Monday, May 27, 2013

WOW Book Club: Don't be Afraid Gringo - June 2013

Our next book club discussion will focus on Honduras through the book "Don't be Afraid, Gringo" by Elvia Alvarado (translator - Media Benjamin).
 
Here's a book summary:

The award-winning oral history of Elvia Alvarado, a courageous campesina (peasant) activist in Honduras, the poorest country in Central America. Trained by the Catholic Church to organize women's groups to combat malnutrition, Alvarado began to question why campesinos were malnourished to begin with. Her growing political awareness, her travels by foot over the back roads of Honduras, and her conversations with people frm all over the country have given her insights into the internal workings of her society that far surpass those of the majority of campesinos who have never ventured outside their villages.

Working as a campesino organizer, Alvarado has led dangerous land recovery actions in an effort to enforce the national land reform laws. As a result of these activities, she has been harassed, jailed, and tortured at the hands of the Honduran military.

We'll be meeting on Sunday June 23 at Spiro Coffee in the Van Ness neighborhood!

Next Book to Read:
July 2013: The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan (China)

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