The Perry Public Library announced Thursday the book chosen for the All Iowa Reads community-wide book discussion scheduled for Tuesday, April 26.
“Lila” by Marilynne Robinson will be the focus of the 14th annual All Iowa Reads, an event sponsored by the Iowa Center for the Book. The novel is the third in Robinson’s “Gilead” series.
The library will host a 7 p.m. discussion in the Hotel Pattee Canisteo Room, preceded by an optional dinner at 6 p.m. Readers should make dinner reservations at least 48 hours prior to the event by calling the library at 515-465-3569.
Guest facilitator for the April 26 discussion will be George Minot, English professor, writer and graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Minot led a spirited discussion of Robin Oliveira’s novel, “My Name is Mary Sutter,” at last year’s All Iowa Reads event in Perry.
“If you enjoy reading and talking about books or just want to try something new, All Iowa Reads is a great opportunity to meet new people and exchange ideas,” said Mary Murphy, director of the Perry Public Library.
In her 2014 “Lila,” Robinson returns to the town of Gilead “in an unforgettable story of a girlhood lived on the fringes of society in fear, awe and wonder,” according to a Goodreads reviewer. “Revisiting the beloved characters and setting of Marilynne Robinson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning ‘Gilead’ (2004) and ‘Home’ (2008), a National Book Award Finalist, ‘Lila’ is a moving expression of the mysteries of existence that is destined to become an American classic.”
The book discussion is free and open to the public. Copies of the Robinson novel are available at the library for check out or purchase. For more information, visit the All Iowa Reads website or call the Perry Public Library at 515-465-3569.
