September 27, 2021

Press release from Shreve Memorial Library:

September 27, 2021

Shreve Memorial Library is excited to welcome award-winning author, Brit Bennett, to its next SML Virtual Author Chat. Bennett’s novel, The Vanishing Half, was selected as the 2021 One Book One Parish book title by Shreve Memorial Library patrons. Each year, the library’s One Book One Parish campaign unites Caddo Parish by promoting one book title throughout Shreve Memorial Library’s 21 branches during the month of October. The virtual author chat will take place on Tuesday, October 19 at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom.

One Book One Parish encourages adults in Caddo Parish to read the same book and join in a parish-wide conversation about the selected book. The public was given an opportunity to select this year’s title from July 12 to July 25. Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half beat out Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary, Tara Westover’s Educated, and Kristin Hannah’s The Four Winds for the 2021 One Book One Parish title, receiving almost 50% of total votes cast.

In The Vanishing Half, Brit Bennett tells an emotional and riveting story of family that explores the American history of passing, issues of race and identity, and the lasting influence of the past. After growing up together in a small, southern black community and running away at age 16, everything about the Vignes twin sisters’ lives as adults is different – their families, their communities, and their racial identities.  Although separated by many miles and lies, the fates of the twins remain intertwined. A complete summary of the book is included below, and copies of The Vanishing Half are available for checkout at Shreve Memorial Library branches.

On Tuesday, October 19, author Brit Bennett will join Shreve Memorial Library’s Virtual Author Chat Series to discuss the novel, The Vanishing Half, and her experiences as an author. The discussion will cover themes presented in the book as well as other insights into her writing process and inspiration for the novel and future works. The discussion will be moderated by Shreve Memorial Library’s Public Relations Coordinator Ivy Woodard, with a question and answer period to follow.

The author chat will begin at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom. Shreve Memorial Library patrons can view the live discussion and submit their questions to the author by visiting the following branches on Tuesday, October 19 at 6:00 p.m. Registration, face masks, and social distancing is required to attend the live viewing and can be completed at the library branches listed below.

Library patrons can also join the live discussion via Zoom by registering at https://bit.ly/OBOP21chat.

Registration is required and space is limited for both in-branch viewing of the discussion and Zoom participation.

Additional programming for One Book One Parish will take place throughout the month of October, including a screening of the movie Imitation of Life, which presents many of the same themes presented in The Vanishing Half, at the Atkins Branch on Friday, October 22 at 10:00 a.m. and a book club discussion at the Rodessa Branch, 10093 Main Street in Rodessa, on Tuesday, October 26 at 2 p.m.

This press release was produced by Shreve Memorial Library. The views expressed here are the author’s own.