BOTW 4/22

By Paige Waskow

The Water Will Come:

Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World

by Jeff Goodall

What is it about?

As climate change and sea level rise become more and more relevant to our lives, what happens to the cities and people on the coast lines? Jeff Goodall dives in the history of water, our present struggle with fighting flooding, and what to expect as we welcome our underwater future.

He gives many examples of cities that have watery histories and presents such as Venice, Miami, and New York City. From reporting on good solutions or band-aid over bullet hole type plans that cities have, much like the title, Goodall explains what is happening with rising sea-levels and how we will have to face them no matter what.

                                                

       via GIPHY

Why did I choose it?

I read this book during July 2018 while camping in Colorado. Although the book was mainly about water systems, it also talked about other climate change affects taking place in our world right now. As I sat and read under the pine trees being killed by thriving beetles, Goodman described the phenomenon and how it connected to climate change. I literally was able to look up and see the dying trees. I was able to see the effects of climate change in action, and it was mind blowing.

Goodall does a great job of making climate change real and relevant. Often, we see climate problems as something far away or as a future problem. Although it will be a future problem, it is also a now problem. In his reporting, he describes many cities and how we are already struggling to manage changing water systems. I found the writing to be a fantastic mix of scientific data, dialogue, and storytelling. This book is so interesting and gave real insight to what we are facing as a world. I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking to learn more about climate change or simply wants a good book to read.

Where can you get it?

This book is available at the Cedar Rapids Public Library. You can get a library card for free anytime the library is open. The closest location is downtown on 4th street. You can visit their website here!

Happy Reading!

BOTW 4/15

By Paige Waskow

White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack

By Peggy McIntosh

The book of the week is not exactly a book. Instead, I thought I would post this resource about white privilege.

What is it about?

This resource, which comes from a larger publication by McIntosh, helps identify what white privilege looks like in everyday society. This list of statements allow the reader to look at their own lives and see how they are able to interact with the world in comparison to others. White privilege does not always mean active violence, it is ingrained in every part of society.

Here are the first seven (out of 50) examples from McIntosh's list of what white privilege looks like:

"1. I can if I wish arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time.

2. I can avoid spending time with people whom I was trained to mistrust and who have learned to mistrust my kind or me.

3. If I should need to move, I can be pretty sure of renting or purchasing housing in an area which I can afford and in which I would want to live.

4. I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasant to me.

5. I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed.

6. I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented.

7. When I am told about our national heritage or about "civilization," I am shown that people of my color made it what it is" (McIntosh 1988, 2).

                                   

via GIPHY

Why did I choose it?

I think this resource is a great way to target what privilege looks like for white people. What I mean is that as a white person, I am able to ignore or more seamlessly move through society in a way that people of color cannot. I get to choose whether or not I want to think about how society is privileged to white people. I do not have to experience it.

All of the statements that McIntosh mentions are crucial to understanding what white privilege looks like, and they should make you uncomfortable- especially if you are not a person of color. I think this source challenges my normal and helps me remember to be aware of what I can do without feeling awkward, fearful, isolated, or ignored because of the color of my skin. It is so so so important that those who have privilege in society challenge themselves to see bias and then change how they act or don't act. One thing that I have learned is that listening and learning go a long way. Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack is a way to actively listen and challenge the status quo.

Where can you view it?

Right here! This is a PDF document of the list (but not the whole publication).

Is there anything else you should know?

If you would like to view another post I wrote about white privilege, you can click here. I added some resources that I have found useful to that post. Additionally, if you have any resources, comments, or questions, please leave them below. Happy reading!

References

McIntosh, Peggy. 1988. "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack." (part of "White Privilege and Male Privilege: A Personal Account of Coming To See Correspondences through Work in Women's Studies") https://www.racialequitytools.org/resourcefiles/mcintosh.pdf. April 17, 2019.

BOTW: April 10th

By: Paige Waskow

The Sun Does Shine:

How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row

By Anthony Ray Hinton

What's it about?

What is it like to be on death row? What is it like to be innocent on death row? What is it like to be a black man, innocent of a crime but convicted for it, and on death row?

