The Diane Rehm Book Club selection for March is “Demon Copperhead” by Barbara Kingsolver.
Named one of the 10 best books of 2022 by the New York Times, the novel tells the story of Damon – nicknamed Demon, a boy growing up in southern Appalachia, as he moves through foster care, failing schools, and a system that has left people like him behind. Through narration filled with humor and heart, Demon confronts the challenges of opioid addiction, and struggles to find a positive future for himself.
Kingsolver based the story on Charles Dickens’s “David Copperfield,” which Dickens wrote in response to his own experiences of institutional poverty and the damage it can do to children. Ron Charles of the Washington Post wrote that Kingsolver has “reignited the moral indignation of the great Victorian novelist” in a work that is “equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking.”
And we want to hear from you! What do you want to ask our panelists about the book? We will take questions from the audience -- please submit your questions here.
Join Diane Rehm on Wednesday, March 29 starting at 1:00 p.m. ET for a discussion, with a panel of special guests, about “Demon Copperhead.” Diane will be joined by Beth Macy, author of “Dopesick,” “Factory Man,” and “Raising Lazarus”; Mark Athitakis, independent book critic whose work frequently appears in the Washington Post; and Amanda Claybaugh, professor of English and dean of undergraduate education at Harvard University and author of “The Novel of Purpose: Literature and Social Reform in the Anglo-American World.” The panel discussion will be followed by a conversation with Barbara Kingsolver. She’ll talk about her own Appalachian roots and why she felt moved to shine a light on the hard truths of her region.
Registration
To participate in the Diane Rehm Book Club and Conversation with Barbara Kingsolver, you must register by 12:00 p.m. ET on March 29, which you can now do on on one page!
Please note: We've also updated our ticketing options. You can now attend the full event including panel discussion and author interview for a lower suggested donation of $12. To attend the panel discussion only, there is a suggested donation of $5. There is also an alternate option at the bottom of the registration page for those unable to donate at this time
All registered participants will receive an email with instructions on how to connect to our virtual events on Zoom. Live closed captioning will be available.
Questions
If you have further questions, please contact us at [email protected].
