Chat and Chew Virtual Book Club
Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Join the UA - Pulaski Tech community for a virtual book club to connect with students, faculty, staff and alumni as we engage with texts that elevate voices, share experiences, and indulge together in lifelong learning. Participation is free!
Chat & Chew will take place virtually through Microsoft Teams on Wednesday, April 13 at noon. Access to this discussion via Microsoft Teams will be made available on this page soon.
Information for downloading and using Microsoft Teams is available at www.uaptc.edu/it-services/students#teams.
Featured Book for April
Beautiful Country: A Memoirby Qian Julie Wang
A NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • The moving story of an undocumented child living in poverty in the richest country in the world—an incandescent debut from an astonishing new talent • A TODAY SHOW #READWITHJENNA PICK
In Chinese, the word for America, Mei Guo, translates directly to “beautiful country.” Yet when seven-year-old Qian arrives in New York City in 1994 full of curiosity, she is overwhelmed by crushing fear and scarcity. In China, Qian’s parents were professors; in America, her family is “illegal” and it will require all the determination and small joys they can muster to survive.
In Chinatown, Qian’s parents labor in sweatshops. Instead of laughing at her jokes, they fight constantly, taking out the stress of their new life on one another. Shunned by her classmates and teachers for her limited English, Qian takes refuge in the library and masters the language through books, coming to think of The Berenstain Bears as her first American friends. And where there is delight to be found, Qian relishes it: her first bite of gloriously greasy pizza, weekly “shopping days,” when Qian finds small treasures in the trash lining Brooklyn’s streets, and a magical Christmas visit to Rockefeller Center—confirmation that the New York City she saw in movies does exist after all.
But then Qian’s headstrong Ma Ma collapses, revealing an illness that she has kept secret for months for fear of the cost and scrutiny of a doctor’s visit. As Ba Ba retreats further inward, Qian has little to hold onto beyond his constant refrain: Whatever happens, say that you were born here, that you’ve always lived here.
Inhabiting her childhood perspective with exquisite lyric clarity and unforgettable charm and strength, Qian Julie Wang has penned an essential American story about a family fracturing under the weight of invisibility, and a girl coming of age in the shadows, who never stops seeking the light.
FAQ
1. How often will books be read, what is the time commitment and what are the expectations?
A new book will be chosen each month with a virtual discussion taking place at the beginning on the following month. The virtual discussion topics will be derived from the texts and will cover lifelong learning, personal growth, and other topics. Each book should take an average of nine hours to read from cover to cover. If you have between 1-2 hours a week to read, you should be fine.
2. Will there be any in-person meetings of the book club?
No, the book club will be entirely online. You can participate anywhere you have Internet access and on days and times that are convenient to you.
3. Is there any cost to participate?
Participation is free for all students, faculty, staff and alumni.
4. How do I get the books?
A limited amount of books are available for loan at the Main Campus and Little Rock-South libraries. Additionally, books are available for purchase with a 15% UA-PTC discount at Pyramid Books in Little Rock. Participants can also check out books for free at their local library or purchase digital or audio versions online.
5. How do book club discussions work?
The book club will meet at the beginning of each month at noon through Microsoft Teams. A moderator will pose questions and facilitate the conversation. Additionally, a forum in Microsoft Teams will be provided to allow book club members to post and share relevant articles and discussion topics from the book. This format allows for ongoing conversation and makes it easy for readers to connect with each other through the forum.
6. What if my question isn't answered?
Feel free to contact Carita Alexander at (501) 812-2811 or e-mail calexander@uaptc.edu.
The Chat & Chew Virtual Book Club Series was planned and initiated by the Chancellor’s Task Force on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. For more information, contact Carita Alexander at (501) 812-2811 or e-mail calexander@uaptc.edu.