Summer is a great time not only to read bestsellers, but also get caught up on the classics, such as these books by African-American authors. Many of these titles are also available digitally via the cloudLibrary or RB Digital.
“Beloved” by Toni Morrison. Beloved is Morrison’s masterpiece story of Sethe, its protagonist. Sethe was born a slave and escaped to Ohio, but 18 years later she is still not free. She has too many memories of Sweet Home, the beautiful farm where so many hideous things happened. And Sethe’s new home is haunted by the ghost of her baby, who died nameless and whose tombstone is engraved with a single word: Beloved.
“The Color Purple” by Alice Walker. A story of two sisters — one a missionary in Africa and the other a child wife living in the South — who sustain their loyalty to and trust in each other across time, distance, and silence. Beautifully imagined and deeply compassionate, this classic novel of American literature is rich with passion, pain, inspiration, and an indomitable love of life.
“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou. Superbly told, with the poet’s gift for language and observation, Angelou’s autobiographical account describes her childhood of growing up black in Arkansas — a world of which most Americans are ignorant. Angelou tells the story of her difficult childhood and young adult years. Raised by her extended African-American family, she endured racism, rape, and teen pregnancy, rising above adversity to become a respected educator and author.
“If Beale Street Could Talk” by James Baldwin. Baldwin’s novel depicts the troubled romance between young lovers Tish and Fonny, who become engaged and plan to marry. When Fonny is arrested and imprisoned, their families endeavor to clear his name and win his release. In a love story that evokes the blues, where passion and sadness are inevitably intertwined, Baldwin has created two characters so alive and profoundly realized that they are unforgettably ingrained in the American psyche.
“Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison. A milestone in American literature, and a book that has continued to engage readers since its appearance in 1952. The nameless narrator of the novel describes growing up in a black community in the South, attending a Negro college from which he is expelled, moving to New York and becoming the chief spokesman of the Harlem branch of “the Brotherhood,” and retreating amid violence and confusion to the basement lair of the Invisible Man he imagines himself to be. The book is a passionate and witty tour de force of style.
“Kindred” by Octavia Butler. The visionary author’s masterpiece pulls us — along with her Black female hero — through time to face the horrors of slavery and explore the impacts of racism, sexism, and white supremacy then and now. Dana, a modern black woman, is celebrating her 26th birthday with her new husband when she is snatched abruptly from her home in California and transported to the antebellum South. Rufus, the white son of a plantation owner, is drowning, and Dana has been summoned to save him. Dana is drawn back repeatedly through time to the slave quarters, and each time the stay grows longer, more arduous, and more dangerous until it is uncertain if Dana’s life will end, long before it has a chance to begin.
“Native Son” by Richard Wright. Right from the start, Bigger Thomas had been headed for jail. It could have been for assault or petty larceny; by chance, it was for murder and rape. “Native Son” tells the story of this young black man caught in a downward spiral after he kills a young white woman in a brief moment of panic. Set in Chicago in the 1930s, Richard Wright’s powerful novel is an unsparing reflection on the poverty and feelings of hopelessness experienced by people in inner cities across the country and of what it means to be black in America.
“Their Eyes Were Watching God” by Zora Neale Hurston. In depicting one of the first strong black women of 20th-century literature, Hurston’s story of Janie Crawford pulls the reader into a timeless world of love, struggle, and self-exploration. Janie’s quest for both love and fulfillment may be more powerful for modern audiences than its original readership. Out of print for almost 30 years — due largely to initial audiences’ rejection of its strong black female protagonist — Hurston’s classic has since its 1978 reissue become perhaps the most widely read and highly acclaimed novel in the canon of African-American literature.
EVENTS
While all events in libraries are canceled, the Library is hosting virtual storytimes on Mondays at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., then again on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. The Library is also offering other great kids and adult online programs such as:
Fantasy Dragon Eggs “Take and Make” program: Through Friday, July 10. Explore dragons from around the world while reading at home and creating a dragon craft. Kit will include book recommendations, dragon myths and a make your own dragon egg project. Ages 5 and up. Kits that include everything you need to make this ‘Take and Make’ craft will be available while supplies last.
Schiffelly Puppets: Through Sunday, July 12. Comic situations, original puppet characters, and life lessons are added to classic fairy tales creating an action-packed entertainment extravaganza. Check the Facebook event at www.facebook.com/events/271121280963102/ for more information.
Rad Zoo: Monday, July 13 through Sunday, July 19. Reptile & Amphibian Discovery (RAD) Zoo will have a fun presentation with all sorts of creatures and facts. Who knows what you’ll see — there could be turtles, lizards, snakes and possibly a very small alligator! Check the Facebook event at www.facebook.com/events/276530683471752/ for more information.
Carver County Live! Super Storytime, Stone Soup crafts, “Take and Make”: Monday July 13 through Friday, July 17. In honor of the Super Storytime: Gobble Up a Good Story we have special crafts for you to do which include making your own puppet, kettle and vegetables (to help in your own retelling of the story ‘Stone Soup’). Kits that include everything you need to make this Take and Make craft will be available during curbside pick-up at all library locations while supplies last
Wacky and Wonderful Scavenger Hunt: Tuesday, July 14 through Monday, July 20. For ages 6-12. Discover and share the weird, wonderful, and everyday things in your life. Check the Facebook event at https://tinyurl.com/yafrvfp5 for more information.
StoryWalk: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wednesday, July 15 at Victoria Library. Enjoy a self-guided StoryWalk with your family this summer and take a stroll to read a story. Pages from a picture book are posted along a walking path! StoryWalk events will be canceled in case of inclement weather. For more information on the location of the Storywalk, please call 952-442-3050.
Virtual Escape Room, Dr. Jones and the Lost Grail Digital Escape: Thursday, July 16 through Wednesday, July 22. This is a story of our own creation with utmost respect for the inspiration provided by the movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. We hope you have fun! This escape room is intended for teens and adults, but all are welcome to play the game. Children may need help with the puzzles. The escape room can be completed as a group or by yourself. Check the Facebook event at https://tinyurl.com/ydxw7zyp for more information.
Capturing the Moment with Collage: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Thursday, July 16. Collage is the wonderful, tactile, expressive art of using bits and pieces of paper, fabric, and other materials in order to build up a mosaic-like scene. In these interesting times we’re experiencing, please join us in working with an artist instructor as we take the odds and ends we find around us (take-out receipts, junk mail, magazines, mask-sewing scraps, stray puzzle pieces, dandelion leaves) and capture a snapshot of world. You’ll get an email with instructions how and where to sign on to this class online before it starts.
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