Station Eleven begins in the present, as child actress Kirsten Raymonde watches actor Arthur Leander die onstage during a performance of King Lear. Outside, the world is being consumed by a virulent flu that will rapidly lay waste to most of humanity. As this layered novel unfolds, author Emily St. John Mandel follows her characters through time, in flashbacks providing back story, in the present as characters realize what is happening, and fifteen years forward as Kirsten and other survivors make their way through the broken landscape that remains.
Santa Monica READS is a community reading program that encourages people who live, work in, or visit Santa Monica to read and discuss the same book at the same time in discussion groups and special events held throughout the city. Please plan on attending one or all of the many free, public events we have planned between March 12 and April 16, 2016.
Station Eleven resource guide (PDF).
All programs below are free and open to the public. Seating is first come, first served.
Please note locations for each discussion or event, as several take place in non-library venues. For a list of book discussion dates and times, scroll to the bottom.
Concert: Santa Monica Youth Orchestra "Traveling Symphony"Saturday, March 19, 2016 at 12:00 pmPico Branch Library, 2201 Pico Boulevard *Our own "Traveling Symphony" drops by for an outdoor concert that celebrates the value of keeping art alive.
Screening & Lecture: Snowpiercer (2013) and other Graphic NovelsWednesday, March 23, 2016 at 6:00 pmMain Library, Martin Luther King, Jr. Auditorium, 601 Santa Monica Boulevard *Graphic novels, an extended form of the comic book, are the source of many apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic tales. Join us as we explore the format with a brief talk, then screen the film Snowpiercer, based on a French post-apocalyptic graphic novel. (film runtime: 126 min)
How to Survive an ApocalypseThursday, April 7, 2016 at 7:00 pmMain Library, Multipurpose Room, 601 Santa Monica Boulevard *The end of civilization can come in many ways: pandemic, natural disaster, nuclear attack, technological breakdown, monsters and aliens. In this practical demonstration, adventure gear specialists REI provide survival techniques that could help you save your life.
Trained volunteer facilitators lead these free public book discussions. No registration required. Discussions are open to readers of all ages, but the Teen Discussion will be led by and focused on younger readers.
* Note: City of Santa Monica facilities are wheelchair accessible. To request a disability-related accommodation, call Library Administration at 310-458-8606 (TDD 395-8499) at least one week prior to event.