SRC 2019: Week 7: Universe of Stories-Multicultural

[Kate]

Hi everyone, and welcome to Theme Week 7 of the Albany Public Library Summer Reading Challenge!

This week's theme is "Universe of Stories: Multicultural". Remember to comment with any books you have finished this week! We will keep track of them for you, and let you know if you have reached a prize level!

Here's a list of multicultural themed recommended reading curated by your local APL librarians! Happy reading!

Everything I Never Told You-Celeste Ng
The Lowland- Jhumpa Lahiri
Between the World and Me- Ta-Nehisi Coates
Negroland- Margo Jefferson
A Thousand Splendid Suns- Khaled Hosseini
Like Water for Chocolate- Laura Esquivel
Americanah- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Girls Burn Brighter- Shobha Rao

[Nicole]

I just wanted to update the books i have finished! This week i read The Guy Not Taken by Jennifer Weiner, Rest in Pieces by Bess Lovejoy, and Shelf Discovery by Lizzie Skurnick

[Kate]

Nicole wrote: "I just wanted to update the books i have finished! This week i read The Guy Not Taken by Jennifer Weiner, Rest in Pieces by Bess Lovejoy, and Shelf Discovery by Lizzie Skurnick"

Hi Nicole. You have a Level 3 and 4 prize to pick up at your APL branch.

[Alana]

I finished my third book of the challenge last week. “After You” by Jojo Moyes. I don’t think it was as good as “Me Before You” but it kept my attention and I enjoyed the introduction of some new characters.

[Kate]

Alana wrote: "I finished my third book of the challenge last week. “After You” by Jojo Moyes. I don’t think it was as good as “Me Before You” but it kept my attention and I enjoyed the introduction of some new c..."

Hi Alana. I added your book. You have a Level 1 prize for pick up at your APL branch!

[Diane Brown]

For multicultural stories, I finished

Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah and
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

Friday Black was very creative and unique. On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous was beautifully written.

I also finished The Outsider by Stephen King.

[Kate]

Diane Brown wrote: "For multicultural stories, I finished

Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah and
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

Friday Black was very creative and unique. On Earth We're Briefly..."
Hi Diane. I have added your books! You have Level 1, 2, 3, 4 and the summer reading t-shirt for pick up at your APL branch.

[Mirkat]

I started Negroland: A Memoir today, so I'm just half a week behind for week 7. I'll also say here that for week 8, authors currently on the NYT list, back in week one, I finished Calypso --currently on the NYT best-seller list. I'll just count that as my week 8. Not that I'm trying to double-dip on "credit" for having read the book, I'm just going to jump to my week-9 pick, Wildflower . Then once I clear that, if I have 19 hours to spare before summer reading is over, maybe I'll get through The Mueller Report: Presented with Related Materials by The Washington Post .....

[Emily]

This week I have read
Car Failure North of Nimes by Leonard Neufeldt
A Small Place by Jamaica Kincaid
The Invisible Man by H G Wells

[Valerie]

I finished Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah, Seeds of Yesterday by VC Andrews and Asani Boys by Neil Gaiman

[Kate]

I have added your books!

@Emily you have Level 1, 2, 3, 4 prizes and a summer reading t-shirt to pick up at your APL branch.

@Valerie you have Level 1, 2, 3 and 4 prizes for pick up at your APL branch.

[Nicole]

This week i have also been able to read Paperback Crush by Gabrielle Moss and The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

[Alana]

I just finished “The Art of Racing in the Rain” by Garth Stein. I guess I will have to go see the movie now. Funny that it’s out in theaters today!

[Diana]

Finished Mr. Splitfoot over coffee this morning. A compelling ghost story, especially for Capital Region readers (a lot of it is set in and around Troy).

[Kate]

I have added your books!

[L Elliot]

Recently read:
In the Full Light of the Sun by Clare Clarke
Fake Like Me by Barbara Bourland

[Mirkat]

Is anyone else reading or listening to Negroland currently? I am finding the topic interesting but the tone/narrative approach off-putting...

[Jane]

This week I finished reading/listening to The Other Woman by Sandie Jones, Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly (very different from the movie), Still Lives by Maria Hummel, and The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory.

[Jaybee]

This week I read Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Spy Who Jumped Off the Screen by Thomas Caplan, Last Ride to Graceland by Kim Wright, and The Infinite Blacktop by Sara Gran.

[Rose]

This week I read Fullmetal Alchemist 3-in-1 volume 2 (volumes 4, 5 and 6) which was just as good as the first one.

I also read Guards! Guards! and Eric by Terry Pratchett. I enjoy all his books, but despite Guards! Guards! being a fan favorite, I like the other stories in the series better. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Alicia]

I just finished and absolutely ADORE I Love You So Mochi, it's a cross between The Astonishing Color of After and American Panda with an adorable romance and a quest to find oneself and voice her true path to her parents, including her stereotypical Asian mom who has a different vision for Kimi's life.

