Anchorage Public Library has partnered with Science Friday to bring the Sci Fri Book Club to the science and reading enthusiasts in our community. The SciFri Book Club is a program created by Science Friday to bring people together around all things science reading – anything from sci-fi short stories to nonfiction science books to science articles from various publications to science-y poetry!
There’s lots of ways to participate: Read the book, join our community space, attend an event, or send a message on the SciFri VoxPop app.
This January and February, the SciFri Book Club will read The Kissing Bug: A True Story of a Family, an Insect, and a Nation’s Neglect of a Deadly Disease by Daisy Hernández. Who does the United States take care of, and who does it leave behind? Hernández investigates Chagas disease—a deadly illness that’s more common in the U.S. than Zika virus, yet most Americans have never heard of it. After her aunt died from Chagas, Hernández set out on a journey across the country to understand how this disease could be so widespread yet so hidden. What she uncovered is a story about poverty, racism, and healthcare inequity that will change how you think about infectious disease in America. Through gripping and deeply humane portraits, she introduces us to the patients, doctors, and researchers working to bring this “kissing bug disease” out of the shadows.
The Kissing Bug is a timely, urgent read that connects us to lives and communities that have been overlooked for far too long—and it’s the kind of science storytelling that reminds us why understanding these issues matters.
Get the ebook or audiobook from the Alaska Digital Library or get the audiobook from hoopla. You can also get a copy from your local bookstore.
This Book Club season kicks off on Thursday, January 1, and you can read along with us! We’ll be (loosely) following this schedule, but all our readers are welcome to join us at their own pace:
- January 1-4: Introduction (A Word She Whispers)
- January 5-11
- January 12-18
- January 19-25
- January 26 – February 1
- February 2-8
- February 9-15
- February 16-22
- February 23-28
Plus, we’ll be hosting events throughout the month! Keep an eye out on our website or join our Book Club newsletter to be the first to know.
There are so many ways to dive in and participate! You can purchase a copy of the book (and support the author and SciFri), join the discussion in our online Book Club community, sign up for our email newsletter, or RSVP for our upcoming Book Club events
Join the SciFri Book Club community forum here.
Book Club Meeting
Want to meet other SciFri Book Club members, talk about the book selection, and find more resources for deeper learning—all without leaving your home? Our community meeting is the place for you!
The Kissing Bug
Thursday, February 26
4 PM | Zoom
This discussion meeting will focus on themes and topics featured in The Kissing Bug. You’re welcome to join us no matter your reading progress—come chat with other science-interested folks about infectious disease, medicine, healthcare inequity, and much more.
Author Live Stream
Join us online for a livestream all about the science topics featured in the SciFri Book Club pick. Come with your queries and wonderings—we’ll be taking your questions in the livestream comments!
The Kissing Bug Q&A with Daisy Hernández
Friday, January 30
9 AM | Science Friday's YouTube Livestream
In The Kissing Bug, journalist Daisy Hernández investigates infectious disease in America and the ways our government and healthcare industries prioritize some communities while overlooking others.
