The True American: Murder and Mercy in Texas by Anand Gridharadas, 319 pages

This is not the kind of book I typically read. If I read nonfiction it is normally either related to either World War II or is a memoir.  This book is about a Texas man, Mark Stroman, who killed two people he presumed to be Muslim shortly after 9/11and he wounded a third.

It is the story of how Mark Stroman got to the point in his life where he felt like he was being a patriot by hating and killing people that didn't look or sound like him.  It is also the story of the man he wounded, Rais Bhuiyan, an immigrant from Bangladesh who ends up trying to help Mark Stroman's kids break the cycle of poverty they've known their whole life.

The author, Anand Giridharadas, recently spoke at a conference I attended and I came away from that talk wondering if and hoping it is possible to create a more merciful America. 

Just a Drop of Water by Kerry O'Malley Cerra 299 pages (2016-2017 Truman Award Nominee)

Jake Green is an 8th grader, a cross country runner, the best friend of Sam, just your everyday middle-school age boy.  He really does not like cross country, is more of a sprinter, a lover of the track. But his coach makes them run cross country to prepare them for track, so he and Sam run and run and run.  But things change the fall of 2001. First of all, there is a new boy in school, Kirk, and he threatens to take Jake's place as captain of the cross country team.  Jake and the class bully keep clashing, and then, 9/11.  Kirk's father is killed at the Pentagon, Sam and his family are Muslims, and one of the plane's pilots are from their town in Florida. 
This is the story of trusting in yourself no matter what everyone else says and finding it within yourself to be a hero. 
I think it is interesting that the target audience for this book was probably not born when 9/11 happened.  They do not have the 1st hand perspective.  This is a thought provoking debut novel.