"House Made of Dawn," N. Scott Momaday
This story about the Native-American experience and struggles is interesting and eye opening, so much so that we wanted to read the novel a second time.
"No Visible Bruises: What We Don’t Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us," Rachel Louise Snyder
This gut-wrenching account of domestic violence in the United States describes issues with the legal system and societal pressures that keep women in dangerous and even fatal relationships. This book does the important job of explaining how damaging and complex domestic violence is in America.
"Interpreter of Maladies," Jhumpa Lahiri
After starting Lahiri’s collection of short stories, we were instantly hooked to her writing style and subject matter. Some of us are the children of immigrants, one from Pakistan, so reading her stories about the South-Asian immigrant experience in the U.S. was quite validating.
"On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous," Ocean Vuong
This novel by breakout author, Vuong, is a tender tale of the relationship between a first-generation immigrant from Vietnam and his mother. Written as a letter to his mother, who cannot read English, the narrative style is refreshing and unique. This novel is a compelling coming-of-age story that explores family, sexuality and trauma in a way that few authors ever have.
"Giovanni’s Room," James Baldwin
