It’s a Wrap - Let the Fall Fun Begin!

Summer is over and now that fall has officially arrived, I’m sure many of you are searching for fun things to do in our very autumn friendly state.  Let me make a few suggestions that may pique your interest.

1 Take a quick getaway weekend to view some of the prettiest foliage in New Hampshire. We have so many perfect leaf-peeping hikes throughout the state; the Great North Woods, North Percy Peak in the White Mountains, Mount Cube and Arethusa Falls in the Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee region as well as Gunstock, Belknap and Piper mountains in the Lakes Region to name just a few.

2. If you are not too keen about driving far from home, you can also stay close by and enjoy walks on the various rail trails located around the state, or even take advantage of the nature walks offered by the New Hampshire Audubon in Auburn.  Whether you travel near or far though, be sure to get out your camera to capture the maple, oak and beech trees in all their fall finery.  Who knows, you might even see some wildlife.

3. For more family fun, why not get lost in a corn maze?  You’ll find them around the state, but here are a few to get you going:  Beech Hill Farm in Hopkinton; Coppal House Farm in Lee; Riverview Farm in Plainfield; Scamman Farm in Stratham, and Sherman Farm in East Conway.

4. For those of you who would rather stay inside, warm up a nice mug of hot chocolate or spiced cider and get out those crafts that you put aside.  Pumpkin-carving is a great way to have fun with the family!  Get outside to your backyard and grab some leaves, pinecones and branches from trees and put them in a vase.  Create that autumn ambiance in your home with a fall wreath, scented candles, and add lights in the windows.

If all this sounds like fun but you are unsure where to start here are some books that will help you plan your journey or get you started with some craft ideas.

Fall Color and Woodland Harvests: A Guide to the More Colorful Fall Leaves and Fruits of teh Eastern Forests by Ritchie C. Bell

New Hampshire: An Autumn Sojourn by Ken Paulsen

National Audubon Society Field Guide to New England

The Big Green Book of Recycled Crafts

Upcycling: Create Beautiful Things With the Stuff You Already Have by Danny Seo

English as a Second Language (ESL) Materials

The NHTI Library and Learning Commons tries to provide a place for those who are learning English to come for help and guidance. In addition to the ESOL office located in the building, we also have a large collection of ESL reading material to help students hone their English reading and usage skills

These volumes consist largely of classic novels in English that have been abridged and edited for brevity.  They remain true to the original story and have had the complexity of the vocabulary and grammar adjusted to enable readers of differing skills the ability to enjoy them.

We have placed these volumes along with a collection of dictionaries on shelves just outside of the ESOL office. Interested students can browse the titles and take the ones they’re interested in to the Service Desk in the Library to check out and enjoy at their leisure.

After finishing a shortened version of A Tale of Two Cities, Pride and Prejudice or Treasure Island, the new English learner can begin to develop a list of favorites so that as their reading skills increase they can check out the original version and enjoy the complete story with all the beauty of the language intact.

A NHTI Library Zoom Event

Join us October 13th for a fantastic learning event - Storytelling in the Digital Age. This one hour Zoom meeting will be held from 6 - 7 p.m. and cover how technology has changed the we way we experience stories. From the history of electronic literature to the rise of social media in sixty minutes. Register by emailing NHTILibrary@ccsnh.edu.

True Crime Graphic Novels

Do you have that true crime fascination? People have always been captivated with real life stories of murder and dastardly deeds. From the crime pamphlets of the 1500s to today’s reality tv series such as Unsolved Mysteries, 48 Hours, and Rescue 911, the interest has never faded. The difference from then to now is all the new mediums that are available to you. Those earlier pamphlets have given way to books, movies, tv series, podcasts, and the wonderful visual art form of graphic novels. NHTI has a great collection of graphic novels from Superheroes to LGBTQ, Manga and Horror. Hidden in that collection are a few sensational murder and mayhem gems that bear checking out if you need to scratch that true crime ‘need to know’ itch.

A Treasury of XXth Century Murder Compendium 1 by Rick Geary– This collection of tales includes the tragedy of the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby, the Terrible Axe-Man of New Orleans, and The Madison Square Tragedy (a tale of love, obsession and murder in world of 1900s New York).

