Vamos a Leer Book Group: The Inexplicable Logic of My Life
Monday, February 12, 2018 | 05:00 pm - 07:00 pm
Red Door Brewing
400 Gold Ave SW #105
About:
Join the UNM Latin American & Iberian Institute for our casual Vamos a Leer book group, a space dedicated to teachers discussing authentic and engaging Latinx literature for elementary, middle and high school classrooms. Each month we share curriculum, raffle a free copy of next month’s title, discuss Latinx culture and literary themes, and enjoy a pint.
We meet each month in the "vault" space at Red Door Brewing (downtown) on Gold Ave, and welcome your participation whether you've read the whole book or a single page.
Our February title is the young adult novel, The Inexplicable Logic of My Life, by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. A “mesmerizing, poetic exploration of family, friendship, love and loss” from the acclaimed author of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. (New York Times Book Review). Sal used to know his place with his adoptive gay father, their loving Mexican American family, and his best friend, Samantha. But it’s senior year, and suddenly Sal is throwing punches, questioning everything, and realizing he no longer knows himself. If Sal’s not who he thought he was, who is he? This humor-infused, warmly humane look at universal questions of belonging is a triumph.
Sáenz is an author of poetry and prose for adults and teens. He is the winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award and the American Book Award for his books for adults. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe was a Printz Honor Book, the Stonewall Award winner, the Pura Belpre Award winner, the Lambda Literary Award winner, and a finalist for the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award. His first novel for teens, Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood, was an ALA Top Ten Book for Young Adults and a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His second book for teens, He Forgot to Say Goodbye, won the Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award, the Southwest Book Award, and was named a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age. He teaches creative writing at the University of Texas, El Paso.
Notes:
This event is free and open to the public. For more information about our book group and related activities, please see our complementary blog, Vamos a Leer: Teaching Latin America through Literacy.
Sponsors:
Latin American and Iberian Institute (with support from the US Department of Education Title VI)
