Public Forum Host NYPL Book Club With Author N.K. Jemisin on the Delacorte stage

The Public Theater and Public Forum series curators Alexa Smith and Jeremy McCarter proudly announce Summer Book Club Celebration on Monday, August 17 at 8:00 p.m. at The Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

As part of its annual Summer at the Library programming, The New York Public Library has invited New Yorkers to join a summer book club and read N.K. Jemisin’s The City We Became together. The book club will culminate in a marquee event at The Delacorte Theater featuring readings, commissioned performances, and public conversation inspired by and celebrating the book and reading more generally.

"This year, we went big with our first-ever adult summer reading program, 'Big Summer Book Club,' inviting readers across every corner of New York City to read a single book together: N.K. Jemisin's The City We Became. As most readers turn that last page and summer begins to wind down, I couldn't be more thrilled to celebrate coming together at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. The New York Public Library is an essential provider of books, information, ideas, and education for all New Yorkers all year round—and all always for free,” said Anthony W. Marx, President and CEO of The New York Public Library.

Hailed by NPR as a “necessary” story of communities uniting in the face of darkness and recognized by TIME for its powerful vision of connection and place, N.K. Jemisin’s The City We Became takes center stage in a one-of-a-kind live performance event. Blending multilingual folktales, music, and dramatic adaptations from the novel, the program celebrates the rich tapestry of voices that define a city. Community responses woven throughout the evening invite audiences into a dynamic conversation about culture, belonging, and collective imagination.

Free tickets will be made available on Monday, August 17 via the line at The Delacorte, evening Standby at The Delacorte, digital lottery with TodayTix, an in-person lottery at The Public, and two borough distribution locations in partnership with New York Public LIbrary branches in Staten Island (St. George Library Center) and The Bronx (Clason's Point Library). For more information, visit publictheater.org.