See Defamation, a play about race on the North Shore

 This Sunday  you can be the jury in this explosive play about a racially tinged court case. Written by Evanston native Todd Logan, Defamation presents a South Side African-American woman who sues a North Shore Jewish real estate developer. Logan is a playwright, filmmaker, and humorist who, in his words, "finally found a dramatic way into the subject (of modern segregation) through a story about a professional African-American woman, a successful Jewish businessman and a watch."

Sunday October 2nd, 3:30 pm, Evanston Public Library

Are We "Post-Black" Yet?

Here's another good possibility for a discussion, Who's Afraid of Post-Blackness? by Toure.

 "...Much has been written on the benefits that accrued to the generation of African-Americans reaping the rewards of the civil rights revolution. But we have heard surprisingly little from those in the post-civil-rights age about what these benefits have meant to them, and especially how they view themselves as black people in an America now led by a black president. In his new book, Touré’s aim is to provide an account of this “post-black” condition, one that emerged only in the 1980s but by the ’90s had become the “new black.”

See the New York Times Review, and let me know what you think!

October Discussion: Who Does She Think She Is?

As summer was winding down, we appropriately read and discussed the baseball-themed, A Well-Paid Slave, Brad Snyder's account of Curt Flood's struggles to establish free agency in the MLB. For October, we'll be kicking it with Benilde Little's rollicking look at African American family life: Who Does She Think She Is? What happens when smart successful "buppie" Aisha, daughter of a struggling single mother and social worker from Newark, gets engaged to upper crust Will, who is not only old, old money but (gasp) WHITE? Parents, step-parents, grandparents and friends all have their say in this sharply observed story, which touches on Black class anxieties as well as the taboo of inter-racial marriage. Don't miss it!!

Tuesday October 11th, 7:00 pm
Evanston Public Library, Church and Orrington, Evanston
Call 847-448-8620 to register and reserve the book

AAL Resumes this Fall

We are skipping August this year, (vacations! power outages! sloth!) but the African American Lit Discussion will pick up in September when we discuss Brad Snyder's, A Well Paid Slave, the story of all-star center fielder Curt Flood and the landmark Supreme Court case that changed professional sports forever. As usual, give us a ring at 847-448-8620 to register and reserve a copy of the book, or register online. We'll be meeting in our usual spot: the small meeting room on the first floor of the Library, Tuesday September 13th at 7:00 pm

Wench discussion tomorrow night!

Hello everyone! I hope you’ll be joining us for tomorrow night’s discussion of Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez. There are some interesting reviews and comments posted on the Evanston Public Library catalog.

GoodReads has another good set of comments.

 And, to get in the mood for our discussion, check out the discussion questions listed on LitLovers:

 As usual, we’ll be meeting in the Small Meeting Room on the first floor of the Evanston Public Library , Tuesday night May 10^th at 7 pm. I look forward to seeing everyone!

Reader's Advisory Guide to Street Literature

Take a look at this fascinating interview with professor Vanessa Morris, author of Readers’ Advisory Guide to Street Literature.
Susan M.
30 Days of StreetLit # 14

"The Other Wes Moore: one name, two fates" by Wes Moore

Six readers shared a great discussion of "The Other Wes Moore: one name, two fates" by Wes Moore, at the Tuesday, March 8 meeting of the AAL book club in the library's small meeting room! The readers spoke passionately about the issues raised in this book which chronicles two parallel lives. The talk touched on the role of free will, decision-making skills, choices, community responsibility in education, effective parenting, advocating for children, the impact of drugs and the drug culture on vulnerable populations, and the devastating effects of low expectations.
Susan M.