for the class of 2017, there are words—spoken and written—to help with the transition to the next stage in life and beyond.  Even if you’re not graduating, this time of year—the flowers, the weather, and the sunshine—often brings welcome feelings of new beginnings after a long, dark winter. Here are 11 commencement speakers—and their cherished books—to guide you through whatever new beginning awaits you this summer.
Congratulations to the Class of 2017!
- See more at: http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/11-inspiring-reads-for-recent-graduates/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.9hmBL4jq.dpuf

By Tolani Osan | Monday, May 22, 2017|Print This Post

At the George Washington
University 2010 commencement, Michelle Obama gave an awe-inspiring
address and a call to action, which I know my fellow classmates have
since carried out in their lives. “Keep going. Keep giving. Keep
engaging,” she told us, and her words still inspire my passions today.
Graduation season often contains a cocktail of emotion: from joy to
confusion to anxiety to relief. Luckily for the class of 2017, there are
words—spoken and written—to help with the transition to the next stage
in life and beyond.  Even if you’re not graduating, this time of
year—the flowers, the weather, and the sunshine—often brings welcome
feelings of new beginnings after a long, dark winter. Here are 11
commencement speakers—and their cherished books—to guide you through
whatever new beginning awaits you this summer.


Congratulations to the Class of 2017!

- See more at:
http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/11-inspiring-reads-for-recent-graduates/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.9hmBL4jq.dpuf

By Tolani Osan | Monday, May 22, 2017|Print This Post

At the George Washington
University 2010 commencement, Michelle Obama gave an awe-inspiring
address and a call to action, which I know my fellow classmates have
since carried out in their lives. “Keep going. Keep giving. Keep
engaging,” she told us, and her words still inspire my passions today.
Graduation season often contains a cocktail of emotion: from joy to
confusion to anxiety to relief. Luckily for the class of 2017, there are
words—spoken and written—to help with the transition to the next stage
in life and beyond.  Even if you’re not graduating, this time of
year—the flowers, the weather, and the sunshine—often brings welcome
feelings of new beginnings after a long, dark winter. Here are 11
commencement speakers—and their cherished books—to guide you through
whatever new beginning awaits you this summer.


Congratulations to the Class of 2017!

- See more at:
http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/11-inspiring-reads-for-recent-graduates/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.9hmBL4jq.dpuf

11 Inspiring Reads for Recent Graduates

By Tolani Osan | Monday, May 22, 2017|Print This Post

At the George Washington University 2010 commencement, Michelle Obama gave an awe-inspiring address and a call to action, which I know my fellow classmates have since carried out in their lives. “Keep going. Keep giving. Keep engaging,” she told us, and her words still inspire my passions today. Graduation season often contains a cocktail of emotion: from joy to confusion to anxiety to relief. Luckily for the class of 2017, there are words—spoken and written—to help with the transition to the next stage in life and beyond.  Even if you’re not graduating, this time of year—the flowers, the weather, and the sunshine—often brings welcome feelings of new beginnings after a long, dark winter. Here are 11 commencement speakers—and their cherished books—to guide you through whatever new beginning awaits you this summer.
Congratulations to the Class of 2017!
- See more at: http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/11-inspiring-reads-for-recent-graduates/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.9hmBL4jq.dpuf

Congratulations, by the Way
by George Saunders

Months after George Saunders gave the commencement address at Syracuse University, its transcript—posted on the New York Times website—was shared more than a million times. Saunders’s words, now memorialized in CONGRATULATIONS, BY THE WAY, tap into the shared desire to lead kinder and more fulfilling lives.
- See more at: http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/11-inspiring-reads-for-recent-graduates/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.9hmBL4jq.dpuf

