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.
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!
Dinner with King Tut
Thursday, October 30 (POSTPONED)
New date: Thursday, November 6
4 PM | Zoom
This discussion meeting will focus on themes and topics featured in Dinner with King Tut. You’re welcome to join us no matter your reading progress—come chat with other science-interested folks about archaeology, sensory history, cultural memory, the science of experimental methods, and more.
Plus, we’re doing a special HALLOWEEN MEETING! Come dressed as your favorite book (even a t-shirt is fine), and I’ll send you a special “treat” as a thank you.
This November, the SciFri Book Club will read Why We Die: The New Science of Aging and the Quest for Immortality by Venki Ramakrishnan. The knowledge of death is so terrifying that we live most of our lives in denial of it. But today, we are living through a revolution in biology. Giant strides are being made in understanding why we age—and why some species live longer than others. Could we eventually cheat disease and death and live for a very long time, possibly many times our current lifespan? Venki Ramakrishnan, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry and former president of the Royal Society, takes us on a riveting journey to the frontiers of biology, asking whether we must be mortal.
Why We Die brings together a range of topics, including medical science, biology, physiology, mortality, ethics, and more.
Get the Ebook or audiobook from the Alaska Digital Library or the audiobook from hoopla. You can also get a copy from your local bookstore.
This Book Club season kicks off Saturday, November 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:
- November 1-10: Introduction and Chapters 1-4
- November 11-17: Chapters 5-8
- November 18-24: Chapters 9-12
- November 25-30: Final Thoughts
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!
Why We Die
Thursday, November 20
4 PM | Zoom
This discussion meeting will focus on themes and topics featured in Why We Die. You’re welcome to join us no matter your reading progress—come chat with other science-interested folks about medical science, biology, physiology, mortality, ethics, and 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!
Why We Die
Monday, November 17
10 AM | Science Friday's YouTube Livestream
In Why We Die, Venki Ramakrishnan invites readers to experience history with all five senses, pairing rigorous research with hands-on experiments to revive everyday life in past civilizations.
Upcoming Selections
- December: The Biggest Ideas in the Universe: Space, Time, and Motion by Sean Carroll.
