The books chosen by colleges for all campus reads or freshman year experience programs vary widely, but as highlighted in an NPR article, most are contemporary pieces published within the past few years. Titles and authors vary from college to college and state to state, but many are focused on the same themes with topics diverse enough to include everybody, but relevant enough to be interesting to a young population.
Appalachian State University
Many colleges want to use their book selection to think outside the box, further inspiring their students to do the same, by selecting a fantastic but perhaps lesser-known title and author. The way to take that choice to the next level is to consider a title whose author you would want to speak to your students. Appalachian State University, for example, chose Ishmael Beah’s A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier and, through Books In Common, was able to invite Mr. Beah for a speaking engagement next fall.
Contact Books In Common to learn more about common reads or to invite an author to your next event.