By Tolani Osan | Monday, May 22, 2017|Print This Post

At the George Washington University 2010 commencement, Michelle Obama gave an awe-inspiring address and a call to action, which I know my fellow classmates have since carried out in their lives. “Keep going. Keep giving. Keep engaging,” she told us, and her words still inspire my passions today. Graduation season often contains a cocktail of emotion: from joy to confusion to anxiety to relief. Luckily for the class of 2017, there are words—spoken and written—to help with the transition to the next stage in life and beyond.  Even if you’re not graduating, this time of year—the flowers, the weather, and the sunshine—often brings welcome feelings of new beginnings after a long, dark winter. Here are 11 commencement speakers—and their cherished books—to guide you through whatever new beginning awaits you this summer.
Congratulations to the Class of 2017!
- See more at: http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/11-inspiring-reads-for-recent-graduates/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.9hmBL4jq.dpuf

Congratulations, by the Way
by George Saunders

Months after George Saunders gave the commencement address at Syracuse University, its transcript—posted on the New York Times website—was shared more than a million times. Saunders’s words, now memorialized in CONGRATULATIONS, BY THE WAY, tap into the shared desire to lead kinder and more fulfilling lives.
- See more at: http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/11-inspiring-reads-for-recent-graduates/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.9hmBL4jq.dpuf

Congratulations, by the Way
by George Saunders

Months after George Saunders gave the commencement address at Syracuse University, its transcript—posted on the New York Times website—was shared more than a million times. Saunders’s words, now memorialized in CONGRATULATIONS, BY THE WAY, tap into the shared desire to lead kinder and more fulfilling lives.
- See more at: http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/11-inspiring-reads-for-recent-graduates/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.9hmBL4jq.dpuf

By Tolani Osan | Monday, May 22, 2017|Print This Post

At the George Washington University 2010 commencement, Michelle Obama gave an awe-inspiring address and a call to action, which I know my fellow classmates have since carried out in their lives. “Keep going. Keep giving. Keep engaging,” she told us, and her words still inspire my passions today. Graduation season often contains a cocktail of emotion: from joy to confusion to anxiety to relief. Luckily for the class of 2017, there are words—spoken and written—to help with the transition to the next stage in life and beyond.  Even if you’re not graduating, this time of year—the flowers, the weather, and the sunshine—often brings welcome feelings of new beginnings after a long, dark winter. Here are 11 commencement speakers—and their cherished books—to guide you through whatever new beginning awaits you this summer.
Congratulations to the Class of 2017!
- See more at: http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/11-inspiring-reads-for-recent-graduates/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.9hmBL4jq.dpuf

By Tolani Osan | Monday, May 22, 2017|Print This Post

At the George Washington University 2010 commencement, Michelle Obama gave an awe-inspiring address and a call to action, which I know my fellow classmates have since carried out in their lives. “Keep going. Keep giving. Keep engaging,” she told us, and her words still inspire my passions today. Graduation season often contains a cocktail of emotion: from joy to confusion to anxiety to relief. Luckily for the class of 2017, there are words—spoken and written—to help with the transition to the next stage in life and beyond.  Even if you’re not graduating, this time of year—the flowers, the weather, and the sunshine—often brings welcome feelings of new beginnings after a long, dark winter. Here are 11 commencement speakers—and their cherished books—to guide you through whatever new beginning awaits you this summer.
Congratulations to the Class of 2017!
- See more at: http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/11-inspiring-reads-for-recent-graduates/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.9hmBL4jq.dpuf

Months after George Saunders gave the commencement address at Syracuse University, its transcript—posted on the New York Times website—was shared more than a million times. Saunders’s words, now memorialized in CONGRATULATIONS, BY THE WAY, tap into the shared desire to lead kinder and more fulfilling lives.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

- See more at: http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/11-inspiring-reads-for-recent-graduates/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.9hmBL4jq.dpuf

11 Inspiring Reads for Recent Graduates

By Tolani Osan | Monday, May 22, 2017|Print This Post

At the George Washington
University 2010 commencement, Michelle Obama gave an awe-inspiring
address and a call to action, which I know my fellow classmates have
since carried out in their lives. “Keep going. Keep giving. Keep
engaging,” she told us, and her words still inspire my passions today.
Graduation season often contains a cocktail of emotion: from joy to
confusion to anxiety to relief. Luckily for the class of 2017, there are
words—spoken and written—to help with the transition to the next stage
in life and beyond.  Even if you’re not graduating, this time of
year—the flowers, the weather, and the sunshine—often brings welcome
feelings of new beginnings after a long, dark winter. Here are 11
commencement speakers—and their cherished books—to guide you through
whatever new beginning awaits you this summer.


