February Book Club - The Book of Unknown Americans

RSVP for free Here or vist www.whitewomenwakeup.com for more info on other banned book club events.

## About the event

This month, we’ll be discussing The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez, a novel that centers the lived experiences of immigrants whose stories are often flattened, politicized, or erased.

The book is set in a Delaware apartment complex and told through multiple voices, each offering a glimpse into what it means to leave home, rebuild life, and search for belonging in the U.S.

## About the Author & Story

Cristina Henríquez did not live in the apartment complex depicted in the novel. Instead, the book was shaped by years of listening, drawing from interviews, conversations, and real immigrant experiences across Latin America.

The characters are fictional, but the stories are composites, intentionally written to honor the diversity and humanity of immigrant lives without reducing them to a single narrative. Henríquez’s approach centers empathy, complexity, and ethical storytelling, inviting readers to listen rather than assume.

## Why This Book Has Been Challenged

The Book of Unknown Americans has been challenged and restricted in some U.S. schools and libraries for its honest portrayals of:

• Immigration and undocumented experiences
• Interracial relationships
• Grief, disability, and systemic inequality

Like many banned books, it has faced pushback not because it promotes harm—but because it disrupts comfortable narratives about who belongs and whose stories deserve space.

## What to Expect

We hope you’ll read the book, but we also know life gets busy.

You are welcome whether you’ve read the entire book, a few excerpts, or none at all.

We’ll focus on selected passages and guided reflection. No pressure to speak. No guilt for not finishing. Just shared curiosity and conversation.

You don’t need to be an expert. You don’t need to have the right words. You just need to show up open.

We hope to see you there!

Stay Curious, Be Open & Keep Waking Up!
-Jonelle + Karen Co-Hosts of White Women Wake Up

This event is open to all genders and races, our book club is rooted in curiosity over certainty, connection over debate, and the belief that thoughtful stories can gently shift how we see ourselves and the world.