August 2019: A Hope More Powerful That The Sea & Behold the Dreamers

Apropos of Pastor Tim’s message for us last Sunday, the BGLibrary has a couple of new books you might like to check out. A Hope More Powerful that the Sea by Melissa Fleming is the true story of a teenage girl’s immigrant journey to freedom. Doaa Al Zanel, along with 500 others, escaped Syria on a small fishing boat heading to Europe. The next several years took her through varied immigrant camps in Europe and Canada before she finally arrived in the States. Published in 2017 and soon to be a major film, Doaa’s “incredible story of laws, loss, and survival” reveals what millions go through to achieve safety. This book is also suitable for the young adult reader.

A second book, Behold the Dreamers, is Imbolo Mbue’s first novel. Mbue tells the story of a Camaroon family, the Jongas, as they navigate New York city. Jende Jonga lands a good-paying job working as a driver for the wealthy Edward family. Jende’s wife Neni tends their modest apartment, cares for their son, works a fulltime job, eventually becomes pregnant with a second child, and attends night school to prep for a university placement. You’ll champion this couple’s determination and hard work as they fight to win their case for amnesty. Some chapters will find you cheering them on while others will make you weep. You’ll also rage by turns against the Edwards, the Jongas, dishonest and conniving attorneys, and the American systems. The book is a 2016 publication.

Both books will be on display this coming Sunday. Move quickly to check them out! The new stuff goes in a hurry.