The Howard City Library Book Club will discuss Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games on August 16 at 6:30 in the city library.  Written in a dystopian world that the reader may infer is a futuristic authoritarian American society created out of the ashes of the “Great Darkness,” Panem is controlled by the Capitol, located in the Rocky Mountains .  Each of the twelve districts contributes its own specialty to the Capitol such as coal mining, agriculture, seafood, etc. 

The Hunger Games are an annual tradition that are broadcast live to each district and to the Capitol for amusement and to exert control over Panem.  It’s a reality show on steroids, pitting teenaged “tribunes” selected by lottery from each district against each other to fight to the death.  Only one tribune survives. 

 Although the premise of the novel is stomach-churning, Hunger Games is fast-paced and very well written, leading to discussion of our present society, reality shows, control by fear, and the role of government. 

 Join in the discussion on August 16.  If you have questions, call the library at 620-374-2890 or Leota Coats at 620-374-5072.