Adult Reading Programs
One Book Billings 2021 - 2022
The One Book Billings program seeks to provide a forum for readers to discuss in small groups books by regional authors and/or literary works which examine and reflect life on the High Plains, especially Montana. View the schedule for the current season here.
Our final selection for the season is The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles. Books and signups will be available the first week of April, and discussions will be held May 2nd - 5th.
About the Book
Based on the true World War II story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris, this is an unforgettable story of romance, friendship, family, and the power of literature to bring us together.
Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet has it all: her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. When the Nazis march into Paris, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. Together with her fellow librarians, Odile joins the Resistance with the best weapons she has: books. But when the war finally ends, instead of freedom, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal.
Montana, 1983: Lily is a lonely teenager looking for adventure in small-town Montana. Her interest is piqued by her solitary, elderly neighbor. As Lily uncovers more about her neighbor’s mysterious past, she finds that they share a love of language, the same longings, and the same intense jealousy, never suspecting that a dark secret from the past connects them.
A powerful novel that explores the consequences of our choices and the relationships that make us who we are—family, friends, and favorite authors—The Paris Library shows that extraordinary heroism can sometimes be found in the quietest of places.
The Great Billings Book Hunt 2022
We are back with a third year of reading, challenges, and prizes! Monthly activities encourage you to search for titles outside your comfort zone. Log your books and complete our challenges, and you might even win a prize.
May's Challenge: Get Caught Reading! This is Get Caught Reading Month, a time to promote literacy and reading for fun - but we're going to change it up a bit, and ask you to read a thriller in May! This could be a detective story, romantic suspense, a domestic thriller, a book about spies either real or fictional, true crime--whatever genre you find yourself caught in. Don't delay, "the game is afoot!" Complete the mission by telling us about what you read to earn a badge for Quarter 2. This challenge will be open from May 1st - 31st.
May Bonus Challenge: Send us a photo of yourself or a family member "caught reading" in public to earn a bonus badge, 15 extra points, AND a chance to win a Crumbl Cookie gift card!
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