this troquoise book box with a purple triangle is in front of Little House Cafe contains mix of…read morefictions, nonfiction books. reads: "Identity: the Demand for dignity and the politics of resentment" (Frances Fukuyama) -Fukuyama traced political identity from Plato to the present day. main themes are the human desire for recognition and dignity. *short book identifying identity politics but offers no realistic solutions. themes: -identity politics = beliefs based on ethnicity, race, religion, sexuality or other parameters, not on politics of equality and brotherhood. -declared liberal democracies in the Western world would defeat communism. ("The End of History....) and is abolute top rendition of the fromer. now he's concern identity politics will derail liberal democracies. -claims identity politics are exclusive in nature and doesn't work for the common good. examples: a)"upper class form identify politics on campuses that ignores glaring inequaities of the top 1% & the remaining 99%". b)"newer groups draw attention away from older, large groups, whose 'serious problems' have been ignored" c)"focus on lived experience threatens free speech in the public sphere".. -identity political led to "politics of resentment" a)which claim mexicans are ruining the country b)and they are not permitted to talk about it. c)facilitated the emergence of Donald Trump et al. who performed as a fighter for right-wing identity against political correctness and oppossed changes to the national, ethnic and racial makeup ot the US. D.T. was also a trojan horse who gave away America's assets to the 1% in the name of freedom while further improversing the 99%. note: identity political & "politics of resentment" seem mirror images of each other. Fukayama's book is based on US history only. he opposed Trump's ascent. Trump's identity politics is similar to the nationalism trends in India, Italy, Sweden, China, and most of Eastern Europe. Fukayama's identity politics thesis doesn't address the entitlement, subjagation, & privilege issues in America that gave rise to identity politics. his preordained solutions are too simple, his analysis of identity politics is too narrow. Fukayama's book is thinly researched per his narrow focus. it's still a great book. focusing on what's happening in real time, not pre-ordained will enhance the creation of a a realistic narrative and/or solution.

this totally white library is named "Lower Bottoms Mini Library". per it's name. there's just a few…read morenonfiction and children's books within., read: "The Color Purple" (Alice Walker) -book is written in epistolary style: i.e. all written in letters from Celie to God & her sister Nettie and her replies back. -Celie is the main character. at an young age she was the subject of rape by her father. 2 children therefrom eventually disappeared. -al Black women in the book are initially mistreated by society in general and by men specifically. -when the women began helping each other, their collective futures prospered. sisterhood & feminism is an evolving theme. -at the novel's end, Celie was reunited with her sister & 2 children as well.

Free Books Free Minds is a newly installed big yellow framed box holding donated books, magazines &…read moreother media. These are meant to be exchanged for "donated" medium. "Fred Korematsu Speaks Up" wasn't from here. I borrowed it from the local library. By Laura Atkins & Stan Yogi, the book explains the events leading to Fred Korematsu being awarded the Presidents Medal of Freedom in '98 by Pres. Bill Clinton. The seeds of anti-Asian animus was planted when white miners objected to Chinese migrants mining gold in Ca. During the gold rush. It culminated in Executive Order #9066 by F.D.R. ordering the evacuation of all Japanese aliens & Japanese Americans from the west coast. Fred Korematsu did not evacuate. He Was arrested. The A.C.L.U. Defended him up to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ruled in Korematsu vs. U.S. that it was a "military necessity" for him & Japanese Americans to be evacuated, that no civil rights were violated. In 1983 Jeremy Irons & researcher Aiko Herzig-Yoshinaga found evidence in the National Archive to warrant an hearing. With Fred's consent, an appeal was made. The writ of coram nobis was granted, overturning Fred's conviction. The writ revealed that government lawyers had suppressed evidence that the Japanese Americans posed no threat, that they were loyal citizens. Jan. 30th is celebrated as Fred Korematsu Day. *May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

this light brown wooden library (#0852) has an acorn-like top. it contains the usual types of…read morenonfiction & fiction books. reads: "The Negro in the Making of America" (Benjamin Quarles)1964 *.. chronicles noted Negro experience in America: -a needed involuntary work force during America's founding era. -fought in the Revolutionary Wars for whomever permitted them. -their slave labor in the South was instrumental for it's economy -free man (north & south) were craft artisans. -Civil War conclusion saw a few years when Negros were free in the South -when Northern industrialists wanted to do more business with the South, they steered the Republican Party away from supporting freed Negros legislatively in the south. -when H. Hoover ignored Negros during the great depression, they backed FDR in 1932 for president. -Negros became integrated into the military during WW2 after performing very well in some military actions. -post WW2, Negro equality was resisted in the South: *started by White Citizens' Council **aided by US Supreme Court ruling cases favorably for the South. **economic reprisals against whites & Negros who favored integration. -closing public integrated schools, opening private segregated schools supported by public funds -defunding Negro-improvement organizations (NAACP, Urban League) and prohibiting them from lending legal services in segregation cases. -violence against individual Negros and/or neighborhoods. -since the 1950's, sit-ins, freedom rides, nonviolent anti-segregation protests etc. evolved actions paving a path for equality for Negros.

This "Take a BooK! Leave a Book!" Little library is in front of the restrooms. This is a collab…read morewith Dublin library. These 2 books, written by Dominican Americans, are about Families & their girls. "The House on Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros: *lst book about Dominicans in U.S.? -how an Dominican family of 6 with poor English skills survived in Chicago, slowly getting better jobs with increased English proficiency. -family constantly moving to better houses to avoid crime, bad schools, bad neighbors, abusive 'hoods. -though written for teens, adult level misbehavior isn't glossed over, it's mentioned casually without comment. "How the Garcia Girls lost Their Accents" by Julia Alavarez. Based on Author's experience. -story told thru voices of the 4 girls: Carla, Yolanda, Sandra, Sofir.. with recurring themes around N.J. -catholic girls do have fun -"4 girls, no sons". "Good Bulls sire cows" -family didn't have financial issues. Father has a business. Politics an issue as parents fled Dominican Republic to avoid killers sent by Pres. Rafael Trujillo. -girls made friends with the right kind of Americans: Hoover, Hanes, Scott, Reese. They let the Americans believe they were connected to riche$. -the girls seldom socialized with other Dom-Am's, only related family members. -mom always relies on quotes to relay her thought: "Necessity is the Daughter of Invention". *both books humanizes the immigrant experience that all Americans have endured. Hispanic Heritage Month: 9/15-10/15.

"Variation on an Original Theme?"…read more Recently, the city of Dublin commissioned 12 new Little Free Library book boxes in city parks. Not to be outdone, some creative residents in San Ramon have built their own Community Book box-- but even better! This "book box" is just like other community book boxes, but instead of books, there are balls and sticks and frisbees. It's on the honor system of course. So if you snag a ball, please leave another one. It doesn't have to be a new ball, but just not overly slobbery. Ditto for exchanging sticks or frisbees. Bravo to these creative, wonderful residents in our local community.