We'd like to extend a warm welcome to our new upper school students! We're glad you're here.
Stop by and say hello.
~ Ms. Rickert-Wilbur and Ms. Hruban
Monday, August 27, 2018
Friday, May 11, 2018
Noran Shalby's ('20) Guide to Arab-American Literature and the Arab Experience
A few weeks ago Tenth Grader, Noran Shalby, asked me to purchase some new Arab and Arab-American Literature for the Edith Hamilton Library. I asked Noran if she had any recommendations, and she promptly sent me several of her favorite titles. The other day, Noran sent me this fabulous guide and reading list. The books and reading list are now on display in the case outside of the library. Stop by and check them out!
The history of Arab-American literature in the United States traces back to the early twentieth century, but it is only in the past decade that is has been recognized as an essential element of American literature’s cultural composition. As a cultural subcategory, Arab-American literature is rich with global insight and intuitively intimate to the ethnic identity of the Arab people. Though Arab-Americans are a demographic minority in the United States, their individual and collective experiences as immigrants, as students, as workers, as citizens, and as denominators in the American racial dichotomy are inextricable from the American identity. Arab-American literature’s importance is perhaps best illustrated by the fact that is an oasis in the wasteland of media misrepresentation of Arabs and the Arab experience in Western society. Literature, in its most general sense, is inherently a cultural platform. To an American audience, the cultural essence of classic and modern American literature remains unrealized because of the reader’s cultural compatibility with the works they are engaging with. However, every literary work is inevitably informed by an array cultural values, attitudes, and biases which profoundly shape the lens from which its readers perceive their world. Literature fosters a unique sort of empathy, in that it provides insights that challenge the preconceived ideologies and surface-level Western comprehension of rich foreign traditions and invites readers to engage emotionally and intellectually with these works of prose. Thus it becomes essential to engage with a diverse range of culturally specific books in order to reassess our own cultural biases and participate in a broader global discourse. In celebration of Arab-American Heritage Month, here is a selection of some of my favorite Arab-American works of literature.
Second Person Singular by Sayed Kashua “I want to be like them. Free, loose, full of dreams, able to think about love. . . them, who felt no need to apologize for their existence, no need to hide their identity. To feel like I belong, without feeling guilty or disloyal.”
This compelling tale of loyalty, sacrifice, passion, and trust grapples with the notions of whether shedding our old skin can truly enable us to start anew, whether total reinvention can help us eliminate our prejudices and expand the lens from which we perceive our world and experience the human condition. Second Person Singular interweaves two overlapping narratives throughout the novel, one of a successful Arab lawyer and the other of a struggling Jerusalemite social-worker-cum-photographer. The novel explores a lesser known aspect of the Arab-Israeli experience: the assimilation of persons of Arab origins into Israeli society, particularly the cultural and religious disparities that conflict Arabs struggling to merge with practices, mindsets, and traditions almost entirely foreign to them. Kashua’s observations of the Arab experience in Israel engage even his most uninformed readers on current Arab-Israeli relations and the historical tension between the two groups - both of which prevail divisively in the cultural concurrence that is Jerusalem and inevitably result in the alienation of the many Arab individuals who see refuge in the holy city. A Palestinian well-versed in the complexities of racial and colonial paradigms, Sayed Kashua thoroughly discusses what it means to grapple with one’s identity in a foreign society and how we can learn to coexist peacefully with one another even amidst our insurmountably many cultural differences.
West of the Jordan by Laila Halaby “Cross the ocean, Abu Saud whispered, and take with you what you have learned, what you have seen, and the tastes that have nourished you, and please, do not forget us.”
West of the Jordan is a refreshing narrative that warmly invites its audience into the rich world of Arab folklore. It follows the loosely interrelated stories of four cousins in a Palestinian-Jordanian family inexorably bound together by the Arab-American experience. Through their individual accounts, the reader becomes familiarized with the sociopolitical implications as well as the profoundly personal reality of life as an Arab in the vibrant and often perplexing society of America. Each narrator is her own witness into the rich history of her family and village. The stories of their pasts are illustrated through a series of anecdotes that recount the experiences of those who came before them, bringing the seeds of their homes and cultures to plant in the garden they dreamed would await them in the United States. In weaving traditional Arab folklore into each narrative, Laila Halaby draws parallels as well as amplifies the disparity between the two worlds her narrators are caught between. She inquires of her readers to consider whether life in urban oases like San Francisco, California or Tucson, Arizona cause us to lose touch with our origins or propel us to grasp them even more tightly.
