It’s a team-up of comic book proportions.
The University of Texas Permian Basin and Odessa Arts are joining forces to promote One Book Odessa in the Permian Basin.
Founded to encourage literacy and reading throughout Ector County, One Book Odessa was started in 2011 and includes several events that focus on the book’s theme.
This year’s novel is “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay,” by Michael Chabon, who was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction in 2001 for his work.
Following the lives of cousins Joe Kavalier and Sammy Clay, the novel tells their story while interweaving alongside the Golden Age of comic books.
In addition to his novels, Chabon has written for film and television, receiving credit for the story of “Spider-Man 2,” “John Carter,” and as co-creator and showrunner for “Star Trek: Picard.”
“We try to find authors that normally wouldn’t come to this part of the state and expose people to a new voice in literature,” Odessa Arts Executive Director Randy Ham said. “Because we are kind of remote out here in West Texas, bringing Michael Chabon out here is a huge deal.”
Chabon will also be the guest speaker at the UTPB Shepperd Leadership Institute Distinguished Lecture Series scheduled for 7 p.m. Sunday at the Wagner Nöel Performing Arts Center.
Ham, along with Executive Director of the Lecture Series Monic Tschauner, will host the interview portion before opening it up to audience questions.
Copies of Chabon’s book will be on sale and the author will autograph for a short time.
Celebrating 50 years in the Permian Basin, Director of Special Events of the Shepperd Leadership Institute Savannah Woodward said the free event is a chance for the public to meet artists they may not know.
“This is such an important event to our community, and we cannot do that without our partners and sponsors,” Woodward said.
If you go
- What: UTPB Shepperd Leadership Institute Distinguished Lecture Series featuring Michael Chabon.
- When: 7 p.m. Sunday.
- Where: The Wagner Nöel Performing Arts Center, 1310 Farm-to-Market 1788, Midland.
- Cost: Free.
- Call: 432-552-2852 for more information.
