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Malden Reads mulls book selection for 2021

By Heather Barry Earlier this summer, as the Malden Reads steering committee began its book selection process for 2021, it faced a season and mood in the community and country very different from its previous ten years. On top of the COVID-19 pandemic, the country has been wracked with a coming to terms of 400 years of systemic racism, sparked by the murder of George Floyd, and brought to life by protestors from coast to coast.  These important and ongoing events informed the discussions of this year’s books. Once the book is selected, Malden Reads will invite the community of Malden to read the book and participate in a series of events related to the book’s themes. “At the end of the day, we want to point people toward a quality book with an important story that needs to be heard,” said Steering Committee member Martha Bezzat. “This particular year, we were open to themes about the ongoing crisis of racism, the trauma of the global pandemic, and resilience in communities.” She added, “The journey to […]

Arts

Malden Reads mulls book pick for 2017

The Malden Reads Book Selection Committee has been busy reading all summer as they considered the contenders for the 2017 pick. The popular One City, One Book program will be entering its seventh year of promoting literacy, encouraging a love of reading and building community in the city of Malden. The program is organized collaboratively by MATV, Malden’s Media Center, and the Malden Public Library in collaboration with a dynamic group of community volunteers. Whittled down from a long list of suggestions from the community, here are the top 10 contenders: Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates Using letters to his teenage son, Coates talks in lyrical, yet uncompromising, prose about race in America and how it has shaped our history.   A Common Struggle: A Personal Journey Through the Past and Future of Mental Illness and Addiction by Patrick J. Kennedy, Stephen Fried The youngest son of Ted Kennedy describes his personal and political struggle with addiction and the hidden damage to his famous family.   A Man Called Ove by Frederik […]