Congratulations to the Class of 2017!

- See more at:
http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/11-inspiring-reads-for-recent-graduates/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.9hmBL4jq.dpuf

Months after George Saunders gave the commencement address at Syracuse University, its transcript—posted on the New York Times website—was shared more than a million times. Saunders’s words, now memorialized in CONGRATULATIONS, BY THE WAY, tap into the shared desire to lead kinder and more fulfilling lives.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

- See more at: http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/11-inspiring-reads-for-recent-graduates/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.9hmBL4jq.dpuf

Congratulations, by the Way
by George Saunders

Months after George Saunders gave the commencement address at Syracuse University, its transcript—posted on the New York Times website—was shared more than a million times. Saunders’s words, now memorialized in CONGRATULATIONS, BY THE WAY, tap into the shared desire to lead kinder and more fulfilling lives.
- See more at: http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/11-inspiring-reads-for-recent-graduates/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.9hmBL4jq.dpuf

By Tolani Osan | Monday, May 22, 2017|Print This Post

At the George Washington
University 2010 commencement, Michelle Obama gave an awe-inspiring
address and a call to action, which I know my fellow classmates have
since carried out in their lives. “Keep going. Keep giving. Keep
engaging,” she told us, and her words still inspire my passions today.
Graduation season often contains a cocktail of emotion: from joy to
confusion to anxiety to relief. Luckily for the class of 2017, there are
words—spoken and written—to help with the transition to the next stage
in life and beyond.  Even if you’re not graduating, this time of
year—the flowers, the weather, and the sunshine—often brings welcome
feelings of new beginnings after a long, dark winter. Here are 11
commencement speakers—and their cherished books—to guide you through
whatever new beginning awaits you this summer.


Congratulations to the Class of 2017!

- See more at:
http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/11-inspiring-reads-for-recent-graduates/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.9hmBL4jq.dpuf

11 Inspiring Reads for Recent Graduates

By Tolani Osan | Monday, May 22, 2017|Print This Post

At the George Washington
University 2010 commencement, Michelle Obama gave an awe-inspiring
address and a call to action, which I know my fellow classmates have
since carried out in their lives. “Keep going. Keep giving. Keep
engaging,” she told us, and her words still inspire my passions today.
Graduation season often contains a cocktail of emotion: from joy to
confusion to anxiety to relief. Luckily for the class of 2017, there are
words—spoken and written—to help with the transition to the next stage
in life and beyond.  Even if you’re not graduating, this time of
year—the flowers, the weather, and the sunshine—often brings welcome
feelings of new beginnings after a long, dark winter. Here are 11
commencement speakers—and their cherished books—to guide you through
whatever new beginning awaits you this summer.


Congratulations to the Class of 2017!

- See more at:
http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/11-inspiring-reads-for-recent-graduates/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.9hmBL4jq.dpuf

11 Inspiring Reads for Recent Graduates

By Tolani Osan | Monday, May 22, 2017|Print This Post

At the George Washington
University 2010 commencement, Michelle Obama gave an awe-inspiring
address and a call to action, which I know my fellow classmates have
since carried out in their lives. “Keep going. Keep giving. Keep
engaging,” she told us, and her words still inspire my passions today.
Graduation season often contains a cocktail of emotion: from joy to
confusion to anxiety to relief. Luckily for the class of 2017, there are
words—spoken and written—to help with the transition to the next stage
in life and beyond.  Even if you’re not graduating, this time of
year—the flowers, the weather, and the sunshine—often brings welcome
feelings of new beginnings after a long, dark winter. Here are 11
commencement speakers—and their cherished books—to guide you through
whatever new beginning awaits you this summer.


Congratulations to the Class of 2017!