A Treasury of Victorian Murder Compendium Vol 1 by Rick Geary – the author covers the stories of Jack the Ripper, President’s Garfield’s assassination and the true horror of NH’s own serial killer H.H. Holmes. Hailing from Gilmanton, NH, H.H., Holmes is considered America’s first serial killer and in 1893 he brought his own form of terror to the Chicago Colombian Exposition.

A Treasury of Victorian Murder Compendium Vol 2 by Rick Geary – In volume two, Rick Geary covers several true crime stories including the murder of President Lincoln, the Lizzie Borden killings as well as the shocking tale of a whole family of murderers who practiced their evil ways on the plains of Kansas in the 1870s.

The Last Book on the Left – Ben Kissel, Marcus Parks and Henry Zebrowski. - If you are looking for true stories of murder and mayhem, look no further. This book covers the worst of the worst. By flipping through these pages, you will encounter Ted Bundy, Richard Chase, John Wayne Gacy, David Berkowitz, and Jeffrey Dahmer to name just a few.

Ok, I admit I cheated a little on this last one as it is not listed as a graphic novel but it detailed too many horror shows to pass it by. You will find it in the general collection.

While these graphic novels do take a walk on the dark side of the human condition, do not feel you have to be macabre in nature to check them out. They can be a fascinating look into why these people did what they did and to fulfill that ‘need to know’ desire that plagues us all.

What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up? by Annie Gagne

Isn't that what we were asked as children on a regular basis? What do you want to be when you grow up, or what do you want to do with your life? We've already featured a few blogs about careers, but I thought we could expand on those a little more to the include the various literary references we have in the Library that can aid you in answering these questions.

Last month we featured a blog about Career Coach and how that can be used a valuable tool to help narrow your passions down to a few career fields you might find rewarding. Let's add to that! Here are a few fields and books that you might find resourceful while exploring your classes and your options:

Criminal Justice

There is so much to do and unpack here! As a graduate of a Criminal Justice program (and a proud graduate of NHTI - Concord's Community College Paralegal Certificate program), I know just how much there is to do and see in this field. Also, to answer your first question, there is more to do with a Criminal Justice degree than become a police officer. While that is a great career choice, did you know individuals with a CJ degree can go into the legal profession (as I did), or become a Juvenile Probation Officer or even an Information Secutiry Officer that deals with cybersecurity? Here are a few books on those topics that you may find helpful:  

Juvenile Crime and Justice by William Chambliss 

Developing Cybersecurity Programs and Policies by Omar Santos

The Paralegal Professional by Thomas F. Goldman

Landscape Design

Talk about a great way to combine a love for being outdoors with the fulfillment of creating a spectacular space! Maybe the desk life doesn't appeal to you as much as working outside with your hands, have you ever considered landscape design? This about it, you have the opportunity to take an area, maybe a garden or a backyard, and turn it into a functional recreational space to hang with friends. How about some water features, or incorporating a rock wall of sorts? Check out these books for more options on how to develop into this career:

Landscaping with Stone by Pat Sagui 

Landscaping for Privacy: Innovative Ways to Turn Your Outdoor Space into a Peaceful Retreat by Marty Wingate 

Wedding Planning Management

 NHTI - Concord's Community College offers a wonderful certificate program in Wedding Planning Management. Have you ever seen The Wedding Planner with Jennifer Lopez and thought, I would love to do that!? I know I have (yes, even still to this day)! There is so much to know and do in this field, it's hard to even know where to start. The logistics, the organization, networking with vendors and so on. Event management is such a diverse field, here are a few books about the wedding side of event management: Wedding Planning and Management:

 Consultancy for Diverse Clients by Maggie Daniels

 Events Exposed: Managing and Designing Special Events by Lena Malouf

Discover Your New Favorite TV Show at the Library

By Joyce

We all know the most popular TV shows to watch during this pandemic. They include hits such as The Sopranos, Sex and the City, and The Office.

However, there are many shows that might not be on the top 10 list, but are definitely worth watching. Here are my picks that you'll be able to borrow from our library.

The Wire: This series follows a joint homicide/narcotics police detail to investigate a drug-dealing operation.

Boardwalk Empire: The birth and rise of organized crime in Prohibition-era Atlantic City.

Downton Abbey: A sprawling, lavish Edwardian mansion nestled in the Yorkshire landscape.It focuses on the lives of the Crowley family and the servants of the estate.