[Nicole]

This weekend i also finished The Secret Garden, which i don’t think i ‘ve ever read before! The movie was one of my favorites as a kid though

[Paul]

Good evening. I finished a few books this week. Bought by Lauren Landish. I finally finished the third book in a trilogy Bonds of Resolve by A.K. DuBoff. I completed an audiobook in my car, The Terminal Experiment by Robert J. Sawyer. I read a quick freebie by a good New Zealand author Mollie Mathews, Love Me As I Am. I finished up with a book that sort of fits with the week's theme, A Vacation Fling by Paige Kelley.

[Diana]

This weekend I read Lazarus: Sourcebook Collection Volume 1, which is a sort of worldbuilding lexicon for the Lazarus comic series, one of my favorites. Greg Rucka is always meticulous with backstory.

[Kate]

I have added your books!

@Laura you have a Level 1, 2 and 3 prize for pick up at your APL branch.
@Jane you have a Level 1, 2 and 3 prize for pick up at your APL branch.
@Jaybee you have a Level 1, 2 and 3 prize for pick up at your APL branch.
@Abi you have a summer reading t-shirt to pick up at your APL branch.
@Nicole you have a Level 3 and 4 prize for pick up at your APL branch.
@Paul you have a Level 3, 4 and summer reading t-shirt prize for pick up at your APL branch.
@Diana you have a Level 1, 2 and 3 prize for pick up at your APL branch.

[Kelly]

I read Girl, Stop Apologizing and A Place for Us last week!

[Mirkat]

I completed Negroland: A Memoir today. My review.

[Kate]

I have added your books!

@Kelly you have a Level 2 and 3 prize for pick up at your APL Branch.

@Mirkat you have a Level 4 prize for pick up at your APL branch.

[Susan]

Mirkat wrote: "Is anyone else reading or listening to Negroland currently? I am finding the topic interesting but the tone/narrative approach off-putting..."

I started it on an Amtrak ride this weekend. Was looking forward to a memoir, but so far it seems choppy and a bit incoherent - e.g. I had trouble following which people were the author's ancestors and which were random other people. I thought maybe it would be better for a time when I could focus more, so switched to Convenience Store Woman, which was much better for a train ride. Was planning to try Negroland again this week. We'll see.

[Mirkat]

I'll be curious to know what you think, Susan. There are times when she refers to "the Jefferson family" as if she's talking about some other family and not her own. One section she narrates about herself in the third person, and at one point writes, "She--and by 'she,' I still mean 'me.'" And I thought, "STOP THAT!!!"

[Susan]

Read Convenience Store Woman, which I borrowed from the display at the Pine Hills Library on this week's theme, although I see it is not on the list of books at the beginning of this discussion. Seemingly light read with lots to think about. Plus it is small, so good to carry around with you and read in snippets.

[Kate]

Susan wrote: "Read Convenience Store Woman, which I borrowed from the display at the Pine Hills Library on this week's theme, although I see it is not on the list of books at the beginning of thi..."

I have added your book!

[Alicia]

If you're a YA fan (as I am in general but also because I'm a HS librarian), I absolutely suggest I Love You So Mochi that I read this past week, then I promptly went out and bought some mochi for dessert.

[Kate]

Alicia wrote: "If you're a YA fan (as I am in general but also because I'm a HS librarian), I absolutely suggest I Love You So Mochi that I read this past week, then I promptly went out and bought..."

Yes. Mochi and YA book is what I need this week. I will add it to my TBR pile.

[Mirkat]

Today, I finished Prodigy: The Graphic Novel . I had goofed in obtaining book two in this trilogy, but fortunately I'd already read the first book of the novel version of book #1.

[Kate]

Mirkat wrote: "Today, I finished Prodigy: The Graphic Novel. I had goofed in obtaining book two in this trilogy, but fortunately I'd already read the first book of the novel version of book #1."

I added your book!

[Rich]

For week 7, I read “Wild Seed” by Octavia Butler. This book has been on my to read list for some time and I can’t believe I’ve wait this long to discover this author. The book is sci-fi/fantasy in its foundation, but reads like historical fiction, and very subtly explores complex issues like slavery, gender, and religion through the tensions (supernatural and psychological) between its two central characters. I highly recommend this book (actually part of a series) both to sci-fi readers who want to see a unique take on the genre and to those who enjoy a good commentary on society.

[Susan]

Mirkat wrote: "I'll be curious to know what you think, Susan. There are times when she refers to "the Jefferson family" as if she's talking about some other family and not her own. One section she narrates about ..."

It is slow going. I am only on around page 60. I keep leaving the book to go to books that are actually linear.

[Susan]

Rich wrote: "For week 7, I read “Wild Seed” by Octavia Butler. This book has been on my to read list for some time and I can’t believe I’ve wait this long to discover this author. The book is sci-fi/fantasy in ..." Thanks for this review! Am adding this to my list - it sounds like something my husband, daughter and I, who often don't have much reading overlap, would enjoy. Will give us something to talk about.

[Kate]

Rich wrote: "For week 7, I read “Wild Seed” by Octavia Butler. This book has been on my to read list for some time and I can’t believe I’ve wait this long to discover this author. The book is sci-fi/fantasy in ..."

I added your book!