With a goal to unify the community through books and thought-provoking, accessible events, A Novel Idea has grown into the largest community read program of its kind in Oregon, according to the Deschutes County Library website. A Novel Idea’s 20-Year Celebration Author Event is this Saturday, April 29 at Bend Senior High School. To celebrate 20 years, the program invited back four past authors, making it the biggest year yet.
“We knew we needed to do something really grand, something really splashy. So, we reached out to some of our favorite authors from the past, to find out if they were available and interested. And luckily enough, four authors agreed to come and all four of those authors all have new books out,” said Liz Goodrich, Deschutes Public Library programs supervisor.
The selected books and authors include “The Brothers K” by David James Duncan, “L.A. Weather” by María Amparo Escandón, “The Guide” by Peter Heller and “Listening Still,” by Anne Griffin. The authors will gather this weekend for the free, in-person event to read passages, answer questions and engage in meaningful discussion.
Over the past month, the Deschutes County Library hosted over two dozen events leading up to this final celebration. From cooking classes to online author events to writer workshops, a variety of free events enhanced reader engagement and allowed readers to explore ideas from each of the books.
“The goal of A Novel Idea is to build community one book at a time,” Goodrich told the Source Weekly. “We believe that books are doors to be opened. It’s a conversation with other people. Books create safe spaces for disagreement and discussion.”
For those wanting to attend the author event who haven’t read the books, simply show up to listen or power read your way through one, or all, of these titles.
This article appears in Source Weekly April 27, 2023.
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