Homeland: A psychological thriller that tells the story of Carrie Mathison.

Dexter: When blood spatter analyst Dexter Morgan is not out solving murders, he spends his time as a serial killer who eliminates those who do bad things.

Ugly Betty: Smart but wholesome Betty embraces her unique appearance and independent attitude in the cutthroat world of New York City.

Deadwood: This series focuses on the birth of a frontier town and the power struggle between its just and unjust inhabitants.

Last Detective: "Dangerous" Davies is one offbeat flatfoot who takes the stuff at the bottom of the pile-the cases nobody wants. Davies and good friend Mod help unfold events that usually end up in disaster, but still manage to nab their man.

Doc Martin: A brilliant and socially awkward and neurotic Doctor who develops an aversion to blood.

Revenge: Wealth, beauty and status define the people in this town, but one woman is willing to destroy everyone for the sake of revenge.

DVDs circulate for one week and can be renewed. Happy watching! 

Treasure Hunting 2020

By John

Want something to do that involves the outdoors, a bit of a mystery, travel to new locales and which won’t break social distancing guidelines? Welcome to geocaching!

At its heart this fun activity involves you, a GPS or phone app, your keen eye and wits.

Geocaching players hide caches all over the world from Concord, NH to South Korea. Though they have since been discontinued, even NHTI had several on campus many years ago. The caches are generally waterproof Tupperware containers that hold a log book, paper or pen and maybe some swag (small toys, ornamental buttons, or coins). To play, merely travel to the website. There you can search a map for nearby cache locations, download coordinates into a handheld GPS or phone app, read the description, read the hint if you need a little help and set off to find the hidden treasure. Many of the caches are located in state parks, off wooded city trails and along hiking paths so be sure to dress appropriately. The GPS coordinates will get you close but its your wits and sharp eye that bring you to the prize. Geocachers are clever with their hiding spots – the end of a hollowed log covered by leaves, beneath a large rock, or pushed under that toppled tree. Once you have the container in hand you generally sign the log book. If there are treasures it is ok to take one though you should leave a little something in return. In today’s COVID-19 climate it is acceptable just to have the personal satisfaction of finding the well-hidden treasure box if you didn’t wish to sign the log or trade a treasure. Once done you place the box back as you found it for the next hunter.

That is the description of the traditional geocache. There are many different types to keep you entertained. Examples include:

• multi-caches - one cache leads you to another and that one to another until you find the final treasure box
• mystery-puzzle cache - you must solve a puzzle to receive the coordinates
• moving caches - each person who finds the cache re-hides it in a new location and updates the coordinates.

Among the swag you may find a travel bug. This is a special item that someone placed in a cache with the sole purpose of having it move from cache to cache. Each geocacher who finds the item will move it to another cache and log it on the website. That way the owner of the travel bug can watch its progress. Once upon a time, I launched a travel bug and asked that it travel the world. This is how a poor and humble Gumby went from Maine, to Oregon, to Utah, to Norway, Latvia, the Netherlands, Belgium and France with many stops in between.

Hopefully I have piqued your interest in a fun way to spend an afternoon outdoors solo or with your family. It won’t be long until you take your explorations out of your home turf and start to explore other parts the state and country. To learn more, check out the geocaching website or page through one of these books from our collection: 

• Geocaching: Hike and Seek with Your GPS
• The Joy of Geocaching: How to Find Health, Happiness and Creative Energy Through a Worldwide Treasure Hunt

NHTI Community eBooks - August 2020

More eBooks?!

Absolutely! This fall we’re going to pilot a new program. Basically, the Library will add three new titles to our eBook collection each month which promote innovation, awareness, exploration, and learning. 

You can browse through this month's list of eBook titles below. 

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Best Practices in Designing Courses with Open Educational Resources 

by Olena Zhadko and Susan Schor Ko

Click here to read the Library's copy

Best Practices in Designing Courses with Open Educational Resources is a practical guide that assists faculty and institutions looking to adopt and implement open educational resources (OER) and to foster meaningful, effective learning experiences through the course design process. Chapters loaded with tips, case examples, and guidance from practitioners advise readers through each step necessary for sustainable OER initiatives, from preliminary planning and course redesign through teaching, learning, and faculty development. Written by two authors with direct experience in training higher education professionals to use OER, this is a comprehensive resource for faculty, instructional designers, course developers, librarians, information technologists, and administrators hoping to rethink and refresh their curricula by moving beyond traditional textbooks. An authors'website expands the book with resources, templates, and examples of implementation models, including faculty development workshop OER materials that can be adopted by readers.

