Next 'One Book, One Community' Project to Focus on Sustainability

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The theme for the third annual University of Arkansas “One Book, One Community” project will be “creating and living in a sustainable world.” The project steering committee is now asking for recommendations of excellent books that deal with this theme.

The steering committee chose the project theme after surveying students, faculty, staff and avid readers at the university and in the Northwest Arkansas community. To find the best book that deals with this theme the committee is now asking anyone interested to send a nomination, to onebook.uark@gmail.com by Feb. 18.

The committee is looking for a well-written, accessible non-fiction book that treats the theme of sustainability. The book should be relatively recent and not longer than about 300 pages. It must be written by a living author, and its subject matter must be capable of generating a wide range of related events, such as lectures, panel discussions, performances and art exhibits. The author will be invited to visit and speak on the University of Arkansas campus and in the community during the fall 2011 semester.

The One Book, One Community steering committee will consider the nominations and announce the selection of the 2011 book on or before March 16.

The One Book, One Community project is entering its third year at the university and in the Northwest Arkansas community. The project is designed to foster intellectual conversations throughout the institution and the region. Students in a wide range of classes and members of community book clubs all read the same book, participate in discussions and other related activities, and have the opportunity to meet and hear from the author. The 2009 book was Luis Urrea’s The Devil’s Highway. The 2010 selection was Rebecca Skloot’s The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. 

The One Book, One Community steering committee comprises faculty members from all colleges at the U of A, representatives of a range of student life and housing organizations and members of the Mullins Library and Fayetteville Public Library staffs.