I, the Divine by Rabih Alameddine “I have been blessed with many curses in my life, not the least of which was being born half-Lebanese and half-American. Throughout my life, these contradictory parts battled endlessly, clashed, never coming to a satisfactory conclusion.”
I, the Divine skillfully explores the importance of telling your own story. When Sarah Nour El-Din’s voice is threatened by her hybrid family, many failed relationships, and conservative society, she battles to reclaim her right to speak her mind and empower socially restricted women like herself. By gaining solace from her self-imposed exile in the United States, Sarah becomes drawn to the world of innumerably many second chances and the liberty of defining her own person. Sarah grasps ahold of every opportunity she has to reimagine herself, reclaiming her dignity and identity by fostering relationships with people she had never even envisaged to encounter. Laila Halaby’s skillful examination of the gender and racial dynamics of American society provide a platform for Sarah to reevaluate the notions she has internalized throughout her life, as well as represent her Arab identity in a manner that complies with her personal values and attributes to her the incredible capacity she’s harbored throughout her life. A resilient spirit, Sarah escapes the confinement of her past and braves through a new future. I, the Divine proves how a woman’s tongue is her most powerful weapon and how, in the narrative of life, there are no endings - only new beginnings.
The Book of Khalid by Amin Rihani “An object is great in proportion to its power of resistance to time and the elements. That is why we think the pyramids are great. But see, the desert is greater than the pyramids, and the sea is greater than the desert, and the heavens are greater than the sea. And yet, there is not in all these that immortal intelligence, that living palpitating soul, which you find in a great book. So is not a book greater than a pyramid, greater than anything and everything at all?”
The Book of Khalid is a brilliant concoction of classic Arab literature and Western prose. It follows the story of two young Lebanese men and their journey to the United States to seek what they hoped would be undiscovered fortune. Together, they brave through the struggles as poster poor immigrants - passage by ship, arrival at Ellis Island, and the strife of poverty in the wealthiest nation on Earth. Khalid, captivated by his ideal of the Western world and the possibilities it holds for him, seeks out the cultural and political richness of New York City, much to his desolation when he realizes the lustful fantasy he fabricated of the United States is solely that. Heartbroken and hopeless, Khalid and Shakhib return to Lebanon, but now with heads filled with New World ideas. Aggravated by the primitiveness of their people, Khalid and Shakhib preach their newly adopted Western ideals of civil liberty and religious unity, but only to the indignation of the Lebanese mob who believe they’re imposing upon them a new religion. The Book of Khalid is a comical illustration of what it means to become a foreigner in your own society after being exposed to cultures and values which conflict with your own. Rihani brilliantly illustrates the process required to become your most authentic self and express that self even as others relentlessly dissent.
19 Varieties of Gazelle by Naomi Shihab Nye “Answer, if you hear the words under the words - otherwise it is just a world with a lot of rough edges, difficult to get through, and our pockets full of stones.”
