San Jose, CA (October 10) -- What kind of books do we need to read for 2012?
The Silicon Valley Reads, the regional program that requests everyone in Santa Clara County to read the same books, at the same time, and talk about it, is recommending two books about what is like to be both Muslim and American, according to Melinda Cervantes, Santa Clara County Librarian and co-chair of Silicon Valley Reads.
The two books recommended, The Muslim Next Door by Sumbul Ali-Karamali and The Butterfly Mosque by G. Willow Wilson, present two perspectives on their experiences as American women who are also Muslims. Their stories provide insights into the Islamic faith and cultural traditions and misperceptions about them.
Cervantes said, "Silicon Valley Reads has a history of selecting books with provocative topics that are relevant to our community". She shares the same perspective with that of Jane Light, Library Director for the City of San Jose and Edith Mourtos, Chief Academic Officer for the Santa Clara County Office of Education.
"We considered many themes and dozens of books, but most exciting to us was the opportunity for our diverse community to learn more about a growing part of our population through the experiences of two American women -- one who was born into the Islam faith and one who was drawn to Islam in college," chorused the three.
Sumbul Ali-Karamali and G. Willow Wilson will be present during the Kick-Off of Silicon Valley Reads 2012 on Wednesday, January 25, 2012. They will be interviewed on stage by Mike Cassidy, Mercury News Columnist, at the Heritage Theatre in Campbell.
A study conducted by the Pew Research Center shows that over the next two decades, the number of Muslims in the US is expected to be more than double, from 2.6 million in 2010 to 6.2 million in 2030. This would make Muslims approximately as numerous as Jews or Episcopalians in America, according to the study.
The first book, The Muslim Next Door: The Quran, The Media, and That Veil Thing, is a unique combination of personal anecdotes about growing up Muslims in suburban Southern California and an-easy-to-read scholarly overview of Islam. Ali-Karamali answers many of the questions about Islam readers in the Western World they are curious about, and delves into complicated issues such as the status of women in Islam and Islamic Fundamentalism.
Ali-Karamali said, "I'm thrilled that my book has been selected by Silicon Valley Reads! What a wonderful program this is -- bulding community, promoting literature, and expanding horizons, all at the same time. I couldn't be more honored". She grew up in Southern California and now lives in the Bay Area. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from Stanfod University; a J.D. from the University of California at Davis; and an academic degree in Islamic Law from the University of London.
Willow Wilson's The Butterfly Mosque is a lyrical memoir of her experiences as a convert to Islam who went to Egypt at the age of 21 to teach in an English-language high school in Cairo. She had to learn to exist in a totally different culture -- everything from how to buy food and how to interact with men, to learning how her new religion impacts her daily life. She married an Egyptian Physics teacher and unexpectedly became a champion for the segregated, protected status of Arab women.
"I'm flattered and pleased to be invited to participate in the Silicon Valley Reads. It's wonderful to see an entire community come together to learn, connect with each other and discuss the issues of the day. The topic of Islam is loaded with emotional and political baggage, and only with open and honest communication can Muslims and non-Muslims come to a better undersanding of one another," Wilson said.
Silicon Valley Reads is presented by Santa Clara County Library, Santa Clara County Office of Education, and San Jose Public Library Foundation.
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