Everybody Reads 2016: The Book of Unknown Americans: Discussion Topics

A resource guide for the 2016 Everybody Reads selection: "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez

In this page

 Included in this page of the guide are ideas for discussion based on the themes, structure, and contents of the book.  If you have additional ideas, please share them with us and we will post/share them with the larger community.   

Immigrants & Immigration

What is life like for someone who immigrants to the United States from another country?  How is it similar or different for someone from the United States to immigrant to another country?

Possible discussion topics:

  • Language
  • Culture
  • Shopping experiences
  • Finding a job
  • Education or going to school
  • Unique traits of countries: landscape, icons, foods, phrases/sayings, driving habits

 

Young Adults - Exploring Self

How are our identity and experiences shaped by our relationships with our family, friends, and others around us?

Danger of a Single Story

Adiche talks about the "danger of a single story" and Henríquez incorporates many stories within The Book of Unknown Americans.  What characters in the book have stories that have not been told?   

Poets & Poetry

Thanks to Ellen Louise Hart for this contribution!

Map of the history of immigration in the U.S.

According to this video from Business Insider, "Today, more than 1 in 8 Americans are immigrants, and almost all are descendants of those born in foreign lands."  Watch this animated map to see the progression.  

Thank you Samm Erickson for this contribution.

Structure of Book

  • The Book of Unknown Americans is told from multiple first-person narratives.  How does this help or hurt the flow of the book?
  • The chapters follow a pattern of Alma, Mayor, neighbor, Alma, Mayor, neighbor, etc.  How does the character narrative pattern help or hurt the story?
  • The character Maribel has no chapter from her perspective, but she is a central character of the story.  Why do you think this is?  Do you think it would change the story?  What do you think Maribel's chapter would say if she had one?  

Quotes from the book

"We're the unknown Americans, the ones no one even wants to know, because they've been told they're supposed to be scared of us and because maybe if they did take the time to get to know us, they might realize that we're not that bad, maybe even that we're a lot like them.  And who would they hate then?"

"People throw away everything in the United States.  Even things that are still perfectly good." (Driver, p. 4-5)  During the Riveras drive to their new apartment the driver stops for them to pick up a television, kitchen table, and mattress off the street.  Do you believe this driver's statement to be true?  Why or why not?

"It's American salsa" (Arturo, p.8) 

"The whole thing is very, very complicated.  I mean does anyone ever talk about why people are crossing?  I an promise you it's not with some grand ambition to come here and ruin everything for the gringo chingaos.  People are desperate, man." (Micho Alvarrez p. 237)

History

The Toro family left Panama because life after the invasion was not safe.  What events contributed to the US invasion of Panama?  What happened after the invasion?  Are there similar situations in history in other countries?