A staff member will lead a virtual book discussion on Boom Town by Sam Anderson. A copy of the book will be available to pick up here at the library - please contact Joel Sawyer by email (jsawyer@dppl.org) or the Readers Services department by phone at (847) 376.2840 to arrange a pick-up via the library's Carry Out Service after you register online.
Registration is required for this Zoom virtual program. You can click on the green button to register for this event using your email address, and a Zoom meeting access link will be sent to you a day or so before the program begins.
If you need help using Zoom, see our guide here or email us at askalibrarian@dppl.org.
Boom Town by Sam Anderson
This is a kaleidoscopic narrative of Oklahoma City—a great American story of civics, basketball, and destiny. Oklahoma City was born from chaos. It was founded in a bizarre but momentous "Land Run" in 1889, when thousands of people lined up along the borders of Oklahoma Territory and rushed in at noon to stake their claims. Since then, it has been a city torn between the wild energy that drives its outsized ambitions, and the forces of order that seek sustainable progress. Nowhere was this dynamic better realized than in the pivotal years of 2012-2013, which would include pitched battles over urban planning, a series of cataclysmic tornadoes, and the frenzied hope that an NBA championship might finally deliver the glory of which the city had always dreamed.
Anderson tells the strange but compelling story of an American city whose unique mix of geography and history make it a fascinating microcosm of the democratic experiment. Filled with characters ranging from NBA superstars, to Flaming Lips oddball frontman Wayne Coyne, to legendary Great Plains meteorologists; to civil rights activists, to the citizens and public servants who survived the notorious 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah federal building, Boom Town offers a remarkable look at the urban tapestry woven from control and chaos, sports and civics.
The 1501 Ellinwood Street library building is the realization of a longheld dream of the library board, staff and community partners. Located in the heart of downtown Des Plaines, the four story, 82,000 square foot building represents the community's commitment to reading, lifelong learning, and a center for family activities. A grand central staircase and large windows provide a wealth of natural light and illuminate the building at night.
