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American Heritage Month: September 15 – October 15, 2007
During Hispanic Heritage Month, the U.S. honors the Hispanic community
and pays tribute to the contributions that Hispanic-Americans have made
throughout the history of the United States. The 44.3 million Hispanic-Americans
make up the fastest growing group in the U.S. Hispanic contributions
to American culture are plainly evident in music, film, food, and other
cultural mediums.
Spanglish
Spanish and English have mixed with each other in the United States
to create a hybrid language, increasingly used not only in spoken but
also in written form. Spanglish, especially popular among young people,
is one of the most striking ways two of the world’s most widely
used languages are evolving in response to immigration and globalization.
Banned Books Week
Banned Books Weeks directs attention to the plight of individuals who
are persecuted because of the writings that they produce, circulate
or read. The theme of Banned Books Week 2007 is “Ahoy! Treasure
Your Freedom to Read and Get Hooked on a Banned Book.” Find out
about books challenged, restricted, removed, or banned in 2006-2007.
National Book Festival
The National Book Festival, held in Washington D.C. each year since
2001, is a prominent addition to the United States’ growing roster
of book-themed events. Organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress,
the festival allows the public to meet favorite authors, preview new
titles and mingle with other book lovers.
Teaching Literature:
Helpful Tools
Introducing UsingEnglish.com, TeachingLiterature, and eNotes.com. These
websites offer comprehensive online educational resources providing
extensive information on how to teach literature in class and on how
to teach English as a second language.
Hispanic American Literature
– Quinceañera
For hundreds of years young women in Latin America from Mexico to Argentina
have celebrated their quinceañera — their 15th birthday
— in grand tradition, beginning with a Catholic Mass and continuing
on to a large and extravagant celebration. In some parts of the United
States the tradition thrives, particularly among second- and third-generation
Hispanic girls
Growing Up as a Hispanic
American Girl:
Sandra Cisneros: The House on Mango Street (1984)
Denise Chavez: The Last of the Menu Girls (1986)
Julia Alverez: How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents (1991) and Once
Upon a Quinceaera: Coming of Age in the USA (2007)
This Month:
German American Day –
October 6
Nearly 43 million people in the United States identify German as their
primary ancestry, the US Census Bureau reported in July 2004. Each year,
on October 6, German Americans are recognized for their contributions
to the United States.
Transatlantic Trends
An annual public opinion report by the German Marshall Fund of the United
States released on September 6 showed that Americans and Europeans largely
agreed on the main security threats.
Columbus Day – October
8
The forces that Christopher Columbus unknowingly set into motion brought
about a profound transformation of America and Europe, as well as Africa
and Asia. His voyage initiated an enormous trans-oceanic migration of
peoples; flora and fauna, and diseases. These changes for better, and
for worse, affected the entire globe.
Catalan Literature at
the Frankfurt Book Fair
Over 2,500 events have been confirmed, including award ceremonies, exhibitions
and author appearances. This year’s Guest of Honor at the Frankfurt
Book Fair is Catalonian Literature. As a tribute to this theme, we have
organized a webchat with Catalan American professor Gonzales Navajas,
Professor of Spanish at the University of California at Irvine. Ask
him anything you'd like to know about "Cultura Catalana" in
America! Saturday, October 13, 2007, 17:00
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