The Ultimate Reading Challenge

London is a great city full of great people like you! Random Events wants to bring all types of people together for fun, for laughter and for learning and thinking in creative ways.

Random Events

It's summer!  Get out those books and audiobooks and take yourself to somewhere new, walk in someone else's shoes AND even change the world!

We all know the world has really changed and with any change if you don&#x27;t move with it, you&#x27;ll be swept away by it. At Random Events we&#x27;ve been having fun and thinking through cultural conundrums for 5 years and we&#x27;re still at it today. BUT we know it&#x27;s summer and we know you need a break, so here&#x27;s a good way to &#x27;connect &#x27;n&#x27; chill&#x27;: grab a book. This summer why not read a book by a black or non-white author or with black protagonists? And no it&#x27;s not all about slavery, prejudice and hardship. There are a range of books for all ages and <a href="https://stories.audible.com/start-listen?ref=adbl_ent_anon_pdp_hm_hb" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Audible</a> has heaps of books for free. Check out each section on there! YouTube has various read aloud picture books (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLBquMIehDL8Mv0ttSv6lzQ" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Sankofa</a> for example). Of course you can buy a book and hopefully borrow from the library soon.So here&#x27;s the challenge: read at least one classic or major issue book AND one lighthearted fun book before the end of August. Where are the most unusual places you do your reading?!How many books can you read?! The race is on...Sign up to get an invite to a free celebration event with an author at the end of August tbc.-----Here are some suggestions if you get stuck, but I&#x27;d say browse the free Audible as there are 100s of books on there from classics to modern stories and non-fiction texts, so I can&#x27;t list even a 10th of the great books I&#x27;ve heard on there for FREEEEE... Click on the title and it&#x27;ll take you straight to the audio.<a href="https://stories.audible.com/pdp/B07M9SDYLK?ref=adbl_ent_anon_ds_pdp_pc_pg-1-cntr-0-20" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Mixed Me </a>(For the under 8s. The beautiful use of language will make you feel you&#x27;re in the story. Simple yet very powerful read even for me as a grown up.)<a href="https://stories.audible.com/pdp/B07WW91GLG?ref=adbl_ent_anon_ds_pdp_pc_pg-1-cntr-0-1" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Viva Durant and the Secret of the Silver Buttons </a>(For 8+ I am well over 8 and loved this detective story with a twist. Black authors do write about everyday fun stuff too!)<a href="https://stories.audible.com/pdp/B07CG5K484?ref=adbl_ent_anon_ds_pdp_pc_pg-1-cntr-0-2" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Piecing Me Together </a>(For 9+ Very thought-provoking and well written, raising real issues in a digestible way. I can say a whole lot more, but then I&#x27;d spoil it for you!)<a href="https://stories.audible.com/pdp/B00D35WQHO?ref=adbl_ent_anon_sc_pdp_pc_0" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Ties that Bind Us </a>(For 13+ Explores challenging the conventions in a culture and adopting other Western cultures and the realities of that from a Chinese perspective. Brilliant read!)<a href="https://stories.audible.com/pdp/B008DJ05C8?ref=adbl_ent_anon_ds_pdp_pc_pg-1-cntr-0-35" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Ask Me No Questions </a>(For 13+ Exploring dual identities in a post 9.11 West...Bangladeshi immigrant and second generation perspective. A must read. Powerful! )<a href="https://stories.audible.com/pdp/B00E3XPGZY?ref=adbl_ent_anon_sc_pdp_pc_0" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">90 Miles to Havana</a>(For 11+ Delve into Cuban history and broaden your understanding of the US history and culture today. This book brought history alive and I can&#x27;t recommend it enough.)<a href="https://stories.audible.com/pdp/B00L4GD2FE?ref=adbl_ent_anon_ds_pdp_pc_pg-1-cntr-0-0" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Crossover</a> and<a href="https://stories.audible.com/pdp/B078PNLKNQ?ref=adbl_ent_anon_ds_pdp_pc_pg-1-cntr-0-7" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> Rebound</a> (Alexander cleverly weaves big issues into a basketball story. Talk about creative. I initially struggled with the basket lingo but persisted and it was well worth it).<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Need-Talk-About-Race-Understanding/dp/0281080178" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">We Need to Talk About Race</a> (I&#x27;ve not read this but I&#x27;ve heard good things about it. Racism is very real in the Christian community and it&#x27;s great more and more people are speaking up!)Here are some classics I&#x27;m yet to read: <a href="https://stories.audible.com/pdp/B0047WU6B0?ref=adbl_ent_anon_ds_pdp_pc_pg-1-cntr-0-4" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">The Souls of Black Folks</a>, <a href="https://stories.audible.com/pdp/B002VAAA6G?ref=adbl_ent_anon_ds_pdp_pc_pg-1-cntr-0-8" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Uncle Tom&#x27;s Cabin</a>, <a href="https://stories.audible.com/pdp/B003XSN7MO?ref=adbl_ent_anon_ds_pdp_pc_pg-1-cntr-0-32" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Three Years in Europe...</a>,<a href="https://stories.audible.com/pdp/B00JPOOK8U?ref=adbl_ent_anon_ds_pdp_pc_pg-1-cntr-0-20" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> Roots: The Saga of an American Family</a>...and <a href="https://stories.audible.com/pdp/B002V1A0X8?ref=adbl_ent_anon_ds_pdp_pc_pg-1-cntr-0-34" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Born Confused</a> just caught my eye.

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The Ultimate Reading Challenge

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