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Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World 

by David Epstein

Click here to read the Library's copy

Plenty of experts argue that anyone who wants to develop a skill, play an instrument, or lead their field should start early, focus intensely, and rack up as many hours of deliberate practice as possible. If you dabble or delay, you'll never catch up to the people who got a head start. But a closer look at research on the world's top performers, from professional athletes to Nobel laureates, shows that early specialization is the exception, not the rule. David Epstein examined the world's most successful athletes, artists, musicians, inventors, forecasters and scientists. He discovered that in most fields—especially those that are complex and unpredictable—generalists, not specialists, are primed to excel. Generalists often find their path late, and they juggle many interests rather than focusing on one. They're also more creative, more agile, and able to make connections their more specialized peers can't see. Provocative, rigorous, and engrossing, Range makes a compelling case for actively cultivating inefficiency. Failing a test is the best way to learn. Frequent quitters end up with the most fulfilling careers. The most impactful inventors cross domains rather than deepening their knowledge in a single area. As experts silo themselves further while computers master more of the skills once reserved for highly focused humans, people who think broadly and embrace diverse experiences and perspectives will increasingly thrive.

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Tell Me Who You Are: Sharing Our Stories of Race, Culture, & Identity 

by Winona Guo and Priya Vulchi

Click here to read the Library's copy

In this deeply inspiring book, Winona Guo and Priya Vulchi recount their experiences talking to people from all walks of life about race and identity on a cross-country tour of America. Spurred by the realization that they had nearly completed high school without hearing any substantive discussion about racism in school, the two young women deferred college admission for a year to collect first-person accounts of how racism plays out in this country every day--and often in unexpected ways. In Tell Me Who You Are, Guo and Vulchi reveal the lines that separate us based on race or other perceived differences and how telling our stories--and listening deeply to the stories of others--are the first and most crucial steps we can take towards negating racial inequity in our culture. Featuring interviews with over 150 Americans accompanied by their photographs, this intimate toolkit also offers a deep examination of the seeds of racism and strategies for effecting change.This groundbreaking book will inspire readers to join Guo and Vulchi in imagining an America in which we can fully understand and appreciate who we are.

For the birds!

by Claudia Wason

One day, while walking across campus, a bald eagle flew much lower than they normally do, circling several times before flying off toward the river. I looked around to see if anyone else had been fortunate enough to share a glimpse of this majestic bird. Several people were walking nearby, but each one had their eyes on their phones. A feeling of well-being from this brief but spectacular view of the natural world stayed with me for several days. 

During this stressful time, even a short escape into the natural world can greatly reduce anxiety and stress. I’ve learned where to walk in my neighborhood in order to be accompanied by a chorus of birdsong. A walk with music provided by an avian choir leaves me feeling refreshed and renewed. If you normally walk with your phone in hand, try leaving it at home or in your pocket. Perhaps, like me, you’ll find joy in watching and listening to the very social black-capped chickadees.

Whether you are new to birdwatching or have been enjoying the our feathered friends for years, the Library has great resources to help you learn more about birds near you.

Birds & Blooms

The August/September issue of Birds & Blooms magazine is available online through Flipster. Check out the lovely stellar jay on the cover of the current issue or look through the back issues! This magazine not only has great articles and photos of birds, but it includes tips for planting gardens that will attract birds and butterflies. 

The Flipster database can be found about halfway down the Library: Research & Resources page.

 

Films on Demand

One of my favorite databases has great full length and film segments, such as Counting on Birds: Tales of Migration—Counting on Birds Full Video (56:28). 

Description: “More than a century ago, ornithologist Frank Chapman redirected a Christmas-time tradition of revelers shooting birds to a new holiday recreation: counting birds instead. Now join the annual bird count, the longest-running wildlife census in the world. Distributed by PBS Distribution.” Join host Willem Lange, as he starts out in New Hampshire and travels to Maine, Ecuador, and Cuba to follow migrating birds. 

