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Beyond the Page with Percival Everett

Illinois Libraries Present Virtual Program

Register for this virtual program via ZOOM to receive a link. Watch at home or by using a library computer.

Industrious, irreverent, humble—though he may deny the accusation—Percival EverettExternal Link, like his fiction, defies categorization. His most recent novel, JamesExternal Link, earned both the Pulitzer Prize for fiction and the National Book Award, and his 2001 novel ErasureExternal Link inspired the film American FictionExternal Link, which received the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2024. 

Everett’s other titles include Dr. No, The TreesExternal Link (a finalist for the Booker Prize and the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction), Telephone (a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize), So Much BlueExternal Link, and I Am Not Sidney PoitierExternal Link. Despite these accomplishments, he remains devoted to reviewing his own work critically, and indeed his writing process involves intensive research and revision. Tune in for our conversation with Percival Everett to get a glimpse beyond the page. 

Brandis Friedman will moderate the event. Friedman is a writer and anchor for WTTW’s Chicago Tonight and Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, and also serves as a champion for libraries.

Illinois Libraries Present virtual programs are generously brought to you by Friends of the Rolling Meadows Library.

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 the 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. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and Closed Captioning are provided for all events by default—no special request needed. To request accommodations not listed, please email illinoislibrariespresent@ila.org.

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