Many thanks to all of you who engaged in a raucous, riotous dissection of Eugene Robinson's Disintegration last night. The discussion didn't completely end until almost 9:00... a new record! I was delighted and impressed with the range of opinions, and the thoughtful, passionate way they were articulated.Just wanted to put in another plug for The Interrupters, which we'll be showing next Wednesday January 25th here at EPL, at 6:30, in conjunction with ReelTime and the Evanston Community Foundation. Also, the week of January 29th-February 1st, we're focusing on Michelle Alexander's sobering study, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Color Blindness. Dr Alexander is speaking at Garrett Theological Seminary on February 1st at 5:00 pm, and the EPL Teen Loft is hosting a teens-only discussion of the book on Sunday January 29th at 1:00 pm. Please help spread the word!
Meanwhile, back in AAL book land, registration is open for our February 14th discussion: Extraordinary, Ordinary People, Condoleeza Rice's memoir of her childhood in Birmingham Alabama, and her gradual rise to Secretary of State under President George Bush. Condi may not be a favorite with all of us, but her remarkable story is certainly worth re-visiting, especially in light of our conversation about the "Transcendent" and whether or not they are maintaining their connection with the rest of Black America. Call 847-448-8620 to register and book your copy.
I found the most interesting aspect of this book to be the insight it gives into an African American family's life growing up in the US south during the 50's and 60's. Amazingly, the family was able to rise above all the prejudice and ignorance prevailing at the time to maintain their dignity, honesty and family which was paramount to her parents and probably is responsible for many of Condoleezza's values she lives her life by. I have an intuition that is what the objective of the book really is and not really all of her great accomplishments.
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