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Finding Community through Reading: Door County Reads

A new year means new goals and starting over – a fresh slate. For me, New Year’s goals typically surround the topic of reading: I want to push myself to try new genres and check out a wide variety of authors. So to kick off my 2021 Year in Reading, I decided to participate in Door County Reads (DCR) for the first time!

As an avid reader, I do find it strange that I have not participated until this year. However, I do tend to be a solo reader and end up spending hours and hours lost in the pages of my books. Normally, that’s not such a terrible thing because I also spend lots of time working and hanging out with friends and family. 

But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve lost that balance of socialization and quality reading time. Because everyone has had to primarily stay at home for the last year, there have been a lot of fun and inventive ways to connect remotely with friends, family and the community. Participating in DCR gives a bibliophile like me a chance to connect with my community through my favorite hobby – reading!

Emily St. John Mandel

The 2021 pick, Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel, is set in a postapocalyptic North America, 20 years after the initial collapse of civilization, when culture is reshaping itself and defining a new normal.

The story bounces between post- and pre-collapse timelines, and it tells the stories of a “Hollywood star, his would-be savior and a nomadic group of actors roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region, risking everything for art and humanity.”The main programming for DCR starts Jan. 30, 1 pm, with a panel discussion, “The Importance of the Arts to Sustain Us All.” A virtual discussion of Mandel’s newest book, The Glass Hotel, will be held Jan. 28, 10:30 am.

DCR events will be held virtually this year, allowing everyone to participate from home – most will be held via Zoom and Facebook Live. And if things don’t work out and you need more time to finish reading, have no fear! Streamed events will be recorded and available online after DCR is officially finished.There’s still time to join the fun. Free copies are available at all library branches. Just call your local branch to get details. Grab your book, and let’s start 2021 with reading and community!