In this year’s All Henrico Reads title, Gray Dawn, author Walter Mosley transports readers back to 1970s Los Angeles. Historically, we enter a world on the heels of the Civil Rights movement, an era defined by newfound freedoms, cultural pride, and the fight against enduring racism. We also see the rise of Second Wave feminism, more women entering the work force, and a nation still at war. Culturally, Los Angeles had become the music and film capital of the world, attracting big-name actors, musicians, and dreamers alike.

With a setting so rich in history and culture, while reading Gray Dawn we found ourselves wishing for an accompanying soundtrack. What would protagonist Detective Easy Rawlins listen to while driving through Los Angeles, trying to crack the case?

Celebrate HERstory at HCPL. This Women's History Month, visit the library to join a book discussion, learn about women both past and present, and put your women's history knowledge to the test. Read on for a list of upcoming programs as well as titles from our collection that highlight trailblazing women and their stories. 

This February, HCPL is highlighting Black Voices. And with next month’s All Henrico Reads event on the horizon—an evening with author Walter Mosley and his latest novel, Gray Dawn—we thought what better time is there to feature Black mystery writers from our collection. So, if you’re searching for your next detective Easy Rawlins, here’s a selection of mystery, crime, and noir titles to add to your TBR (to-be-read) list.

New York, London, Milan, Paris… it’s Fashion Week season and Henrico County Public Library is serving books to inspire your looks. Read on to find runway-inspired reads for the fashion-conscious kids, teens, and adults in your lives.

The Winter Olympics are upon us, and we’re highlighting the country where it all began over two thousand years ago: Greece! Often referred to as “the cradle of Western civilization,” Greece is located in Southern Europe on the Balkan Peninsula and is known for being a premiere vacation destination with amazing food, famous historical sites, and rich culture. So, in honor of the country that brought us the Olympics (as well as the alphabet, democracy, and gyros…), here is a list of fiction and non-fiction reads related to all things Greece. Opa!

This year the United States is celebrating its Semiquincentennial, the 250^th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which secured freedom for our nation. Join HCPL (and all of Virginia!) over the coming months for performances, lectures, and more to commemorate this once in a lifetime event. Read on for upcoming programs and titles from our collection that explore life during the American Revolution.

Commemorate Black History Month at the library and learn about the impact of Black Richmonders on the history and culture of our region, create art inspired by influential Black artists, listen to African folktales, and more. Read on for our full list of upcoming performances, book discussions, film screenings, and lectures, as well as some highlights from our collection.

With over 60 books to his credit and nearly every mystery writing award on his resume, we are excited to announce that this year’s signature community reading program, All Henrico Reads, will feature bestselling author Walter Mosley and his latest release, Gray Dawn. We invite the community to join us on Thursday, March 26 at 7 PM at the Henrico Sports and Events Center for an evening with the author, including an in-person discussion, Q&A, book sales from Book People, and a book signing. The event is free and open to the public. Read on for more information about this year’s all-community read and how to partake in the fun leading up to Mosley’s visit.

Greatest Generation, Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, Generation Z, Generation Alpha: no matter what age demographic you are in, there’s a trend that affects us all. We are all getting older. Not just individually, but as a society.

The World Health Organization reports that every country in the world is seeing growth in the number and proportion of older persons in the population. This is happening on a local level, too. In Virginia, the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service reports that 1 in 5 Virginians will be over 65 years by 2030.

The fact that people are living longer is positive news, but with it, comes a need to be prepared.