Concordia College's Ninth Annual
Summer Book Read
SOLD by Patricia McCormick
About the Book
Sold, a National Book Award finalist, provides a human face to the global crisis of human trafficking. Written in powerful but spare vignettes, McCormick brings to life Lakshmi, a thirteen year-old Nepali girl who is sold into a life of sexual slavery. Despite suffering unimaginable
violence, Lakshmi’s strength and spirit allow her to live by her mother’s words, “Simply to
endure is to triumph.” As historical fiction, Sold is a result of numerous interviews McCormick conducted with girls working in brothels, their families, police and rescue agencies, and even a young man in prison for selling his girlfriend for the price of a motorcycle. Lakshmi’s story is but one among the estimated 500,000 girls who are trafficked into the sex trade annually.
Author Presentation
Patricia McCormick will present during Orientation on August 28. She will share her insights into the world of sex trafficking and slavery. McCormick is an award winning journalist who has written for The New York Times, Reader’s Digest, and Parents magazine. Her first young adult novel was the national best seller Cut, which was chosen as an ALA Best Book of the Year. She also wrote My Brother’s Keeper, a Bank Street Best Book of the Year selection. McCormick holds a master’s degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism as well as a master’s degree in creative writing from the New School. Since completing her studies in creative writing, McCormick has dedicated her time exclusively to writing young adult fiction. In 2004, she was named a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellow, an award which she used, in part, to underwrite a trip to Nepal and India to research Sold. McCormick lives in New York City with her husband and two children. Visit McCormick's website to learn more about the author and her books.
Book Discussion
Following McCormick's presentation on August 28, orientation clubs will discuss the book and presentation. This book discussion will be led by each club's Faculty Mentor(s) and Orientation Leaders. This will be the first of many academic discussions that new students will have at Concordia, so it is important for new students to be prepared by reading SOLD prior to arriving on campus. The book may also be discussed in some classes, campus programs, and during the Peace Prize Forum.
Resources for Discussing Issues of Violence
Because the issues in SOLD are emotional and because abuse exists in many forms, we recognize that some readers may ned to speak to someone for support. The following are excellent resources that students may utilize.
Resources for Learning More about Sex Trafficking and Slavery
Amnesty International website
Apne Aap Women Worldwide website
Captive Daughters website
Center for Health and Gender Equity website
Coalition Against Trafficking in Women website
End Child Prostitution and Trafficking website
International Justice Mission website
International Labour Organization website
Human Rights Watch website
Maiti Nepal website
"Not for Sale" by David Batstone
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services-Administration for Children & Families website
Vital Voices website
History of the Summer Book Read Program at Concordia College
This is the ninth annual book read at Concordia College. Each year a committee comprised of faculty, staff, and students selects one book that the entire campus community is encouraged to read. All new students are expected to read the book, as it is discussed during Orientation and in some first-year classes. Whenever posssible, the author of the selected book also presents during Orientation. The Summer Book Read Program's goals are to stimulate an intellectual discussion among faculty and students, introduce new students to academic life through a common reading and academic discussion, and learn about issues that shape our world today and in the future. The topic of the book is explored in various ways throughout the academic year.
Previous Summer Reads
2006 Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder
2005 Love in the Driest Season by Neely Tucker
2004 Rabbit-Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington
2003 Mother to Mother by Sindiwe Magona
2002 A Beautiful Mind by Sylvia Nasar
2001 The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride
2000 The Call of Service by Robert Coles
1999 Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom