The Locale: Brenda's
The Book:
Michelle Kuo, at age twenty two, arrives in the Mississippi Delta town of Helena, Arkansas in 2004. Kuo quickly realizes that her new home, the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement, is still poor, still segregated and still in need of dramatic change.
Helena is where she meets Patrick, inquisitive and quiet, with a poor attendance record. With Kuo’s attention, Patrick’s reading and writing flourish and he wins a school-wide award for “Most Improved.” When Kuo leaves Helena to pursue a law degree, she suspects herself of having taken the easier route.
Three years later, Kuo’s attention receives the news that Patrick is in prison for murder. Kuo puts her life on hold and moves back to the Delta.
In the visiting room of the Phillips County Jail, she and Patrick spend seven months poring over classic novels, poems, and historical narrative by Frederick Douglass, C.S. Lewis, Marilynne Robinson, James Baldwin, W.S. Merwin and more. Patrick learns how to be a serious reader and a fluent writer, and in doing so, discovers new worlds both inside and outside of himself.
In her time reading with Patrick, Kuo is herself transformed as she contends with the questions of what it is we owe each other and how starkly economic and racial inequality determine our life outcomes. What social transformation is necessary to change a life? And what kind of connection can two people make when there exists such dramatic inequality between them
www.michellekuo.net/reading-with-patrick
Sarah's Summary:
My apologies, again, for being so tardy with this update. If Tassy had not emailed me to ask about what happened I still wouldn’t be emailing you!
We had a fantastic meeting at Brenda’s discussing Reading with Patrick. I think overall the book was well received. I wanted answers to the overreaching problem in society in general. Others felt the author didn’t really do enough to help Patrick. It was a good glimpse into the very real problems we have, as a society, with the cycle of poverty and crime and our segregated and unfair educational system. Thanks for picking a book that required deep thinking and offered a platform for good discussion. As ALWAYS the food was amazing. The red beans and rice were deliciously seasoned and the hummingbird cake divine. A real southern meal.
Our next book is The Overstory, and we’re meeting at Susan Saunders’ on April 28th. Gina is next to present, and she’ll send out her suggestions beforehand. 😉
Jana, you’re on deck.
Back to nonfiction, we voted to read Hero of the Empire for Lori’s meeting, which will be on June 9th.
I think that sums it up!
Happy reading and see you all soon,
Sarah
The Vote: Lori presented...
- Hero of the Empire by Candace Millard WINS!!
- With The Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa by E.B. Sledge
- Valiant Ambition: George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution by Nathaniel Philbrick
Next to Present: Gina
Then:
- Jana
- Susan H.
- Sarah
- Jessica
- Kristine
- Holly
Tassy Jolynda - Brenda
- Susan
- Lori
- Gina
