November 2019 Magazine

November is the time to gather around a feast to offer thanksgiving for our family, friends, and our lives in America. November is also a time to take a hard look at our government to see if our leadership is truly representing the interests of the American people. In the current political landscape, it is often hard to discern what is really going on behind the scenes.

Four years ago, my book American Spin offered a peek behind the curtain, so people could learn how the news gets made. However, this book was published before the 2016 election.  Frankly the content in my book is child’s play when compared to the current media maelstrom. Sorting through the quagmire of falsehood, trickery, alternative facts, gaslighting, and selective data takes discipline and knowledge. Determining and defining reality only comes by practicing a lifelong habit of critical thinking. 

If you feel as though you’re lost in the maize, metaphorically speaking, then you might find that the answers can be found by understanding history. In our featured article for November, History Does Matter, we look at the correlation among books, history and our democracy. If you don’t have time to read the article, you can always download our podcast.

This month, we profile the Sumner Library in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Serving immigrant communities has long become part of the Sumner Library’s cultural legacy.  This library offers programs and courses to help immigrants learn to improve their English, as well as test-taking skills to prepare to become U.S. citizens. Happy Thanksgiving!                     –Patricia Vaccarino