Home > Gwinnett > Rick Badie / My Opinion > Archives > 2007 > January > 16 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USBook club upholds King legacy a book at a time
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
On the eve of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s national holiday, a group of boys met to talk about books — ones they’ve read, some they’d like to read and others they know nothing about.
You may recall that I put out feelers to see if anyone was interested in a boys’ book club. That was in November. An inaugural meeting was held at the Lilburn library off Hillcrest Road. Now, it’s the book club headquarters.
Since that first meeting, the boys have completed their first book: “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” The condensed version. A week before Christmas, we met at the Duluth Dave & Busters for dinner and discussion. While we ate burgers, ribs, pasta and chicken, we talked about “20,000 Leagues” — the plot, our favorite characters (Captain Nemo), whether the ending was a surprise, a bust or a downer (most chose the latter).
On Sunday, we held our first meeting of 2007. The club’s growing, man. Nine kids attended, and what’s great about that is this: Three of them are new members — from Atlanta, Decatur and Snellville. In all, there are 12 boys. Not bad for a start-up.
Any kid can suggest a title for the group to read, but he must explain the book’s story line. Three suggestions were raised Sunday: “Dracula,” “Frankenstein,” and “Sea of Trolls.”
In Nancy Farmer’s “Sea of Trolls,” an 11-year-old boy and his sister are enslaved on a ship and encounter a sea of characters. It’s classic good vs. evil, with a surprise ending. After Austin Green, 12, explained the story to the gang, the vote on which title to read wasn’t even close: Trolls won hands down. So “Sea of Trolls” it is. Time to read.
Across metro Atlanta, events were held to honor King’s legacy. Gwinnett held its annual King Day celebration; a “Unity Party” was held at an Atlanta hotspot in a symbolic attempt to integrate a segregated club scene in the hometown of the civil rights icon.
Every year, I wonder how King would feel about all the festivities, as well as how he’d respond to those who choose not to recognize the national holiday. Six Gwinnett towns took the latter route. Inexcusable.
I can’t say for sure, but I bet King would have been overjoyed with what he saw Sunday at the Lilburn library. The boys club consists of 10- to 14-year-olds who come in all skin tones, learn at different schools and live in different towns. They have come together on a common accord, for the same purpose — to enrich themselves in the written word.
The power of words, the ability to communicate without fists, played a pivotal role in the civil rights era. In the end, it beat down a systemic, often violent response.
So it’s uplifting to see these boys sharpening their reading skills and building on their vocabulary even if, in some cases, the parents are the impetus for their participation.
And though they may not know it, they’re doing something else, too. They are honoring King’s legacy, fulfilling his dream.
One book at a time.
Comments
By Jennifer
January 16, 2007 01:15 PM | Link to this
Mr. Badie, The book club is upholding the King legacy and the MLK display at the Atlanta History Center will reinforce it for your readers. One look at the books on display that MLK used actively in his personal studies shows young readers just how powerful books can be. In addition, if you take the book club down to the Atlanta History Center for the MLK exhibition they will also be able to see how important note taking was to him and see his own system of organization for filing notes. Good for you and the young readers, I love hearing about the progress of the club.
By pappy
January 16, 2007 01:39 PM | Link to this
To paraphrase Freud sometimes a book club is just a book club Reading and discussing books does not necessarily make you a man. It does not fulfill MLK’s dream until those young men form meaningful relationships that are not a result of their mother dragging them into a library by their ear. Your are placing too much symbolism on the existence of a book club that has not yet meshed. Until then, enjoy the reading.
By Bruce Wilcox's Wife
January 16, 2007 06:01 PM | Link to this
You should be very proud of the success of the book club. I, too, believe Dr.King would find the willingness of these young men to open their imaginations and develop their minds together in such a constructive manner to be a fulfillment of his dream. The experience this gives them will serve them well in all they do and promote their advancement as well as their enjoyment in the years to come.
By Jack
January 17, 2007 09:24 AM | Link to this
Rick, Congratulations on the success this book club is already having. I hope and pray for continued success. Society needs to realize that books can be an effective teacher of life lessons. If someone like yourselve Mr. Brady teaches young people how to read a book, comprehend it, learn how to administer it to their everyday life, then a book club can and will be a positive step toward maturity and manhood. Take the bible for instance, isn’t that a book that could teach a young man alot of valuable lessons that would help him to grow up to be a role model and successful man? With the proper selection of books and a teacher/mentor to teach young people why books could be an essentail key to a world of positive learning then this book club will drive positive results.
The only thing I would change about this book club is directing it toward a certain race. It does enhance what MLK was desiring in young men, which is to broaden your thoughts and strive to learn as much as you can in order to be a positive product in society and to be a good role model for future young americans. However I am white and believe this club can and will be a positive thing for all races and ethics.