One Book One Chicago Book Discussion with Professor Tom Pierce

Join us as we discuss the 2026 One Book, One Chicago title, Orbital by Samantha Harvey with professor Tom Pierce.A slender novel of epic power and the winner of the Booker Prize 2024, Orbital deftly snapshots one day in the lives of six women and men traveling through space. Selected for one of the last space station missions of its kind before the program is dismantled, these astronauts and cosmonauts—from America, Russia, Italy, Britain, and Japan—have left their lives behind to travel at a speed of over seventeen thousand miles an hour as the earth reels below.* A limited number of copies are available at the branch. Tom Pierce is a professor of English at Morton College. Before settling in Illinois, he spent significant time living and working in South Korea, Poland, and on the Navajo Nation. He holds a PhD in English from the University of New Mexico and is an avid reader.Courtesy of Tom Pierce AccessibilityNeed sign language interpretation or other accessibility assistance for this event? Please call (312) 747-8184 or email access@chipublib.org to request accommodations. Requests must be made at least 14 business days before the event.This event is part of the 2026 One Book, One Chicago season, exploring the book Orbital by Samatha Harvey.