Anthony Ray Hinton tells his true story of growing up as a black man in Alabama, being accused of murder, and being sentenced to death. Not only is he completely innocent, but he spends thirty years of his life on death row before getting out. His story recounts the trial, the injustice and inequality of the system, and how he grows in spite of his circumstances. Hinton fully describes the hardship of being on death row and losing so much of his life to it. He speaks of his troubles with belief in God, fear of never seeing his mother again, frequently hearing and smelling men being killed near his cell, and struggling with how to get out. He also describes his incredibly journey in being able to make friends and share his knowledge with fellow men near his cell. He even starts a book club. Although he is in the worst of situations, he is able to serve the people who are on death row through kindness and compassion.

Why did I choose it?

This book affected me so deeply and profoundly. As mentioned above, it is not simply a story of injustice, but also one of strength and growth. Hinton has to face what I can only imagine as one of the most entirely life shattering and deeply horrifying experiences a person can live through. And yet, even after losing it all, he is still able to help other people. It is hard to describe the book without giving too much away, but I promise it is worth the read. I love books that challenge the status quo, and Hinton absolutely does this. But, he does it through love and compassion, which are seemingly impossible from being in the circumstances that he was put through. I highly recommend this book as it will challenge you, probably make you cry (or at least feel some serious emotions), and shares a powerful example about how love wins over racism, privilege, pain, sorrow, and inequality.

Where can you get it?

The Sun Does Shine is available at the Cedar Rapids Public Library (CRPL). You can get a CRPL card anytime for free.

Is there anything else you should know?

A part of the book recounts Hinton's journey to get off death row with help from lawyer Bryan Stevenson. I have written a few posts before mentioning Stevenson, specifically the BOTW post on Just Mercy which he wrote. If you are interested, you can view that post here. Additionally, I highly recommend checking out Stevenson's firm the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI). You can view their website here.

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References

Equal Justice Initiative. EJI. 2019. https://eji.org/

Hinton, Anthony Ray. Hardin, Lara Love. The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row. St. Martin's Press, 2018.

BOTW: April 1

By Paige Waskow

The Help

By Kathryn Stockett

What's it about?

What does it look like to be a black women in 1962 in Jackson, Mississippi? If you guessed difficult and taking the punch of a racist and white privileged society, you'd be right. The Help tells the story of three women who work together to challenge the status quo and poor treatment of the black women who work as "the help" for white households.

When you read, you meet Abilene, Minnie, and Skeeter, three women who lives and experiences look very different. Abilene is a black woman who works for a white family and takes care of their daughter. Minnie also works for white families, but has trouble keeping jobs because of her tendency to tell her employers how she really feels about them (which at this time is not seen as a good thing). Skeeter is white, but also doesn't fit into the mold that her friends and mother want her to. As their lives in Jackson begin to overlap, these three women become the power behind a movement to challenge the sexist and racist status quo.

via GIPHY

Why did I choose it?

The Help is not only a wonderful drama, but it gives insight to what it would have looked like to live in the South in the 1960s as a black woman or a white woman. Neither, as seen in the story, has a large amount of power, but as you can imagine, there is certainly an extreme hierarchy even between women. I chose this book because it, from what I know, does a good job at identifying the ridiculous amount of privilege white women had over black women, who at this time, found employment as "help".

This book identifies the realness of social and economic segregation after legal segregation was abolished. It welcomes the reader to understand privilege and white social supremacy while also just being an incredibly well written book. Stockett is able to portray the many faces of social expectations of women, whether black or white, and how we all do worse because of those expectations. The book challenges beauty standards, work ethic, injustice, loneliness, racism, sexism... the list goes on and on.

It's also incredibly hilarious. Like this book is HILARIOUS. The ways in which the main characters push back against the status quo is brilliant and uplifting. They don't back down from hardship and challenge those who have a lot of power and say in their lives. They grow in community and strength. These women are incredible and complex characters.

Where can you get it?

The Help is available at Coe's library and at the Cedar Rapids Public Library. If you don't have a library card, you can get one for free whenever the library is open. You can visit the CRPL website here.

Additionally, The Help was also made into a great movie in 2011. It stars Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, and Emma Stone. You can also get it at either of the libraries mentioned above.

via GIPHY

References:

Stockett, Kathryn. The Help. Penguin Books, 2009.

BOTW image made with Canva.

