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Image for event: On-Your-Own Book Club

On-Your-Own Book Club

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

2023-04-03 00:00:00 2023-04-03 23:59:00 America/New_York On-Your-Own Book Club No meetings, no deadlines, no pressure, just good reading! This month’s title is "Black Cake" by Charmaine Wilkerson. Main Library - Culture & AV

Monday, April 03
All day

Add to Calendar 2023-04-03 00:00:00 2023-04-03 23:59:00 America/New_York On-Your-Own Book Club No meetings, no deadlines, no pressure, just good reading! This month’s title is "Black Cake" by Charmaine Wilkerson. Main Library - Culture & AV

Main Library

Culture & AV

No meetings, no deadlines, no pressure, just good reading! This month’s title is "Black Cake" by Charmaine Wilkerson.

Enjoy fiction and nonfiction, large print, and audiobooks. This month’s title is "Black Cake" by Charmaine Wilkerson. Author information, questions to ponder, and readalikes are included with each book. Pick up a copy of the book and information sheet at the CAV desk.

In this moving debut novel, two estranged siblings must set aside their differences to deal with their mother's death and her hidden past--a journey of discovery that takes them from the Caribbean to London to California and ends with her famous black cake.

Charmaine Wilkerson is an American writer who has lived in Jamaica and is based in Italy. A graduate of Barnard College and Stanford University, she is a former journalist whose award-winning short fiction has appeared in various magazines and anthologies. 

"I was instantly taken in by this multigenerational tale of identity, family, and the lifelong push and pull of home. This novel has a tremendous heart at its center, and I felt its beat on every page. What an extraordinary debut." --Mary Beth Keane, New York Times bestselling author of Ask Again, Yes

"Exquisite and expansive, Black Cake took ahold of me from the first page and didn't let go. This is a novel about the formation and reformation of a family, and the many people, places, and events that can shape our inheritances without our knowing. A gripping, poignant debut from an important, new voice." --Naima Coster, New York Times bestselling author of What's Mine and Yours

"Black Cake has all the ingredients of the tastiest stories: secrets, romance, danger, and a cast of characters so real you want to scream at them one moment and hug them the next." --Dawnie Walton, author of The Final Revival of Opal & Nev

Readalikes include: These Ghosts are Family: a novel by Maisy Card, Olga Dies Dreaming: a novel by Xochitl Gonzalez, and Homegoing: a novel by Yaa Gyasi.

Looking for your next favorite book? Check out our new service, Your Next 5 Reads! Fill out a form and get reading recommendations from our librarians.

Running a book club? Check out our convenient grab-and-go Book Club To Go service for patrons in book clubs. Each BCTG canvas bag contains ten paperback copies of a book, with titles selected specifically for book clubs because of their discussion-provoking settings, plots, and characters. Since most books are reading club editions, patrons can take advantage of the discussion starters to keep their book club meetings lively.

AGE GROUP: | Adults |

EVENT TYPE: | Books & Writing |

TAGS: | |

Main Library

Phone: 330.643.9000
Branch manager
Michael Bianchi

Hours
Mon, Jul 14 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Tue, Jul 15 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Wed, Jul 16 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Thu, Jul 17 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Fri, Jul 18 10:00AM to 6:00PM
Sat, Jul 19 10:00AM to 5:00PM
Sun, Jul 20 1:00PM to 5:00PM

About the branch

Main Library, located in the heart of downtown Akron, combines compelling public space with meaningful and relevant public library services for all members of our community. Since opening in 2004, the downtown library welcomes more than one million visitors each year.

Subject divisions include: Business, Government & Science, Culture & AV, Magazines & Newspapers, Special Collections (local history & genealogy), TechZone@Main, Teen, and a 12,000 square feet Children's Library.

Special services available at Main Library include: a Patent & Trademark Resource Center; U.S. Passport and Notary services; a Microbusiness Center; a Maker Space; a resource lab for early childhood educators; and regularly scheduled computer training classes. Also available at Main Library are more than 125 public access computers, color photocopiers/printers, laminating, scanning, faxing, and free Wi-Fi.

