Half the Sky

Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn 2009

IQ "In the nineteenth century, the central moral challenge was slavery. In the twentieth century, it was the battle against totalitarianism. We believe that in this century the paramount moral challenge will be the struggle for gender equality in the developing world." pg. xvii

A call to arms to end violence against women and to educate women because, as the Chinese proverb says, "women hold up half the sky". The point these authors make throughout the book, is how can a country flourish without drawing on half of its resources and tapping into women's potential? The issues discussed are dangers to women's reproductive and prenatal health, rape, sexual slavery and lack of education for women. The issues are explained, courageous women are profiled, organizations making a difference are spotlighted and everyday solutions are provided for readers around the world.

I am a sucker for these sort of books, real life tales that both depress and inspire. I enjoy reading these kind of non-fiction books because while all non fiction books teach me something new, I like that these books are told in narrative format, with explanations and history lessons smoothly interspersed. This book literally made me sick to my stomach, even though that is not the point of the book. In one incident in eastern Congo, the Congolese militias use rape as a weapon of war. "In one instance, soldiers raped a three-year old girl and their fired their guns into her." All I could think when I read that was 'oh my god.' The story continues "When surgeons saw her, there was no tissue left to repair. The little girl's grief-stricken father then committed suicide." (pg. 84). I do not share the story for the sake of pity, rather I want those two sentences to move people the same way it moved me. While I was reading this book I was infuriated. People not only confuse me, they make me sick, this book really brings home how cruel we humans can be to each other. It's not pretty, it's not pleasant, but it is the truth and it needs to be spread. The book never takes on a self-important tone or becomes too difficult to follow, instead it engages the reader by posing questions, sharing stories, and expanding on shocking statistics (as opposed to simply listing depressing statistics which doesn't do much more than temporarily shock someone).

The most fascinating aspect of this book is when it discusses the importance of Americans not trying to solve the problems of developing countries, but rather provide resources to people within that country so that they can solve their own problems. This idea has slowly been repeated by many but Half the Sky goes a step further in showing how sometimes Americans' ideas of progress may differ from the developing country's idea of progress. We may have different results in mind. Take the organization Tostan, "Tostan sometimes angers feminists for its cautious approach and for its reluctance to use the word 'mutilation' or even say that it is fighting against genital cutting. Instead, it relentlessly tries to stay positive, preparing people to make their own decisions. The curriculum includes a non judgemental discussion of human rights and health issues related to cutting but it never advises parents to stop cutting their daughters. Still, the program broke a taboo by discussing cutting. And once women thought about it and realized that cutting wasn't universal, they began to worry about the health risks" (pg. 226). When I first read about the mission of Tostan even I was baffled at how they didn't openly speak out against genital cutting. But as the authors explain the history of this horrific tradition and why more often than not, its mothers who do this to their daughters, understanding dawned. This organization instead of trying to push their own agenda, listens to the African women it is trying to help and places heavy emphasis on their respective culture. If all non profits did that perhaps we could actually make a difference....

Half the Sky is a siren's song sans the bad result, only good can come out of you heeding the call of this book. There is no way you can read this book without first being heartsick and then resolved to answer the call for action. Women's rights is deemed to be the issue of our generation and while some may debate that, what is not debatable is that we cannot continue to ignore the plight of women around the world. We have to make up for lost time whether by donating to non profits run by native changemakers, providing microfinance loans (the book explains in great detail as to why it is better to loan money to women than men in the developing world), volunteering or a host of other methods. The authors encourage young Americans to travel abroad and volunteer in a hospital, school, etc. run by natives of the respective country or mostly run by the native people. They argue (and I would agree) that this work will have more of an impact on the youth and give them a better understanding of the problems, possible solutions and the culture of the developing country. It may be a shock, but often, the shock factor is the best way to motivate change. This is a book that I think not only everyone should read, but everyone should buy. I certainly intend to, it's a fantastic resource.

Disclosure: From library

*Read in 2011

Literacy Orgs I Love: Room to Read

I am a book lover, therefore I must be a passionate advocate for literacy for all. My current literary obsession is books about people doing amazing things for other people, basic human kindness. These books have given me tips on things I can do to help others besides donating money and I think one of the ways that I could possibly make a small impact is by highlighting literacy non-profits. I found some that I had never heard of before so maybe you will discover a new one that you want to donate your time/money to, but regardless all of these organizations are dedicated to spreading the love of books and education to all and who wouldn't support that? This will be a monthly post.