- See more at:
http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/11-inspiring-reads-for-recent-graduates/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.9hmBL4jq.dpuf

11 Inspiring Reads for Recent Graduates

By Tolani Osan | Monday, May 22, 2017|Print This Post

At the George Washington
University 2010 commencement, Michelle Obama gave an awe-inspiring
address and a call to action, which I know my fellow classmates have
since carried out in their lives. “Keep going. Keep giving. Keep
engaging,” she told us, and her words still inspire my passions today.
Graduation season often contains a cocktail of emotion: from joy to
confusion to anxiety to relief. Luckily for the class of 2017, there are
words—spoken and written—to help with the transition to the next stage
in life and beyond.  Even if you’re not graduating, this time of
year—the flowers, the weather, and the sunshine—often brings welcome
feelings of new beginnings after a long, dark winter. Here are 11
commencement speakers—and their cherished books—to guide you through
whatever new beginning awaits you this summer.


Congratulations to the Class of 2017!

- See more at:
http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/11-inspiring-reads-for-recent-graduates/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.9hmBL4jq.dpuf

14 Books by Diverse Authors You Need to Read Right Now -

Reader's advisory | Diversity in literature | Multiculturalism

By Taylor Noel | Monday, May 08, 2017|Print This Post

Part of the magic of books is discovering new places, new cultures, new perspectives, and new characters that change the way we think about and interact with the world. These 14 remarkable contemporary novels by a diverse group of authors will introduce you to a plethora of eye-opening experiences and will greatly enrich your literary diet.
- See more at: http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/14-books-by-diverse-authors-you-need-to-read-right-now/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.8CuUo3hX.rWJnKpyM.dpuf

 by Taylor Noel | Monday 08, 2017

 

 

ehold the Dreamers
by Imbolo Mbue

BEHOLD THE DREAMERS is the compassionate and illuminating story of a Cameroonian immigrant hungry for the American Dream but struggling to make ends meet in Harlem with his wife at the start of the Great Recession. When the financial world crashes, their lives are dramatically upended, and Jende and Neni must choose between their dreams, each other, and survival.

- See more at: http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/14-books-by-diverse-authors-you-need-to-read-right-now/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.8CuUo3hX.rWJnKpyM.dpuf

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Behold the Dreamers

By Imbolo Mbue

BEHOLD THE DREAMERS is the compassionate and illuminating story of a Cameroonian immigrant hungry for the American Dream but struggling to make ends meet in Harlem with his wife at the start of the Great Recession. When the financial world crashes, their lives are dramatically upended, and Jende and Neni must choose between their dreams, each other, and survival. - See more at: http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/14-books-by-diverse-authors-you-need-to-read-right-now/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.8CuUo3hX.rWJnKpyM.dpuf

 Behold the Dreamers  is the compassionate and illuminating story of a Cameroonian immigrant hungry for the American Dream but struggling to make ends meet in Harlem with his wife at the start of the Great Recession. When the financial world crashes, their lives are dramatically upended, and Jende and Neni must choose between their dreams, each other, and survival.

Read more...

 

ehold the Dreamers
by Imbolo Mbue

BEHOLD THE DREAMERS is the compassionate and illuminating story of a Cameroonian immigrant hungry for the American Dream but struggling to make ends meet in Harlem with his wife at the start of the Great Recession. When the financial world crashes, their lives are dramatically upended, and Jende and Neni must choose between their dreams, each other, and survival.

- See more at: http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/14-books-by-diverse-authors-you-need-to-read-right-now/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.8CuUo3hX.rWJnKpyM.dpuf

ehold the Dreamers
by Imbolo Mbue

BEHOLD THE DREAMERS is the compassionate and illuminating story of a Cameroonian immigrant hungry for the American Dream but struggling to make ends meet in Harlem with his wife at the start of the Great Recession. When the financial world crashes, their lives are dramatically upended, and Jende and Neni must choose between their dreams, each other, and survival.

- See more at: http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/14-books-by-diverse-authors-you-need-to-read-right-now/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.8CuUo3hX.rWJnKpyM.dpuf

 

Behold the Dreamers
by Imbolo Mbue

BEHOLD THE DREAMERS is the compassionate and illuminating story of a Cameroonian immigrant hungry for the American Dream but struggling to make ends meet in Harlem with his wife at the start of the Great Recession. When the financial world crashes, their lives are dramatically upended, and Jende and Neni must choose between their dreams, each other, and survival.

