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An Evening with James McBride

An award-winning author, musician, and screenwrite

2025-02-04 19:00:00 2025-02-04 20:00:00 America/Chicago An Evening with James McBride East -

Tuesday, February 04
7:00pm - 8:00pm

Add to Calendar 2025-02-04 19:00:00 2025-02-04 20:00:00 America/Chicago An Evening with James McBride Illinois Libraries Present James McBride, an award-winning author, musician, and screenwriter. East -

Illinois Libraries Present James McBride, an award-winning author, musician, and screenwriter.

Illinois Libraries Present James McBride, an award-winning author, musician, and screenwriter. His landmark memoir, The Color of Water, was published in 1996 and is considered an American classic, read in schools and universities across the United States. His 2013 novel, The Good Lord Bird, won the National Book Award for Fiction and was adapted by Ethan Hawke and Jason Blum into a Showtime series bearing the same name. His latest, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, was named one of the New York Times’ 100 Notable Books of 2023.

In 2016, President Obama awarded McBride the National Humanities Medal "for humanizing the complexities of discussing race in America. Through writings about his own uniquely American story, and his works of fiction informed by our shared history, his moving stories of love display the character of the American family." In 2024 he became the latest recipient of the Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. A native New Yorker, McBride is a Distinguished Writer in Residence at New York University.

Heather Marie-Montlilla of PBS Books will join McBride in conversation.

This is a virtual event; registration is required.

This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present (ILP), a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering premier events. ILP is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).

ILP is committed to inclusion and accessibility. To request accommodations, please email illinoislibrariespresent@gmail.com

East

Phone: 815-966-2748
Fax: 815-226-1538
Branch manager
Al Carter

Hours
Mon, Mar 10 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Tue, Mar 11 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Wed, Mar 12 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Thu, Mar 13 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Fri, Mar 14 10:00AM to 6:00PM
Sat, Mar 15 10:00AM to 6:00PM
Sun, Mar 16 Closed

About the library

Come visit the East Branch, located in the former Barnes & Noble building on East State St. The East Branch offers a 65-seat meeting room, free Wi-Fi, quiet study rooms, special areas for children and adults, and an expanded collection of books and media, as well as a Friends of RPL book shop.

Upcoming events

Tue, Mar 18, 6:00pm - 6:45pm
Children's Area

Thu, Mar 20, 10:15am - 11:00am
Children's Area

Thu, Mar 20, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Friends of RPL Community Room

Mon, Mar 24, 10:00am - 11:00am
Friends of RPL Community Room
This event is full

Mon, Mar 24, 11:30am - 12:30pm
Friends of RPL Community Room
This event is full

Wed, Mar 26, 11:30am - 12:30pm
Friends of RPL Community Room
This event is full

Wed, Mar 26, 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Friends of RPL Community Room
This event is full

Wed, Apr 02, 6:00pm - 7:45pm
Friends of RPL Community Room

Sat, Apr 12, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Friends of RPL Community Room