Today I am featuring Room to Read! All quotes and logos from http://www.roomtoread.org/

The phenomenal organization whose founder's autobiography, Leaving Microsoft to Change the World I reviewed on Tuesday.Their mission: Building educational infrastructure and providing educational opportunities in the developing world is not a simple task. Every country offers a unique set of challenges and advantages, every region has its strengths and weaknesses, every community has its own needs. For this reason, Room to Read employs local teams led by a local director in each country. Our local teams understand the needs of each country and each community. They speak the language, know the customs, and understand what it takes to implement each program successfully. They ensure that our programs are of the highest quality and meet their singular needs.

Room to Read builds libraries and schools and it has a special focus on giving girls a quality education. I think what makes Room to Read unique is that they stock their libraries with local-language books as well as the donated English-only books and they have a publishing program. Their Local Language Publishing program uses local writers and illustrators to create children's books for their libraries and schools. They sponsor workshops and competitions to encourage local authors and illustrators. I even cited this specific program in a college application essay about a cause I'm passionate about. For me it's simply not realistic to promote literacy for all only in English. We have to reach people in their native language first.

Furthermore I like how Room to Read is such an efficient organization. The founder John Wood is a former marketing director for Microsoft and he focuses on having a low overhead, engaging the local population and constantly updating donors ("investors") on Room to Read's progress. The staff is very engaged in the day-to-day operations and constantly visits it's various programs around each respective country. They are proactive. They have a plan and outline their goals. Room to Read also encourages students to get involved with a variety of fundraising ideas and awareness activities (I'm a BIG fan of the school/club read-a-thons).

And if you buy the book (published in 2006, the organization was founded in 2000) through Barnes & Noble 5% of the proceeds go to Room to Read.

Oh and I love their banners, like the one above

Leaving Microsoft to Change the World

Leaving Microsoft to Change the World: An Entrepreneur's Odyssey to Educate the World's Children by John Wood 2006
Collins/HarperCollins

IQ "My favorite creative idea came from Parkgate, a Montessori primary school in London. Catherine, the energetic founder and headmistress of the school, called to say that her students had invented a new fund0raising technique. They offered their parents the opportunity to pay for what they called the Sponsored Silence. For 10 [I believe pounds] per hour, the parents could basically hit the Mute button on their children for the evening. Sales of this new luxury item were quite robust. [...]Children can be natural fundraisers, and very entrepreneurial, if given the freedom to think creatively." pg. 224

I found that quote especially appealing because I 100% agree, kids never cease to amaze me with their cruelty but then they outdo themselves with kindness, finding ingenious ways to raise money for a variety of causes. And I love the idea the children in London came up with. It got me thinking that something similar could be done in schools where students are particularly rowdy and they could raise money for those "with no voice" such as those incarcerated, victims of sexual and physical abuse, etc.

John Wood is the founder of RoomtoRead, an organization I was unfamiliar with until the fabulous Sarah Rettger recommended Wood's book to me. I'm so glad she did, it was fantastic! Room to Rea's goal is to promote literacy and provide an education to every child, no big deal. Currently they are based in Nepal, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, India, Laos, Bangladesh, South Africa and Zambia. John Wood originally worked for Microsoft as a marketing director but after a hiking trip to Nepal where the illiteracy rate is 70% he was inspired to send books for a library. The Nepalese people were skeptical he would return but he did, bringing "thousands of books bundled on the back of a yak", shortly afterward he decided to start his yet-unnamed non profit organization to build libraries, schools and distribute books. This is his story and the story of the origins of Room to Read.

One of the most intriguing aspects of this story is the business model of Room to Read, even though Room to Read is a nonprofit. The author talks about how they relay on donations of all kinds, not simply the ones from billionaires. They insist the community they build the school/library in must take part in the building of the school/library, this way the community feels a deeper connection to it. I think that's a really great point that I have never heard mentioned by other non-profits. If people don't feel a sense of ownership they won't care, but give them some responsibility and people will create the best product they can. Classic business model, no? They also ensure that they have local staff and partner with local businesses/governments. I think more and more non profits are realizing that they need to consult with the actual people who live in the country they are trying to "reform/improve." It's very refreshing and reassuring. I loved reading John Wood's explanation as to why Room to Read tries to fund raise from more than large donors "there simply are not enough billionaires out there to solve all of the world's problems. True change requires mass participation, because one person writing a large check is never enough. He could change his mind about the cause, or make bad investment decisions that deplete his capital, or die and leave his money to his heirs rather than to charity. To rely on just one person is quite risky, especially when the future of millions of people is at stake. The larger problem is that too many of the truly rich are loath to give away their fortune in any meaningful way. [...he then goes on to say...] The Andrew Carnegie of the 21st century will not be a rich white male. It will be a network of concerned global citizens, and we will create it" (pgs. 151-152), he's ambitious, determined, and optimistic. In short, everything I would expect a business person to be (obviously intelligent as well) with the rarity of being truly about service.

