The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

20.7 Erin NY’s Task (Shorter is Sweeter) – The Melting Pot
Let's celebrate the diversity of people from many countries. Use this opportunity to learn about another culture and the people around you.

Read a novel about an immigrant experience from another country into the US (or if you live in another country about an immigrant into your country).
It is not sufficient for one of the characters to be an immigrant – the main subject of the book has to be the experience in a new country.
If you live outside the US, you can read about an immigrant to your country OR to the US. If you live in the US, the book must take place in the US.

Some examples: The Namesake, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Night of Many Dreams: A Novel, Queen of Dreams, Shanghai Girls, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Tis

Clarification: If you live outside of the US you can read about an immigrant in your own country OR the US, since I know this genre is pretty popular in the US and I have no idea how popular it is in other countries. (If you live in the US, you have to stick with books taking place in the US)

Approved List:
If you live in the US (or another country):
Mao's Last Dancer
The English American
The Joy Luck Club
Breath, Eyes, Memory
The Reluctant Fundamentalist
Midwife of the Blue Ridge
How to Be an American Housewife
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Nowhere Man
Cutting for Stone
Freddy and Fredericka
Unaccustomed Earth

If you live in Britain:
Little Bee
Brick Lane: A Novel
A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian

Will Not Work:
The Bonesetter's Daughter
-because from Amazon's description "the central portion of The Bonesetter's Daughter takes place in China in the remote, mountainous region". It should mostly take place in the US.

The Kitchen House
-because it is not really ABOUT immigrant experience. From the description it sounds like a setting, and the main conflict is because of the color of the girl's skin. But correct me if I am wrong. It is sometimes hard to tell from the descriptions.

I just won this one in a give-away, so wanted to check:

Mao's Last Dancer - from the description, it looks like he defects from China to the US

To help you get started here is a link to a goodreads list that has a lot of great examples:

http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/338.Immigrant_Experience_Literature

But, of course, like all Goodreads lists, people can add anything they want, so not all these books will fit. For example, Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt doesn't work, because the majority of the book takes place in Ireland.

Enjoy!

Delicious Dee the book slut wrote: "I just won this one in a give-away, so wanted to check:

Mao's Last Dancer - from the description, it looks like he defects from China to the US"

Looks good to me.

Could I use The English American by Alison Larkin?
It's about a woman who grew up in the UK, finds out her birth parents are American and moves to the US to learn about them, the US, the culture, etc. There some element of a romance in there too -- but I haven't read it yet, so I'm not sure how much:)

Just to make sure, The Joy Luck Club works? People keep telling me I need to read this and it keeps popping up all over this challenge. Guess I need to read it!

Christine US wrote: "Could I use The English American by Alison Larkin?
It's about a woman who grew up in the UK, finds out her birth parents are American and moves to the US to learn about them, the US, the culture..."

Yup. Sounds good.

Leigh Ann wrote: "Just to make sure, The Joy Luck Club works? People keep telling me I need to read this and it keeps popping up all over this challenge. Guess I need to read it!"

Yes. And it is excellent!

Would The Bonesetter's Daughter or Little Bee work?

Can anybody comment on whether Breath, Eyes, Memory would count for this task? She moves to the US early in the book, from skimming it, it looks like chapter 3. But the back of the book says that she returns to Haiti. So I'm not sure if it would be okay.

Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "Would The Bonesetter's Daughter or Little Bee work?"

I don't think The Bonesetter's Daughter would work because from Amazon's description "Framed at either end by Ruth's chapters, the central portion of The Bonesetter's Daughter takes place in China in the remote, mountainous region". It should mostly take place in the US.

I can't tell if Little Bee would work or not as description tells you virtually nothing about setting or what it is about. Sorry. I will investigate further and post about it later.

Thoughts on The Reluctant Fundamentalist ?

Vicky wrote: "Can anybody comment on whether Breath, Eyes, Memory would count for this task? She moves to the US early in the book, from skimming it, it looks like chapter 3. But the back of the bo..."
From the description, it sounds like it would work.

Midwife of the Blue Ridge by Christine Blevins is a great book, especially if you enjoy Diana Gabaldon

Charity wrote: "Thoughts on The Reluctant Fundamentalist?"

Looks good to me.

Thanks!

I think The Kitchen House would work.
And How to Be an American Housewife?
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet?

Beth NC wrote: "Midwife of the Blue Ridge by Christine Blevins is a great book, especially if you enjoy Diana Gabaldon"
Sounds interesting, especially since it is a different time period then most books in this genre!

Liz wrote: "I think The Kitchen House would work.
Sorry I don't think it would work, because it is not really ABOUT immigrant experience. From the description it sounds like a setting, and the main conflict is because of the color of the girl's skin. But correct me if I am wrong. It is sometimes hard to tell from the descriptions.

And How to Be an American Housewife?
That works. Sounds very interesting.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet?"
Yes.

Just to clarify: if I live outside of the US, books about immigration to the States aren't an option for me? Does the book need to be a story set in my Country?

Erin (NY) wrote: "Liz wrote: "I think The Kitchen House would work.
Sorry I don't think it would work, because it is not really ABOUT immigrant experience. From the description it sounds like a settin..."

The Kitchen House says the girl immigrates from Ireland when she's seven to be a servant on a plantation.

Petra wrote: "Just to clarify: if I live outside of the US, books about immigration to the States aren't an option for me? Does the book need to be a story set in my Country?"

