Events › Adult Book Discussion: Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead

Please join the Richard J Daley Library in Bridgeport for a book discussion of Drive your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk.

Tokarczuk's captivating novel, following her renowned Flights (2018), opens with narrator Janina Duszejko learning that a neighbor, whom she calls Big Foot, has suddenly died on a cold winter night. An off-season caretaker for homes in a remote Polish village, Janina accompanies her fellow year-round local, known as Oddball, to prepare for the authorities. Big Foot's death, however, isn't a singular event. When others are later found dead, both members of the community and outliers, rumors grow that their demises are the result of strangely nefarious activities. A devoted pupil of astronomy, Janina has few relationships, but they are fierce, and she mounts her own inquiries while navigating the matter-of-fact realities of her physical ailments. As the seasons change, Janina finds herself summarily dismissed by authorities and locals alike, all the while maintaining her beliefs that the perpetrators may not be human at all as the action surges toward a gripping conclusion. Mythical and distinctive, Tokarczuk's translated novel erupts off the page, artfully telling a linear tale while also weaving in the metaphysical, multilayered nuances of Janina's life.

Accessibility
Need sign language interpretation or other accessibility assistance for this event? Please call (312) 747-8184 or email access@chipublib.org to request accommodations. Requests must be made at least 14 business days before the event.