Everyone is welcome at the Downtown Library to hear traditional Japanese music played by Miyabi on Saturday, Nov. 10, 1-2 pm. Miyabi has been together since 1997 and is comprised of koto (instrument) players (Etsuko Aikawa, Yuko Asano, Harumi Omitsu), piano (Nobuko Kato) and flute (Satoko Fujiwara). The songs they will play are: Rokudan no Shirabe, Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo, Aki no Kotonoha, Hanaikada, Red Dragonfly, El Condor Pasa and Sarashi fu Tegoto.

Ann Arborites are no strangers to Sanjay Gupta. This home-grown (raised in Novi, MI) celebrity, received his undergraduate and MD degrees as well as his neurological surgery residency at UM. In his copious spare time, he sang with the Men’s Glee Club. He is the author of 2 non-fiction titles, Chasing Life (2007), and Cheating Death (2009). Currently, he is the CNN's chief medical correspondent.

His debut novel Monday Mornings (in audio) follows the lives of five surgeons at Chelsea (Michigan) General (fictitious), as they push the limits of their abilities and confront their personal and professional failings.

Monday Mornings refers to the scheduled Morbidity and Mortality conference (known as M & M, considered the most secretive meeting in all of medicine) where surgeons answer for bad outcomes. The novel provides a unique look at the real method in which surgeons learn - through their mistakes as they strive for redemption.

"Hospitals are, after all, Gupta's turf. His insights into the craft of surgery combined with vivid storytelling make Monday Mornings a gripping and wonderful read right down to the wire." ~ Abraham Verghese

Shooting for Chelsea General, a TNT pilot based on Gupta's novel and starring Alfred Molina and Ving Rhames is already in progress.

A bit of Gupta trivia.... Gupta was named one of the Sexiest Men of 2003 by People magazine and in January 2011, he was named "One of the 10 Most Influential Celebrities" by Forbes magazine.

Rainbow peopleAh, the month of June! The days are long, summer is in the air, and people across the country and around the world are celebrating LGBT pride! For those of us sporting rainbow flags, it’s important to remember what they symbolize; diversity and inclusion.

It’s no secret that the most highly represented color in the rainbow is white. White privilege and the invisibility of other ethnicities in the LGBT community has been a constant problem ever since there was an LGBT community to speak of. Marlon Riggs was one of the first to confront the position of gay African-American men in his 1989 film, Tongues Untied. Fifteen years later, Dwight A. McBride released a collection of essays on race and sexuality called, Why I hate Abercrombie & Fitch, demonstrating that not much has changed. An assortment of recent articles, online essays, and blog postings has been compiled to show the current state of affairs, including the experience of LGBT Asian-Americans.

Many of the wisest and brightest minds to write about the intersections of race and sexuality come from the school of black feminism. Authors such as Audre Lorde, Alice Walker, Barbara Smith, and many others have been fighting and educating for equality for years.
For additional reading, check out these titles: Dangerous Liaisons, The Truth That Never Hurts, One More River to Cross.

Let’s make this June a time to recognize the inequalities that exist, take a step away from our own habits, and look around at all the people who have different features, different cultures, and different stories than our own. We’ll all benefit!

image by Odin Fotografia, Flickr.com
As winter and spring duke it out for supremacy, a beautiful new collection of magazines has blossomed in our teen room. Check out these lovely flowers:

For Teens:
Audrey -- All about Actress Olivia Munn, plus an article on the presence of Asian-Americans in mainstream TV shows.

ESPN Magazine -- See athletes strut their stuff in this special Style Report, in more ways then one, plus Derrick Rose shows off his luchador socks.

Rolling Stone -- Where else can you see Snooki, rock star Sammy Hagar and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones in the same place? Plus, 2011's coolest new faces.

Sorry, parents, I've only got one magazine for you this time, but it's a good one:
Home Education Magazine has ideas on teaching your kids about gardening and food, as well as a list of books for Women's History Month!

Get out your umbrella and come check out these cool magazines!

by neokainpak, Flickr.com

"Multicultural literacy" means an understanding of the similarities and differences between cultures, along with the understanding that one's values, customs and beliefs are influenced by one's own culture. The U. S. has been a multicultural nation since its birth. With cultural and ethnic diversity projected to rise over the next 50 years, and technology and business increasingly connecting the U. S. to other countries, now is the time for young people to become culturally literate!

Fortunately, reading can be a great way to explore the world through the eyes of people who are very different from you. Here are some suggestions for multicultural reading:

1. Read books in other languages (if you can!) -- check out our World Language collection. Of course, if you don't already speak another language, you can learn one!

