The Blender Book Club discussion

Our February selection is Wandering in Strange Lands: A Daughter of the Great Migration Reclaims Her Roots by Morgan Jerkins. Combining elements of memoir and historical research, Jerkins--a Black millennial writer--traces her family history back 300 years using interviews, photos, and other primary sources. In the process, she grapples with the legacy of the Great Migration of the early 20th century, when millions of African Americans migrated from the Jim Crow Deep South to cities in the North and West in search of a better life. It's a perfect read for Black History Month and hopefully a good follow-up to Zadie Smith's Intimations.

As I mentioned during the discussion last night, we do not have book club copies available at Schlafly like we usually do. Instead, you may place a hold on a regular library copy through SLPL or SLCL, or access it virtually. Please let me know if you have any trouble finding a copy.

The discussion will be held on February 17th at 7 pm. Here's the link:

https://meet.google.com/ssk-ywba-syc

See you then!

I started listening to the audiobook (read by the author) yesterday on Libby (Overdrive) thru the County library. I was afraid it might be too similar to Wilkerson's great The Warmth of Other Suns", but it seems to be focusing on a personal quest rather scholarly research.

Zach wrote: "Our February selection is Wandering in Strange Lands: A Daughter of the Great Migration Reclaims Her Roots by Morgan Jerkins. Combining elements of memoir and historical research, Jerkins--a Black ..."

Book is available on Amazon Kindle for ~2.50.

I am about 75% through Wandering in Strange Lands. Lots to unpack for our book discussion on Wednesday. I'm learning things along with the author.

The author's background piqued my interest as she is the same age as my oldest son, was born in the town next to the one where I grew up in New Jersey (my parents still live there), own a house in the town her grandmother worked as a house keeper (I did not know about racial covenants that barred black families from renting or owning there) and lived for a year in the town where the near pool drowning occurred.

Looking forward to our discussion on Wednesday evening. In the meantime, keep warm everyone!

Kathy, very glad to hear that someone else is going to be there Wed pm -- it's been so quiet on Goodreads, I wondered if everyone was o.k. And I'll be interested to hear your comments -- having a personal connection as you do might have helped me get more from this book. I finished it two weeks ago, and was underwhelmed.

Just a reminder to everyone that we will be meeting to discuss Wandering in Strange Lands TONIGHT (2/17) at 7 pm CST. (I'd have posted a reminder sooner, but we've been snowed out the last two days. 🥶) Discussion questions will be up later today, and here's the link for the meeting:

https://meet.google.com/ssk-ywba-syc

Looking forward to it as always!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1) Which section of Wandering in Strange Lands did you find most interesting or eye-opening? What points stuck out to you?

2) Did you like the mixture of personal narrative and historical research? Did they complement each other? Would you have preferred more of one or the other?

3) Did this book alter your understanding of Black history and culture in America? What are some of the complexities that tend to be glossed over in other narratives?

4) As Jerkins portrays it, was the Great Migration ultimately a success, a failure, or something in between? Did most migrants find what they were looking for in the North and West?

5) What was lost in the Great Migration? What was gained? How would American history and culture be different if the Migration hadn't happened?

6) Do you agree with Jerkins that folklore and oral traditions can be even more valuable that hard data when trying to understand one's roots?

7) Have you ever dug into your genealogy or family history? What interesting facts did you discover? Did you hit any dead ends? How is your experience similar to or different from Jerkins'?

8) What are some of the benefits of connecting with one's roots? What can we learn about ourselves from our family histories? How might this be especially important (and also difficult) for African American people?

9) What, if anything, is the conclusion or message of this book? What are some of the recurring themes?

10) Would you recommend this book? Would you read another book by Jerkins?

Sorry I missed again. John ended up being away so I had the kids and I just can’t quite do all the things. I’m only in the first section of the book too but have found it pretty interesting if a bit repetitive at times. I don’t think has to work as hard as she thinks she does to make her points if that makes sense. Hope to see some more comments here and I’ll add more too if I have thoughts as I make it a little further.

Anne, we agreed that it was repetitive in parts. Some (incl. me) felt it kind of meandered from section to section without drawing conclusions, and sometimes without much evidence for the connections she believes she found.
I forgot to mention tonite that this book sorely needed MAPS!
We all liked learning about the Gullah Geechee people & culture,
but I at least wanted more.

Here's the link to the article I mentioned on Jerkins' use of the Ebonics "aks":

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/la-xp...

Yes you know about me and maps! I have pulled them up several times in the low country section. I’ve been to Tybee Island but not to any of the others that I remember. We went to Charleston, Savannah, and Hilton Head when I was maybe 11 and we definitely went to a plantation. The only thing I remember though are the mosquitos—I can’t remember anything else so I’ll have to see if my parents know which one and what was said about enslaved persons there.