(Photos – ‘Dream Hotel’ cover, Laila Lalami: Beowulf Sheehan)
Pasadena Public Library announced the book selection for the 2026 One City, One Story community reading celebration: The Dream Hotel by critically acclaimed author Laila Lalami. This announcement marks the 24th year of the city’s beloved program, which unites the community to read and discuss a single book, sparking important conversations about literature, identity, and society.
By News Desk
The selection was made by a 19-member committee of dedicated volunteers, led by Senior Librarian Christine Reeder. After months of thoughtful deliberation, The Dream Hotel was chosen for its provocative exploration of surveillance, freedom, and the power of technology in a near-future dystopia.
In The Dream Hotel, Sara, a woman detained by a government agency based on predictive algorithms and data from her dreams, must navigate a Kafkaesque world of shifting rules and increasing oppression. As she fights for her freedom, a new arrival at the detention facility disrupts the rigid system, sending Sara down a dangerous path toward confronting the corporations that control her fate. The novel raises vital questions about the extent to which technology can define or constrain our identities—and whether true freedom is possible in a world that invades even our most personal thoughts.
“One City, One Story has always been about fostering meaningful dialogue within our community, and The Dream Hotel is the perfect vehicle for that conversation,” said Reeder. “Laila Lalami’s masterful storytelling brings to life a compelling narrative that resonates with today’s concerns about privacy, autonomy, and the implications of an increasingly surveilled society. It’s a book that challenges us to reflect on what it means to be free in the modern world.”
Lalami, known for her deeply compelling characters and socially engaged writing, has received widespread acclaim for her work. Her previous novel, The Moor’s Account, won multiple prestigious awards, including the American Book Award and the Arab-American Book Award, and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Her more recent novel, The Other Americans, became a national bestseller and earned numerous accolades, including the Simpson/Joyce Carol Oates Prize. Lalami’s books have been translated into 20 languages, and her essays have appeared in top publications.
The One City, One Story program will culminate in a special conversation with Lalami on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at 2:00 pm at the Pasadena Presbyterian Church, located at 585 E. Colorado Blvd. The event promises to be an inspiring afternoon where the author will discuss the themes of her novel and engage with the community in a rich conversation about the intersection of literature, technology, and society.
Throughout March, the library will host a series of events designed to encourage dialogue and community engagement around the book, including reading groups, educational programs, and other special events.
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