Idea Exchange: July 8 – July 12

Monday, July 8th:

Tuesday, July 9th:

BEYOND THE GOLDEN DOOR: SEEING THE AMERICAN DREAM THROUGH AN IMMIGRANT’S EYES, Ali Vassar

Beyond the Golden Door is the compelling, sometimes tense, and often humorous story of how a Pakistani Muslim finds freedom, love, and a new faith while challenging readers to appreciate the liberties found in America and to consider their own spiritual journey.
It’s easy to talk about freedom. But unless someone has lived in a world that suffocates freedom, it’s difficult to appreciate the liberty found in America. Beyond the Golden Door is the engaging true story of Ali Master, a Pakistani Muslim who immigrates to the United States to attend college and discovers five transformational freedoms along the way: the freedom to fail and start over, to love, to choose one’s faith, to be an entrepreneur, and to self-govern.

These American freedoms are shown in stark contrast to the life Ali lived in a developing Muslim country and he asks the question: what are the roots of these precious American freedoms? Ultimately, readers discover that this tale is about God, the true source of liberty, and how He works in people’s lives to bring about unexpected and undeserved redemption.

 

Wednesday, July 10th:

HOW TO MAKE A PLANT LOVE YOU, Summer Raynes Oakes

Indoor plants aren’t just cute décor. They offer a rare opportunity to find joy by caring for another living being. 

Everyone deserves to feel the inner peace that comes from taking care of greenery. Beyond the obvious benefits–beauty and cleaner air–there’s a strong psychological benefit to taking care of plants as a path to mindfulness. They can reduce our stress level, lower our blood pressure, and improve our overall outlook.

When environmental scientist Summer Rayne Oakes moved to Brooklyn from the Pennsylvania countryside, she knew that bringing plants into her apartment was her only chance to stay sane. She found them by the side of the road, in long-forgotten window boxes, at farmers’ markets, and in local garden shops. She found ways to shelve, hang, tuck, anchor, secure, and suspend them. She even installed 150-foot expandable hose that connects to pipes under her kitchen sink, so she only has to spend about a half-hour a day tending to her plants–an activity that she describes as a “moving meditation.”

Summer has since become a mother to over 1,000 houseplants, and is, according to a New York Times profile, the icon of wellness-minded millennials who want to bring nature indoors. This book is your guide to cultivating an entirely new relationship with plants.

 

Thursday, July 11th:

STORY SPOTLIGHT: Find out how one woman’s hobby brings joy to others!

 

Friday, July 12th:

HABOOB WIND: , Tommy Anderson

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” —Ronald Reagan A day of celebration and dedication to the heroes and survivors of 9/11 is suddenly disrupted by a long-planned terrorist attack. From the tumultuous battlefields of Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi deserts to the unsuspecting shores of the United States, Tommy Anderson brings to life an unsettling account of what could actually happen when thousands of sleeping warriors infiltrate the very fabric of American military and public safety agencies. Fueled by increasing acts of seemingly unrelated terrorism by ISIS militants, and unfettered over a couple decades of political unpreparedness, the Haboob Wind furiously builds to a suspenseful, violent climax. Don’t miss the page-turning, twist of events as three retired war buddies join forces to battle the storm.