Eclectic Recs No.9

Three timely books about Civil Rights heroes, Iranian history, and Minneapolis protests.

Welcome to this month’s edition of Eclectic Recs, a series in which I recommend three great books from a variety of genres. Today’s recommendations connect to the current news cycle, including a hopeful YA nonfiction book, a surreal novel in translation, and a love letter to my favorite city.

Today’s edition of Eclectic Recs is free for all subscribers, so please share it with a friend.

Before I get to the books, I want to share some resources for helping immigrant communities in Minneapolis. I went to college in MPLS and have dear friends in the area who are scared, sad, and exhausted—particularly teachers, pastors, and parents.

Mill City Church in Northeast Minneapolis, my college church home, has longtime ties to immigrant congregations in the area, as well as a dedicated focus on service. They are partnering with Pastor Sergio Amezcua, who is leading a movement to provide food and other resources to many people in the community who are staying home due to fear. They are currently serving thousands of people. Donate HERE if you can.

Mill City is also hosting a winter drive for Las Estrellas School. Use their Amazon Registry to purchase items requested by the school social worker.

To read more from Mill City about what is going on in their community, read HERE.

Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose

Claudette Colvin died at age 86 on January 13th. In 1955 at just 15 years old, she refused to give up her seat on a bus in Mongomery, Alabama. Her bravery sparked a movement, but because of her age and pregnancy, Colvin was written out of the narrative. Undeterred, she continued to fight for justice as a plaintiff in Browder v. Gayle, a seminal case in school segregation. I taught this Newbery and National Book Award-winning YA biography in 9th grade reading classes, but it’s a fantastic text for younger children and adults, too. (Grab the book, and don’t miss the Drunk History episode featuring Amber Ruffin for an adults-only preview of Colvin’s historical contributions.)

Disoriental by Négar Djavadi

In Disoriental by Négar Djavadi, a 25-year-old French-Iranian woman sits in a fertility clinic and reflects on her family’s revolutionary past. She weaves in and out of ancestral tales, connecting them with the present through fourth wall breaks and asides to the reader. The story spans centuries and continents, explores Iranian politics, and contemplates the immigrant experience—and it’s all told in a memoir-like, conversational tone, by a narrator whose presence you won’t forget. With such an apt title, the novel does indeed provide a disorienting experience, but I never felt lost to the point of confusion, all because of the narrator’s direct communication. The teller bridges one part of the story with another by saying, “now let’s go and visit this character” or “allow me to pause and reflect here.” With a bold voice and vivid scenes, this translated work stands out as a lifetime favorite for me.

The Sentence by Louise Erdrich

I included this novel in a previous Eclectic Recs post, which I intend to avoid as much as possible, but it’s too fitting to ignore for today’s round-up. The Sentence takes place from 2019-2020, covering covid protocols plus George Floyd’s murder and subsequent Minneapolis protests. Erdrich weaves a big tapestry here, with ghosts, trauma, humor, grief, loneliness, partnership, and the power of literature. Not every author could pull this off, but Erdrich is one of a kind. The book manages to be a character study, a ghost story, and a snapshot of Minneapolis at a historical turning point. If you want a glimpse at this special city’s cultural make-up, its weaknesses and its strengths, and a reminder that history is now—pick it up.

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