19 Varieties of Gazelle is a poetry collection composed of Naomi Shihab Nye’s observations of the Middle East from childhood to adulthood. Her work is prime attempt to revive the literary and cultural spirit of her home through artistic expression. Nye explores the many dimensions of the Arab experience, from a childhood spent idling away under a fig tree, to the innumerable anecdotes and life lessons she’s acquired from her grandparents. Her imagery and use of literary devices to relay some of the more abstract nuances of Arab culture is incomparable in its originality. Nye’s poetry investigates the power of language in crafting a complete narrative of one’s personhood, especially when it is characterized by such rich literary and cultural traditions. Her poetry masterfully embodies the methods by which individuals can utilize poetry to preserve their histories and learn to live more holistically, utilizing the lessons of their past to guide them towards a new future. If you enjoyed this selection, please consider checking out some of these other Arab-American works:
Crescent by Diana Abu-Jaber
Loom by Theresa Soukar-Chehade
The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud
Noran Shalby’s (‘20) Guide to Arab-American Literature
The history of Arab-American literature in the United States traces back to the early twentieth century, but it is only in the past decade that is has been recognized as an essential element of American literature’s cultural composition. As a cultural subcategory, Arab-American literature is rich with global insight and intuitively intimate to the ethnic identity of the Arab people. Though Arab-Americans are a demographic minority in the United States, their individual and collective experiences as immigrants, as students, as workers, as citizens, and as denominators in the American racial dichotomy are inextricable from the American identity. Arab-American literature’s importance is perhaps best illustrated by the fact that is an oasis in the wasteland of media misrepresentation of Arabs and the Arab experience in Western society. Literature, in its most general sense, is inherently a cultural platform. To an American audience, the cultural essence of classic and modern American literature remains unrealized because of the reader’s cultural compatibility with the works they are engaging with. However, every literary work is inevitably informed by an array cultural values, attitudes, and biases which profoundly shape the lens from which its readers perceive their world. Literature fosters a unique sort of empathy, in that it provides insights that challenge the preconceived ideologies and surface-level Western comprehension of rich foreign traditions and invites readers to engage emotionally and intellectually with these works of prose. Thus it becomes essential to engage with a diverse range of culturally specific books in order to reassess our own cultural biases and participate in a broader global discourse. In celebration of Arab-American Heritage Month, here is a selection of some of my favorite Arab-American works of literature.
Second Person Singular by Sayed Kashua “I want to be like them. Free, loose, full of dreams, able to think about love. . . them, who felt no need to apologize for their existence, no need to hide their identity. To feel like I belong, without feeling guilty or disloyal.”
This compelling tale of loyalty, sacrifice, passion, and trust grapples with the notions of whether shedding our old skin can truly enable us to start anew, whether total reinvention can help us eliminate our prejudices and expand the lens from which we perceive our world and experience the human condition. Second Person Singular interweaves two overlapping narratives throughout the novel, one of a successful Arab lawyer and the other of a struggling Jerusalemite social-worker-cum-photographer. The novel explores a lesser known aspect of the Arab-Israeli experience: the assimilation of persons of Arab origins into Israeli society, particularly the cultural and religious disparities that conflict Arabs struggling to merge with practices, mindsets, and traditions almost entirely foreign to them. Kashua’s observations of the Arab experience in Israel engage even his most uninformed readers on current Arab-Israeli relations and the historical tension between the two groups - both of which prevail divisively in the cultural concurrence that is Jerusalem and inevitably result in the alienation of the many Arab individuals who see refuge in the holy city. A Palestinian well-versed in the complexities of racial and colonial paradigms, Sayed Kashua thoroughly discusses what it means to grapple with one’s identity in a foreign society and how we can learn to coexist peacefully with one another even amidst our insurmountably many cultural differences.
West of the Jordan by Laila Halaby “Cross the ocean, Abu Saud whispered, and take with you what you have learned, what you have seen, and the tastes that have nourished you, and please, do not forget us.”
West of the Jordan is a refreshing narrative that warmly invites its audience into the rich world of Arab folklore. It follows the loosely interrelated stories of four cousins in a Palestinian-Jordanian family inexorably bound together by the Arab-American experience. Through their individual accounts, the reader becomes familiarized with the sociopolitical implications as well as the profoundly personal reality of life as an Arab in the vibrant and often perplexing society of America. Each narrator is her own witness into the rich history of her family and village. The stories of their pasts are illustrated through a series of anecdotes that recount the experiences of those who came before them, bringing the seeds of their homes and cultures to plant in the garden they dreamed would await them in the United States. In weaving traditional Arab folklore into each narrative, Laila Halaby draws parallels as well as amplifies the disparity between the two worlds her narrators are caught between. She inquires of her readers to consider whether life in urban oases like San Francisco, California or Tucson, Arizona cause us to lose touch with our origins or propel us to grasp them even more tightly.
I, the Divine by Rabih Alameddine “I have been blessed with many curses in my life, not the least of which was being born half-Lebanese and half-American. Throughout my life, these contradictory parts battled endlessly, clashed, never coming to a satisfactory conclusion.”
