New York Times bestselling author Kate Quinn spoke at Appalachian State University on Sept. 17, delivering insights on her career and advocating for the crucial role of libraries in society. The event, hosted by App State’s Department of English in collaboration with University Libraries, took place at the Grandview Ballroom. Quinn discussed how libraries serve as vital institutions that preserve knowledge and provide access to diverse ideas.
Quinn issued a strong call to action, urging attendees to support local libraries. She emphasized the need to "Protect your local libraries. Support them, fund them, use them," advocating for measures to ensure their survival against book bans, budget cuts, and bureaucratic neglect. She described libraries as “beacons in the dark,” stressing the importance of preventing their decline.
Dean of University Libraries, Sue Polanka, echoed Quinn's concerns regarding access to books and literacy. Polanka expressed worry over a decline in full-length reading among young people, noting that many are reading only chapters or short stories rather than complete books. She also voiced significant apprehension about book banning, viewing it as an action that removes the right to read from individuals seeking books on topics that others deem unsuitable.
These concerns align with themes in Quinn’s latest novel, “The Astral Library,” released in February. The book explores the power of libraries and the accessible worlds they offer readers, following a character who discovers a hidden library allowing escape into favorite books. Quinn reflected that writing the novel became more than mere escapism, evolving into a personal dedication to the world of books, libraries, and readers that has shaped her life.
During her talk, Quinn also explained her transition from writing historical fiction to fantasy, highlighting surprising similarities between the two genres. She noted that both historical fiction and fantasy can serve as lenses to examine contemporary societal issues, regardless of whether their settings are in the past or in imagined worlds. She clarified that the genres are "not as far apart as you might think" in their ability to reflect on humanity’s current challenges by looking through a different context.
Quinn elaborated that both genres demand extensive “world building,” requiring writers to construct detailed and authentic environments for their stories, whether historically accurate or entirely imagined. She asserted that fictional worlds, even those “populated by spaceships or elves,” often have profound insights to offer about the society we live in. Quinn further discussed how fiction can illustrate the non-linear nature of human rights progress, describing history not as a steady march but as a “jagged” path involving advances and setbacks. She concluded that both historical fiction and fantasy have the power to highlight this complex progression.
