Newton, NC – To heighten awareness of the impact of opioids in our neighborhoods and families, Catawba Valley Community College has chosen Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic as its latest community read. The Catawba County Library will host a discussion about the compelling book at 2 pm on Saturday, February 23 at the Main Library in Newton.

Dreamland traces the growth of the opioid problem through a variety of developments, including the marketing of synthetic painkillers and the influx of heroin brought in from the West Coast of Mexico. Dreamland’s author, Sam Quinones, is a journalist by training, and his ability to track causes, find connections, and share personal stories brings the history of the epidemic to life – often heartbreakingly so.

The novel weaves together the threads of parents, survivors, officers, drug developers, and traffickers to show the extent of the problem and the scope of its involvement in American life.

Next month, CVCC and the Catawba County Library will host an author’s talk and visit by Quinones, who will speak on Tuesday, March 26 at 11 am at CVCC’s Tarlton Complex and at 6pm at the Newton-Conover Auditorium.

For more information about Catawba County Libraries, visit www.catawbacountync.gov/library, call 828.465.8664, email [email protected], or visit them on Facebook.