When Fiona Sweeney tells her family she wants to do something that matters, they do not expect her to go to Africa to help start a traveling library. But that is where Fiona chooses to make her mark: in the arid bush of northeastern Kenya, among tiny, far-flung communities, nearly unknown and lacking roads and schools, where people live daily with drought, hunger, and disease.
In The Camel Bookmobile, Fi travels to settlements where people have never held a book in their hands. Though her motives are good, Fi doesn't understand the people she seeks to help. Encumbered by her Western values, she finds herself in the midst of several struggles within the community of Mididima. There the bookmobile's presence sparks a feud between those who favor modernization and those who fear the loss of the traditional way of life in the African bush.
The Camel Bookmobile is a powerful saga that challenges our fears of the unknown. It follows an American librarian who travels to Africa to give meaning to her life, and ultimately loses a piece of her heart. In the end, this compelling novel shows how one life can change many, in spite of dangerous and seemingly immutable obstacles.
So as soon as we finish Water for Elephants - let's jump in to this one!!
Book Bites is the Pasadena Public Library's online book club. Every month, we will have a contemporary classic novel to read. After the book has been introduced, a portion of the book's chapters will be up for discussion. Simply log on to our blog to share your questions, comments, and opinions. If you prefer to meet in person, Book Bites will also meet at the library's main branch the last Friday of every month from 4-5pm. Come in for a great book discussion and delicious treats.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
For more information on Book Bites, please contact Kenya Johnson at the Pasadena Public Library: 713.475-4990.
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