Citywide Reading Program In South Pasadena: One City, Many Stories

Press release from the City of South Pasadena:

September 14, 2020

September 14 – November 1, 2020

www.southpasadenaca.gov/ocms

The South Pasadena Public Library is reinventing the traditional “One City, One Story” citywide reading program concept in response to the complex times in which we are living. Instead of focusing on a single book, One City, Many Stories (OCMS), encourages community members to engage with the theme Exploring Common Ground through four featured titles, one of the many titles on suggested reading lists created by Library staff, or a book of their choice. The goal of One City, Many Stories is to give community members an opportunity to expand their horizons through the lens of literature and thoughtful discussion.

One City, Many Stories will culminate in a special virtual Author Night on Tuesday, October 27, 2020, featuring Southern California-based authors Danzy Senna and Sherri L. Smith, and moderated by South Pasadena’s Poet Laureate Ron Koertge. In addition, Library staff will lead real-time virtual book discussions for the four OCMS featured titles. Senna’s New People and Smith’s The Blossom and the Firefly are two of the featured titles. Individuals and community groups and organizations will be invited to select a title from the reading lists and organize their own discussions. Readers will also be able to participate in online discussion forums moderated by Library staff.

OCMS will be hosted on Goodreads, a Web-based gathering place for readers where conversations about books and reading thrive. On the OCMS Goodreads page, participants will find the Library’s suggested reading lists and information about each title, as well as links to book group discussion guides, the Library catalog and other material of interest related to each title. The One City, Many Stories: Exploring Common Ground reading lists are organized in three categories: “Different Racial, Ethnic, and Cultural Experiences,” “The Environment and Us,” and “Reconciling the Past with the Present.” Readers can read as many titles as they wish, and can even share their own recommendations in these categories with other readers through the Goodreads discussion forums.

Library staff are proud to present a Citywide reading program and look forward to exploring common ground through books with all the members of our community, whether you read with us, read with your group, or read on your own. One City, Many Stories will take place September 14 through November 1, 2020. To get started visit www.southpasadenaca.gov/ocms and follow links to the OCMS Goodreads page.

OCMS EVENTS

Virtual Author Night: A Conversation with Authors Danzy Senna and Sherri Smith, Moderated by Ron Koertge

Tuesday, October 27 at 7:00 p.m.
Event will be presented on a Web-based platform; a device connected to the Internet is required. Link TBA.

Library Led Book Discussions
Registration required: www.southpasadenaca.gov/register
Discussions will be held over Zoom; a device connected to the Internet is required. The link to participate will be sent to registered participants. Discussion groups are limited to 15 participants.

Tuesday, October 13 at 7:00 p.m.
March: Book Three by John Lewis
This is the third book in a graphic novel trilogy about the life and work of Congressman John Lewis, an American icon for civil rights and racial justice. Learn more about the book on Goodreads.
Find March: Book Three in the Library Catalog
Read March: Book Three on ComicsPlus (No Wait, No Holds! Library card required)

REGISTER FOR THE DISCUSSION: www.southpasadenaca.gov/register

Tuesday, October 20 at 7:00 p.m.
The Blossom and the Firefly by Sherri L. Smith
Japan 1945. Taro is a talented violinist and a kamikaze pilot in the days before his first and only mission. He believes he is ready to die for his country . . . until he meets Hana. Hana hasn't been the same since the day she was buried alive in a collapsed trench during a bomb raid. She wonders if it would have been better to have died that day . . . until she meets Taro. Learn more about the book on Goodreads.
Find The Blossom and the Firefly in the Library Catalog
REGISTER FOR THE DISCUSSION: www.southpasadenaca.gov/register

Thursday, October 22 at 7:00 p.m.
The Butterfly Effect: Insects and the Making of the Modern World by Edward D. Melillo
This fascinating non-fiction title is an entertaining dive into the long-standing relationship between humans and insects, revealing the surprising ways we depend on these tiny, six-legged creatures. Learn more about the book on Goodreads.
Find The Butterfly Effect in the Library Catalog
REGISTER FOR THE DISCUSSION: www.southpasadenaca.gov/register

Saturday, October 24 at 2:00 p.m.
New People by Danzy Senna
A subversive and engrossing novel of race, class, and manners in contemporary America. Learn more about the book on Goodreads.
Find New People in the Library Catalog
REGISTER FOR THE DISCUSSION: www.southpasadenaca.gov/register

This press release was produced by the City of South Pasadena. The views expressed here are the author’s own.