James Coleman
Projects
The Gift of Our Wounds by Arno Michaelis and Pardeep Singh Kaleka
Pardeep Singh Kaleka is a Sikh from India. Arno Michaelis is a former skinhead. The two men formed an unusual friendship after a tragedy that rocked both of their worlds. The novel navigates the friendship that they formed and the trials that both endured to get to where they are today.
In 2012, Wade Michael Page, a white supremacist, walked into a Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin and murdered six people, one of them Pardeep's father. Pardeep and his family were devastated and wondered why, when they had done everything right, this had happened? Meanwhile, Arno Michaelis, a former skinhead, was a man who had spent a portion of his life committing awful crimes in support of white power. He heard about the attack and was racked with guilt because he had once been connected with this awful scene.
He decided to take action and begin to fight against the power of white supremacy. After the shooting in Oak Creek, Arno reached out to Pardeep and the two formed a very unusual friendship. They then founded an organization called Serve 2 Unite, which works closely with students to create positive and compassionate climates in their schools and communities.
The novel is a recount of the journey to forgiveness and kindess that both men experienced after the shooting in the Sikh Temple. Their novel is also a call to action, as it reminds the world that hate can never win, and that it is a choice to live with kindness and empathy.
In 2012, Wade Michael Page, a white supremacist, walked into a Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin and murdered six people, one of them Pardeep's father. Pardeep and his family were devastated and wondered why, when they had done everything right, this had happened? Meanwhile, Arno Michaelis, a former skinhead, was a man who had spent a portion of his life committing awful crimes in support of white power. He heard about the attack and was racked with guilt because he had once been connected with this awful scene.
He decided to take action and begin to fight against the power of white supremacy. After the shooting in Oak Creek, Arno reached out to Pardeep and the two formed a very unusual friendship. They then founded an organization called Serve 2 Unite, which works closely with students to create positive and compassionate climates in their schools and communities.
The novel is a recount of the journey to forgiveness and kindess that both men experienced after the shooting in the Sikh Temple. Their novel is also a call to action, as it reminds the world that hate can never win, and that it is a choice to live with kindness and empathy.
Dear Evan Hansen by Val Emmich with Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul
The musical “Dear Evan Hansen” debuted in December 2016 and was an immediate hit on the Broadway stage and its fame soon spread around the world, even outside of the theater crowd. As the musical became more famous, the idea of writing a novel began to form. It was released in October 2018 by Val Emmich with input from Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul. and attempted to encapsulate the magic that was brought to life on Broadway. Books generally come before a movie or musical because they explain the characters, multiple story lines, and themes that tie a story together. In this case, the musical was performed first and therefore the novel had to attempt to put the live show on paper, and according to the many raving reviews, it succeeded.
The story details the life of Evan Hansen, a high school senior who struggles with social anxiety, as he is inadvertently cast into the middle of the grieving Murphy family. Evan was told by his therapist to write encouraging, friendly, letters to himself and after Connor Murphy commits suicide, one of Evan’s letters is found on his person. Unbeknownst to everyone else, he had the letter because he stolen it from Evan earlier, but soon, due to social media, the event was blown out of proportion and everyone believed that the two had been best friends. This sparked a chain of events leading to the creation of a nonprofit group called the Connor Project that went viral on the internet.
The plot deals with the recurring themes of social media, mental health, and identity. These are issues that are viewed as taboo in society today, and so addressing them in the novel and musical is something that teens and the general audience appreciates. People admire and respect honesty and enjoy a story that deals with the subjects in a straightforward manner.
The story details the life of Evan Hansen, a high school senior who struggles with social anxiety, as he is inadvertently cast into the middle of the grieving Murphy family. Evan was told by his therapist to write encouraging, friendly, letters to himself and after Connor Murphy commits suicide, one of Evan’s letters is found on his person. Unbeknownst to everyone else, he had the letter because he stolen it from Evan earlier, but soon, due to social media, the event was blown out of proportion and everyone believed that the two had been best friends. This sparked a chain of events leading to the creation of a nonprofit group called the Connor Project that went viral on the internet.