The added bonus of this inspirational and productive story is the behind-the-scenes look at Microsoft. He doesn't spend a lot of time talking about Bill & Melinda Gates but he does mention a time when he met Bill Gates. It's not the most flattering portrait but the author makes apologizes for why Gates might have acted the way he did. What I found even more interesting was the author describing his interview with Melinda French Gates, who was Bill Gates' girlfriend at the time. The position he was interviewing for would be under her supervision and while it was brief mention, it gave a tiny peek at Microsoft in the earlier days. Something that wasn't mentioned but that I'm curious about, is if the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation supports Room to Read? Furthermore the author is very pragmatic but also very fair. Perhaps I found him to be very fair because I can be very harsh and critical of people who I feel have been given much but do very little (which I am working on), regardless it's a wonderful quality to have. He discuses telling his girlfriend Sophie about his trip to Nepal and how amazing it was to deliver the books and his idea to do something similar but she isn't interested. "I reminded myself that despite her international postings, her strong preference was for the glamour of the expatriate life in a big city like London, Prague, or Paris. Large paychecks, housecleaners, and a full-time driver on call could make any city feel even better than home. My desire to strap on backpacks and 'go walk about' in the developing world held no appeal to her. We were both 'international', but in very different ways. This does not make either of us a better or worse person than the other" (pg. 43), I want the best of both worlds but I'm slowly realizing that it's not possible but that's Ok. I would rather "go walk about".

Room to Read was founded in 2000 and what makes this literacy organization really stand out is that it's run like a business, but the businesspeople actually have compassion. Room to Read is trying to sell you the importance of gender equality and raising literacy around the world, they have a business plan. Please consider donating to them, I know I will be (I will donate to them before I specifically profile the organization this weekend). John Wood seized the moment and created a dynamic non profit and this gives him a super-hero quality. He has human qualities though, he has doubts sometimes. Wood discusses his wish to own a home, to stay in a long-term relationship, to have more money to devote to a few small luxuries but at the end of the day he loves what he does. If only we all could be so lucky. I wish I could work for Room to Read but I'm not so sure I'd make it past the first round, it's a very competitive interviewing process! Which is as it should be, we need the best and the brightest working with nonprofits to change the world. Fortunately we have Room to Read and John Wood.

Disclosure: From the library. I wish I had bought it though since proceeds go to Room to Read. I may still buy a copy because it's definitely a book needed for my shelf

Hey, Shorty!

Hey, Shorty! A Guide to Combating Sexual Harassment And Violence in Schools And On the Streets by Joanne N. Smith, Mandy Van Deven & Megan Huppuch of Girls for Gender Equity (GGE) 2011
Feminist Press

IQ "Sexual harassment is a normalized behavior within the school environment, therefore while students see it happening, they do not believe that is a problem, and they do not report it." pg. 124

Hey Shorty! chronicles the founding of GGE, its mission, its projects and its goals for the future. September 11, 2011 marks its 10 year anniversary. Girls for Gender Equity' goal is to end sexual harassment (especially sexual harassment that ends in violence) by teaching teens what it is and how it can be prevented. This book is a guide for anyone who wants to raise awareness and end sexual harassment of all kinds (on straight and GLBT people). The organization is headquartered in Brooklyn.

