'Ready Player One' Chosen As One Book, One Batavia Selection For 2024

BATAVIA, IL — "Ready Player One" is going to be the talk of the town this year thanks to the Batavia Public Library's One Book, One Batavia program.

Organizers of the annual reading program chose the 2011 science fiction novel as the 2024 selection.

One Book, One Batavia is meant to bring the community together for shared discussions and experiences. The Batavia Public Library and Batavia High School work together to put on the program, co-sponsored by Friends of the Batavia Public Library.

Ernest Cline's debut book, set in 2045, packs nostalgia, dangerous quests, a nerdy romance and a life-altering prize into 386 pages. The dystopian work follows protagonist Wade Watts on his search for an Easter egg in a virtual reality game.

In the online utopian paradise, people plug in to go to school, make money and play. Wade is one of the millions of gamers on the hunt for three keys, rumored to have been hidden in the game by the world's now-deceased founder. The hunt could lead to unimaginable riches, but real dangers lurk on the journey.

"You really root for Wade, this thoroughly likable underdog who's had such a hard life," Meghan O'Keefe, the library’s adult and teen services manager, said in a statement. "Even if you’re 'not into science fiction,' you will love this book."

The library scheduled a variety of in-person programs pertaining to "Ready Player One."

• 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13: "Ready Player One" adult book discussion. Registration is required.
• 6 p.m. Feb. 19: Pizza & Pages for students in grades 5-12. The book discussion will focus on "Insert Coin to Continue" by John David Anderson. Middle school student Bryan wakes up one day to discover his life has become a video game, with races to run, bullies to beat, puzzles to solve, and more. Registration is required.
• 7 p.m. Feb. 22: "What is the Metaverse?" The virtual reality in "Ready Player One" is an example of a Metaverse, and Loyola University Chicago instructor Bruce Montes will explain its promises and perils. Registration is required.
• 7 p.m. Feb. 28: "1980s: The Royal Wedding, Reagan and PAC-MAN." Historical presenter Michelle Gibbons will explain the impact of the 1980s as part of One Book, One Batavia 2024.
• 7 p.m March 7: "Climate Change: Why and How to Cause the Change Required." Amy McMorrow Hunter, president and CEO of The Climate Economy Education, Inc., will show how society can reverse course and prevent the dystopian future its heading toward, as depicted in "Ready Player One." Registration is required.
• 7 p.m. March 14: "The History of Video Games." David Gerding, associate professor of interactive arts and media at Columbia College Chicago, will talk about the history of video games. Registration is required.
• 2 p.m. March 16: Movie night featuring "WarGames." The 1983 sci-fi thriller stars Matthew Broderick, Ally Sheedy, Dabney Coleman and John Wood, among others. No registration is required.
• 7 p.m. March 21: "Time After Time: Songs of the 1980s." The History Singers will present an hour of '80s music from "Ready Player One." Registration is required.