- See more at: http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/14-books-by-diverse-authors-you-need-to-read-right-now/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.8CuUo3hX.rWJnKpyM.dpuf

Behold the Dreamers
by Imbolo Mbue

BEHOLD THE DREAMERS is the compassionate and illuminating story of a Cameroonian immigrant hungry for the American Dream but struggling to make ends meet in Harlem with his wife at the start of the Great Recession. When the financial world crashes, their lives are dramatically upended, and Jende and Neni must choose between their dreams, each other, and survival.

- See more at: http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/14-books-by-diverse-authors-you-need-to-read-right-now/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.8CuUo3hX.rWJnKpyM.dpuf

Behold the Dreamers
by Imbolo Mbue

BEHOLD THE DREAMERS is the compassionate and illuminating story of a Cameroonian immigrant hungry for the American Dream but struggling to make ends meet in Harlem with his wife at the start of the Great Recession. When the financial world crashes, their lives are dramatically upended, and Jende and Neni must choose between their dreams, each other, and survival.

- See more at: http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/14-books-by-diverse-authors-you-need-to-read-right-now/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.8CuUo3hX.rWJnKpyM.dpuf

Behold the Dreamers
by Imbolo Mbue

BEHOLD THE DREAMERS is the compassionate and illuminating story of a Cameroonian immigrant hungry for the American Dream but struggling to make ends meet in Harlem with his wife at the start of the Great Recession. When the financial world crashes, their lives are dramatically upended, and Jende and Neni must choose between their dreams, each other, and survival.

- See more at: http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/14-books-by-diverse-authors-you-need-to-read-right-now/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.8CuUo3hX.rWJnKpyM.dpuf

By Taylor Noel | Monday, May 08, 2017|Print This Post

Part of the magic of books is discovering new places, new cultures, new perspectives, and new characters that change the way we think about and interact with the world. These 14 remarkable contemporary novels by a diverse group of authors will introduce you to a plethora of eye-opening experiences and will greatly enrich your literary diet.
- See more at: http://offtheshelf.com/2017/05/14-books-by-diverse-authors-you-need-to-read-right-now/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF&rrid=6828250#sthash.8CuUo3hX.rWJnKpyM.dpuf

10 Books I Wish My White Teachers Had Read | By Crystal Paul Apr 11 2016

African-American literature | Diversity | Blacks in the U.S. | Readers's Advisory

 

I can only remember having two nonwhite teachers during my time in school. From my early years at underfunded public schools comprised mostly of Black and Latino students to my later years at private schools with largely white populations, my experience as a Black student learning from white teachers has ranged from incredibly inspiring to incredibly damaging.

As a Black student in public schools, I had a white art teacher give me a failing grade on an essay project because, as he explained to me, "graffiti isn’t art." I was kicked out of classrooms for “having an attitude,” rolling my eyes, playing with my braids, or wearing a gang-related shirt (it was FUBU). Once, I was kicked out of class for telling (and attempting to show) an incredulous math teacher that I already knew how to do the work he was condescendingly explaining ... again. I had white principal who refused to sign the recommendation letter I needed to complete my application for a private high school. Let's not forget the metal detectors, police officers, and zero-tolerance treatment that make many of these public schools feel more like prisons than learning centers. Read more...

365 Books by Women Authors to Celebrate International Women’s Day All Year | March 8, 2017

Books | International Women's Day | Reader's advisory | Women writers

by Gwen Glazer, Librarian, Readers Services, NYPL

For over a century, International Women's Day has been observed on March 8 — and this year, we've compiled 365 books by women authors from across the globe to keep the celebration going all year long.

This list includes a vast range of women authors, and we hope you find some old favorites and some new discoveries. And we hope that readers can draw strength and inspiration from these 365 books — and the women who wrote them — in the year ahead.

And if you've ever heard someone say they “just couldn't find” a great woman author to read, now you have not one, but 365 suggestions.

