Category Archives: Issue #1

Feb 2013

Something in Common

By bicadmin | Published: February 20, 2013
Dawn Stuart

Welcome to Books In Common, from Director Dawn Stuart

For more than a decade I’ve chatted with thousands of literary event planners. From Community Reads committee chairs, to All Campus/Freshman Class Reads staff, to Literary Festival organizers, and beyond, I’ve been part of the process. I’ve helped select book titles that work for a particular type of event and community. I’ve supplied information on speaking fees and author schedules, and organized the details of the author’s visit. Every person and venue is unique, but we all have something in common: we’re passionate about books and inspiring more people to read and share their literary experience with others.

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The Longest Way Home for Andrew McCarthy

By bicadmin | Published: February 20, 2013
Andrew McCarthy

“It has to be the connection that happens with the people,” says author and actor, Andrew McCarthy, explaining what he enjoys most about meeting his readers when he does literary events. “When I’m telling a story and I see the heads begin to nod, that identification is a really satisfying thing. You sit in a room alone for a year, spilling your guts onto the page, then the book goes out into the world. It’s nice to know it’s been received.”

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Survey: Organizers of School-based Author Events, Let Us Know Your Thoughts

By bicadmin | Published: February 20, 2013

As part of our ongoing efforts to help match up events with the very best books for their particular needs, we’re conducting a survey of school-based author event organizers.

It’s fun, it will only take you a few minutes, and it will help hundreds of other Campus Reads Planners across the country.

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Nancy Pearl and the history of Community Reads Programs

By bicadmin | Published: February 20, 2013
Nancy Pearl

How do we bring together people of diverse backgrounds, politics, interests, and lifestyles when all they share is a common city? Librarian Nancy Pearl tried using a book. It worked, and the idea spread around the country (as good ideas tend to do).

What began with a simple “If All Seattle Read the Same Book” in 1998 has developed into a national phenomenon. Libraries, colleges, towns, schools, and even states now host Books In Common type programs.

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Ten Years with Richardson Reads

By bicadmin | Published: February 20, 2013
Richardson Reads One Book

In 2013 Richardson Reads celebrates its 10th year uniting the town of Richardson, TX, around books and a shared love of reading. BIC/Terra Communications has been part of their planning process for several of these past few years, and we’re honored to be working with them again this year to celebrate this milestone event. This year, they not only welcome a top-notch author (to be announced), they’ll also remember the many amazing authors they’ve hosted and shared over the years. Susan Allison, the director of the program, joined us for some valuable advice and memories.

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Sonia Nazario’s Enrique’s Journey: Top Selection for 2011 Campus Reads

By bicadmin | Published: February 20, 2013
Enrique's Journey by Sonia Nazario

Many Community Reads Programs select books about characters who live far different lives from most of their readers. National bestseller, Enrique’s Journey, a nonfiction account of a young Honduran boy setting out to find his mother in America, is one such book. Enrique’s Journey has already been selected by 58 universities and scores of high schools as a Freshman/All Campus Reads. It’s been adopted by nine cities as a “One City, One Book” selection. Pulitzer Prize winner, Sonia Nazario, answered a few questions for us about her book and its impact on communities throughout the US.

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First-Time Event Organizer, Sarah Clevidence, of Findlay-Hancock Reads

By bicadmin | Published: February 20, 2013
findlay-hancock-white

BIC: Would you tell us a bit about your program?

Sarah: The Community Read was started in March 2003 as a way to celebrate the Community Foundation’s ten-year anniversary, bring attention to the fact that illiteracy is an issue in Findlay and Hancock County and help promote the Hancock READS endowment fund.

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National Book Critic Circle Honors Author Reyna Grande

By bicadmin | Published: February 20, 2013
Reyna Grande

For the past few months, one of our favorite titles for Campus/Freshman Reads programs, as well as One City, One Book events, has been Reyna Grande’s, The Distance Between Us.  This is Reyna’s third published work, and though she’s a well-known and highly regarded Latina author, her work hasn’t gotten the broader attention we think it deserves. But that’s about to change with the recent announcement of this year’s shortlist for the National National Book Critics Circle Awards, which includes, The Distance Between Us.

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