Hope Amidst Hardship<\/h2>\r\n
鈥淟et鈥檚 Talk About It, Oklahoma鈥� Series at 雏汁视频, Fall 2015\r\n<\/h3>\r\n
Novelist and poet James Baldwin observed, 鈥測ou think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, or who had ever been alive.鈥� Recognizing ourselves in others, even as we read of hardship, is a major reason we find reading enjoyable. Hardship comes in many varieties and the books in this series offer varied examples but present a common theme: there is hope along the way. Sometimes this hope comes from deep within ourselves. Sometimes it comes from others in unexpected ways. The books in this series represent a variety of genres: a memoir by the daughter of voluntarily homeless parents; a deeply engaging young adult book about bullying; a novel set in Oklahoma; another novel set in the South during the Civil Rights era; and a memoir written by a college student about his dying professor. All of these books are individually powerful New York Times bestsellers, but read together offer us the sense that through our common hardships we can find the commonality of hope and perseverance. Are you interested in exploring and discussing these five good reads? Do you want to rediscover the joys of experiencing our humanity through characters who make us connect with each other? If any or all of these questions interest you, an opportunity for exploration awaits. If you want to be a vital participant in this exploration, please join us for this \"Let's Talk About It