I, the Divine skillfully explores the importance of telling your own story. When Sarah Nour El-Din’s voice is threatened by her hybrid family, many failed relationships, and conservative society, she battles to reclaim her right to speak her mind and empower socially restricted women like herself. By gaining solace from her self-imposed exile in the United States, Sarah becomes drawn to the world of innumerably many second chances and the liberty of defining her own person. Sarah grasps ahold of every opportunity she has to reimagine herself, reclaiming her dignity and identity by fostering relationships with people she had never even envisaged to encounter. Laila Halaby’s skillful examination of the gender and racial dynamics of American society provide a platform for Sarah to reevaluate the notions she has internalized throughout her life, as well as represent her Arab identity in a manner that complies with her personal values and attributes to her the incredible capacity she’s harbored throughout her life. A resilient spirit, Sarah escapes the confinement of her past and braves through a new future. I, the Divine proves how a woman’s tongue is her most powerful weapon and how, in the narrative of life, there are no endings - only new beginnings.
The Book of Khalid by Amin Rihani “An object is great in proportion to its power of resistance to time and the elements. That is why we think the pyramids are great. But see, the desert is greater than the pyramids, and the sea is greater than the desert, and the heavens are greater than the sea. And yet, there is not in all these that immortal intelligence, that living palpitating soul, which you find in a great book. So is not a book greater than a pyramid, greater than anything and everything at all?”
The Book of Khalid is a brilliant concoction of classic Arab literature and Western prose. It follows the story of two young Lebanese men and their journey to the United States to seek what they hoped would be undiscovered fortune. Together, they brave through the struggles as poster poor immigrants - passage by ship, arrival at Ellis Island, and the strife of poverty in the wealthiest nation on Earth. Khalid, captivated by his ideal of the Western world and the possibilities it holds for him, seeks out the cultural and political richness of New York City, much to his desolation when he realizes the lustful fantasy he fabricated of the United States is solely that. Heartbroken and hopeless, Khalid and Shakhib return to Lebanon, but now with heads filled with New World ideas. Aggravated by the primitiveness of their people, Khalid and Shakhib preach their newly adopted Western ideals of civil liberty and religious unity, but only to the indignation of the Lebanese mob who believe they’re imposing upon them a new religion. The Book of Khalid is a comical illustration of what it means to become a foreigner in your own society after being exposed to cultures and values which conflict with your own. Rihani brilliantly illustrates the process required to become your most authentic self and express that self even as others relentlessly dissent.
19 Varieties of Gazelle by Naomi Shihab Nye “Answer, if you hear the words under the words - otherwise it is just a world with a lot of rough edges, difficult to get through, and our pockets full of stones.”
19 Varieties of Gazelle is a poetry collection composed of Naomi Shihab Nye’s observations of the Middle East from childhood to adulthood. Her work is prime attempt to revive the literary and cultural spirit of her home through artistic expression. Nye explores the many dimensions of the Arab experience, from a childhood spent idling away under a fig tree, to the innumerable anecdotes and life lessons she’s acquired from her grandparents. Her imagery and use of literary devices to relay some of the more abstract nuances of Arab culture is incomparable in its originality. Nye’s poetry investigates the power of language in crafting a complete narrative of one’s personhood, especially when it is characterized by such rich literary and cultural traditions. Her poetry masterfully embodies the methods by which individuals can utilize poetry to preserve their histories and learn to live more holistically, utilizing the lessons of their past to guide them towards a new future. If you enjoyed this selection, please consider checking out some of these other Arab-American works:
Crescent by Diana Abu-Jaber
Loom by Theresa Soukar-Chehade
The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Author, Ellen Oh, Visits Bryn Mawr
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| Ellen in the Library talking about writing |
She is the co-founder of We Need Diverse Books. Ellen is the author of The Prophecy Series and Spirit Hunters, and the editor of Flying Lessons & Other Stories.
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| Ellen chatting with Ms. Titus |
Friday, December 8, 2017
Faculty Favorites:The Arts Division
We all know that the Bryn Mawr Arts Faculty are amazingly talented and dedicated. But did you know that they also have exquisite taste in books? Stop by the Edith Hamilton Library to see some of their favorites. Ninth Grader Naomi made the sign!