Before reading this book I had thought Title IX only had to do with sports but it actually covers gender discrimination in schools period. So that's the first new thing I learned but reading this entire book was quite an experience because actions I took for granted as part of going to high school could actually be considered sexual harassment. I remember in 8th grade some guys used to throw pens at my chest to see if they would bounce off, I was a little hurt by this but also kinda flattered. Which is twisted if you think about because that's just rude but I shrugged it off, no big deal. According to Hey, Shorty! that would be sexual harassment. I think, overall, sexual harassment is a very tricky topic because for many teens it's just an accepted fact. I laugh at some jokes that feature sexual innuendos and I've gotten used to the (few) guys who make potentially lewd comments to me. Honestly, I am flattered because I used to have 0 self confidence, at the same time I've never experienced real sexual harassment (in my opinion anyway) where guys tired to actually grab me and followed me for blocks at a time. That's awful and completely unacceptable. And I do have friends who are creeped on by older men (as in 40s!) and that's just unfathomable to me as to why guys would think that's ok. I found it disgusting and annoying that when students reported cases of sexual harassment in New York City public schools nothing was done, they were ignored by the teacher and their fellow peers might accuse them of 'asking for it.' Um no one ASKS to be raped (in the most extreme case) or to be bothered all the time with gross comments.

I really liked this book wasn't a dry step-by-step explanation of how to end sexual harassment. It was fairly serious but it is a serious topic. However it was never a monotonous story because there would be excerpts from poems written by Sisters in Strength interns (an organization that is under the umbrella of GGE that offers paid experience in return for work on addressing social justice issues) or stories told, this made the statistics offered seem all the more real. I also appreciated the fact that the surveys given to students to fill out were featured so readers can see for themselves the type of questions being asked. I was also pleased that this book considered bullying of those who identified themselves as GLBT as sexual harassment. I wouldn't have initially but I totally agree now that is indeed sexual harassment.

Hey, Shorty really got me thinking and that's always a wonderful thing. The statistics are chilling and it's interesting to read how students don't sexual harassment is a big issue but incidents they describe fit the definition quite clearly. I started (much like the brave girls featured in this book) reflecting back on past events in school that could technically be considered sexual harassment. However based on my own personal experiences they are not something I would report because what's happened to me is not that serious. If on the other hand you've been touched inappropriately then that DEFINITELY needs to be reported or even if it made you uncomfortable in any way. Please do check out the great work this organization is doing and help in any way you can. They are still only based in New York but if a big enough movement begins, the Girls for Gender Equity campaign could rock the nation.

Disclosure: Received for review from publisher for blog tour. Thank you!

Reading in Color is part of the Hey, Shorty! Virtual Book Tour. Check out this link to see other Tour stops and spaces that are supporting this project and find out how you are able to support it too!

Male Monday: Operation Redwood

Operation Redwood by S. Terrell French 2009
Amulet Books/Harry N. Abrams

Rating: 5/5

IQ "Robin's mom always says, 'A way will open.' [Julian]

'And do you believe this?' [strange lady ;)]

Did he? He chose his words carefully. 'Maybe not on its own. But maybe, if you keep trying to really think about how to make something happen, it could happen. Not always. But if you're lucky.'" Julian pg. 326

Julian Carter-Li opens an angry email message that is intended for his uncle, Sidley Carter, a CEO of a very important company (IPX). His uncle's company has bought a grove of redwood trees that are hundreds of years old and the company intends on tearing them all down. Julian doesn't intend to get involved at first, but the sender of that email turns out to be Robin, a girl close to Julian's age (twelve). He's intrigued by someone his own age brave enough to call his uncle a jerk and stand up for what she believes in. Julian knows very little about this robin, but with the help of his best friend, Danny he is going to break into an office, live in a tree and maybe, just maybe, save the redwoods.

There is not a single thing I didn't like about this book. Some might complain that it started off rather slow but I live for slow contemporary starts, I like getting to know every little detail about the main character and their friends. Sure some things are a little too convenient (Danny speaks Spanish but Julian doesn't speak Spanish so naturally Danny must translate often. also Julian's Chinese grandmother writes for a sizable newspaper), but who cares? This story is too fun to get wrapped up in such minor things. I'm a sucker for kids and teens engaging in social justice because I think too many books only show us as selfish brats who don't care about the future of our world. That's simply not true and this author gets that. At the core of this book (or the trunk of this book, and yes there will be more annoying tree metaphors) is a message of environmentalism. Here we have three kids who don't have an extraordinary amount of resources available to them and yet they manage to come up with a plan, a plan that has the potential to work. They aren't hackers or geniuses or super wealthy, instead they have lots of heart and pool together their respective brain power to find a solution. These qualities make the book an interesting read and one that is authentic. I could easily see myself and other kids in middle school coming up with a similar plan (instead of those outrageous plots that you know would never work out in real life. Not that those can't be fun). The core has different branches that all lead back to the plan to save the redwoods but they divert (in the best of ways) to stories dealing with racism, family abandonment, strong friendships and the actual application of what we learn in school.