Films on Demand can be accessed through the Library's databases page. 

Books

Bird Songs: 250 North American Birds in Songs by Les Beletsky – A traditional book with built-in audio! 

Description from Amazon: “Drawing from the collection of the world-renowned Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Bird Songs presents the most notable North American birds, including the rediscovered Ivory-billed Woodpecker, with lavish full-color illustrations and accompanied by their corresponding songs and calls. Renowned bird biologist Les Beletsky provides a succinct description of each of the 250 birds profiled, with an emphasis on their distinctive songs…”

Birding by Ear a Peterson Guide 

Description: Designed to help listeners recognize birds of eastern and central North America by their songs and calls. Points out exactly what to listen for to tell one bird from another.

Bird Song Ear Training Guide by John Feith 

Description: “A guide for anyone who wishes to improve their ability to recognize bird songs. Featuring 189 species found in the midwest and northeast states, each bird song recording is followed by a short description along with a common mnemonic used to remember it.”

Birds of New Hampshire & Vermont: Field Guide by Stan Tekiela

Description: “This book features 130 species of New Hampshire and Vermont birds, organized by color for ease of use. Do you see a yellow bird and don't know what it is? Go to the yellow section to find out. Fact-filled information, a compare feature, range maps and detailed photographs help to ensure that you positively identify the birds that you see.”

The Genius of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman 

Description: "Birds are astonishingly intelligent creatures. In fact, according to revolutionary new research, some birds rival primates and even humans in their remarkable forms of intelligence. Like humans, many birds have enormous brains relative to their size. Although small, bird brains are packed with neurons that allow them to punch well above their weight. In The Genius of Birds, acclaimed author Jennifer Ackerman explores the newly discovered brilliance of birds and how it came about."-- provided by publisher.

Bird-Watcher's Bible: A Complete Treasury--Science, Know-how, Beauty, Lore by Jonathan Alderfer [et al.] 

Description from publisher: “A lighthearted and broadly cultural and visual approach to learning everything there is to know about birds, bird-watching, birds in history and the arts, and life on the wing. Short narrative pieces are interspersed with sidebars, quotes, top-ten lists, and how-to instructions. Illustrated with photographs, contemporary and archival art, maps, and diagrams, the book has lots of cross-references and riches to find on every page...”

More birding resources:

• NH Audubon
• Nature trails, guide to birdwatching basics, information about native birds, and much, much more!
• The Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• Information about birds, bird identification help, bird songs, and all other things for the birds!

Looking for something else? We are here to help! Contact us via the Chat box during our regular hours, via email, or call (603) 230-4028!

Happy birding!

Do You Know About Career Coach?

NHTI – Concord’s Community College has access to an online program called Career Coach. This program is a great way to discover majors and in-demand careers and education based on your interests. A lot of students begin their college career knowing the exact field and profession they want to enter, however, a good portion of students don’t, and that’s okay! Career Coach is here to help and this is how it works:

1. Start by taking a career assessment. There are two versions you can take: a short 6-question version, or a more detailed 60-question version. These questions will ask you about your interests-- whether you’re more of a leader, if you like working in areas of biology or mathematics, and so on. This is a great resource to really make you think about what you like to do and might enjoy doing as part of your career. Once you’ve answered all the questions, your results will include your top personality traits and which career fields you best match up with. Don’t worry if your suggested career fields seem out in left field! These results are meant to give you some career choices to think over and dig deeper into before making a full commitment. Remember, college is a time to explore your interests and NHTI offers dozens of classes in various subjects, try some out!

2. Next, browse some careers. Maybe you already have an idea in mind for your future career, or you’re really interested in a topic area but have no idea how to turn that into a career. Don’t worry, we’ve all been there! Career Coach has a section where you can browse through careers in various topics areas like education, law, government, and so on. Did you know you can do so much more with a criminal justice degree than become a police officer? Scroll through some of the career fields and see if you find anything that might interest you.

3. Try browsing some of the programs. So you’ve decided you really like the medical field but don’t really know where in that field you would like to work. Career Coach allows you to browse through all the programs that are offered at NHTI. Did you know we have a Rad Tech program? What about Nursing? Maybe you’re interested in more of the business side of the medical field? This section breaks down the various programs into groups so you can easily work your way through each program to determine which is the best fit for you.