1. Leila Aboulela, The Kindness of Enemies
2. Susan Abulhawa, The Blue Between Sky and Water
3. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Half of a Yellow Sun
4. Etel Adnan, Sea and Fog
5. Marjorie Agosín, A Cross and a Star
6. Ama Atta Aidoo, An Angry Letter in January and Other Poems
7. Naja Marie Aidt, Rock, Paper, Scissors
8. Anna Akhmatova, The Complete Poems of Anna Akhmatova
9. Michelle Alexander, The New Jim Crow
10. Elizabeth Alexander, The Light of the World

Read more...

The ‘Rock Star’ Librarians Who Choose What Your Kids Read | March 5, 2017

Books | Children's literature | School librarians

by Ellen Gamerman

John Schumacher showed Lake Anne Elementary School students a new paperback version of a book during his visit. Photo: April Greer for The Wall Street Journal 

 

 

Most kids don’t know who John Schumacher is. But their librarians do.

“He’s a rock star in the library world,” said Kim Sigle, a librarian at Lake Anne Elementary School in Reston, Va., who recently hosted Mr. Schumacher for a reading event for roughly 500 students. She “won” the former grade-school librarian in a lottery after taking a picture of herself with a life-size cardboard cutout of him and posting the shot on Twitter, competing with dozens of other librarians who did the same.

In the milk-and-cookies realm of picture books and middle-grade fiction, Mr. Schumacher is an influential voice, one of several current and former elementary-school librarians with big social-media followings and considerable sway over what kids read. Publishers can’t advertise in classrooms and marketers can’t reach kids who haven’t yet hit social media, but these experts enjoy a direct line to school gatekeepers. Publicists inundate them with so many free books that in some towns, kids are toting advance copies like New York publishing ​professionals. The book industry seeks their notice, eager for exposure as newspapers cut back on book reviews and book stores continue to confront financial pressures. Read more...

Joan Nathan’s new cookbook on global Jewish cooking couldn’t be more timely | February 28, 2017

Book review | Cookbooks |Immigration Ban

by Jill Warren Lucas

Joan Nathan, who has won numerous awards for her cookbooks, is a keynote speaker at UNC’s “Jewish Food in the Global South” symposium this weekend. Her new book, “King Solomon’s Table: A Culinary Exploration of Jewish Cooking from Around the World,” will be published on April 4. GABRIELA HERMAN

 

 

 

 

 

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/living/food-drink/article135475149.html#storylink=cpy

Joan Nathan didn’t expect her book about how the Jewish diaspora influenced global cuisines – and how those cuisines and local ingredients affected Jewish cookery – to hit store shelves amid a surge of anti-Semitism, growing distrust of foreigners and stepped-up immigration enforcement.

Then again, she never imagined such provocations would end.

“It’s part of a cyclical pattern, a fear of the other,” says Nathan, the award-winning cookbook author of “King Solomon’s Table: A Culinary Exploration of Jewish Cooking from Around the World,” which will be published on April 4. 

“You’re not going to change the mind of somebody who doesn’t see you as a human being,” Nathan said. “All you can do is find like-minded people and try to not be that way about other people."

Joan Nathan’s new book, “King Solomon’s Table: A Culinary Exploration of Jewish Cooking from Around the World,” will be published on April 4. Her 11th collection has a historical overview and thoughtful anecdotes that precede most recipes GABRIELA HERMAN

 

 

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/living/food-drink/article135475149.html#storylink=cpy

Read more...

40 Tiny Tasks for a richer reading life | BookRiot | January 30, 2015

Reading | Books 

by Brenna Clarke Gray

Being a reader is a life-long project, and we all want to do it well. Sometimes, it’s easy to get caught up in the parts of a reader’s life that feel insurmountable — the TBR list you’ll never complete; the library hold list you’ll never catch up on; all the amazing books you’ll never hear about, let alone find and own!

But there are little ways we can enrich our reading lives every day: small changes we can make or ideas we can try to change up our reading patterns and find new books to love. Here are forty places to start. Add your own in the comments below, or try a couple first and then come tell me how they go. Read more...