In a parallel universe where literature is pop culture and the lines between fiction and reality blur, a master criminal runs amuck in the pages of Jane Eyre, and literary detective Thursday Next is on the case. So goes The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde, librarian Diana Hyle’s pick for the 2011 Adult Winter Reading Program. Click “Read more” to watch the video.

The annual Adult Winter Reading Program runs from January 10 – March 13, 2011, at all Kansas City Public Library locations. The 2011 program offers a chance to win a Nook e-reader as well as the opportunity to see Jasper Fforde in person on March 17, at the Plaza Branch, where he will discuss his new book, One of Our Thursdays Is Missing.

The theme, Altered States, features masterful writers from a wide spectrum of genres to provide unique perspectives on what our lives might look like if humanity took a different turn – or takes a dive in the future. Find out how you can participate in the program, which includes book discussions and film screenings – in addition to a lot of great reading.