Writers of Color Book Club discussion

Here we will be discussing the first seven chapters of The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez. Please be mindful of using the (view spoiler)[spoiler tab to keep from ruining anyone's reading experience. (hide spoiler)] tab.

Hi. Erm, I'm reading this book on my Kindle, and there are no chapter numbers, just the name of the person of whom we see the POV. Would somebody be so kind and to help me in the matter?

Marion wrote: "Hi. Erm, I'm reading this book on my Kindle, and there are no chapter numbers, just the name of the person of whom we see the POV. Would somebody be so kind and to help me in the matter?"

Sure thing! I just basically counted the characters as chapters. So the first 7 characters chapters are for Pt 1, second 7 for Pt. 2, etc.

I was slow to start this one because I was waiting for the audio from my library. I'm only seven chapters in, but I'm really enjoying the multiple narrators so far. Their varied accents help keep the characters straight. I still don't feel like I know where the book is going, but I'm intrigue and hope to have more listening time this weekend to get farther.

Really enjoying this book so far. I thought a powerful part was where Alma starts to learn English, and her chapters describe what it's like to move to a country where you can't understand anyone. I can understand how foreign language speakers tend to group together when they move to a new country, it must be such a relief to be able to have a conversation.

nomadreader (Carrie D-L) wrote: "I was slow to start this one because I was waiting for the audio from my library. I'm only seven chapters in, but I'm really enjoying the multiple narrators so far. Their varied accents help keep t..."

I'm glad you're liking it so far! For some reason, this book puts me in mind of Eleanor Park by Rainbow Rowell. In terms of the love story, but it is well paced. I listened to the first half on audio too and I love the accents and the speakers knack for making the characters come to life.

Louise wrote: "Really enjoying this book so far. I thought a powerful part was where Alma starts to learn English, and her chapters describe what it's like to move to a country where you can't understand anyone. ..."

It was sort of sweet in a way how Alma is so suspicious of learning a new language, but then she starts to enjoy the classes. The way Henriquez shows the community to me is really well crafted in how close it mirrors real life. In a way, it reminds me of those new citizens individuals who carve out new communities for themselves that mirror the ones they've left. I know this can be a blessing and a curse since some people become so trapped in what's familiar they go their whole lives without having to learn the new countries language at all since their community acts as a buffer between old and new.

Agreed. I've lived in and among immigrant communities for nearly my entire life, and it pretty much is as much of a recreation of "back home" as you can get. we had so many friends and neighbors who didn't speak English well or at all.

I can definitely see the parallels between this and Eleanor & Park, although I have to admit I'm enjoying this one much more. I'm looking forward to see how Alma and her family deal with making a life in the US.

Each scene is so hard to watch when the characters reference who they were in their homelands and who they are now. (view spoiler)[Like the mushroom scene when Alma's husband told her his work conditions and she was repulsed and upset because he had done so much more back home. Also, when the one character (I'm bad at remember the characters' name) wanted to go to his school reunion and couldn't go. (hide spoiler)]