The English department at Texas A&M University is excited to present the Brazos Valley Reads book pick for 2010: Woman Warrior, Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghost by Maxine Hong Kingston.
"You must not tell anyone," begins Kingston's provocative book in which she shatters her family's silence by sharing Chinese "talk-stories," revealing her personal struggle between living her life as a Chinese-American woman and carrying the "impossible stories" told to her as a child.
Kingston writes, "Before we can leave our parents, they stuff our heads like the suitcases which they jam-pack with homemade underwear." Kingston, courageously unpacks her family's story in stunning and imaginative narrative.
I am certain that you will love spending time in Kingston's world and also meeting her in person on March 9 at Bryan Civic Auditorium, where she will read from the book and answer questions from the audience, beginning at 7 p.m.
For the past five years, the A&M English department has committed to bringing internationally celebrated authors to the Brazos Valley community. At the first Brazos Valley Reads reading in 2005, when Ernest Gaines read from his critically acclaimed book, A Lesson Before Dying, I was told that one could hear a pin drop in the room.
The year Sandra Cisneros read from her celebrated novel, The House on Mango Street, Cisneros stayed late into the night, making sure to address each and every audience member while she signed her book.
Last year, Sherman Alexie had everyone in stitches while he performed his wonderful young adult novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Audience members included book lovers traveling from all over Texas and nearby states, as well as Brazos Valley community members and Texas A&M students.
Each author who has participated in Brazos Valley Reads -- including Tim O'Brien who read from his poignant anti-war novel, The Things They Carried, and Gish Jen, who read from her book, Typical American -- made an impact in our community through their work and presence.
In addition to presenting their work and signing books, the authors meet with high-school students. Last year, because of the support and efforts of Shirley Hammond, education director at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum, more than 500 students from College Station and Bryan high schools were able to meet with Sherman Alexie at the Bush Library. Alexie answered their questions about his book. Through the generous donations from the Bush Library, the Junior League of Bryan-College Station and the National Book Foundation, all the students participating received a copy of the book as well.
This year, Barnes and Noble Booksellers in College Station will be hosting a book fair March 9-11, during which a percentage of your purchases will be donated to Brazos Valley Reads for support of future programs. If you say that you are shopping with Brazos Valley Reads or present a voucher to the cashier, the bookstore will give us credit.
Barnes and Noble also will host a reading group at the bookstore on March 10 at 7 p.m. for those who would like to discuss Kingston's work. The reading is free to the public.
The Woman Warrior may be purchased locally in anticipation of Kingston's reading. Books also will be on sale prior to the event, and a book signing will follow the reading.
We welcome inquiries and requests for members of the English department to meet with reading groups to facilitate discussion. All such inquiries should be directed to the English department at bvr@english.tamu.edu.
We hope to see many of you at the reading at 7 p.m. March 9 at Bryan Civic Auditorium, 800 S. Coulter Drive.
* Angie Cruz is an assistant professor in creative writing at Texas A&M University and coordinator of Brazos Valley Reads. She is also the author of the novels, Soledad and Let It Rain Coffee.
RSS
Mobile
Daily Emails
We Twitter
