For the last 20 years, the staff of the Park City and Summit County libraries have jointly selected a book for the community to read and then bring the author to town for a reading and group discussion.
Park City Adult Services Librarian Kate Mapp said this year that’s happening on Wednesday, Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. at the Jim Santy Auditorium.
“We always try to look at the themes that we want to highlight in our community," Mapp said. "I believe Rachel from the Kamas branch, she recommended this book, and we all read it, and we said, 'yes, this is an amazing book.' It highlights similar themes to our community and then also the historical fiction component of it is always a favorite for our community.”
Fajardo-Anstine comes from a multicultural family. Her great grandfather is from the Philippines, her great grandmother is indigenous, and her maternal grandmother is Jewish. She said she knew she wanted to write a book about her ancestors’ experiences, but started slow.
“When I set out to become a writer in early high school, really, I knew that I wanted to tell a story about my family's migration from southern Colorado, northern New Mexico area, to Denver in the early 1920s and into the 1930s. I wasn't quite yet up to the task of writing this epic historical saga, so I began the short story form,” Fajardo-Anstine said.
Her book, “Woman of Light,” is a national bestseller that spans five generations and weaves a diverse cultural tapestry that defines the American West.
Fajardo-Anstine says she leaves it to the reader to decide the book’s messages through good storytelling.
“How do you feel after this book? I want feelings to be complicated. I want histories to be complicated,” Fajardo-Anstine added.
After a short reading, Fajardo-Anstine will take questions from the audience and sign books.
“Woman of Light” is available for checkout at all Summit County libraries or online through the Libby app.
