Largo, Maryland – Prince Georgians are invited to participate in a countywide shared reading experience this winter and spring. The second annual Prince George’s County Reads initiative, co-presented by the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System (PGCMLS), Prince George’s County Office of Human Rights (PGCOHR), and University of Maryland’s Center for Literary and Comparative Studies, is an opportunity for community members to develop a greater understanding for the cultural diversity in the Prince George’s County by engaging in discussions and special programs with neighbors. The featured book for 2022/2023 is “Fatty Fatty Boom Boom: A Memoir of Food, Fat, and Family,” by New York Times bestselling author, attorney, and Bowie, Maryland resident Rabia Chaudry. 

“PGCMLS and its partners are thrilled to celebrate the accomplishments of Bowie-based author and advocate Rabia Chaudry with the selection of her book for Prince George’s County Reads,” said Nicholas A. Brown, Acting Co-Chief Executive Officer, PGCMLS. “Her memoir provides countless opportunities for local readers to advance their awareness of important issues, including immigrant identity, gender, and body image, that have an impact on daily life in Prince George’s County.”

Chaudry’s new book chronicles her Pakistani immigrant family’s journey to the United States, her relationship with her body image, and how food and culture are strongly intertwined. The 2022/2023 Prince George’s County Reads series kicks off with an author talk and signing by Rabia Chaudry at the Greenbelt Branch Library on Tuesday, December 6 at 6 pm. She will be in conversation with Renée Battle-Brooks, Executive Director, PGCOHR, and Kyla Hanington, Public Outreach and Engagement Division Manager, PGCOHR. Community members are also invited to participate in virtual book discussions on January 26, March 30, and May 25 at 7 pm ET.

Culinary historian and scholar Michael W. Twitty notes “Rabia Chaudry has given us the next chapter in the story of how food shapes self and how self shapes food. Here is an American, a South Asian woman writing at the intersection of food, tradition, gender, the body and pressures without and the journey within. This is an important and savory work.”

“Fatty Fatty Boom Boom” is available for borrowing through PGCMLS in print, eBook, and eAudiobook formats. Copies of the book are available for purchase through Mahogany Books.

Event Listing

Rabia Chaudry on “Fatty Fatty Boom Boom” - Author Talk & Signing
2022/2023 Prince George’s County Reads Kickoff Event
Tuesday, December 6, 2022, 6-7:30 pm
Greenbelt Branch Library, 11 Crescent Road, Greenbelt, MD 20770
Free, registration recommended | Livestream on YouTube
Books available for purchase at the event through the PGCMLS Foundation

Prince George’s County Reads Countywide Book Discussion Series (Virtual)

Free, registration recommended

• Thursday, January 26, 2023, 7-8 pm - Topic: Body Image
• Thursday, March 30, 2023, 7-8 pm - Topic: Women’s Rights 
• Thursday, May 25, 2023, 7-8 pm - Topic: Immigrant Experience

About Rabia Chaudry

Rabia Chaudry is a Bowie, Maryland-based bestselling author, attorney, and podcast producer/host. She is widely known for her first book, “Adnan’s Story,” and work as a co-producer and co-host of several investigative podcasts, including The 45th, The Hidden Djinn, Nighty Night, and Undisclosed. She is executive producer of HBO’s “The Case Against Adnan Syed” and her podcast “Undisclosed” has over 400 million downloads, leading to the exoneration of many wrongfully incarcerated individuals. Her distinguished career as a scholar and advocate has included roles as an Aspen Institute/Anti-Defamation League Civil Society Fellow, Truman National Security Project Fellow, and U.S. Institute of Peace Fellow. She holds a law degree from George Mason School of Law, which led her to a legal practice in the areas of immigration and civil rights law.

About Prince George’s County Reads

Each year, Prince Georgians are invited to participate in a countywide read to learn and discuss historical or contemporary topics that are relevant to everyday life in Prince George’s County. By sharing a reading journey, community members can develop new points of connection with each other. Featured books and authors are selected by the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System and Prince George’s County Office of Human Rights.

• 2022/2023: “Fatty Fatty Boom Boom: A Memoir of Food, Fat, and Family” by Rabia Chaudry
• 2021/2022: “A Question of Freedom: The Families Who Challenged Slavery from the Nation’s Founding to the Civil War” by William G. Thomas III

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About the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System

The Prince George’s County Memorial Library System (PGCMLS) helps customers discover and define opportunities that shape their lives. The Library serves the 967,000+ residents of Prince George’s County, Maryland through 19 branch libraries, a 24/7 online library, and pop-up services throughout the community. PGCMLS is a responsive and trusted community-driven organization. Programs, services, and outreach activities serve book lovers, immigrants and refugees, job seekers, children, young professionals, seniors, and families alike. PGCMLS is the recipient of the 2021 Urban Libraries Council Top Innovator Award for Workforce and Economic Development. Learn more at pgcmls.info/about-us.

About Prince George’s County Office of Human Rights

The Prince George’s County Office of Human Rights is committed to the pursuit of justice for those harmed by discriminatory behavior, predatory acts, and denial of services through thorough investigations; a cohesive response to human trafficking through its Human Trafficking Division; enforcement of language access to equal government services for all; and robust education and outreach to build community and to reduce incidents of hate, bias, and violence.

About University of Maryland Center for Literary and Comparative Studies

University of Maryland Department of English’s hub for intellectual exchange in creative writing, English language, rhetorical, and literary studies, the Center for Literary and Comparative Studies helps faculty, staff, and students share ideas with one another and the world. The Center showcases the research and creative activities of the department as well as helps develop new knowledge in literary and comparative studies. It actively promotes collaboration with other departments and programs, such as the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures; classics; women's studies; American studies; and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies Program. In this way, the Center serves as a focal point within the University of Maryland for cross-disciplinary dialogue in the humanities.