Monday, November 14, 2011

New Book!

“It's no accident, I think, that tennis uses the language of life. Advantage, service, fault, break, love, the basic elements of tennis are those of everyday existence, because every match is a life in miniature. Even the structure of tennis, the way the pieces fit inside one another like Russian nesting dolls, mimics the structure of our days. Points become games become sets become tournaments, and it's all so tightly connected that any point can become the turning point. It reminds me of the way seconds become minutes become hours, and any hour can be our finest. Or darkest. It's our choice.”
Andre Agassi, Open


The third selection of the Coe College Alumni Book Club is a couple of years from publication but so wonderful that we wanted to share it.  Open by Andre Agassi tells the tale of Agassi’s sometimes painful journey from childhood to tennis phenom to father helping underprivileged children.  The book is heartbreaking yet inspirational.  Even if you don’t know much about tennis or athletics, this memoir will touch you.  Professor of English, Gina Hausknecht says, “…couldn’t put it down.  I thought it was really well-written and intriguing.”  Open was a #1 National Bestseller, New York Times Notable Book and one of the Best Books of the Year: Forbes, San Francisco Chronicle and The Washington Post.  Grab a copy today! If you have any questions or would like to suggest a book, please email us at alumni@coe.edu or call our office at 1.877.KOHAWKS (877.564.2957).

Thursday, June 23, 2011


The Alumni Office is excited about our second book club selection, recommended by Gina Hausknecht, Professor of English.  Hausknecht says, “The Girl Who Fell From the Sky follows the teen years of a biracial girl sent to live with her black grandmother in Portland, Oregon after a family tragedy. During her childhood in Europe, raised by her Danish mother, she has never identified herself as black, and now has to come to terms with how other people see her. It's a beautiful, lyrical novel about identity--not just racial identity, but about the process of coming to be who you really are.”  Grab a copy today!  If you have any questions or would like to suggest a text, please email us at alumni@coe.edu or call our office at 1.877.KOHAWKS (877.564.2957).

Friday, March 25, 2011

1st Question

We hope you have had time to get the book and get started.  All you need to do to participate is create an account and start commenting or posting.  Our first question to get you started is about the title. 

What is the thematic significance of "tinkers" (plural, not singular) to the story? Who are the tinkers...and what does it mean to be a tinker, literally...and figuratively, within this story?

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

1st Selection

The Coe College Alumni Office is so excited about our new adventure in a virtual Book Club.  We have selected Tinkers as our first novel.  The book is written by Paul Harding, an Iowan who was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his work.  Our hope is to have a new selection every three months, including the book selected as the First Year Reads choice for incoming Kohawks. 

We will post questions and insights as we read and hope that you will add as you read.  In this way, people can read at their own pace and still participate in the exchange.

Don't hesitate to contact our office at any time if you have an idea for a book.  We are working with departments across campus and look forward to what the faculty at Coe recommends.