BOTW: March 27

By Paige Waskow

Nature Anatomy

By Julia Rothman

What's it about?:

Basically a fun and beautiful field guide, Nature Anatomy takes you through the natural world in vivid watercolor drawings and descriptions. You can learn about the origins of the universe, classifications of trees, and the difference between a carpenter and bumble bee. The book gives you the environment in detailed and unique pages, fun crafts to try, and much more. You won't come away bored (even if you're not a nature nerd like me!)

 via GIPHY


Why did I choose it?:

I love nature! And I love books that explore the outdoors. This book is an easy read and always fun to come back to. If you are looking to read the whole thing, or open its pages randomly, this book offers a field guide experience: learn as much as you'd like, but there's not a plot to follow.

As mentioned above, this book has a beautiful art style of watercolor with bold but not limiting sketched outlines. Whether or not you even read the descriptions, the art is enough to boldly stand out and make the book a wonderful experience.

Where can you get it?:

Nature Anatomy is available at the Cedar Rapids Public Library. You can get a library card for free anytime they are open. Check out their website and request books here!

Is there anything else you should know?:

Julia Rothman has also written books about food (Food Anatomy) and farms (Farm Anatomy) which are in the same colorful, field guide style as Nature Anatomy. I highly recommend! If you are interested in learning more about the author and her works, check out here website here!

via GIPHY

References:

Rothman, Julia. Books - Nature Anatomy, https://www.juliarothman.com/books-2#/nature-anatomy/.

Rothman, Julia. Nature Anatomy. Storey Publishing, 2015.

BOTW March 18

By Paige Waskow

The Book of the Week is:

Every Heart a Doorway 

by Seanan McGuire

What's it about?

Children in stories are often taken to fairy tale lands, far away from their homes to go on adventures. But what if they couldn't return home or stay in their magical worlds?

Author Seanan McGuire images an in-between world where these children go- a place for those who have experiences of the peculiar sort. From worlds of logic and science to those of chaos and candy, the home is open to all. The story follows Nancy, a girl who is transitioning from her fantasy world. As she begins to adjust, the strange becomes stranger as children begin to be found murdered throughout the home. Who is killing them and what is their goal?

Why did I choose it?

This book is so weird- truly a wild ride into fantasy. It takes you through multiple dimensions with dynamic and magical characters. I have never read a book like it before, the closest maybe being The Chronicles of Narnia. It is also a twist on a murder mystery type story, and I am a huge fan of a good mystery. I loved the book's uniqueness and strong characters. McGuire doesn't shy away from her own imagination or topics that are often misrepresented or ignored by popular media.

This book, besides having a fantastically mysterious and mystical plot, can also boast of LGBT+ representation of multiple characters. It was refreshing to see an author not stray away from representation of characters who are asexual, transgender, and bi while normalizing it in the plot (aka the book was not strictly about sexuality and gender identity).

Where can you get Every Heart a Doorway?

This book is available at the Cedar Rapids Public Library. You can get a library card for free at any time. The closet library location to Coe is the downtown branch on 5th Avenue.

Is there anything else you should know?

If you are interested in learning more, the author's website can be found here.

References:

McGuire, Seanan. Every Heart a Doorway. Tom Doherty Associates, LLC, 2016.

BOTW March 11

By Paige Waskow

The Book of the Week is:

Streetfight: Handbook for an Urban Revolution

by Janette Sadik-Khan and Seth Solomonow

"If you can change the street, you can change the world."

                                 

via GIPHY

What's it about?

How do you manage making sure millions of people from one place to another on a daily basis let alone try to change how they get around? Whether we think about it or not, streets are incredibly important. As former transportation commissioner of New York City, Janette Sadik-Khan did just that. This book is her journey, achievements, and failures.

Sadik-Khan introduces the reader to streets in the eyes of an urban planner. Questions such as: how do you maintain what exists so that people can drive or walk while also making the street safer for everyone? and how do neighborhoods vary in transportation opportunity? are frequent topics of consideration. She covers how to read the street and how to make it better for people, communities, and local business rather than strictly cars. Her work challenges the status quo and makes bikes, pedestrians, and those who take public transport just as important as those who drive. It also addresses how to change a busy place, such as Times Square, and make it into a place where people can stop and just be.

Why did I choose it?

Streetfight is an excellent introduction to the work of an urban planner. I knew nothing about how transportation planning really worked until I read this book. I went in with an expectation of it being good, but was surprised by how fascinated I was within the first few chapters- I couldn't put it down.

