NPR series: "Becoming American"

NPR (National Public Radio) has a series this week on becoming American. This week they interviewed authors Junot Diaz, Jumpha Lahiri and Joseph O'Neill. For this assignment, go to the interviews on NPR, listen and/or read the transcripts of one writer (to hear a writer other than O'Neill click on their name in the article) in order to answer the following questions. Your answer should be in a paragraph form addressing all of the answers in your paragraph.

1. Why did he/she get into books? What was her/his motivation?
2. What two sides does she/he find in American culture?
3. What internal conflict does she/he face as a writer, as an immigrant? How does she/he resolve that?
4. Compare his/her story to Alexie and Malcolm X.
5. Compare her/his story to your own.

Extra Credit up to 40 points; due 12/05/08

Extra Extra Credit: Listen to one author read from their current book. Title you blog: "Reactions to {insert writer's name}readings." Write about the impressions the reading left upon you as well as the experience of listening to a writer read his/her book online. 10 points; due 12/05/08