This event will be held off-site at Aurelio's Pizza 1445 W. Lake St. Addison, IL

In 1792, formerly enslaved Benjamin Honey and his Irish wife, Patience, build a life together on a secluded island. Over a century later, their descendants and a diverse group of neighbors live in poverty and isolation, shielded from the prejudice of the mainland. In the summer of 1912, retired schoolteacher Matthew Diamond arrives, determined to educate the island’s children. His well-meaning but prejudiced efforts disrupt the community’s harmony and draw attention from mainland authorities. Influenced by eugenics-thinking, officials plan to evacuate the island, institutionalize its residents, and turn it into a vacation destination. Beginning with a hurricane reminiscent of Noah’s Ark, the novel explores themes of survival, displacement, and the resilience of a community facing erasure.