The plot deals with the recurring themes of social media, mental health, and identity. These are issues that are viewed as taboo in society today, and so addressing them in the novel and musical is something that teens and the general audience appreciates. People admire and respect honesty and enjoy a story that deals with the subjects in a straightforward manner.
The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
This is the first novel in Alexander McCall Smith's The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. It begins the story of Precious Ramotswe, an African woman living in Botswana. She started her own detective agency to “help people with problems in their lives” after her father passed away early in the novel. Mma Ramotswe set up shop in a small storefront in Gaborone, and hired a secretary, Grace Makutsi, who became her faithful helper.
The novel begins by telling the story of Mma Ramotswe and what her childhood was like, her first marriage, and her abuse, miscarriage, and divorce. Her ex-husband deserted her and she quickly adjusted to life on her own. Then, later in the novel, she becomes friend with a man named J. L. B. Maketoni and he assists her in many of her cases.
As the story unfolds, Mma Ramotswe is hired to track down a missing husband, uncover a con man, and follow a wayward daughter. But the case that truly touches her heart, and ends up putting her in grave danger, is a missing eleven-year-old boy, who may have been kidnapped by witchdoctors. The first installment in the series illustrates the adventures that come with running a detective agency and sets the stage for the following books.
The novel begins by telling the story of Mma Ramotswe and what her childhood was like, her first marriage, and her abuse, miscarriage, and divorce. Her ex-husband deserted her and she quickly adjusted to life on her own. Then, later in the novel, she becomes friend with a man named J. L. B. Maketoni and he assists her in many of her cases.
As the story unfolds, Mma Ramotswe is hired to track down a missing husband, uncover a con man, and follow a wayward daughter. But the case that truly touches her heart, and ends up putting her in grave danger, is a missing eleven-year-old boy, who may have been kidnapped by witchdoctors. The first installment in the series illustrates the adventures that come with running a detective agency and sets the stage for the following books.
Where Men Win Glory by Jon Krakauer
In May 2002, Pat Tillman walked away from his $3.6 million NFL contract with the Arizona Cardinals, to enlist in the United States Army. He was deeply troubled after 9/11, and he felt a strong moral obligation to join the fight against al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Two years later, he died in battle in southeastern Afghanistan.
Though obvious to most of the two dozen soldiers on the scene that a ranger in Tillman's own platoon had fired the fatal shots, the Army purposely kept this information from Tillman's wife, other family members, and the American public for five weeks following his death. During this time, President Bush repeatedly used Tillman's name and story to promote his administration's foreign policy. Long after Tillman's nationally televised memorial service, the Army grudgingly notified his closest relatives that he had "probably" been killed by friendly fire while it continued to "investigate" the mysterious details surrounding his death.
In the novel, Jon Krakauer draws on Tillman's journals and letters, interviews with his wife and friends, conversations with the soldiers who served alongside him, and extensive research on the ground in Afghanistan to render a complete account of the figure as well as a definitive account of the events and actions that led to his death.
Though obvious to most of the two dozen soldiers on the scene that a ranger in Tillman's own platoon had fired the fatal shots, the Army purposely kept this information from Tillman's wife, other family members, and the American public for five weeks following his death. During this time, President Bush repeatedly used Tillman's name and story to promote his administration's foreign policy. Long after Tillman's nationally televised memorial service, the Army grudgingly notified his closest relatives that he had "probably" been killed by friendly fire while it continued to "investigate" the mysterious details surrounding his death.
In the novel, Jon Krakauer draws on Tillman's journals and letters, interviews with his wife and friends, conversations with the soldiers who served alongside him, and extensive research on the ground in Afghanistan to render a complete account of the figure as well as a definitive account of the events and actions that led to his death.
