Foundation to welcome author of slavery book

The author of a book that traces the impact of slavery down through the generations will speak at the first event hosted by the Peters Township LibraryFoundation.

Yaa Gyasi, author of “Homegoing,” will speak Nov. 9 at The Bible Chapel in Peters.

Her book tells the story of two half sisters who are separated, with one being sold into slavery and the other marrying a British slave owner. The novel spans seven generations and 300 years of the family’shistory.

“‘Homegoing’ is a beautifully written book that helps us to understand the legacy of enslavement and how it affects the generations that follow,” said Maura Kelly, president of the Peters Township LibraryFoundation.

“The book is raw, powerful and honest and allows the reader to better understand how the triumphs, tragedies and tenacity of the human spirit help us to overcome adversity,” she said.

Ms. Gyasi is the recipient of the PEN/Hemingway Award, which is awarded annually to a novel by an American author who has not previously published a fulllength book of fiction.

“Homegoing” also was nameda “notable book” by The New York Times and the Washington Post and one of the best books of the yearby NPR and Time.

She was born in Ghana and raised in Huntsville, Ala.She has a bachelor’s in English from Stanford University and a master’s of fine arts from the Iowa Writers’Workshop.

The Peters Township Library Foundation was started in May 2016 to provide financial and volunteersupport to the library.

The event begins at 7 p.m. Nov. 9 in The Bible Chapel, South Hills Campus, 300 Gallery Drive, Peters. Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for adults and are on sale at www.ptlibrary.org or at the circulation desk at the library, 616 E. McMurray Road.

A limited number of tickets will be sold for $60 for a VIP event that starts at 6:15 p.m.