An Evening with Laila Lalami

On Tuesday, February 17, 2026, we welcomed Laila Lalami, Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award finalist and Distinguished Professor in UCR's Department of Creative Writing, to the Tomás Rivera Library Special Collections Reading Room for an evening centered on her latest novel, The Dream Hotel.

Jay Kay and Doris Klein Librarian for Science Fiction and Fantasy Dr. Phoenix Alexander led the conversation. Here are a few photos from the night.