Thanks for your interest in the first Human Library in the Virgin Islands! Here, you can see the categories and titles of the books that will be offered, and also read brief descriptions to find the ones that interest you.
Religion/Spirituality
1. Baha'i
Who are the Baha'i exactly? For one thing, part of their central beliefs is that humanity is one single race. Maybe you have heard of the Baha'i faith but you did not know that there were any followers here in St. Thomas. Maybe you didn't even know this religion existed. Either way, this book will inform you about the basics of the faith and answer the questions that you have.
2. Buddhist
So you think you're familiar with Buddhism? Their god has long, droopy earlobes and a round belly, they have shaved heads, live in temples and spend all their time meditating. No, wait... this is the religion that celebrities like Tina Turner, Richard Gere and Tiger Woods follow because it makes them seem "deep". That's not it, either. Buddhism is actually a collective philosophy about life [not a religion] that originated thousands of years ago, and their followers do not worship Buddha as a god . Words like nirvana and karma are used all the time in popular culture but what do they really mean? If you don't already know, read this book to find out--and more!.
3. Muslim Woman
Women who practice Islam are forced to cover their hair, bodies and sometimes, even their faces. Their religion allows men to mistreat them in many ways, such as having several wives at once and female genital cutting. WHY would a woman ever want to be a Muslim? Some would tell you that they feel their faith is liberating when practiced properly--including dressing modestly with or without a head scarf! On top of that, the Qur'an encourages equality of the sexes on many levels! Be sure to read this book to find out what Islam actually requires of women and how the media promotes many of the stereotypes that exist about them.
Ethnicity/Culture
4. African
By now, it's common knowledge that not ALL Africans live in grass huts, hunt wild animals for meat and run around bare-footed in the bush. Some Africans live in modern cities where their leaders have overthrown national governments through violent coups, bleeding their coffers to live lavish lifestyles while their citizens suffer from starvation. And don't forget about the infamous email/telephone scammers! On the other hand, the contemporary African is educated, multi-lingual and embraces the entire continent while retaining ethnic/national pride. Many have left in search of opportunities for personal and professional development, and work extremely hard to do so. Let this book challenge your pre-conceived notions about Africans.
5. Dominicano
The "party people" of the Caribbean must come from the Dominican Republic because they're always hanging out in bars and playing loud music--day and night! You probably know them as "Santos" because they've been sneaking in to the Virgin Islands in droves from the capital city of Santo Domingo. The women have gained reputations for their stunning beauty, silky-straight hair, and for being "ladies of the night". But now, you may have noticed that Dominicanos are embracing local culture by participating in Carnival, despite the language barrier. So would it surprise you to find out that some Dominicanos have immigrated here legally to earn an honest living? Be sure to read this book to get the rest of the Dominican story (some "Spanglish" may be included).
6. Filipino
Are you confused by the people who look Chinese but have Spanish names? They are Filipinos, the people of the Philippines (a chain of islands that border the Pacific Ocean). You may know of some in the community for several years, working as doctors and teachers or you may have seen several Filipino cruise ship workers passing through the town area. Within the last couple of years, you may have noticed many more store owners and librarians who are Filipinos, and now you're really curious about exactly who these people are. This book will give you all the details about Filipino culture and history.
7. Haitian
Wyclef Jean left Haiti and became a hip-hop superstar, but he was just lucky. Everyone knows that Haitians are illiterate, poverty-stricken people who overload rickety boats and try to drift on the Caribbean Sea currents for the chance to sneak their way on to American soil. Apparently, this misfortune is all their fault for practicing witchcraft and placing curses on each other. But if that were the case, Haitians would have no pride in the their homeland for forming the first free, Black republic in the Western Hemisphere, and they would have no interest in attempting to rebuild their country after the earthquake that made a bad economic situation 100 times worse. Well, if you have any doubt about Haitians' love for their culture and country, check out this book for an insider's perspective.
Occupation
8. Farmer
Life on a farm is just like that game "Farmville" on Facebook, right? Not quite. Driving tractors, milking cows, feeding hogs, collecting freshly-laid eggs from chickens and tending to the crops are all in a day's work--if you happen to be located on the U.S. mainland. OK, now you have it: to be a farmer in St. Thomas, you must have a plot out in Bordeaux and always look for hand-outs from the local government. Well, that's not necessarily true, either. Some things that a local farmer must have are patience, love for the land they tend and pride in their produce. Be sure to read this book to find out more about a day in the life of a St. Thomian farmer.
Life on a farm is just like that game "Farmville" on Facebook, right? Not quite. Driving tractors, milking cows, feeding hogs, collecting freshly-laid eggs from chickens and tending to the crops are all in a day's work--if you happen to be located on the U.S. mainland. OK, now you have it: to be a farmer in St. Thomas, you must have a plot out in Bordeaux and always look for hand-outs from the local government. Well, that's not necessarily true, either. Some things that a local farmer must have are patience, love for the land they tend and pride in their produce. Be sure to read this book to find out more about a day in the life of a St. Thomian farmer.