Before joining Books in Common as an Account Manager a few months ago, I had spent almost ten years as an event planner for a University Lecture series, a visiting writer’s program, and an annual writing conference that drew dozens of world class authors every year. I know what you’re going through!!
Gail Robinson Butler, the coordinator for the One Book, One Campus, One Community program at West Kentucky Community and Technical College was gracious enough to offer these thoughts on her experience as an All Campus Reads organizer. Thanks Gail!
BIC: Any idea about how many campus literary events you’ve done over the years?
GRB: Over the years, WKCTC has conducted many campus literary events spanning various departments and divisions, including the library and the English Department. Those events are numerous and exciting. Many Kentucky and regional authors, such as Silas House and Bobbie Ann Mason, were brought to campus. Seven years ago, we decided to add to our literary offerings and produce a One Book, One Campus, One Community Read every other year. WKCTC has involved numerous community partners in both the planning and production of the event, including the Paducah-McCracken County Library, Paducah Public Schools, McCracken County Public Schools, McNet Library Network and more. On alternate years we produce a Campus Read, targeting English 101 students. New York Times best-selling authors David Baldacci, Jeannette Walls, Homer Hickam and Garth Stein have visited Paducah as a result of the reads.
We recently sat down with Thor Hanson, author of Feathers: The Evolution of a Natural Miracle, and asked him about his experience at literary events.
BIC: What are some of the “teachable” moments in your latest book, Feathers, that make it work well for a literary events program, especially those for college students?
TH: Feathers works well for literary events because it draws on so many different interests. A discussion of feather colors can start with Aztec tapestries, move on to the fashion industry, touch on the physics of pigments and iridescence, and end up at a Las Vegas show, where the dancers’ costumes attract the eye in the same way as a bird’s plumage. Similarly, the aerodynamics of feathers take you from the evolution of flying dinosaurs straight through the Wright Brothers and on to bio-mimicry, the hottest new trend in engineering. One of the most rewarding aspects of teaching about feathers is seeing people’s surprise at the many ways they touch our lives.
Christina Baker Kline’s best-selling novel, Orphan Train is among the most popular book club picks in the nation, according to bookmovement.com, a website that tracks trends and provides book ideas for book clubs around the country. Orphan Train is the story of a young Irish immigrant who, as a child, is sent away from New York on a train that regularly transported unwanted and abandoned children from the East Coast to the farmlands of the Midwest. Moving between contemporary Maine and Depression-era Minnesota, Orphan Train is a powerful tale of upheaval and resilience. The novel (which is the authors fifth work of fiction) was selected as a Target book club pick, has held steady on 5 national bestseller lists, and has just gone to print for the fifth time. Orphan Train makes a terrific Common Reads Selection, and Christina is a terrific presenter.
Thor Hanson, author of Feather: The Evolution of a Natural Miracle, was at an event in Edmonds Park Washington, that was arranged by Books In Comon. He was the keynote speaker at the Puget Sound Bird Festival, where he delighted more than 100 participants. Feathers, which is a fascinating and thought-provoking study of the unique history behind the evolution of feathers (they date back more than 150 million years!) has won numerous awards and was described by the New York Times as “gracious, funny, persuasive, and wide ranging.” Thor Hanson’s style as a presenter is just as compelling. “We loved Thor’s presentation,” said the Environmental Education Coordinator for the City of Edmonds Park. “He is so engaging and entertaining. He had people laughing all the way through, and there was a good mix of science and amusing anecdotes for our audience. There was a very lively Q&A and many people stayed to talk with Thor after the program.”
A big welcome to Piper Kerman, author (and ex-con) of Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison. Following a plea deal for a 10-year-old crime, Piper Kerman spent a year in the infamous women’s correctional facility in Danbury, Connecticut, which she found to be no “Club Fed.” In Orange is the New Black, Piper Kerman takes readers into B-Dorm, a community of colorful, eccentric, vividly drawn women. Her memoir, which has been adapted into an original television series for Netflix, is compelling, moving, and often hilarious. With many teachable moments that emphasize the justice system, codes of behavior, hard words of wisdom, and simple acts of acceptance, Orange is the New Black is an ideal selection for All Campus and Community Reads. And Piper Kerman is an engaging and lively presenter!
With an estimated one million children living illegally in the United Stated, and nearly one in four of the nation’s elementary school students of immigrant status, Pulitzer Prize winner Sonia Nazario’s moving tale of one boy’s journey has met widespread acclaim and become a national bestseller. In Enrique’s Journey: The True Story of a Boy Determined to Reunited With His Mother, Sonia Nazario’s compelling story has been adapted for a younger audience. The YA version contains a new epilogue, updating readers on where Enrique is today, and on his life since his story become national news. With the immigration raging as a hot-button political issue, Enrique’s Journey brings to light the daily struggles of immigrants, legal and otherwise, and the complicated choices they face to survive.
Andrew Mcarthy, NYT best-selling author of The Longest Way Home, thrilled audiences in Pekin, Illinois last week. As he walked through the room of nearly 150 people – most of them women – they burst into applause. “I haven’t done anything yet!” cried Andrew McCarthy. Though by the end of the night, Pekin library patrons thought he’d done plenty. Andrew McCarthy talked about the “parallel life” he’s had for the past 10 years working as what he called an “accidental travel writer” and said his book The Longest Road Home came about as he was leaving for another trip shortly after he and his then-fiancee decided to get serious about making their union permanent. One of the most memorable moments in the evening, according to audience members, was when Andrew spoke about traveling with his children. “My goal as a parent it to make them mini-citizens of the world,” he said.
Richardson Reads One Book, a community reads program in Richardson Texas, is gearing up for the author reading of The Book Thief – an international bestseller and the basis of a soon-to-be released feature film. Readers in Richardson are so excited about their One Book selection, they snatched up the 1200 complimentary tickets in less than a day and a half! “The weeping and wailing of the procrastinators can be heard for miles,” says Susan Allison, the program coordinator. 2013 is sure to be a great year!
Mardi Jo Link, author of Bootstrapper: From Broke to Badass on a Northern Michigan Farm, has been named the winner of the Great Lakes Bookseller’s Choice award for 2013. Her hilarious memoir, which Garrison Keillor describes as, “A heroic-comic saga of single motherhood, pure stubbornness, and the loyalty of three young sons,” Bootstrapper recounts Mardi […]
