9 of 1: A Window to the World

Oliver Chin does what the Boondocks comic strip is now doing: Brings us a series of events from the past that relate to events in the world today. Using the comic form, he presents the stories of people from various backgrounds and how they got to be where they are now. Through this method, he's able to bring in some perhaps forgotten or overlooked history - of the US funding the Taliban, etc. Not a diatribe, the book can be read quickly and shared with others to be used as a starting point for further discussion.

This easy to read book/comic should be assigned reading by every teacher/parent today. Due to the complex cultural issues associated with the melting pot we live in today, this book should help many to navigate some pretty complex social issues by putting the reader in the shoes of those people who are living in the US and are from the far corners of this earth.

This book cleverly tackles difficult subjects (e.g. 9/11, racial diversity, immigrant's fears and hopes, notions of cultural identity, and much more) in a highly original documentary-style that makes reading and absorbing the stories easy. It is so well-written and elegantly drawn that a teenager and an adult will immediately appreciate its contents. Each story is informative, reveals a bit of the human condition, and is often moving. It actively provokes discussion with others about issues and current events, but also gently opens a private window in one's heart to "feel" the suffering and struggle of others who yearn to overcome the challenges of life. If we are to fight oppression, bullies, fear, and terrorism and promote empathy, understanding, wisdom, integrity, and strength of character, this book must become required reading in schools.

Oliver Chin's Nine of One clearly expresses the life of students and teachers after September 11th. The only way for people to respect another is to know another, which is what this one class is required to do. It opens up the minds of a few young students to the diverse cultures and ethnicities of the world to a point where the reader is at the center of it all and absorbs the tough realistic lives of fictional people who have ancestors all across Earth. Nine of One is a great piece of literature that can be read and felt by all.