The Girl Who Fell From the Sky
The Girl Who Fell From the Sky
Durrow's first novel is a thoughtful reflection on racial identity.

PCC Reads Program

PCC Reads is an initiative to encourage faculty, staff and students to read and discuss books with themes of diversity and social justice. This year, the book, The Girl Who Fell From the Sky, by Heidi W. Durrow, was picked as a starting place for discussion because it illustrates the journey of a young woman grappling with biracial identity in a world that would like to define her as either black or white. The library has a limited number of Heidi's books for checkout. Get reading today, and be sure to participate in the various PCC Reads events on your campus. Heidi will be coming to PCC on April 13–14, 2011. See: Acclaimed author returns to where it all began - PCC.

Suggested catalog searches

PCC Events

Cascade Events
April 14: 9–10:30am - Moriarty Arts and Humanities Building Auditorium - Author Heidi Durrow's presentation on "Her Personal Journey".
Rock Creek
All Spring term - MC 3/128B - Multicultural Center film series with movies about bi-racial friendships and relationships. Check their website for dates and times.
April 6: 4–5pm in SLC 2/212 - PCC Reads Book Club discussion - Students, staff and faculty are encouraged to bring questions and reflections about Heidi's book The Girl Who Fell From the Sky.
April 8: 1–2:15pm in WRC 2/103 - PCC Reads Book Club discussion. This event is part of the Women's Self-Care retreat.
April 12: MC 3/128B - Love Across Cultures - Panel discussion with inter-racial couples.
April 13: 1:30–3:00pm in RC 9/122 (Event Center) - Author Heidi Durrow visits the Rock Creek Campus to speak, give a reading, answer questions and sign her book.
Southeast Center
February 16–April 6: 11am–1pm - PCC Reads Quilt Project. Join others in the Great Hall to make a quilt square to reflect your experience or impression of The Girl Who Fell from the Sky. The individual squares will be pieced together into a quilt by Community Education instructor, Karen Engstrom, and other PCC volunteers to be presented to the author when she visits Southeast Center.
April 13: 10–11:30am - Panel discussion on Biracial Identity
Sylvania Events
March 31 & April 6: 11:30am–1:30pm in CC Upper Mall - "Who Are We?" is a story sharing, photo shoot and collage event around the topic of race and multiracial identity. All are invited to participate.
April 5–8: CC Upper Mall - A photo exhibit, "Portland's Lost Black Neighborhoods" will be on display.
April 7 & 21: 3–5pm - CC Pine Room - Films that address issues of housing discrimination and displacement in the African-American community will be shown.
April 11 & April 18: 12–1pm in SYL CC 223 (TLC) - You are invited to participate in a discussions about Heidi Durrow's The Girl Who Fell from the Sky and its themes.
April 14: 1–2:30pm in the Performing Arts Center - Author Heidi Durrow visits the Sylvania campus to speak, give a reading, answer questions and sign her book. This will be a live recorded podcast.
April 14: 3–4:30pm in the Sylvania Teaching and Learning Center - A drop-in book discussion about Heidi Durrow's The Girl Who Fell from the Sky and its themes. .

Recommended reading

About Heidi Durrow
Excerpts of Heidi Durrow's life in her own words. Source: http://heidiwdurrow.com/
Bibliobitch: The Girl Who Fell From the Sky
Johnson, Kjerstin. “Bibliobitch: The Girl Who Fell From the Sky.” Bitchmagazine.org. 24 Feb. 2010. Web. 8 Nov. 2010. A short summary and review of the book.
A Black Girl's Revealing Fall and Rise
Abdur-Rahman, Sufiya. "A Black Girl's Revealing Fall And Rise." Crisis (15591573) 117.1 (2010): 36. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 8 Nov. 2010. A book review of "The Girl Who Fell From the Sky" by Heidi W. Durrow.
Debut Author Heidi Durrow Talks about New Novel
Stimson, Brian. "Debut Author Heidi Durrow Talks about New Novel." The Skanner (17 Mar. 2010, Seattle and Portland combined edition): 7. Ethnic NewsWatch. ProQuest. Web. 17 Dec. 2010. Heidi Durrow discusses her new novel.
Ghosting Story
Bell, Madison Smartt. "Ghosting History." Nation 291.3/4 (2010): 33-36. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 8 Nov. 2010. A book review of "The Girl Who Fell From the Sky" by Heidi W. Durrow.
The Girl Who Fell from the Sky - Books Mentioned in the Book
Learn about the authors and books that provided context for the characters in "The Girl Who Fell From the Sky".
The Girl Who Fell from the Sky - Explains What it Is to Be Mixed and Happy
Dawkins, Marcia. “The Girl Who Fell from the Sky" Explains What it Is to Be Mixed and Happy.” Huffingtonpost.com. 4 May 2010. Web. 8 Nov. 2010. A short summary and review of the book.
The Girl Who Fell From the Sky - Highlights of Characters and Places
Learn the history of specific places in Portland that are linked to the book's characters.
PCC Reads Flyer
A general description about PCC Reads and the author's visit.

Recommended websites

Heidi W. Durrow - Readers Guide
A reader’s guide with discussion questions from the author’s website.
Mixed Chicks Chat
a blog for Heidi Durrow and Fanshen Cox’s weekly podcast about the mixed experience.
A "Mixed Race" Nation Isn't the Same as a Post-Race One
Learn what youth have to say about racial disparities in high school, college graduation, work standards, and health care.
ReadingGroupGuides.com - The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi W. Durrow
A reader’s guide with discussion questions from the Reading Group Guides website.
Reimagining the "Tragic Mulatto"
Author interview and excerpt of the book on National Public Radio (NPR)

Questions? Contact a PCC Reads campus coordinator.

Cascade
Stephanie Debner, PCC Librarian
Rock Creek
Roberta Richards, PCC Librarian
Brenda Ivelisse (971-722-7390)
Danica Fierman (971-722-7643)
Southeast Center
Chau Hoang Fossen, PCC Librarian
Esther Loanzon (971-722-6186)
Sylvania
Katy Ho (971-722-4191)
Jeannie LaFrance (971-722-8149)
Dave Stout, District Coordinator for PCC Reads (971-722-4265)