I am a huge biking and walking advocate, and it was really amazing to see how a more sustainable and safe city could be made. By challenging the status quo, Sadik-Khan brings real hope and action to how we view the street. It inspired me to challenge my own views of cars, not that the book says that they are bad, but how we can make the street a more equitable and community-based place.

Growing up in St. Louis, I have seen a lot of the impacts of how transportation opportunity affects so much of what a person can do. Not having a car here in Cedar Rapids has taught me the value and privilege of being to drive and the need for universal bike lanes and reliable public transportation. This book was an answer to a lot of the burning questions I had about how to solve these problems. Of course, I still have a lot to learn, but I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to change the city they live in.

Where can you get Streetfight?

Sadly, this book is not available at Coe's library or the Cedar Rapids Public Library. If you are really interested in reading it, it is available for purchase on Amazon or other online book-selling services.

If you have a book you love and want to see as a BOTW, leave a comment below!

Happy reading!

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References:

Sadik-Khan, Janette, Solomonow, Seth. Streetfight: Handbook for an Urban Revolution. Penguin Random House LLC, 2017.

BOTW February 25

By Paige Waskow

The Book of the Week is:

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

"You can swim all day in the Sea of Knowledge and not get wet."

What's it about?

What would you do if you had the chance to step into a magical world whose entrance forms itself in the shape of a tollbooth? Perhaps take a swim in the Sea of Knowledge or visit the word market? Or better yet, meet a watchdog named Tock and a cynical Humbug of which to share an adventure with?

Milo, who is described as having too much time on his hands and being much too bored, is given this opportunity. His journey, which at first he isn't incredibly excited to be a part of, turns into a rainbow of surprises with twists of wordplay, all in hopes to restore rhyme and reason to the magical land.

                                 

via GIPHY

Why did I choose it?

This was one of my favorite childhood books. Although it is targeted towards a younger audience, anyone can enjoy its puns and eccentric characters.

I love this book because of its story focuses around what it means to learn and experience living. The journey Milo goes on is magical, but it reflects our everyday lives. How do we step outside of our comfort zones? How do we interact with those who have had very different life experiences from us? How do we grow when nothing feels the same?

Additionally, I believe that The Phantom Tollbooth, in its reflection of wordplay, is VERY relevant to our world and society right now. The book reminds us about the importance of words, ignorance, and meaning- especially from those in power. I'll leave it there.

Where can you get The Phantom Tollbooth?

This book is available at Coe's library as well as the Cedar Rapids Public Library. If you don't have a library card, you can get one anytime for free! The closest library to Coe is downtown on 4th street.

If you have a book you love and want to see as a BOTW, leave a comment below!        

via GIPHY

Happy reading!

References:

Juster, Norton. The Phantom Tollbooth. Random House Children's Books, 1996.

BOTW February 20

By Paige Waskow

The Book of the Week is:

Humans of New York: Stories by Brandon Stanton

What's it about?

How do the people of the world live? How does experience shape our beliefs, struggles, and response?

Humans of New York: Stories is a nonfiction compilation of photography and captions of everyday people sharing something about their lives. Most are answering questions posed by author Brandon Stanton, a photographer who blogs and posts online about the experiences of those he meets on the streets of New York. The book itself derives its stories from those online publications. Each page typically has one or two photographs and are put together often in ways that reflect themes or beliefs.

Why did I choose it?

This may be, and as a huge bookworm I say this quite cautiously, my favorite nonfiction book. My love of stories has always been present and driven me to learn more about the world I am in. I heard about the social media page Humans of New York on Instagram and followed them. I loved the stories shared, and eventually, the author of the site announced the release of the Humans of New York: Stories book. I got it for Christmas and, like most books I ended up loving, I read it in a day.

My very loved copy of HONY: Stories.

The book is so unique and powerful in its ability to tell the stories of everyday people. It pulses with emotion and is so full of diversity.  From children collecting rocks and talking about building bridges to memories of people who have survived war or gang violence to conversations between lovers to those attending religious events, this book leaves nothing out. I think what is most amazing is that the book itself is not crafted by one person. Sure, there is one official author, but it is a book by people, capturing one sliver of a moment in their lives. Side by side on the pages, people have different beliefs and life experiences.

Together, these photographs and captions form what I believe to be both a beautiful and often heart-breaking look at what it means to be human- what it means to be alive. Like, if I had to send an alien planet one piece of media that describes humanity, it would be this book. I have read HONY a few times now, and it doesn't fail to get old. If you are looking for beautiful photography, people, and stories, please read this book.

