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A Virtual Visit with Cristina Henríquez
Illinois Libraries Present
Cristina Henríquez: Voice, Culture, and Human Connection
Join critically acclaimed, bestselling author, Cristina Henríquez, for a compelling conversation about her work. Henríquez’s newest book, The Great Divide, is a moving exploration of the people who lived, loved, and labored during the construction of the Panama Canal. Named a New York Times’ Editors’ Choice selection and TIME Magazine “100 Must-Read Books of 2024,” The Great Divide explores history and adversity in a place very special to her – her father’s homeland of Panama.
Henríquez has also authored The Book of Unknown Americans, The World in Half, and Come Together, Fall Apart, all to significant acclaim. Her fiction has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The New York Times, and The Best American Short Stories 2018, and she is a recipient of the 21st Century Award given by The Chicago Public Library Foundation. She is a graduate of Northwestern University and the Iowa Writer’s Workshop, and lives in the Chicago suburbs with her family.
Carmen Álvarez will join Henríquez as moderator. Álvarez is an advocate for libraries and Latinx representation in the publishing industry. Her work has appeared in Glamour, Elle, and Vogue and she has a social media presence surpassing 180k followers across platforms.
Zoom registration approvals for this event will now close at 5:00 p.m. on the day of the event. Registrations received after this deadline will stay pending and will be processed after the live event, ensuring that those who missed the cutoff will still receive the event recording. Attendance is limited to patrons of participating ILP member libraries; registrations from non-member library patrons will be declined.
ILLINOIS LIBRARIES PRESENT | Spring 2026
- Jan 13, Bringing History to Life with Jonathan Eig, 7 pm
- Feb 24, Still Afraid of the Dark: An Evening with R.L. Stine, 7 pm
- Mar 19, Beyond the Page with Percival Everett, 7 pm
- Apr 16, Cristina Henríquez: Voice, Culture, and Human Connection, 7 pm
- May 19, Babel-On with R.F. Kuang, 7 pm
Illinois Libraries Present is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). Illinois Libraries Present is committed to inclusion and accessibility. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and Closed Captioning are provided.
Adults | Presentation, Author Visit
Virtual/Online
The Library is committed to making events accessible for all. To request an Americans with Disabilities Accommodation, please complete this form, or contact us by email at info@champaign.org, by phone at 217/403-2000, or through chat. Learn more about accessibility at the library.