Specialized spaces include a 425-seat auditorium, public meeting rooms, and a used bookstore. An interior glass block walkway leads to a 600-space parking garage owned by the City of Akron. An outdoor amphitheater and landscaped park complete the complex.

Upcoming Events

Fri, Jul 18, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, Jul 19, 10:00am - 1:00pm
Atrium

Mon, Jul 21, 12:30pm - 1:00pm

Tue, Jul 22, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Wed, Jul 23, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room
This event is full

Wed, Jul 23, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space B

Wed, Jul 23, 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Children's Library Educator Lab,Children's Library Programming Room

Wed, Jul 23, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center

Thu, Jul 24, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Jul 24, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Jul 24, 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Jul 24, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Educator Lab,Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Jul 24, 6:10pm - 8:00pm
Auditorium

Fri, Jul 25, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, Jul 26, 1:30pm - 4:00pm
Meeting Room 2AB

Mon, Jul 28, 12:30pm - 1:00pm

Mon, Jul 28, 7:00pm - 9:00pm
115 E Market St, Akron, OH 44308

Tue, Jul 29, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Computer Lab 1

Tue, Jul 29, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Wed, Jul 30, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room
This event is full

Wed, Jul 30, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Wed, Jul 30, 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Auditorium

Wed, Jul 30, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Computer Lab 1

Wed, Jul 30, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center

Thu, Jul 31, 10:00am - 4:00pm
Quiet Study Room 1

Thu, Jul 31, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Jul 31, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Jul 31, 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Jul 31, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Computer Lab 1

Thu, Jul 31, 6:10pm - 8:00pm
Auditorium

Fri, Aug 01, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, Aug 02, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Library Park/Amphitheater

Sun, Aug 03, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Auditorium

Mon, Aug 04, 12:30pm - 1:00pm

Tue, Aug 05, 12:15pm - 1:00pm
Business, Government & Science

Tue, Aug 05, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Wed, Aug 06, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room
This event is full

Wed, Aug 06, 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Auditorium

Wed, Aug 06, 5:00pm - 8:00pm
Atrium

Wed, Aug 06, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center

Thu, Aug 07, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Aug 07, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Aug 07, 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Aug 07, 6:15pm - 8:00pm
Auditorium

Rescheduled
Thu, Aug 07, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
New date Thursday, August 21, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
1 South High St.

Fri, Aug 08, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, Aug 09, 10:00am - 4:00pm

Mon, Aug 11, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Computer Lab 1,Computer Lab 2,TechZone
Registration opens Monday, July 21 2025 at 10:00am

Mon, Aug 11, 12:30pm - 1:00pm
Registration opens Monday, July 21 2025 at 10:00am

Tue, Aug 12, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Computer Lab 1,Computer Lab 2,TechZone
Registration opens Monday, July 21 2025 at 10:00am

Tue, Aug 12, 12:15pm - 1:00pm
Business, Government & Science

Tue, Aug 12, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Wed, Aug 13, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Computer Lab 1,Computer Lab 2,TechZone
Registration opens Monday, July 21 2025 at 10:00am

Wed, Aug 13, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room
This event is full

Wed, Aug 13, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space B

Wed, Aug 13, 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Auditorium

Wed, Aug 13, 5:30pm - 6:30pm

Wed, Aug 13, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
TechZone
This event is full

Wed, Aug 13, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Wed, Aug 13, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center

Thu, Aug 14, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Aug 14, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Computer Lab 1,Computer Lab 2,TechZone
Registration opens Monday, July 21 2025 at 10:00am

Thu, Aug 14, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Aug 14, 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Aug 14, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Bud & Susie Rogers Garden

Thu, Aug 14, 6:15pm - 8:00pm
Auditorium

Fri, Aug 15, 9:00am - 4:00pm
Atrium

Cancelled
Fri, Aug 15, 10:30am - 11:30am

Sat, Aug 16, 11:00am - 12:00pm

Sun, Aug 17, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Auditorium