In addition to the save-the-trees message that rocked, I also adored the subtle displays of racism. In today's world, rarely do we see outright prejudice and Operation Redwood perfectly reflects that fact. Julian's mother travels a lot and his father died when he was seven, so when Julian's mother leaves for China for several months, he has to go live with his uncle Sibley. Sibley is his father's brother and while Sibley's young son, Preston, adores Julian, Sibley and his wife do not. Sibley's wife, Daphne, goes out of his way to make sure Julian knows he is not welcome (she has a point system. A POINTS system, but that's actually not a totally implausible situation). Of course since she never spells it out, you can't be sure that part of that dislike is race-based, but it probably doesn't help that Julian's Chinese (his mother is Chinese, his father is white) heritage 'ruins' her image of the perfect all-American blonde family. Like when Julian says '[s]omething about the way his aunt said 'half-Chinese' always made it sound vaguely like an insult-or not an insult exactly, but something that made him less than Preston, who at least in her view, wasn't half anything." (pg. 51) I had such a YES moment when I read that, I totally get what Julian's describing and I think many people from different cultural backgrounds may have a similar moment. Julian doesn't spend the entire book talking about the hardships of being a biracial kid, he mentions it, but he also talks about the joys of being biracial and how funny it can be to think about "how strange it was that he should be descended from two such different people, how weird and improbable that their DNA would end up mixed together in his own body." (pg.341). I would be remiss not to rave about Danny. I LOVE Danny, I want him to be my best friend. He is a mess, always hamming it up and yet his silly ways often help him to come up with the most outrageous-but-they-just-might-work stunts. But he can also be very practical (he's quite handy with computer basics such as sending emails in which Julian is hopelessly defunct). One of my favorite exchanges between Danny and Julian is below

"Am I good or what?' he [Danny] said with a broad smile.

'You have a real talent for lying. And you've ruined my reputation too. Congratulations!' [Julian]

'We all have our gifts,' Danny said humbly." (pg. 79) What a great kid.

Operation Redwood has many different branches that all lead back to the importance of speaking up when a wrong is being committed and the value of nature. Julian lives in San Francisco which can be a bit polluted, and he ends up going to see the Big Grove of redwood trees and is in awe of nature. I probably would be too. I don't live in the heart of the city, but I can relate to not spending much time relaxing and pondering nature, especially as we kids become older. I love that Julian has such a diverse group of friends, as the 21st century pushes on, we are going to see more diverse friendships, even now, people are rarely friends with only white people, and it's soo nice to see a book that reflects this. In fact this is the kind of contemporary middle grade I want to see more of, pretty please publishers? The ending certainly surprised me and it's realistic. Robin is resourceful, Danny is imaginative and Julian has the quiet strength that only unveils itself when push comes to shove. I could go on and on and on, but I'll stop. Ultimately this is a prime example of a book where it's the LITTLE THINGS that make it such a phenomenal read. The plot is not complex but it is revolutionary in that it so accurately depicts our world through the eyes of middle school students. A definite favorite of 2011 already.

Disclosure: Bought. One of the best purchases ever :D Printed on recycled paper for the win!

PS This is a tiny thing but it made me happen Julian is thinking about how his teacher taught them about the Miwok Indians (pg. 82). It's a brief sentence, blink and you miss, but it meant something to me that the author didn't just say Indians or even Native Americans. She specifies the tribe. Cool

The Latte Rebellion

The Latte Rebellion by Sarah Jamila Stevenson 2011
Flux

Rating: 3.5/5

IQ "'Because you're brown and they can't tell what you are.' Miranda picked at her cheese sandwich. 'You know, this is why the Latte Rebellion is a good thing. It'll open people's eyes. I mean, it's not like we just automatically identify with whichever group we look the most like.'
'Yeah.' I [Asha] nodded. 'Not to mention, ethnicity isn't anybody's whole anyway.'" pg. 158

Asha and Carey would love to have a best friend post-graduation trip to London. In order to raise the money, they decide to sell t-shirts that praise being mixed-race (or bicultural, what have you), they dub it the 'Latte Rebellion.' The girls expected to make some money, but they didn't expect people to actually get excited about their cause and turn it into a nationwide student social movement. Asha is both apprehensive and excited about this, but the Latte Rebellion is starting to mess with Asha's life. Her grades start slipping and she and Carey are fighting more and more. Before she can say 'latte', the peaceful Latte Rebellion turns violent and charges of terrorism are being thrown around. Does Asha believe in the Latte Rebellion enough to disprove the charges and fight to keep the group alive?

