Book notes | The Nickel Boys
Colson Whitehead, winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction for The Underground Railroad, explores the horrors of a reformatory school for boys in Florida in his subsequent novel, The Nickel Boys.
The impetus for the book comes from the scandals related to the Dozier School for Boys that was closed by officials in Florida in 2011. In Whitehead’s story, a Black teenager, Elwood, who was raised by his grandmother and lives an exemplary life, is charged with car theft, convicted on very flimsy evidence, and sent to the Nickel Academy. The juvenile reformatory is situated in a very attractive setting that belies the cruel and sometimes fatal punishments administered there.
Soon after Elwood’s arrival, another boy, Turner, who knows the ropes, befriends Elwood.
Whitehead conveys to the reader not only the excess physical and mental torture but also the graft carried out by the reformatory’s staff and board of directors.
A captivating story
The book ends with Elwood and Turner escaping and one being shot. Like a mystery, the reader is taken into the future to discover whether the boy shot was Elwood or Turner. It is a captivating story, told by an excellent writer, that makes one want to search for information about treatment at “reform schools” in Minnesota and other states.
UMRA Book Club I discussion participants noted that it was not an easy read; but they appreciated being exposed to the horrors that existed—and may continue to exist—in many reform schools.
Whitehead, who also won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction for The Nickel Boys, provides very graphic descriptions of the punishments delivered. The ending chapters of the book are intriguing and a bit puzzling.
—Mariah Snyder, UMRA Book Club I member
Book Club I to meet January 21, 2022
Fri, Jan 21 2022, 2pm
Mariah Snyder will lead the discussion of The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead when the UMRA Book Club I meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, January 21.
Contact Pat Tollefson at [email protected] for more information, including suggestions for starting a new book club.
Upcoming Events
Our July 15 "hike" is going to be a kayaking adventure on Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun) and Lake of the Isles! If you don't have a kayak (or paddleboard), Wheel Fun Rentals, located next to the new concession stand rents single kayaks at $15 an hour and double kayaks at $25. The second hour is free if we rent before noon. Life jackets are provided with the rental.
Laura Ericksen will lead the discussion of How Stella Learned to Talk by Christina Hunger, a true story by a speech-language pathologist who taught her dog, Stella, to communicate using buttons associated with different words.
Our August 5 hike will be a reprise of our hike last summer at William O'Brien State Park. This is a beautiful park with a winding trail and a great view of the countryside. The hike is about 5.5 to 6 miles and we'll go at a moderate pace with frequent water breaks. After the hike, we will eat lunch at Rustic Roots Winery, a half mile north of the park.
Kathy Cramer will lead the discussion of The Bookbinder by Pip Williams, a book set in 1914 Oxford chronicling the life of Peggy who works in the University bindery, but craves a life beyond binding books but to being a scholar herself.
Enjoy a two-hour cruise on the Jonathan Padelford, leaving from the Harriet Island dock in St. Paul, boarding time at 5:30 p.m. We will have a brief program on board by Patrick Nunnally from the River Life Program of the Institute on the Environment.
August 31 is the due date for annual reports and updates. Annual Reports, Toolkits, web page updates, operating document updates and archives collections are all due each year on this date.
Autumn is a wonderful season in Minnesota so plan to join UMRA at the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Kristen Mastel, head librarian and curator, will reveal its treasure trove of publications and artifacts relating to plant history, horticulture, and natural history. After the tour, those who are interested may stay to eat lunch together, sitting outside if the weather is nice. Later, you are invited to a one-hour tram tour of the entire Arboretum that includes natural areas of flowering shrubs, bogs, and forests, family garden and landscaping showpieces, and the red barn farm
After a summer break the UMRA Photo Club will next meet September 10, 2024 in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library. For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 am. For September the THEME will be Curves
We will continue to discuss the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage. You will also hear about notable non-health plan and non-broker resources.