Promoting a culture of dialogue, discussion and debate in the local community.
The Community Book Connection (CBC) is a college-wide, interdisciplinary reading initiative committed to fostering student engagement and student success by developing stimulating and challenging classroom opportunities and co-curricular programs.
Each year, we democratically select a book that we recommend to the college community. We encourage faculty and staff from many different disciplines and program areas to adopt the book for use in their courses and initiatives; we offer workshops, trainings and grant-funded opportunities to help faculty develop as educators.
With the support of internal and external partners, Community Book Connection activities include:
Attend keynote lectures, or participate in panel discussions, workshops and student presentations.
Explore the themes of the book through art exhibits, dance performances and musical performances.
Apply what you've learned to real-world settings and experiences.
by Ocean Vuong
Little Dog, a young man in his late twenties, writes a letter to his mother, who can't read. He shares their family history, starting from before he was born, especially their roots in Vietnam. This letter reveals parts of his life his mother never knew, leading to a surprising discovery. The book explores the difficult, yet loving, relationship between a single mother and her son, while opening an honest discussion about race, social class and masculinity.
It's a story about our times, full of addiction, violence and trauma, but also compassion and kindness. Ocean Vuong beautifully writes about people caught between different worlds and how we can heal and help each other without losing ourselves. This powerful and moving debut novel asks the important question of how to survive and find joy in life.