Urban Life Experience Book Discussion Series: Two Years and Still Going

Urban Life Experience Book Discussion Series

The Urban Life Experience Book Discussion Series is not necessarily about urban themes or urban people (although often this is the case,) but is named "urban" because the Wilson Library is an urban library and many of us live in urban locations. For clarity, the books we read are not urban literature or "street lit." Most of the books we choose are non-fiction, although we have read two novels: Ben Winter's Underground Airlines and Paul Beatty's The Sellout. We normally choose books that have to do with African American History and Social Justice Issues. Many of our sons, grandsons, nephews, and friends have fallen through the cracks of the education system or have had experiences with over-zealous police officers. Many of us have friends or family members who have had experiences in the criminal justice system. All of us, as citizens have a stake in the political atmosphere in our country.

The overriding reason we're in this book discussion group is because we love to read. In the past, most of us have gobbled up any book on the bestsellers lists, whether they had any bearing on our lives or not. (And to be honest, I still sneak in some bestselling fiction in between and am sure that the rest of the group does as well.) In addition to being book-lovers, most of us are seeking a way to make a meaningful contribution to our communities. Meeting every six weeks or so to discuss a thought-provoking book is the beginning of community building.

From Nov. 2015 to the present, The Urban Life Experience Book Discussion Group is still going strong.

Sometimes there's four of us. Sometimes there's thirteen of us.

The next book discussion will be Saturday, January 6, 2018 at noon. The book is They Can't Kill us All: Ferguson, Baltimore, and a New Era in America's Racial Justice Movement by Wesley Lowery

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Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement: A Radical Democratic Vision by Barbara Ransby, 2003

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Don't Cry for Me by Daniel Black

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Urban Life Experience Book Discussion Series

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