Where can you get HONY: Stories?

This book is available for checkout at Coe's library and the Cedar Rapids Public Library. If you don't have a CRPL library card, you can get one for free any time.

Is there anything else you should know?

As mentioned above, Humans of New York started as a photography blog and continues to publish stories online. You can view their work on social media or at their website here. From this site, you can view all of their past stories and series. I highly recommend checking it out.

Additionally, Brandon Stanton also wrote a book published in 2013 (earlier than HONY: Stories) called Humans of New York. I haven't read it, but it has the same premise as Stories. The only difference is that Stories has longer captions alongside the photographs.

                                            

via GIPHY

If you have a book you love and want to see as a BOTW, leave a comment below. 

Happy reading!

References:

Stanton, Brandon. Humans of New York. www.humansofnewyork.com/.

Stanton, Brandon. Humans of New York: Stories. St. Martins Press, 2015.

BOTW February 11

By Paige Waskow

The book of the week is:

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

What's it About?

Starr Carter lives two different lives. One is in Garden Heights with her family and the other is at an majority white high school, Williamson Prep. Keeping the two Starrs separate is something that she has learned to do. As she puts it, Garden Heights Starr would be considered "too ghetto" at Williamson and Williamson Starr would be "too white" in Garden Heights.

When Starr's childhood best friend, Khalil is shot and killed, murdered, by a white police officer, she is thrust into the spotlight. As the media explodes over the event, she must decide how she will respond. Does she speak up as the key witness? Does she stay quiet at school? How does she heal and move forward when most of the world is against her?

Why did I choose it?

&  Learning Commons writer Jasmine Barlow's take on it!

I choose this book for a lot of reasons, but mainly, I was blown away by its complexity. Thomas does not stray away from hard topics and the layers of white privilege that are a constant in our society. There is so much, SO much I did not know going in. Some aspects, such as the continuation of police brutality, white privilege, and double standards, were things I was familiar with. But Thomas doesn't simply outline these issues. She shows how deeply interconnected and real they are. The story not only focuses around police brutality but dives into topics such as separation of black and white neighborhoods, black women dating white men, being one of the only black people at a school, blaming a black victim's life choices for their death but giving immediate grace to a white officer, the ability for white people to listen to R&B or rap without being seen as "ghetto" but people of color being judged for listening to it .... the list goes on and on and on.

The Hate U Give was not a book I could put down. The characters are so vividly created, their stories perfectly webbed together to create an unforgettable story. Thomas does incredibly well to make the story feel like it happened in real life. She leaves you changed.

What Jasmine says about the book:

"My favorite book is "The Hate U Give". It was the first book to make me cry (not just "feel sad", many tears fell in many different chapters) because I relate to Starr. I love reading and have read many fantastic books, but Starr was the first person I could truly understand. It hit home and I recommend everyone to broaden their horizons and learn how people of different backgrounds and cultures see the same world, through what they have to live through. I tend to be drawn towards books written by Black women, but I've never read a character so close to my age, from the same time period, from a big city. I'm still in awe."

Where can you get The Hate U Give?

This book is available at Coe's library and the Cedar Rapids Public Library. If you don't have a CRPL library card, you can get one for free anytime!

The Hate U Give was made into a movie last year, and it. is. amazing. I highly recommend it (but read the book first!). Both Coe's library and CRPL have the movie to rent for free.

Is there anything else you should know?

Angie Thomas just came out with a new book! It's called On The Come Up and is about a high school girl who is aspiring to be a rapper. I haven't read it yet, but based on Thomas' work, I'm sure it's going to be great.

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via GIPHY

If you have a book you love and want to see as a BOTW, leave a comment below. 

Happy reading!

References:

Thomas, Angie. The Hate U Give. Harper Collins Publishers, 2017.

BOTW February 4

By Paige Waskow

The book of the week is:

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green

What's it About?

What would you do if you were walking in downtown New York at 3 am and stumbled upon a giant robot-samurai looking sculpture? Would you take a picture of it? Yell at it? Completely ignore it and move on?

For April-May, the sculpture, which she kindly names Carl, is a work of art that cannot and should not be ignored. As a former art student herself, she does not feel it is right to notice it and then move on without giving some sort of credit to the artist. So, she calls up a friend and takes a video which she then uploads on YouTube.

