Progressive political analyst Michael Parenti will speak at the Pleasant Hill Library on Wednesday, Jan. 24, as part of the Contra Costa Library's Civic Engagement lecture series .

Parenti will discuss the past and present struggle to vote and its significance for democracy. There is no charge to attend the lecture, which begins at 7 p.m. .

Parenti has written 20 books and many more articles on subjects ranging from "Democracy for the Few", "The Terrorism Trap" and "Superpatriotism" to "The Assassination of Julius Caesar." His subjects are wide-ranging, including, among others, democracy and economic power to imperialism, ethnic class experience and political bias in the media.

The Civic Engagement Lecture Series brings significant speakers on the political process to Contra Costa libraries. The most recent speaker was San Francisco Chronicle columnist Debra Saunders.