Tag Archives: POC

Black No More, by George Schuyler

Posted on November 23, 2010 by Thistle

In a dystopian 1930s America, a scientist invents a procedure to change black people into white people in appearance, thinking that he will be solving America’s racial problems. As blacks flock to his hospitals to undergo the three day treatment, … Continue reading →

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Things I’ve Been Silent About, by Azar Nafisi (audio)

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Thistle

Years ago, pre-blogging, I read Reading Lolita in Tehran, a sort of combination memoir, history lesson, and literary analysis rolled into one. It was a fascinating, wonderful book for me, especially parts 1 and 4, which dealt more with the … Continue reading →

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Kindred, by Octavia Butler

Posted on August 22, 2010 by Thistle

The year is 1976. Dana, as a black woman married to a white man, has a myriad of race-related issues in her life. It’s not a good time period for interracial marriages, and both family and friends (on both sides) … Continue reading →

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Interpreter of Maladies, by Jhumpa Lahiri

Posted on July 28, 2010 by Thistle

I had been told that Lahiri was a master of the short story, but I’d never read any of her work. When I picked up Interpreter after that long string of failed collections, I expected nothing more than to flip … Continue reading →

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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, by William Kamkwamba

Posted on July 4, 2010 by Thistle

William Kamkwamba was a young boy from a small village in Milawi, Africa. He built a windmill and brought “electric wind” to his village. This is his story. I’m so, so sorry, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to … Continue reading →

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Esperanza Rising, by Pam Munoz Ryan

Posted on June 28, 2010 by Thistle

Thirteen-year-old Esperanza has led a comfortable and sheltered life on her father’s ranch in Mexico. Her family has money and land. Esperanza has everything she could want, from servants to wait on her to her parents’ love. After tragedy strikes, … Continue reading →

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19 Varieties of Gazelle, by Naomi Shihab Nye

Posted on June 27, 2010 by Thistle

This small book of poetry is subtitled “Poems of the Middle East.” I first got interested in reading some of Nye’s poetry when I saw her at a poetry reading last year. I finally got this book around Christmas. Once … Continue reading →

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Sold, by Patricia McCormick

Posted on June 24, 2010 by Thistle

Lakshmi is a thirteen-year-old girl who lives in poverty in a small village in Nepal. Her family sends her away to work as a maid in a rich family’s house, but in actuality Lakshmi is sold into prostitution in India. … Continue reading →

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Shine, Coconut Moon, by Neesha Meminger

Posted on June 21, 2010 by Thistle

Samar is Indian-American and has spent her life not knowing any of her family except her mother. When her uncle shows up a few days after the September 11th attacks, everything changes. Samar begins to question her past and wants … Continue reading →

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The Hundred-Foot Journey, by Richard C. Morais

Posted on June 17, 2010 by Thistle

Hassan Haji, a middle-aged chef, recounts his life from his boyhood in India to his current fame in the Parisian restaurant world. While fictional, this reads as a food memoir, and also discusses discrimination and conflict of heritage. It’s hard … Continue reading →

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