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A Virtual Visit with Percival Everett
Illinois Libraries Present
Beyond the Page with Percival Everett
Industrious, irreverent, humble – though he may deny the accusation – Percival Everett, like his fiction, defies categorization. His most recent novel, James, earned both the Pulitzer Prize for fiction and the National Book Award, and his 2001 novel Erasure inspired the film American Fiction, which received the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2024.
Everett’s other titles include Dr. No, The Trees (finalist for the Booker Prize and the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction), Telephone (finalist for the Pulitzer Prize), So Much Blue, and I Am Not Sidney Poitier. Despite these accomplishments, he remains devoted to reviewing his own work critically, and indeed his writing process involves intensive research and revision. Tune in for our conversation with Percival Everett to get a glimpse beyond the page.
Brandis Friedman will moderate the event. Friedman is a writer and anchor for WTTW’s Chicago Tonight and Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, and also serves as a champion for libraries.
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.
