Last week our 2021 author, Joy Harjo, released Poet Warrior: A Memoir. This book serves as a follow-up to her previous memoir Crazy Brave. NPR reviewed this book saying, “This is a book about pain and growth; a narrative that shines a light on compassion and stresses the importance of rituals. Harjo talks about the […]
Category Archives: Book Recommendations
Encounter with Cultures
Last semester, I took a required Education course called “Encounter with Cultures” taught by Professor Susan Cherup. In this course, there was a unit on Native Americans with readings focused on Native Americans and current Native American issues. All of this helped prepare me so well to read our upcoming Big Read 2021 book, An […]
Classic Favorites Book Recommendations
Looking for more books to read this summer? Here are a few classic books, both past and more current, that are perfect additions to your reading lists this summer! This semester My English class Literature of the Western World assigned a group project to craft a list of the fifty books deserving of inclusion in […]
Summer Book Recommendations
With summer vacation upon us, it seems like the perfect time to highlight some recommendations for summer reads. Poetry has been featured for the past several weeks, so let’s shift gears and highlight a different genre – nonfiction. Many of the books I have read lately have been memoirs and biographies. Here are a few […]
The Asian American Community is too, America
In light of news reports of increased anti-Asian American violence, our Big Read team can’t help but reflect back on our 2017 Big Read program with Julia Otsuka’s When the Emperor Was Divine and the powerful discussions we had about prejudice and discrimination both in our nation’s past and present. Along with Otsuka’s book and […]
Podcast Recommendations you Should Listen to During Black History Month
Since coming to college, I have driven back and forth from Chicago and Hope countless times. After hours of listening to music, the words eventually blend together and the music becomes as monotonous as the road ahead of me. Lately, when my music becomes background noise, I switch over to podcasts. Not only can you […]
More Books you should read during Black History Month
As we prepare for Kwame Alexander’s virtual visit to Hope College at the end of the month, I encourage you to continue to read our AARI recommended texts. Today, we’re thrilled to share even more book recommendations from our friends in the Black Student Union at Hope College. The Vignes twin sisters will always be […]
Book Recommendations you Should Read During Black History Month
As an English Education professor, I’m involved in an organization called the National Council of Teachers of English. This organization is dedicated to “improving the teaching and learning of English and the language arts at all levels of education”. Over the past 20 years, I’ve attended its conferences, subscribed to its publications, and used the […]