What we're reading in October

“I am not nostalgic. Belonging does not interest me. I had once thought that it did. Until I examined the underpinnings. One is misled when one looks at the sails and majesty of tall ships instead of their cargo.” — Dionne Brand

Dionne Brand's A Map to the Door of No Return is as much about belonging as it is about not belonging. For many of us living in a world where nothing feels quite right, we wrestle with the concept of belonging. At the same time, as those committed to liberation, we also strive to create a world where everyone can belong.

Through poetic prose that often reads like both a memoir and a travelogue, Brand explores what it means to belong in the U.S., Canada, and other places touched by the transatlantic slave trade, where enslaved Africans passed through the metaphorical "door" into the journey often called the Middle Passage. A Map to the Door of No Return is a meditation on being part of the Black diaspora. What do we make of this journey, as descendants of the enslaved and as people living in the afterlives of slavery?

Brand is a celebrated poet, novelist, and essayist, known for her eloquent language and her deep engagement with social justice issues, particularly gender and race. The beauty of her work lies both in the mastery of language and the depth of its content.

We look forward to reading and exploring A Map to the Door of No Return with you this month. Our meeting will take place on Wednesday, October 30th from 6:00 - 7:00 PM ET. Click below to register to join us!