During a time of deep national divides, Read Up Richmond seeks to bring people together.
Read Up Richmond began with a vision to create a large-scale, recurring author series that would connect the community through literature. The goal was to shine a spotlight on Richmond Public Library as a place where readers could engage meaningfully with contemporary authors and their works.
The author series is a perfect expression of the library’s mission to inform, enrich, and empower. It informs readers about important issues, enriches the community through discussion and deeper engagement with ideas, and empowers participants to take these insights into their personal conversations and their own lives.
Over the years, Read Up Richmond has stayed true to its original goal of connecting the community through literature while also evolving. One major shift has been its focus on selecting books and authors that speak to current issues. “We want to expand on the topics that shape our lives into thoughtful, in-person discussions,” says Jennifer Deuell, the library’s community services manager. “Our goal is to offer unique perspectives and encourage members of our community to engage with each other and with challenging ideas.”
The program has grown to include tie-in events that complement each book. Many selections explore multiple themes, and these additional events provide readers with a chance to dig deeper and learn more about each issue. That happens Nov. 16 at the Main Library.
This year’s Read Up Richmond selection is Kevin Nguyen’s “My Documents.” It was a deliberate choice, chosen by the committee because they wanted a book addressing the topic of immigration in the United States. “At the time of selection, it wasn’t fully clear just how closely the story would mirror the realities unfolding around us,” says Deuell. “As Nguyen’s book discussion approaches, the parallels with current immigration events become more evident.”
Set in a near future where a terrorist attack triggers the national roundup and internment of Vietnamese Americans, “My Documents” follows a multi-generational family caught up in the fallout. The novel explores themes of assimilation, Big Tech overreach, and systemic racism, all rendered with a level of nuance and relatability that stays with the reader long after closing the book. “Nguyen is a critically acclaimed and influential voice in contemporary literature, and it’s especially meaningful that he’s Vietnamese American,” Deuell explains. “Because this story explores questions of identity, belonging, and cultural memory, it was important that it be told by someone who shares those lived experiences.”
One of the main goals of Read Up Richmond is to spark meaningful conversation within the community, so the program is curated as a discussion between the author and another writer or expert. “It creates a unique, dynamic exchange that attendees can’t experience anywhere else,” Deuell says. “Our hope is that participants leave inspired to continue these conversations with family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers.”
Read Up Richmond: Kevin Nguyen in conversation with Emma Ito will be held on Sunday, Nov. 16 at 2 p.m. at the Main Library, 101 E. Franklin St. Register here.
