June 1 - A Lesson Before Dying

On Tuesday, June 1 from 7:00 - 9:00 PM, the Heschel Book Group will discuss Earnest J. Gaines's A Lesson Before Dying.

From Library Journal:
'What do you tell an innocent youth who was at the wrong place at the wrong time and now faces death in the electric chair? What do you say to restore his self-esteem when his lawyer has publicly described him as a dumb animal? What do you tell a youth humiliated by a lifetime of racism so that he can face death with dignity? The task belongs to Grant Wiggins, the teacher of the Negro plantation school who narrates the story. Grant grew up on the Louisiana plantation but broke away to go to the university. He returns to help his people but struggles over 'whether I should act like the teacher that I was, or like the nigger that I was supposed to be.' The powerful message Grant tells the youth transforms him from a 'hog'to a hero, and the reader is not likely to forget it, either."

The Heschel Book Group is open to faculty and staff, parents, grandparents, alumni, and friends of the Abraham Joshua Heschel Day School. Come and share your insights or just listen to the discussion. It is an informal group, and we encourage you to come. You do not need to make each meeting, nor do you even have to finish the book in time for the group. We will meet in the Lainer Library.


If you plan to attend, please email debra_schaffer@ajhds.com