The Country of Pointed Firs by Sarah Orne Jewett
I cannot recommend this book unless you like books where nothing happens. In some ways it reminded me of Anne of Green Gables in the sense that it’s a series of small happenings in a community. But it has less interesting characters and even less exciting stories. But some people like to read about the quotidian lives in small communities in a bygone era, so if that’s your thing, check it out.
“Mrs. Spring Fragrance,” “The Americanizing of Pau Tsu,” and “In the Land of the Free” by Sui Sin Far
Not a book but a few short stories that depict life for Chinese immigrants in the late 19th century on the west coast. Many of the works we’re reading in class deal with life for minorities and immigrants during this time period and those tend to be the ones I most like. What struck me most while reading these stories in particular is how well Sui Sin Far showed the experience of being trapped between two cultures. I think I’m especially sensitive to these texts because I just came back from experiencing that same thing in the Peace Corps. It’s that struggle of how much do I adapt to the new culture and how much of my original culture do I keep? And will I ever really belong in either one?
The Marrow of Tradition by Charles W. Chesnutt
Another required text, this is a novelization of the Wilmington Race Riot of 1898. This is my favorite reading from class thus far. It is easy to read in terms of comprehension, but emotionally exhausting because the racism that’s portrayed in the book is sadly still around in some places. At times I wanted to throw the book across the room because I was so angry at certain characters. But ultimately I found reading the book to be rewarding. And I found the ending to be quite satisfying, though some people might disagree with me.
Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword and Hereville: How Mirka Met a Meteorite by Barry Deutch
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, I love the dollar store. I found these graphic novels there and bought them because, hey, it’s a dollar. And they’re about an 11 year-old Orthodox Jewish girl who fights trolls. It’s like they were written with me in mind! Obviously this was a bit of the pleasure reading I was able to sneak in. These are good books for three reasons. One you can learn some more about Orthodox Judaism and Yiddish. Two, there are lessons to be learned but they’re subtly presented. Three, there’s a talking pig, a witch, a troll and all manner of bizarreness, yet the narrative never seems silly.