West Oakland Book Club X Oakland Public Library

This book club meetup is all about good conversation and community. Whether you’ve read every page or just started the book, bring your thoughts, questions, and vibes.

This month, the West Oakland Book Club dives into I, Medusa by Ayana Gray.

Meddy has spent her whole life as a footnote in someone else’s story. Out of place next to her beautiful, immortal sisters and her parents—both gods, albeit minor ones—she dreams of leaving her family’s island for a life of adventure. So when she catches the eye of the goddess Athena, who invites her to train as an esteemed priestess in her temple, Meddy leaps at the chance to see the world beyond her home.

In the colorful market streets of Athens and the clandestine chambers of the temple, Meddy flourishes in her role as Athena’s favored acolyte, getting her first tastes of purpose and power. But when she is noticed by another Olympian, Poseidon, the course of Meddy’s promising future is suddenly and irrevocably altered.

When her locs are transformed into snakes as punishment for a crime she did not commit, Medusa must embrace a new identity—not as a victim, but as a vigilante—and with it, the chance to write her own story as mortal, martyr, and myth.

Exploding with rage, heartbreak, and love, I, Medusa portrays a young woman caught in the crosscurrents between her heart’s deepest desires and the cruel, careless games the Olympian gods play.

**About West Oakland Library**

The West Oakland Branch of the Oakland Public Library, established in 1977, serves as a vital resource and gathering place for the West Oakland community. Situated at 1801 Adeline Street, the branch offers a diverse collection of materials, including books, DVDs, CDs, magazines, and newspapers for patrons of all ages. Notably, it houses a dedicated African American collection, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the neighborhood, as well as smaller collections in Arabic and Spanish, catering to the area's linguistic diversity. The library also features graphic novel collections suitable for all age groups, supporting a wide range of reading interests.

Beyond its collections, the West Oakland Branch provides various amenities to support community engagement and learning. Facilities include accessible bathrooms, computers, copiers, fax machines, meeting rooms, parking, printing services, scanners, and study rooms. The branch hosts a variety of events and programs, such as family storytimes and tenants' rights clinics, fostering a sense of community and providing valuable resources to residents. As part of the Oakland Public Library system, the West Oakland Branch exemplifies a commitment to serving the educational and cultural needs of its patrons.

**About Oakland Public Library**

The Oakland Public Library is a part of the City of Oakland in California and has been in existence since 1878. They have:

• a Main Library
• Seventeen branch libraries
• The Second Start Adult Literacy Program
• The Tool Lending Library
• The African-American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO).
• The Oakland History Center

They offer a range of additional services for residents of Oakland and California. They get support from the lively Friends of the Library group and the Library Advisory Commission. They also have local Library Friends groups around the city. More at: https://oaklandlibrary.org/

**About Sistah Scifi**

Started in 2019 by Isis Asare, Sistah Scifi is the first Black-owned bookstore focused on science fiction and fantasy in the United States, as validated by the American Booksellers Association, and has a community of nearly 60K points of contact with engaged readers across the country. The bookstore has been featured in The Seattle Times, KQED, Oprah Magazine, Buzzfeed, USA Today, KTVU, The New York Times, South Seattle Emerald and many more.

Sistah Scifi's mission is to double the number of Black and Indigenous Speculative Fiction authors on the New York Times bestseller list by 2030. Read more here.

Check out Sistah Scifi's bookshop.org page

**About Ayana Gray**

Ayana Gray is a New York Times bestselling author. Her works have been translated in a dozen languages across five continents and have received critical acclaim at the state and national level. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, she now lives and writes in Arkansas. Read more here.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Sistah Scifi