4. Are you a Veteran? Career Coach provides a great resource to help match a civilian job with the skills you learn while serving the United State’s military. Did you spend a lot of times with computers, learning various programs and how to develop programs? A career in IT might be the perfect fit for you! This tool can be an excellent resource if you are looking to make a transition into a new career, or continue expanding upon an area you’ve already qualified in based on your years of service.

5. You can also build your resume! What does a good resume look like? How many pages should it be and what font should you use? Do you include your experience in high school or not? Resume building tends to be the area people need the most help because you just never really know what a future employer might want to see. This resource will walk you through adding your experience, education and skills to a comprehensive document that can be sent to hiring officials. Plus, once you’ve built your resume once, you only need to tweak it with each new experience and skill you gain-- that’s awesome!

The main point to take away from this is to not be intimidated because there is plenty of help to go around. You don’t have to have it all figured out on day one of your college career. Try a new class or check out a program you never thought you would be interested in. Career Coach is here to help you figure out who you want to be and what you want to do with your life, so give it a try!

Attention Campus Book Clubs!!

Nearing the end of your summer reading list or maybe looking for a good book to spark some productive conversations? The Library maintains so many books, audiobooks and eBooks that readers are able to consume their reading in so many platforms! Here are some socially conscious books that we think you might like and will help continue our social justice education. Enjoy!

Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum, Ph.D.

• Free access to eBook for NHTI students, staff and faculty 
• Print book in NHTI collection- E185.625 .T38 2003

Walk into any racially mixed high school and you will see Black, White, and Latino youth clustered in their own groups. Is this self-segregation a problem to address or a coping strategy? Beverly Daniel Tatum, a renowned authority on the psychology of racism, argues that straight talk about our racial identities is essential if we are serious about enabling communication across racial and ethnic divides. These topics have only become more urgent as the national conversation about race is increasingly acrimonious. This fully revised edition is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the dynamics of race in America.

White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo

• Free access to eBook for NHTI students, staff, and faculty
• Print book in NHTI collection- HT1521 .D486 2018

In this “vital, necessary, and beautiful book” (Michael Eric Dyson), antiracist educator Robin DiAngelo deftly illuminates the phenomenon of white fragility and “allows us to understand racism as a practice not restricted to ‘bad people’ (Claudia Rankine). Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and by behaviors including argumentation and silence. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and prevent any meaningful cross-racial dialogue. In this in-depth exploration, DiAngelo examines how white fragility develops, how it protects racial inequality, and what we can do to engage more constructively.

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

• Free access to eBook for NHTI students, staff, and faculty
• Print book in NHTI collection- E184.A1 K344 2019

Antiracism is a transformative concept that reorients and reenergizes the conversation about racism—and, even more fundamentally, points us toward liberating new ways of thinking about ourselves and each other. At its core, racism is a powerful system that creates false hierarchies of human value; its warped logic extends beyond race, from the way we regard people of different ethnicities or skin colors to the way we treat people of different sexes, gender identities, and body types. Racism intersects with class and culture and geography and even changes the way we see and value ourselves. In How to Be an Antiracist, Kendi takes readers through a widening circle of antiracist ideas—from the most basic concepts to visionary possibilities—that will help readers see all forms of racism clearly, understand their poisonous consequences, and work to oppose them in our systems and in ourselves.

Kendi weaves an electrifying combination of ethics, history, law, and science with his own personal story of awakening to antiracism. This is an essential work for anyone who wants to go beyond the awareness of racism to the next step: contributing to the formation of a just and equitable society.

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

• Free access to eBook for NHTI students, staff, and faculty
• Audiobook in NHTI collection- AUDB E184.A1 O48 2018

Widespread reporting on aspects of white supremacy--from police brutality to the mass incarceration of Black Americans--has put a media spotlight on racism in our society. Still, it is a difficult subject to talk about. How do you tell your roommate her jokes are racist? Why did your sister-in-law take umbrage when you asked to touch her hair--and how do you make it right? How do you explain white privilege to your white, privileged friend?

In So You Want to Talk About Race, Ijeoma Oluo guides readers of all races through subjects ranging from intersectionality and affirmative action to "model minorities" in an attempt to make the seemingly impossible possible: honest conversations about race and racism, and how they infect almost every aspect of American life.