Sept. Discussion:Warmth of Other Suns

[Carol]

I will not be available until late tomorrow, so I am posting a bit early. I was astounded by the depth of her research, I don't think she left one stone unturned. It was a subject dear to her and she presented it as factual and interesting also.

I learned quite a lot from this book. I hope we will have an insightful discussion.

Here is a short bio from the internet about Ms. Wilkerson.

Isabel Wilkerson, who spent most of her career as a national correspondent and bureau chief at The New York Times, is the first black woman to win a Pulitzer Prize in the history of American journalism and was the first black American to win for individual reporting. Inspired by her own parents’ migration, she devoted fifteen years to the research and writing of this book. She interviewed more than 1,200 people, unearthed archival works and gathered the voices of the famous and the unknown to tell the epic story of the relocation of an entire people in The Warmth of Other Suns.

Here is an interview with Ms. Wilkerson click on listen to interview.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/st...

Here are my questions, if you have any thought let me know.

1. What was the migrations impact on the north and how do you think it changed the dynamics of the cities.

2. How did the migration change jobs and communities.?

3. Is it still relevant today?

4. Had you known as much about the Jim Crow Laws before you read the book.

5. Do you think Miss Wilkerson could have added something more or different in the style she presented the book.?

6. In what ways has the African Americas contributed to art , music, literature ,education etc. and do you think their contributions has enriched the whole American culture?

7. What surprised you the most about the book?


I think what surprised me most about the book is the vast expanse of years the migration went on. I had never heard of it.

[B]

How unusual not to have heard of the Great Migration. But, then, as a history teacher, I'd been teaching it for years! I wish I had read this book before I retired as it gives a personalized view of the migration. I could have shared some of the personal comments with my students to illustrate the different movements out of the South. The author hit all of the high spots with her interviews; the movement westward, northward, and towards the midwest. She paces the stories well and takes the reader along with the interviewees as they unfold their stories. Well done.

An amazing book that I could not put down. Kitty asks, "Is it relevant today?" Most definitely, yes. To understand urban America's make-up, one needs to read about the experiences in this book. If you want to better understand America's South under Jim Crow, read this book.

[Carol]

B this thread was posted by mistake. I don't know how to delete it. The official thread is here.

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/6...

You can copy and paste over there. Your thoughts will be appreciated. Sorry for the confusion.

[Robyn]

I agree. A truly amazing book; I learnt a lot about the Jim Crow laws that I didn't know - also about the discrimination in the north which I didn't know about either.
My forbears' attitudes to our indigenous people in NZ, the Maori, was very similar and still is today, among some groups. These people and those from the Pacific Islands are among the most marginalised and poor people in NZ.

[Carol]

I can empathize with indigenious people,it seems we are destined to descrimination wherever it raises it's ugly head. Slavery is an ugly situation. Here in the States discrimination is still prevelent,and unfortunately slavery still finds a way to exsist. Women and children of any nationality are the most vernerable across the world. I hope books like this will open our minds and hearts to speak out when we see injustice against our fellow beings and creatures.

[Robyn]

I couldn't agree more Kitty.
Will you be my friend?

[Carol]

Robyn here is the link for the discussion in the Constant Reader Group. You might want to look it over. There are many nice people in the group, and as the name suggests we are constantly reading.


http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/6...