Once again, Calvert Library joins One Maryland One Book (OMOB) in encouraging the whole state of Maryland to read the same book. One Maryland One Book is coordinated by the Maryland Center for the Book, a program of the Maryland Humanities Council, in partnership with Enoch Pratt Free Library and Barnes & Noble.
This year, the committee chose Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman’s Quest to Make a Difference by Warren St. John. The book is set in a small southern town, Clarkston, Georgia, which became a refugee settlement center beginning in the 1990s. The sleepy homogenous town struggles with its sudden diversity…often uncomfortably accommodating refugees from a variety of countries, people that had been at war with each other in their home countries. Luma Mufleh, an American educated Jordanian woman starts a youth soccer team in an attempt to unify Clarkston’s refugee children. This is an inspiring story of community-building and overcoming obstacles through determination, tough love and hard work.
Calvert Library will kick-off OMOB at 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 2 at the Calvert Library Prince Frederick. Partnering with Adult Basic Education, Calvert County Public Schools, and Play ‘n Trade of Lusby, the library has an evening of cultural discovery and entertaining community-building planned. As a 2008 newcomer to Calvert County, Armenian Norik Katsakhyan will share his experiences assimilating in a small town environment. Katsakhyan applied to emigrate to the United States in 1979 when in his words, “I felt that staying in the Soviet Union was unsafe for me.” He felt that the Soviet Union was making “stupid” decisions when it entered Afghanistan that year, saying, “If you don’t know anything about your opponent’s believes, traditions, weapons and intentions, how do you prepare yourself for war, unleash a fight and even hope to be a winner?”
In 1980, he was granted a visa from the United States but was not able to apply on the Soviet side until 1982. In 1983, soon after finding out that his wife was pregnant, Katsahkyan was falsely arrested and incarcerated until 1988. After two more decades of trials and tribulations, he and his wife are now permanent residents of the United States. He still has a teenage daughter in Armenia, so he and his wife take turns traveling to Armenia to be with her. The OMOB book embraces the theme of soccer as a bridge across cultural divides. This premise is born out in the relationship between Armenia and Turkey, who mended their fences in order to participate in the World Cup in 2008.
The kick-off event will of course, also feature some community-building through soccer. Kevin Chronister, owner of Play ‘n Trade in Lusby will bring PlayStation3 consoles and 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa games for attendees of the kickoff to try. There will be other events through September and October including book discussions at each Calvert Library location, a writing workshop, a screening of the Blu-ray movie Invictus and even an opportunity to meet the author, Warren St. John, on Monday, September 27, at 7pm at the Huntingtown High School Auditorium. There may also be some DC United Soccer players in attendance at the author event so bring your ball to be autographed! These programs are co-sponsored by the Maryland Center for the Book, Calvert County Public Schools, Southern Maryland Regional Libraries, College of Southern Maryland, St. Mary’s County Library and Charles County Library. Check the Calvert Library website, calvert.lib.md.us, for details. Or for more information, call Robyn