Read Contra Costa

Read Contra Costa is an annual event that encourages all county residents and library users to share in the experience of reading and discussing the same book. The program runs from Tuesday, September 2 through Saturday, November 8, 2025. 

This year, a committee of dedicated library staff had the pleasure of choosing the award winning James by Percival Everett. Everett's novel, which won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award for fiction in 2025, is a powerful retelling of Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The story is told from the perspective of Jim, an enslaved man who runs away after he discovers he's about to be sold and separated from his family.

Join us by reading James and sharing your thoughts. The book is available in hardback, eBook and eAudiobook formats.

Look for upcoming announcements about special events, booklists and information about local book clubs will be available beginning on Tuesday, September 2.

This year, the Contra Costa County Library is proud to partner with Los Medanos College and the Richmond Public Library to bring this program to the community.

For more information about how to participate through the Richmond Public Library, visit www.richmondlibrary.org beginning September 2.