Eastern Connecticut's One Book One Region kicks off this year's program at the UCONN Avery Point Branford House on Wednesday, July 12th at 6:00pm with a formal announcement of the book choice. Join your neighbors for snacks and discussion as we launch another exciting summer of reading, book talks, and related programs. Copies of the book will be available for purchase. As in past years, the author will speak at Connecticut College (September 20, 7:00 pm). The public is invited.
This year's book choice: What the Eyes Don't See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City by Mona Hanna-Attisha.
The book—about one pediatrician’s efforts to combat the Flint, Michigan, water crisis and protect the city’s children from lead poisoning—reads more like a novel than nonfiction, vividly and dramatically outlining details about the crisis, emphasizing the connections between public health and social justice, and encouraging activism. Multiple copies of the book are widely available at local public libraries, which will host a variety of related events for all ages.
Now in its third decade, One Book One Region was launched when librarians at the Groton Public Library were inspired by columnist Steven Slosberg’s 2001 article in The Day “What the Area Needs is One Good Read.” They wanted to design a program that nurtured a community of readers and learners, and they were immediately thrilled with the response. The program has grown, expanding to multiple Eastern Connecticut libraries and, in 2016, joining forces with Connecticut College, where the chosen book is read by all first-year students.