This will be a virtual book club meeting. Please contact Kelsey at cvillehoosbookclub[at]gmail[dot]com for more information.
UVA alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends in the Charlottesville community are invited to join us for the UVA Club of Charlottesville’s virtual March book club, where we will discuss Imbolo Mbue’s novel Behold the Dreamers.
About the Book: Jende Jonga, a Cameroonian immigrant living in Harlem, has come to the United States to provide a better life for himself, his wife (Neni), and their six-year-old son. In the fall of 2007, Jende can hardly believe his luck when he lands a job as a chauffeur for Clark Edwards, a senior executive at Lehman Brothers. Clark demands punctuality, discretion, and loyalty—and Jende is eager to please. Clark’s wife, Cindy, even offers Neni temporary work at the Edwardses’ summer home in the Hamptons. With these opportunities, Jende and Neni can at last gain a foothold in America and imagine a brighter future.
However, the world of great power and privilege conceals troubling secrets, and soon Jende and Neni notice cracks in their employers’ façades.
When the financial world is rocked by the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the Jongas are desperate to keep Jende’s job—even as their marriage threatens to fall apart. As all four lives are dramatically upended, Jende and Neni are forced to make an impossible choice.
UVA Club of Charlottesville Book Club Order Form
Order your book for the UVA Club of Charlottesville Book Club by filling out the contact form below. We will give you a call when your book is ready, and you will be able to pay for your order over the phone at that time. We are currently offering curbside pickup, local delivery (available for free within 5 miles of the shop), and shipping (normal rates apply).