Join other readers for a lively discussion of this year's One City One Book selection, A Paradise Built in Hell by Rebecca Solnit.
This book explores our need for community and common purpose, which Solnit argues are fundamental to democratic forms of social and political life. Blending reportage and analysis, the book surveys natural and man-made disasters including the ’06 earthquake, the Halifax explosion of 1917, the 1985 Mexico City earthquake, the Sept. 11th attacks, and Hurricane Katrina. Solnit takes a positive view of human behavior showing that disasters can actually create a sense of community and purposefulness. A community’s typical response to catastrophe is self-organization and mutual aid–truly democracy in action–with neighbors and strangers rescuing, feeding and housing each other.
Visit sfpl.org/onecityonebook for more information about programs, book club discussion questions and more.
Related Exhibitions and Events
- Great Books Discussion Group
- Wednesday, May 22, 2013
West Portal - Chinese Reading Club
- Friday, May 24, 2013
Chinatown/Him Mark Lai - The Boris Rozenfeld Russian Bibliophiles Club
- Saturday, May 25, 2013
Main Library, Latino/Hispanic B - Mission Branch Book Club
- Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Mission - Rincón Literario: Nadar Desnudas
- Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Main Library, Paley Room - Floor 3 - Mission Bay Book Club
- Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Mission Bay - Bernal Book Club
- Thursday, May 30, 2013
Bernal Heights - Teen Book Club
- Saturday, June 1, 2013
Ortega - Great Books Discussion Group
- Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Presidio - Sunset Book Group
- Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Sunset
