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Learn More about the Issues: What We’re Reading

06/10/2020 10:17:00 AM

Jun10

Social Action Committee members have been using their time at home to get caught up on reading. Here are reviews of three social justice titles.

One Person, No Vote: How Voter Suppression Is Destroying Our Democracy, by Carol Anderson

I was interested in reading this book after hearing a presentation by the author at the Book Festival here in Madison a year ago or so. By the chair of the Department of African American Studies at Emory University in Atlanta, Professor Anderson’s book is, in the words of one reviewer, “impeccably researched, deftly written and, sadly, prescient.” I would also add the word passionate. It’s a rare but incredibly effective combination to read a book that is both highly credible, due to its painstaking research, and fiery in its narrative. Gerrymandering, voter ID laws, closure of polling places, limiting early voting, and resisting vote-by-mail are just some of the tactics she chronicles in this deeply disturbing book. It’s a quick read, at only 160 pages (followed by more than 100 pages of notes).

As a lifelong Wisconsin resident, I have been horrified to see how much of our progressive tradition has been rolled back in the last 10 years or so, and the assault on the right to vote means Wisconsin joins the ranks of the other states Professor Anderson calls out in her book. In other words, if anyone thought that suppressing the vote of African Americans, Latinos, and other communities of color was only a southern-state thing, think again. Over and over this book made me drop my jaw, gasp, shake my head in disgust, and—most of all—propel me to action. I hope you’ll read it and join in the battle against these clearly racist efforts. No less than our democracy is at stake. —Betsy Abramson

The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez: A Border Story, by Aaron Bobrow-Strain

This book tells the story of a young, single, undocumented mother as she struggles to gain legal residency in the United States. It is a highly emotional and gripping story that allows us to go deeper into appreciating what it’s like to be an undocumented immigrant. The main character, Aida, is a complex person, and we grow to understand the choices she makes as we see the almost unimaginable trauma she goes through, both in her personal life and as a result of our cruel immigration policies. She perseveres in the face of all of this, wanting above all to give her young son a good life.

What made this book even more compelling for me is the weaving in of history, politics, and economics, which broadened my awareness of how our current immigration situation developed. Of note is the fact that this book is part of Dane Sanctuary Coalition’s “Big Read,” and the author is scheduled to speak in Madison on October 8. The Immigrant Rights Action Team facilitated a discussion of the book on May 26 with a possible additional one later in the summer if we get more interest. I highly recommend this book! —Lynn Silverman

Born a Crime, by Trevor Noah

Trevor Noah’s Born a Crimeis a hilariously funny, heartbreaking, and inspiring memoir about growing up in South Africa living under apartheid and its turbulent aftermath. Born in 1984 to a black Xhosa mother and a white Swiss father, Noah’s very existence was a crime under apartheid’s brutal laws. His narrative seamlessly interweaves comedy and tragedy as it takes us through his early family life, troubled school years, relationship with an abusive stepfather, and even a brief stint in jail before moving on to his remarkable later successes as a stand-up comedian and the astute social commentator who has hosted The Daily Showsince 2015.

The odds seemed stacked against Noah as they were and continue to be against the majority of South Africa’s black citizens, who are frequently trapped by the legacy of colonialism and apartheid and who continue to face poverty, oppression, violence, racism, and severely limited opportunities. Noah credits his success to his mother, who served as a powerful buffer against the brutality of the world they inhabited with her fiercely indomitable spirit and unconventional, uncompromising love. Born a Crimemakes for an extremely engaging, enjoyable, and fast-paced read. It not only provides an engrossing personal story of transcending trauma, but exposes the legacy of the damage inflicted by apartheid with excruciating honesty. If you listen to the audiobook, the author’s narration makes this remarkable story even more compelling. —Erica Serlin

 

April 26, 2024 18 Nisan 5784