Thursday, October 5, 2017
Kazuo Ishiguro has been awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in Literature
Author, Kazuo Ishiguro, has been awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in Literature. Ishiguro is most famous for his novels The Remains of the Day and Never Let Met Go, but he has written seven, as well as several screenplays and works of short fiction. We have many of Ishiguro's books available in the Library. Stop by and see our display and check out one of Ishiguro's great novel's!
To learn more about Kazuo Ishiguro click here.
Thursday, June 15, 2017
Senior Projects in the Edith Hamilton Library and Archives
This spring three Bryn Mawr students completed their Senior Projects in the Edith Hamilton Library and Archives. Ran "Rachel" compiled a resource guide for International Students, Maria created a film on digital citizenship, and Anum interviewed three beloved faculty members who retired after long careers at Bryn Mawr.
Rachel wanted to share the books that she found most helpful in learning about American culture. She compiled an extensive list of these titles, then organized them by different genre and categories. Rachel also polled her BMS friends to get suggestions on navigating Bryn Mawr as a newcomer. She then created the "Bryn Mawr Survival Guide", which is part of the main resource guide. Click here to take a look. Though she began the project with International Students in mind, Rachel's guide will be of interest to all members of the Bryn Mawr Community! Rachel also learned some behind the scenes library skills, like how to cover books.
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| Rachel created a display of some of the books on her "Recommended Books for International Students" list. |
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| Maria filmed and edited a video on digital citizenship. |
Maria interviewed and filmed members of the Bryn Mawr Community about issues relating to digital citizenship such as respect for oneself and others online, time management, and fear of missing out. Before beginning her interviews, she worked with Head Librarian, Patti Rickert-Wilbur to identify important questions pertaining to social media. She then surveyed Bryn Mawr students about their attitudes and habits online. Ninety students responded. Here are some of her findings.
We know that Maria's work will be helpful for future discussions on digital citizenship.
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| Anum interviewed three long standing Bryn Mawr faculty members who retired this year. She then transcribed each of the interviews. |
We are very appreciative to Rachel, Maria and Anum for their ideas and hard work!
Friday, May 26, 2017
Student Nominated Summer Reading 2017
On May 23rd the Upper School held its annual Upper School Summer Reading Convocation. During the Convocation, students heard about thirteen books nominated by their peers. Each student who nominated gave a short "pitch" explaining why we should read their book. Over the summer students will choose one of these books to read in addition to their required reading for each class. When we return to school in September, students will break into groups to discuss the book they selected. Kudos to all of the students who participated this year, four of whom were Ninth Graders!
My Sister’s Keeper, by Jodi Picoult
"A single choice can destroy a family. A terminal illness can spark hope, patience and love, but also jealousy and hatred. My Sister's Keeper examines the definitions of a "good" parent, sister and daughter, through each of these characters' perspectives. It explores the strength and determination to be seen as an individual, and the underlying situations you never really know about a family on the surface. And here's the thing - protagonist Anna isn't a normal teenager. Sure, she questions life and resents the rest of her family at some point, although she usually comes around, but the weight sitting on her 13 year old shoulders, and the decision she makes to rid herself of that weight, is not what your average teen could even imagine, let alone carry out. And yes, being the youngest of three and always in her siblings' shadows can prove difficult, but Anna keeps going, discarding what some might consider morally correct in order to discover who she and her family really are and what they truly stand for. When my mom recommended this book to me, she warned me that it would be an emotional roller coaster. I brushed her off, telling myself I would be fine...at the end of the book, I realized that all of my morals and values had been challenged. I had empathized with each character, frequently switching whose side I was on, and my mom was right - I went from all smiles and happiness to literal tears in less than 15 minutes. You will laugh, you will cry, you will be surprised - buckle your seat belts, because this is one heck of a journey, complete with triumphs and obstacles, twists and turns. If you decide to read My Sister's Keeper this summer, I sincerely hope you are touched by it as much as I was." (Jenna)
Excellent Daughters, by Katherine Zoepf
“The book itself is reflective of the ways in which women are causing a paradigm shift throughout the Middle East; shapeshifting and turning upside down defining constructs of the past.” "Zoepf, in her study of the various women living in the Middle East, does not fail to examine all aspects of femininity. This seemingly impossible feat is done in a manner that is close to perfection: the women she interviews are activists, flight attendants, normal teenagers, newlyweds, beloved daughters, women in secret societies, and those who symbolize a sort of familial betrayal—one entirely foreign to us—that extends far beyond constructs that we could ever begin to understand." (nonfiction) (Ellie)
Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier
"Rebecca is a romantic mystery written in Victorian England that explores love, loss, misconception, and deception. The novel starts out with the iconic lines “Last night I went to Manderley again” in which she describes the beautiful Manderley, a house she lives in during the novel. She then discusses how both she and her husband can never go back to their precious home which leaves the reader with an unsettling start. The story then goes back to a young woman who falls in love with the handsome widow, Maxim de Winter in Monte Carlo. They get married and move back to his house, Manderley, the very house mentioned at the start of the novel. Upon arrival the bride is haunted by her husband's late wife, Rebecca, who died tragically in a sailing accident. She had been loved and adored by everyone especially the ghostly housekeeper Ms. Danvers. The narrator endures cruelty daily from Ms. Danvers who constantly compares the flawed protagonist to her seemingly perfect predecessor. Yet despite the presence of Rebecca in the narrator’s life, her husband never speaks of her. As the book progresses tensions rise as Maxim and the narrator’s relationship is strained by secrets only Maxim knows, and the question hangs in the air “Why did they have to leave Manderley?” This book’s fast-moving plot makes it impossible to put down, and it gives the reader a taste of what upper-class victorian England was like. Please read Rebecca, I guarantee you will not be disappointed!" (Astri)
The Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman
"The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman tells the story of Lyra, a young girl living in a universe parallel to our own. Everyone in this universe has a piece of their soul living outside of their bodies in the form of an animal that accompanies them everywhere, reflecting the often unseen sides of each character through the form they take. However, this world is so much more complex than that. Pullman intricately crafts a universe wonderfully similar to our own, but fascinating in its differences. While the book starts slowly on the stuffy campus of Jordan College where Lyra was raised, it soon picks up the pace, becoming an adventure that you can’t put down. While the book starts slowly on the stuffy campus of Jordan College where Lyra was raised, it soon picks up the pace, becoming an adventure that you can’t put down.” (Aeven)
The Miseducation of Cameron Post, by emily m. danforth
The Miseducation of Cameron Post begins with one striking sentence: “The afternoon my parents died, I was out shoplifting with Irene Klauson.”Cameron Post lives in a tiny midwestern town, and the before and after of her life is marked around her parents’ deaths. The same day she experimentally kisses her best friend is the day that her parents fall victim to an earthquake at Quake lake, a place where her mother had survived an earthquake as a child. Cameron is then placed with her grandmother and her aunt, left to navigate all the confusion of adolescence and form her identity in the wake of the tragedy. Told in the first person, her story is one of self discovery, describing the movies she obsessively watches and the many romances and relationships that take place in her life. (Nyx)
*Common Sense Media recommends this book for age 17 and up.
Everything, Everything, by Nicola Yoon
"Maddy is a smart, curious and imaginative 18-year-old who is unable to leave the protection of her house because of an illness. Olly is the boy next door who won't let that stop them from being together. Gazing through windows and talking only through texts, Maddy and Olly form a deep bond that leads them to risk everything to be together. If you love classic teen romances, this is the perfect summer escape. The story reads like a journal, with cute doodles in the margins. This book is the perfect summer beach read! It’s cute, funny, and overall an enjoyable read. Plus, the movie of the same name is poised to become this summer’s blockbuster hit. (Grayson)
Rabbit Cake, by Annie Hartnett
“The main character, Elvis, is wonderfully weird and smart. When her mother burned the rabbit-shaped cake for her tenth birthday, Elvis knew it would be an unpleasant year. Soon after, her mother dies, and Elvis puzzles through the strange details of her mother’s death while trying to figure out how to help the rest of her family, which includes her sleep-eating sister. Overall, Rabbit Cake is a sweet book that teaches us to celebrate all new beginnings, just as Elvis’s mother had, and at the least, it teaches us interesting animal facts. The author of Rabbit Cake, Annie Hartnett, will be coming to speak to us next year so I really hope that you will read it!” (Erica)
The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath
“The Bell Jar, is not hard to understand. Plath tells a clear, gripping story of illness. More specifically, she tells the story of a woman, Esther Greenwood, living in the 1950’s, a time where both women and mental illness were seen with a very different understanding than we have now. This novel is made even more chilling when you take into account the semi-autobiographical nature of this piece. Though originally published under a pseudonym, it is now widely known that Esther’s stark, haunting recount of her descent into depression, suicide attempt, and time in asylum parallels Plath’s real-life experiences in almost every way. In the novel, Esther even decides that she will write a book, saying “My heroine would be myself, only in disguise.” Though Esther never writes her novel, Plath most certainly does, and it was through reading this novel in the context of Plath’s life that I found a new way to look at literature. (Zoe)
*Recommended for 11th and 12th Graders.