Educated by Tara Westover
Educated is the story of author Tara Westover’s own search for fulfillment through her education. Westover grew up one of seven children born to fundamentalist Mormon parents living in the mountains of southern Idaho. Her father ran a junkyard and her mother worked as a midwife and later became a specialist in herbal remedies. Westover and her siblings had never set foot in school and were only taught of survival and basic reading and writing.
Until she was 17, Westover had no desire for anything else. Then, her brother left home to go to college, much to the dismay of their parents. This sparked a curiosity in Westover, and soon she realized that she did not belong in the confines of her family forever either. She taught herself enough basic english and math to take the ACT and scored high enough to be admitted to Brigham Young University.
Her thirst for knowledge was not quenched with a Bachelor’s degree and she went on to study at Harvard and Cambridge where she eventually earned her Ph. D in history. Going from the peaks of Idaho to countries across oceans led Westover to discover aspects of her character that she had never imagined. She also realized that the search for her own identity is what had truly given her an education.
Until she was 17, Westover had no desire for anything else. Then, her brother left home to go to college, much to the dismay of their parents. This sparked a curiosity in Westover, and soon she realized that she did not belong in the confines of her family forever either. She taught herself enough basic english and math to take the ACT and scored high enough to be admitted to Brigham Young University.
Her thirst for knowledge was not quenched with a Bachelor’s degree and she went on to study at Harvard and Cambridge where she eventually earned her Ph. D in history. Going from the peaks of Idaho to countries across oceans led Westover to discover aspects of her character that she had never imagined. She also realized that the search for her own identity is what had truly given her an education.
"A Long Way Gone" by Ishmael Beah
Ishmeal Beah's A Long Way Gone, is an autobiography that discusses how children can persevere through any circumstance if they choose to. Beah begins the novel in New York in 1998 and heavily foreshadows the story to come by saying that “Yes, sometime”(3) he would tell his high school friends about his experiences in the war. He then goes on to narrate his life during those years and focuses heavily on his part in the war and on his rehabilitation.
Ishmael Beah was captured by the army when he was fleeing the war that was ravaging his country. He was soon brainwashed into believing that the Revolutionary United Force (RUF) were the rebels that had razed his village and killed his family. This motivated him to shoot and kill many rebels and civilians while he was a member of a brush squad fighting against the RUFs. He committed heinous acts that he later struggles with, but in the moment felt numb to the situation around him. His innocence was lost as soon as he killed his first person, and it was never to be regained. Because of the war, he was forced to grow up much too quickly.
Then, Beah was taken from his jungle squad and delivered to a United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) home where he was to be rehabilitated along with many other boy soldiers. He explains how he experienced withdrawal when he could no longer smoke marijuana and snort cocaine, and then illustrates the horrific nightmares that plagued him for a long time. Eventually he heals and becomes the face of the reformation for child soldiers campaign, speaking at large conventions and telling his story for the world to hear. He firmly believes that children can overcome any childhood trauma through the choice to persevere.
Ishmael Beah was captured by the army when he was fleeing the war that was ravaging his country. He was soon brainwashed into believing that the Revolutionary United Force (RUF) were the rebels that had razed his village and killed his family. This motivated him to shoot and kill many rebels and civilians while he was a member of a brush squad fighting against the RUFs. He committed heinous acts that he later struggles with, but in the moment felt numb to the situation around him. His innocence was lost as soon as he killed his first person, and it was never to be regained. Because of the war, he was forced to grow up much too quickly.
Then, Beah was taken from his jungle squad and delivered to a United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) home where he was to be rehabilitated along with many other boy soldiers. He explains how he experienced withdrawal when he could no longer smoke marijuana and snort cocaine, and then illustrates the horrific nightmares that plagued him for a long time. Eventually he heals and becomes the face of the reformation for child soldiers campaign, speaking at large conventions and telling his story for the world to hear. He firmly believes that children can overcome any childhood trauma through the choice to persevere.