For the last four years, Skokie, Illinois has held Coming Together in Skokie. Here’s the snippet from the site:
Now in its fifth year, Coming Together in Skokie and Niles Township is a unique program begun by Niles Township High School District 219, Skokie Public Library, the Village of Skokie, the Holiday Inn North Shore/Skokie, and the Indian Community of Niles Township. During the winter, we explore in depth a different culture each year through reading and discussing common books and enjoying a host of other exciting activities. The event takes place during a six-week period from January through March. Our first four years showcased the Asian Indian, Filipino, Assyrian, and Greek communities. Thousands of residents attended book sessions, lectures, dramas, and musical events for each celebration.
For this year, Skokie is celebrating Korean culture, and I can’t tell you how honored I am that they chose my first novel, Everything Asian, for their adults and high school students selection. An entire community is reading my book, right now — and I have proof!
Proof!
That thumbnail graphic on the left is from the Skokie Public Library catalog, and there are enough copies of my book in circulation that I actually have to scroll the page to get to the end. During the month of February, the following discussions will take place:
Book Discussion: Everything Asian
When: Saturday, February 8, 2014, 1PM
Where: Skokie Public Library – Off-Site (Korean Cultural Center of Chicago, 930 Capitol Drive, Wheeling)
When: Monday, February 24, 7PM
Where: Skokie Public Library
Lit Lounge Book Discussion – Everything Asian
Where: Skokie Public Library – Off-Site (Curragh Irish Pub, 8266 Lincoln Avenue)
Everything Asian: Exploring Family and Gender Narratives in Korean American Literature
In Everything Asian we are presented with narratives that touch upon the Korean American experience from multiple perspectives. In this lecture, Professor Ji-Yeon Yuh of Northwestern University will expose and deconstruct these narratives to provide deeper insight on the themes of immigration, family, and gender as they relate to the experiences of contemporary Koreans and Korean Americans.
When: Wednesday, February 19, 7PM
Where: Skokie Public Library
I’m especially grateful to Jessi Schulte and Lynnanne Pearson of the Skokie Public Library for their kindness and guidance, and to Skokie’s First Lady Susan Van Dusen for spearheading this wonderful event. I’ll be making my visit to Skokie and Nile Township in March, and I can hardly wait!
Meet Everything Asian Author Sung J. Woo
The author of Everything Asian, this year’s featured book for Coming Together in Skokie and Niles Township, will speak and be available to autograph his book.
Thursday, March 6, 7PM
Skokie Public Library
Petty Auditorium
[Skokie Review article]
[Coming Together in Skokie and Niles Township (site) (facebook)]
[Skokie Public Library]