Bookstore Named After Octavia Butler Opens in Pasadena
Pasadena is getting a new independent bookstore named after author Octavia Butler. Nikki High, owner of Octavia’s Bookshelf, says she hopes to highlight BIPOC authors. The bookstore name is a tribute to Pasadena native, science-fiction author, and MacArthur fellow Octavia Butler. “She was the first Black sci-fi writer that I read, and it was the first time that I saw Black people in the future,” High said. Octavia’s Bookshelf is scheduled to open by late February. The bookstore will be located at 1361 North Hill Avenue.
Brooklyn Library’s “Books Unbanned” Wins Accolade
Brooklyn Public Library’s “Books Unbanned” team have been recognized by the Library Journal for creating a program “to reach readers in places where new restrictions might force books off library shelves and out of classrooms.” This five-person team that makes up “Books Unbanned” issues library cards that give electronic access to the Brooklyn library’s digital and audio collections. So far, 6,000 teenagers have requested cards since the program began last spring. Library Journal called the program “ambitious” and “broad in scope,” and said that it “held the potential to affect thousands of young readers,” proving to be “successful far beyond their original hopes.”
Edith Pearlman, Writer Who Won Acclaim Late in Life, Dies at 86
Edith Pearlman, the author who became a literary star late in her life with her 2011 collection of short stories Binocular Vision, died on Sunday at her home in Brookline, MA. Pearlman was 86 years old. The author’s son, Charles, confirmed the death, but did not cite a specific cause. In addition to her son, Edith Pearlman is survived by her husband, Chester Pearlman; a daughter, Jessica Ann Pearlman; a grandson; and her sister, Betty Jane Grossman.
6 Readathons and Reading Challenges to Start Prepping for in 2023
Want to take part in a good readathon or reading challenge in 2023? Here are some excellent options, including short and long events.