2. Read books about other countries.

3. Read folktales from other cultures -- you can learn a lot about another culture from their folklore. And folktales are fun to read!

4. Read about America's immigrants -- Try the World Book of America's Multicultural Heritage to learn the long history and contributions of immigrants in America.

Multicultural books for young readers:
Check out "Books With a View", a list of books for children and young adults featuring characters from around the world.
Across Cultures: A Guide to Multicultural Literature for Children
Breaking Boundaries With Global Literature
Crossing Boundaries With Children's Books
The New Press Guide to Multicultural Resources for Young Readers
The World Through Children's Books

Multicultural Resources for Parents:
Multicultural Manners
A Parents' and Teachers' Guide to Bilingualism
Raising the Rainbow Generation

by Doug L., Flickr.com
Hello young magazine fans of AADL! A new crop of mags is upon us, so hurry on down to take a look.

For the kids we have:
*Turtle -- Valentine Crowns, "Three Little Kittens," and Pinwheel Bagels...yum.
*Zoobooks -- One word "Gorillas." Ok, four more words: "Stronger than six men!"
*WWE Kids -- featuring your favorite wrestlers' childhood pictures, and an interview with R-Truth.

Teens shouldn't miss:
*Us Magazine -- Royal Wedding Secrets!!!
*Slam -- This issue features John Wall, Evan Turner, and a look back at the life of "one of the greatest shot blockers in NBA history," Manute Bol. (A ridiculously tall man -- 7'7"!)
*Giant Robot -- Interviews with, among others, Artist Luke Chueh, who makes disturbing paintings of teddy bears, and Takayuki Higashino, freestyle motocross star.

chinesephotoOn display at Malletts Creek Branch, August 3 – September 14.

The Michigan Chinese Photography Club was established in 2007 and is an unaffiliated organization that views photography as an art form and hobby. The purpose of the Club is to network with those with similar interests in the Chinese community in Michigan, to provide a forum for them to learn more about photography, and to promote the appreciation and joys of this unique art form.

Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok is an inspiring debut , drawn from personal experience about a young immigrant from Hong Kong, who is caught between the pressure to succeed in America, duty to her family, and her own personal desires.

An exceptional student and yet shy and proud, Kimberly Chang and her mother are tricked into back-breaking factory work and living in squalor. In simple, searing, richly detailed prose, Kwok captures the anguish of the struggle, the universal immigrant lament of not fitting in, misunderstanding and cultural disconnect that is wrenching and hilarious at times. Girl is a moving tale of hardship and triumph, heartbreak and love. A good book group choice with reading group guide. Don't miss the author's interesting bio..

Sonya Chung's exquisite debut Long for This World** is a multi-layered story of two brothers, distanced by time and differences. When American surgeon Han Hyun-ku unexpectedly arrives at his younger brother's home in a remote island in South Korean, he leaves behind a floundering marriage and a troubled son. His daughter, Jane, a renowned photojournalist searches for him and they are quickly absorbed into the Korean Han's household where surface tranquility masks dark and volatile undercurrents.

"Moving between landscapes and a variety of perspectives, Chung's ambitious debut explores the intricacies and aggravations of family, culture, and identity." With reading group guide as well.

Sonya Chung is a recipient of a Pushcart Prize nomination, the Charles Johnson Fiction Award, and the Bronx Council on the Arts Writers’ Fellowship & Residency. In fall 2010, Sonya will join the full-time faculty of the Creative Writing Program at Columbia University.

Readalikes: Typical American by Gish Jen for the Asian-American immigrant experience; and The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak for the secrets families keep; and how one "can't go home again".

** = Starred reviews

On Friday morning Al Roker, the beloved weather man of NBC's The Today Show, announced his latest pick for Al's Book Club for Kids: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin.
"In the valley of Fruitless Mountain, a young girl named Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man on the Moon, who knows the answers to all of life's questions. Inspired by these stories, Minli sets off on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man on the Moon to ask him how she can change her family's fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest."
Not only is this story a beautiful blend of traditional Chinese folklore themes and characters (keep an eye out for the fabulous talking fish!), it is also a physically beautiful book. Grace Lin's full-color illustrations throughout this tale are intricate and dazzling, and the use of multiple type faces make this journey all the more enchanting. Adult readers will appreciate Lin's author note at the end of the book, where she explains her Asian-American roots and the folktales from her childhood that continue to resonate with her today.
gracelin