If you live outside of the US you can read about an immigrant in your own country OR the US, since I know this genre is pretty popular in the US and I have no idea how popular it is in other countries.

Thanks, Erin!

Liz wrote: "Erin (NY) wrote: "Liz wrote: "I think The Kitchen House would work.
Sorry I don't think it would work, because it is not really ABOUT immigrant experience. From the description it s..."
You but from the description it doesn't sound like she deals with immigrant issues. It sounds like the main premise is centered around the color of her skin. BUT I haven't read the book, so I don't know to what extent it deals with immigration experience. If it is a bigger part of the book then just the setting then it would work, but I am going to say no for now.

I own many of the books already approved, but I like as many choices as possible. ;o) I'm pretty sure Nowhere Man would work for this task, but wanted to get final approval. Thanks!

Cait wrote: "I own many of the books already approved, but I like as many choices as possible. ;o) I'm pretty sure Nowhere Man would work for this task, but wanted to get final approval. Thanks!"

Yes I would think that would work. Sounds interesting.

Would Cutting for Stone work?

Little Bee traces the the route of Nigerian immigrant who stows-away on a cargo ship to get to Great Britain. She is held in a 'processing centre' in London but is eventually freed. It would definitely fit for this task, I think, Erin.

Kristi (Passion for the Page) wrote: "Would Cutting for Stone work?"

Yes, that would work.

Jennifer wrote: "Little Bee traces the the route of Nigerian immigrant who stows-away on a cargo ship to get to Great Britain. She is held in a 'processing centre' in London but is eventually freed. It would defini..."
Thank you for the description, Jennifer. I had a very hard time finding a synopsis without spoiling it for myself.

Little Bee would work if you live in Great Britain, otherwise, sorry, no.

Erin (NY) wrote: "Kristi (Passion for the Page) wrote: "Would Cutting for Stone work?"

Yes, that would work."

Thanks, Erin!

Would Freddy and Fredericka by Mark Helprin work? Its about two royals who travel across America.

Another one for the UK:
Brick Lane: A Novel

Possibles but maybe not suitable as some/most of the characters are already in the UK although from an immigrant background?
White Teeth (really good)
A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian
Two Caravans

Just to check a few from the Listopia list, do the following work?

Unaccustomed Earth
The Jungle
Digging to America
The Tea Rose

Thanks.

Vanessa wrote: "Would Freddy and Fredericka by Mark Helprin work? Its about two royals who travel across America."

Yes

Nicki (UK) wrote: "Another one for the UK:
Brick Lane: A Novel
Yes

Possibles but maybe not suitable as some/most of the characters are already in the UK although from an immigrant background?
White Teeth (really good)
Two Caravans
No for the reasons stated above

A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian
I will allow this because even thought the father in the beginning of the story is already in UK, he deals with a lot of issues immigrants deal with.

Patricia wrote: "Just to check a few from the Listopia list, do the following work?

Unaccustomed Earth
Yes to this one.

The Jungle
Digging to America
The Tea Rose

Thanks."
Sorry I don't think those work based on their descriptions. (Maybe Digging to America if you made a compelling case for it)

Since I live in Canada, I could not read Brick Lane or A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian or any other book set outside of Canada or the States, is that correct?

Petra wrote: "Since I live in Canada, I could not read Brick Lane or A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian or any other book set outside of Canada or the States, is that correct?"
Yes. Ideally you would read one that takes place in Canada. I am allowing the US books just because there are more of them and easier to find.

Although I would still highly recommend The Short History of Tractors if you can fit it in for another task.

re: The Short History of Tractors. That's good to hear, Erin. I just picked it up at a Thrift Store last week. I'll have to try to fit it in somewhere.

I'm still trying to find a book set in Canada but, except for explorers and that time frame, I haven't found anything yet.

How about A Place Called Freedom about 2 lovers from Scotland who reunite in America.

N.B. For UK readers :) After a frustrating library search I've discovered that Little Bee is published under the name The Other Hand in the UK.

Don't you hate it when publishers do that?

Curse you guys (not really)! I've now added yet another book to my wishlist. I'd heard of Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian before, and kind of new what it was about, but now I actually want to read it.

And the list of books gets longer...

Uhmm, I'm claiming US residency for this one.

I'm currently reading The Namesake(was using it as the group hug) but here it will fit perfectly.

Erin (NY) wrote: "Patricia wrote: "Just to check a few from the Listopia list, do the following work?

Unaccustomed Earth
Yes to this one.

The Jungle
Digging to America
[book:T..."

Erin, not sure if you have read the Tea Rose, but the main character actually has to deal with a bunch of immigration issues when she moves to the US. Goes through the whole "rags to riches" transition. Not my book, but thought you might want to hear from someone who read it.

Erin, would Natasha: And Other Stories work? I found this description of it:

"This interlinking collection of short stories chronicles the life of an immigrant Jewish family from Latvia to Canada. The miscommunication, dislocation, and sadness of immigrant life are contrasted to the resiliency of the narrator, a young boy growing into manhood."

I don't know, though, how much of the story is set in Canada.

For anyone who's still looking for a book, I found this website, which I found helpful:

http://library.jccc.edu/guides/litera...

Since Unaccustomed Earth is approved, I guess short story collections are okay as well as novels? If so, how about Anzia Yezierska's Hungry Hearts

For others who might be looking, I'd heartily recommend her Bread Givers.