Ventura County Library Joins One Book, One Coast, the West Coast’s Largest Book Club Connecting Communities Across Three States

Ventura County Library invites the community to take part in One Book, One Coast, a powerful shared reading experience connecting more than 130 library systems across California, Oregon, and Washington. The program will run from April through May 2026, culminating in a special live-streamed author talk at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 31, 2026.

As the largest book club on the West Coast, One Book, One Coast brings readers together around one book to create opportunities for conversation, reflection, and meaningful connection across neighborhoods, cities, and state lines.

Ventura County Library and its partners will read and discuss They Called Us Enemy, co-written by George Takei, Steven Scott, and Justin Eisinger and illustrated by Harmony Becker. Physical copies of the book will be available to borrow from all Ventura County Library branches beginning April 15. Through this shared reading experience, communities are encouraged to explore themes of identity, patriotism, family, loyalty, and resilience while strengthening connections through dialogue and learning.

How to Participate

Beginning April 15, community members may borrow physical copies of They Called Us Enemy from Ventura County Library.

Ventura County Library, in collaboration with the Blanchard Community Library and the Museum of Ventura County, will also host a community talk with Dr. Lily Tamai designed to bring community members together in conversation. This event will take place at 6pm on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula (926 Railroad Avenue). Dr. Tamai is an Assistant Professor of Asian American Studies at California State University Channel Islands.

About the Book

They Called Us Enemy is a powerful graphic memoir by George Takei that reflects on civil liberties, democracy, and what it means to be American — both historically and today.

Author Talk with George Takei

To close the program, George Takei will appear for a special author talk and book signing on Sunday, May 31 at 2 p.m. at East Los Angeles Library. The event will be livestreamed on YouTube, allowing readers across the region to participate together. A link to the livestream will be shared with customers in the coming months.

For more information about the 2026 One Book, One Coast program, visit library.venturacounty.gov or contact Ron Solórzano at ron.solorzano@ventura.org or (805) 218-9146.

The Ventura County Library is available 24/7 at library.venturacounty.gov. Please visit our website for information on the location and hours of the library closest to you.