CELEBRATE ONE CITY, ONE STORY

PASADENA, Calif. - Chosen from a field of thought-provoking nominees, the book selection for Pasadena's 24th One City, One Story community reading celebration is The Dream Hotel by author Laila Lalami.

This national bestseller has sparked an intriguing blend of book discussions, films, lectures and events throughout March, encouraging the community to join in conversation about the book and the themes it covers. Hosted by Pasadena Public Library, all events are free and open to the public.

ABOUT THE NOVEL

The Dream Hotel is a riveting and utterly original novel about one woman's fight for freedom, set in a near future when even dreams are under surveillance. In this dystopian novel, Sara is detained by agents from the Risk Assessment Administration who have determined, using data from her dreams and an algorithm, that she will soon commit a crime. At the retention center, her detainment is continually extended with every deviation from the ever-shifting rules of the facility. Release seems impossible, until a new resident arrives, disrupting the order of the facility and leading Sara on a collision course with the very companies that have deprived her of her freedom.

Eerie, urgent and ceaselessly clear-eyed, The Dream Hotel artfully explores questions of freedom, technological advances, and whether even the most invasive forms of surveillance can ever capture who we really are.

AUTHOR EVENT

Join us for a conversation with author Laila Lalami and Pasadena Public Library Director Tim McDonald. A question-and-answer session will immediately follow. Lalami's book will be available for sale and signing.
Saturday, March 21 • 1:45 p.m. Prelude, 2 p.m. Conversation with the Author • Pasadena Presbyterian Church, 585 E. Colorado Blvd.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Free IT Café
Offering free 1:1 tech support in English and Spanish for older adults. Presented by Pasadena Village.
Saturday, March 7 • 10 am - noon • 236 W. Mountain St., #113
Introduction to Generative AI
Join us as we separate fact from fiction and use GenAI in this introduction to large language models. This session includes hands-on practice with generative artificial intelligence. Bring your own laptop or use one of the library laptops. Presented by Bridgid Fennell, USC Librarian and Pasadena Public Library Commissioner. Sponsored by the Linda Vista Library Associates.
Saturday, March 7 • 2 p.m. • Linda Vista Branch Library, 1281 Bryant St.

Dreams, Data, and Destiny: How AI and Emerging Science Will Shape Our Future Lives
The discussion will be anchored by Dr. Rashid Alavi, the J. G. Boswell Fellow at HMRI and Caltech, and will explore timely questions about science, medicine, and society through conversation rather than a technical lecture, making it accessible to a general audience.Thursday, March 12 • 6 -7 p.m. • Huntington Medical Research Institute, 686 S Fair Oaks Ave.
Frankenstein: Myths and the Real Story?
The popularity of Frankenstein points to a shared cultural understanding that the moral and ethical questions posed by Mary Shelley's classic 1818 novel are the same ones society is grappling with today in the age of AI. Join the discussion of the novel's themes, such as creator responsibility, the consequences of unchecked technological ambition, and societal rejection of the "creation" which are seen as highly relevant to contemporary debates surrounding the development and governance of AI.

Presented by Rosemary Choate, Comparative Literature/Humanities instructor and founder, Pomona College Alumni Book Club
Sunday, March 15 • 3 p.m. • Hastings Branch Library, 3255 E. Orange Grove Blvd.

The Beginner's Guide to Dream Interpretation
Presenter Dr. Michael Lennox specializes in dream exploration and the ways in which our dreams can empower us, offering a strong counterpoint to The Dream Hotel in which data from algorithms interpret our dreams and set us on a collision course with our freedom. Sponsored by the La Pintoresca Library Associates.
Monday, March 16 • 3 p.m. • Vroman's Bookstore, 695 East Colorado Blvd.

PPL Anywhere! eResouces
Learn about all the ways the library is available to you in your home or wherever you go. Presented by Shauna Redmond, Virtual Services Manager, Pasadena Public Library
Thursday, March 19 • 2 p.m. • Pasadena Senior Center, 85 East Holly St.

