Open the Unusual Door: True Life Stories of Challenge, Adventure, and Success by Black Americans, is a great book that will inspire your daughter or son as (s)he begins or returns back to high school. This is a wonderful cross section of excerpts from published autobiographies of people who are still alive,and prominent in society. I remember one of my sons asking me why the school only had biographies of dead people on their reading lists. I looked at the list, and sure enough, the majority of the books were about people who were dead. So we promptly went to the bookstore and searched for an autobiography of a person still living. He chose Journey to Justice by Johnnie L. Cochran Jr., who was still alive at the time. So move those bathroom magazines over, and make room for a good book!From Booklist
Gr. 8-11. Summers offers profiles written by 16 prominent African Americans who made choices that changed the paths of their lives for the better. The subjects include athletes (Derek Jeter, Peter Westbrook, and Chamique Holdsclaw), entertainers (Whoopie Goldberg, Queen Latifa, and Russell Simmons), writers (Susan Fales-Hill, Antwone Fisher, E. Lynn Harris, Lynne Duke, Michael Cottman, and bell hooks), community activists (Sister Souljah and Derek Scott King), a scientist (Neil de Grasse Tyson), and a statesman (Colin Powell). The writing styles and the themes vary greatly, reflecting each author's life experiences and personality. Several individuals dealt with coaches or mentors who pushed them almost beyond the limits of physical and mental endurance; others came to terms with difficult issues of sexuality; still others recount how discovering their life's passion, whether astrophysics or the military, focused their lives and gave them direction. These thoughtful essays will make excellent discussion starters, whether the goal is career guidance, inspiration, or knowledge of contemporary African Americans.
No comments:
Post a Comment