I don't usually mind slow starts in contemporary novels and this one was no exception. I liked getting the backstory and feeling completely immersed in Asha's world, I was satisfied with the little everyday details. I would warn you though that it takes awhile for the actual rebellion to start but stick with the book. I was a bit peeved at how some characters emerged for a chapter and then faded away, only to be called again a few chapters later. Thad and Bridget were both brought into the story but then they just disappear, Asha doesn't give them another thought. The biggest problem to me were the awkward transitions. Just when a chapter was starting to get really good, the story would stick to the present where Asha was in the middle of a school board hearing on her possible expulsion (her school viewed the Latte Rebellion as a terrorist group). Then just when the hearing started to get interesting, the story would change to the past events leading up to the hearing. Sometimes it seemed like the hearing was rushed, for example, I almost missed the decision the school board made because it was rushed over.

The most fascinating point to me was that Asha (half-Indian, a quarter Mexican and a quarter Irish) and Carey (half Chinese, half European) resent being forced to pick a side or idenitfy with what they are the most. I admit I'm guilty of thinking that way. I'm bicultural but I've definitely thought at times that if you if have more than three different cultural backgrounds, you can list them all but if you join a club, join them all or pick the one you identify most with. I get ticked when people do the whole '10% Irish, 10% Scottish, 15% Swedish, 2 % Cherokee' etc. Just pick your top two! However this book showed me that it's not that simple. I shared Asha, Carey and Thad's frustration at the lack of understanding/options for multicultural people. Just today I was registering for the SAT and I could only pick one race or chose to be 'other.' I ended up selecting Black but I was peeved that there wasn't a way for me to pick Black AND Latina. Real-life moment right there. I love that Asha starts The Latte Rebellion for purely selfish reasons. She wants to travel and needs the money so why not open a business that would appeal to certain people? That's what entrepreneurs do all the time and I thought it made the book even more fun. Asha starts off self-absorbed and a bit clueless but that makes the end result even better. I also really liked that the book showed why the term 'latte' is so appropriate for multicultural/multiracial people and that the school thought of the group as a terrorist movement. As if. Gotta love school bureaucracy.

*Please be warned the next paragraph will contain some lame coffee puns/jokes*

The Latte Rebellion is filled to the brim with coffee for thought ranging from how multicultural people are viewed in the world (should we have to choose what culture we identify the most with, how do we do that?), prejudice (Asha is called a 'towel head'. Wow), race and the college process (and it was nice to read a book about a senior who is stressing out about college because the process sounds SCARY people) and friendships drifting apart. We aren't meant to be best friends with the same people all our lives. It's nice if that happens but it's a rarity. I loved Miranda (fight the power!) and even though I didn't see much of him, I was a big fan of Thad. But then again, I'm a complete sucker for a guy who has a sense of humor and yet still wants to save the world (and manage to make enough to get by). The rough transitions and disappearing characters made this book a bit hard to swallow but there is a great balance between hilarity and seriousness that brings out the sweet flavor. The parents have a role and they aren't a complete caricature of overbearing-must-get-good-grades kind of parents. I sipped a vanilla latte while reading this book. It was my first latte and while I'm not a fan, I've been told to try chai lattes and a gingerbread latte. So we shall see if I become a latte fan. I applaud the author for keeping up the latte metaphor throughout the whole book, it could be a bit silly at times but who doesn't like a little silliness? A stirring novel. Oh and I love the cover, the symbol of the Latte Rebellion in the coffee (which is a coffee cup with steam rising to to from the shape of a hammer and sickle) along with the coffee rings, napkins and a cartoon drawing are perfect for the cover.

Disclosure: Booouuugghhhttt

PS Doret and I want T-shirts that say "Ask not what Brown can do for you. Ask what you can do for Brown." (this slogan could also apply to Brown University which makes it rock even more) <3

PPSS I'm buying a mug. You can also buy a shirt. $1 of each purchase goes to Reading is Fundamental. Social justice for the win. You're welcome

PPPSSS I can't decide, now I really want a shirt. Hmm. Oh and please read my interview with the author!