Community Book Discussions
Take part in one or all of these community discussions centered on our 2026 One City, One Story book selection. For ages 18+ unless specified.

iBook Club of Pasadena
To attend, sign up at CityOfPasadena.net/Library/Calendar/.Monday, March 9 • 3-5 p.m. • Zoom

Lamanda Park Book Discussion
Monday, March 9 • 3:30 p.m. • Lamanda Park Branch Library, 140 S. Altadena Dr.

Allendale Book Discussion Group
Saturday, March 14 • 10:30 a.m. • Allendale Branch Library, 1130 S. Marengo Ave.

Pasadena Readers
Monday, March 16 • 3 p.m.• Santa Catalina Branch Library, 999 E. Washington Blvd.

Online Book Group
For ages 50+.
To attend, sign up at CityOfPasadena.net/Library/Calendar/.
Saturday, March 21 • 10:30 a.m. • Zoom

West Pasadena Book Discussion Group
Saturday, March 21 • 10:30 a.m. • San Rafael Branch Library, 1240 Nithsdale Rd.

Great Literature & Discussion Group
Mondays, March 23 & 30 • 10 a.m. • Lamanda Park Branch Library, 140 S. Altadena Dr.

Octavia E. Butler Sci Fi Book Club
Saturday, March 28 • 3 p.m. • La Pintoresca Branch Library, 1355 N. Raymond Ave.

FILM SERIES
Wednesdays • 1 p.m.
Lamanda Park Branch Library • 140 S. Altadena Dr.

Presented by The Friends of the Pasadena Public Library.

This month's film selections complement and expand on the themes of the 2026 One City, One Story selection, The Dream Hotel.

March 11 - Frequency (2000) PG-13
What if you had the chance to travel back in time and change just one event in your life? What would it be? For John Sullivan, there is no question. He would undo the events of October 12, 1969, when the out-of-control Bruxton fire took the life of his father, a heroic firefighter. Now John may get exactly what he wished for -- and much more than he bargained for.

March 18 - Déjà vu (2006) PG-13

A top-secret team brings ATF agent Doug Carlin into its midst to capture the terrorist responsible for a ferry bombing that left hundreds dead. The team's surveillance program technology lets them fold time four days backward and see the madman's movements as he plots to kill a woman who could give him away. Doug realizes that the technology could allow him to do what law enforcement officers dream of -- go back in time to prevent the crime.

March 25 - Source Code (2011) PG-13
Helicopter pilot Colter Stevens is part of a top-secret military operation that enables him to experience the last few minutes in the life of Sean Fentress, a man who died in a commuter-train explosion. The purpose of Colter's mission is to learn the identity of the bomber and prevent a similar catastrophe. As Colter lives Sean's final moments, he becomes more certain that he can prevent the first tragedy from occurring -- as long as he doesn't run out of time.

One City, One Story Installation
What does home mean to you? Share a short reflection, dream or memory inspired by The Dream Hotel, creating a growing installation. Visit our Dreams of Home Wall throughout the month of March to add your words, drawings or photos. Together, we'll build a collective portrait of what "home" means to our community.
Monday, March 2 -Tuesday, March 31 • 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. • Santa Catalina Branch Library, 999 E. Washington Blvd.

Pasadena Public Library's annual One City, One Story program is designed to broaden and deepen an appreciation of reading and literature in the community, engage participants in dialogue and bring Pasadenans together by promoting greater understanding of differing points of view. The novel is available for check-out at all Pasadena public libraries and for sale at local bookstores.

One City, One Story is sponsored by The Friends of the Pasadena Public Library and the Pasadena Literary Alliance - Pasadena Festival of Women Authors. Special thanks to our community partners: Huntington Medical Research Institute, Pasadena Senior Center, Pasadena Village, and Vroman's Bookstore.

For more information about One City, One Story, visit http://CityOfPasadena.Libguides.com/OneCityOneStory.

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