The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas
"The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is a novel that tells the story of 16-year-old Starr Carter, a black girl balancing her home life in a poor neighborhood and that of her private school. When the police shooting of her childhood best friend goes without justice, Starr's two worlds collide as she is the sole witness it and is unable to escape the inevitable. Angie Thomas's has carefully tailored the narrative of authority and integrity through the prism of the Black Lives Matter movement, which has spun a beautiful novel that is being hailed as 'one of the most important books in years' by John Green." (Sage)
Everything I Never Told You, by Celeste Ng
The year is 1977, the setting, a quiet all-American town in Ohio, where everyone knows one another and nothing like this has ever happened before.
"I’ve always loved reading fiction, but it is a place filled with white protagonists. It didn’t stop me from enjoying these characters and their stories, but I rarely ever saw anyone like me represented. When I read this book at Ms. Summers’ recommendation during spring vacation, I cried. A lot. It’s a bittersweet, heartbreaking novel about growing up as an outsider, which takes on a different meaning from each family member’s perspective. If you would enjoy a beautiful story about the second generation immigrant experience with complex, well written Asian characters, I highly recommend reading this book." (Ye Rin)
The Awakening, by Kate Chopin
“It is one of the earliest American novels that focuses on women's issues without condescension. It is also widely seen as a landmark work of early feminism.”
"The Awakening by Kate Chopin tells the story of Edna Pontellier, a young mother who is "awakened" to her passions and to her own mind, defying the social conventions of her class, nature, gender, and time. It's a lovely book and the story itself is quite short. Iridescent and exquisite imagery paints the picture of a woman’s emancipation, along with her awakening to desires and passions that threaten to consume her. (Maeve)
"The Awakening by Kate Chopin tells the story of Edna Pontellier, a young mother who is "awakened" to her passions and to her own mind, defying the social conventions of her class, nature, gender, and time. It's a lovely book and the story itself is quite short. Iridescent and exquisite imagery paints the picture of a woman’s emancipation, along with her awakening to desires and passions that threaten to consume her. (Maeve)
*Recommended for 11th and 12th Graders.
In the Skin of a Lion, by Michale Ondaatje
In the Skin of a Lion is quite possibly the most beautiful piece of literature I’ve ever read. Ondaatje weaves words masterfully, at once creating breathtaking imagery that will replay in one’s mind for days on end. He places characters in heartbreaking circumstances, leaving them always on the verge of self- discovery. (Kimaya)
Juliet Takes a Breath, by Gabby Rivera
"Juliet takes a breath is a refreshing book about a queer woman of color. She's from the Bronx, and she heads to Portland, Oregon for the summer to intern with one of her favorite authors after coming out to her family. While there she experiences major culture shock as she learns about a new world of feminism and queer culture. Author, Gabby Rivera takes you into the world of queer brown communities. Juliet takes a breath is described as “dazzling, funny as hell, poignant, all the things." by Roxane Gay author of Bad Feminist Essays. (Rebekah)
*Recommended for 12th Graders. Though there are no accounts of violence, there are some references (not detailed) to marijuana and sex in the book. Students could find Rivera's language offensive. Author, Rivera, says that Juliet Takes a Breath is "New Adult" fiction. "It’s 'New Adult' because Juliet is a little older. She’s above the age of consent and is involved in stuff that goes a little beyond high school experiences."
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