If you need books for young men that threaten to burn books, (I've been there and back, got the T-shirt and the hat to prove it,) you'll love this story from Veronica Chater's blog. The memoirist, novelist and radio journalist shares a open and poignant discussion she had with her 15 year old son who hated books.
It'll give you ideas on how to open doors to the written world to tweens, teens or males.
It presents conversation starters to get your discussions going with others that you want to share books with.
If you still want to choose a book after you've read her story read it again. To make a difference in someone's literary life let them pick their own book.
Turn them on to unique places like this, where each book is selected because it rises above the noise to speak to young and mature men to allow them to connect with books.
Meanwhile, Kathleen Baxter, a retired Anoka County librarian and national expert on what makes boys read or choose not to, had this to say, over at Startribune.com "Reading what you have to read is not how you become a reader. Let them read what they want." Amen Kathleen!
That's what has worked best for me. Many of my friends(men)feel that books will disconnect them from their roots. However novelist, poet and playwright Ishmael Reed's quote, is living proof that you can read books become successful and remain firmly rooted. Despite his world wide acclaim he still lives in North Oakland;
"I’m still invested in the community"said Reed, in the San Francisco Examiner, 1998.
One of life's greatest gift is that we are all subject to change with the seasons (that includes men). And fortunately time keeps on moving, so that our life produces different scenes.
Read Veronica's blog, How I Converted A Book Burner.
Carouse our book list and review the selections of books for young men (and older models too,) chosen because of their man-friendly subject matter and writing styles, that even the book burner(s) in your family will be delighted to read.
No comments:
Post a Comment