What begins as a simple video turns out to be a viral sensation around the world. Carls, as they become known have appeared everywhere, overnight, out of thin air. And April-May is the first to document one. Suddenly thrown into the realm of fame, April-May's life turns upside down as she dives in the mystery of the Carls as well as her own popularity.

Why did I choose it?

I loved this book from start to finish. Honestly, I might have been a bit biased going in. Both the Green brothers, Hank and John, are known for their commentary and life documenting YouTube channel, Vlogbrothers. It is a pretty cool channel, and I would recommend checking it out.

                   

via GIPHY

But besides knowing the author from other content, I loved this book because it provides the reader with a whirl of sci-fi and real life. It is full of action and mystery, taking plot turns and weird moments and making them into a book that is hard to put down. April-May is a great lead character who shows her flaws boldly and is honest with the reader. The book is her recollection of events all leading up to a grand final that will leave you wanting a sequel. 

What I really appreciated was that Green made his characters complex. Women are not simply sidekicks or love interests but rather their own people who have their own problems and ideas. Additionally, this was the first book I read where the main character was bisexual and the plot did not completely evolve around sexuality. It mostly revolves around giant weird robot sculptures and the reasonable question, "What do we do with the Carls?" It also deals with the pains and struggles of fame and independence. What do you do when you are thrown into something that you can hardly control? How do you involve yourself without becoming the thing you are absorbed in?

Where can you get An Absolutely Remarkable Thing?

This book is available at the Cedar Rapids Public Library. If you don't have a CRPL card, you can get one for free!

                                       

via GIPHY

If you have a book you love and want to see as a BOTW, leave a comment below. 

Happy reading!

References:

Green, Hank. An Absolutely Remarkable Thing: a Novel. Dutton, an Imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2018.

BOTW January 28

By Paige Waskow

The book of the week is:

Where'd Ya Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

What's it about?

What would you do if your strange but brilliant and lovable mother vanished in thin air? In a spiral of emails, notes, and quirky narration, Maria Semple creates a world in which high school aged Bee attempts to figure out what happened to her disappeared mother, Bernadette. The novel delves into the family's history- a promise that Bee can have anything she wants if she gets perfect grades (she chooses to take a family trip to Antarctica), Bernadette's work in architecture, the move of Bee and her parents to Seattle, and the obscure events leading to and including Bernadette's disappearance.

Hoping for answers, and her trip to Antarctica, Bee's journey spans the past and present. It's perfectly odd in all the right ways, and the story loops the reader through this change of events, never pausing in action. Besides the main family members Bee, Bernadette, and Elgin, a whole array of fun and diverse cast of characters adds complexity and context. Semple writes with wit and satire while then blending it into the seriousness (and often troubling) parts of life.

via GIPHY

Why did I choose it?

I quickly sped through this amazing book one summer. I loved it because of the plot, of course, but also the nature in which Semple creates her narrative. As mentioned above, the book is made up of components such as letters and files. (There is also narration, which portrays Bee's experience, but mostly stands to make the story a story.) This immediately got my interest, but also reflected what I felt the story taught me and was trying to get across. Not only did I learn way more about the antarctic continent, but of the struggle to be creative and thrive in a confusing world. Ultimately, I loved Where'd Ya Go, Bernadette for its honesty and weird fun.

Where can you get Where'd Ya Go, Bernadette?

This book is available at Coe's library as well as the Cedar Rapids Public Library. If you don't have a CRPL card, you can get one for free!

                                     

via GIPHY

If you have a book you love and want to see as a BOTW, leave a comment below. 

Happy reading!

References:

     McAlpin, Heller. “Screwball Satire With A Warm Heart In 'Bernadette'.” NPR, NPR, 14 Aug. 2012, www.npr.org/2012/08/14/157227450/screwball-satire-with-a-warm-heart-in-bernadette.

BOTW January 21

By Paige Waskow

The book of the week is:

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

What's it about?

Just Mercy is a nonfiction recollection of the work of Bryan Stevenson, a defense lawyer in Birmingham, Alabama. The central plot of the story follows Walter McMillan, a black man convicted of killing a white woman. His trial only lasts a day and a half, the jury is made up of eleven white people and one black person, and the judge overrules their conviction of guilty to sentence him to death row. As Stevenson quickly notes in his story, McMillan is completely innocent, and there was significant evidence to prove so. His fight to prove McMillan innocent identifies the injustice and racism in the justice system.

Alongside this story, Just Mercy follows the cases of other individuals Stevenson defended. Some are guilty of a crime, some are innocent, but the central point of the book argues that the choices and procedures of the judicial system are not equal. Stevenson's journey and heartbreaking experiences raise important questions such as: what is mercy and why is it important?, who gets to decide who lives and who dies?, and why do we use methods such as solitary confinement and trial as adults for children?

Why did I choose it?

I choose this book because of its raw honesty and identification of injustice. The stories of the book helped me better understand both the broken judicial system as well as how those who do not have power in society are treated. I especially got a better sense of the racism of the system and how it does not give equal protection under the law. Of course, I went in and came away biased, I am against the death penalty, but regardless of any individual's belief, Just Mercy is an important book that gives light to issues that are easily covered up.

Beyond the message of the book, Stevenson's writing reads like a novel. The book's action and stories are careful laid out in extensive detail. Both the facts and emotions are powerful, and you will not get bored reading it.

Learning more:

If you are interested in learning more about Stevenson's law firm, The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), you can click here to go to their website.

Additionally, the author spoke at a TED conference about his work and personal beliefs. His talk is called "We need to talk about injustice". If you are interested, click here to go to the video.

Is there anything else you should know?

Just Mercy does have accounts of murder, sexual assault, and other violence due to the nature of crimes and stories discussed through out Stevenson's career.

Where can you get Just Mercy?

Just Mercy is available at Coe's library as well as at the Cedar Rapids Public Library. If you don't have a CRPL library card, you can get one for free.

If you have a book you love and want to see as a BOTW, leave a comment below. 

Happy reading!

References:

Equal Justice Initiative. “The Book.” Equal Justice Initiative, 2017, eji.org/just-mercy/book.

Conover, Ted. “‘Just Mercy,’ by Bryan Stevenson.” The New York Times, 17 Oct. 2014, www.nytimes.com/2014/10/19/books/review/just-mercy-by-bryan-stevenson.html?smid=pl-share.

BOTW January 14

By Paige Waskow

The book of the week is:

I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

What's it about?:

     Published in 2002, I am the Messenger follows Ed, a cab driver. The book comically begins with Ed and his close friends getting stuck in a bank during a robbery. After a chain of events that introduces the reader to the basics of his life (such as his coffee loving dog, the Doorman, and giant crush on his best friend Audrey), Ed starts receiving playing cards, aces, in the mail. The first card, the ace of diamonds, simply has three addresses written across it. Noting that this is an odd occurrence, Ed ignores them, however, they continue to bother him. When he finally decides to check them out, his life changes forever.

Why did I choose it?:

     I am the Messenger is one of my favorite books. It's funny and entertaining but dives deeply into what it means to love people and enter into their lives, even though it is so often difficult. It also addresses the meaning of self and existence in a world that has certain expectations of us. The main character is self described as pretty bad at everything and not overly unique. He is a 19 year old taxi cab driver, has hardly any connection to his family, and he plays cards with his friends; that's about it.

     The diversity of characters in the book is great, and Zusak does not cover up struggle or lightly address difficult topics. He asks a lot of the reader: to contemplate who we are in a world with so many other people, to struggle with Ed, and to challenge our life's purpose. I have re-read it a few times, and it doesn't get old.

via GIPHY

Is there anything else you should know?:

1. The book contains the sexual assault of a minor character. The assault occurs towards the beginning of the book but is mentioned a few more times as the main character struggles with it.

2. Markus Zusak is most popularly known for his bestseller and awarded story, The Book Thief.

Where can you get this book?:

I am the Messenger is available at the Cedar Rapids Public Library.



If you have a book you love and want to see as a BOTW, leave a comment below. Happy reading!

Introducing: Book of the Week

As mentioned in my previous posts, I really like reading. Like REALLY like reading. Starting next semester, every week, I am going to write a post about a book. I will mainly write about books I have read (so I can accurately review them), but if you have a book that you want to see on the blog,  please leave a comment below.

So, what will these posts include?

Each will have:

-A new book

-A brief summary (without spoilers, of course)

-Reviews by editors

-My personal review on it if I have read it

-Where you can get it for free around Cedar Rapids

-The name of the person who recommended it (if applicable)

-Additional information (if applicable, ex. content warnings)