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One Book, One Chicago

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Quicklinks: One Book, One Chicago Selections | Experience Past One Book, One Chicago Programs

One Book, One Chicago launched in fall 2001 as an opportunity to engage and enlighten our residents and to foster a sense of community through reading. After more than a decade of celebrating a culture of reading with two book selections annually and related monthlong programming, in 2013 One Book, One Chicago begins an exciting expansion. CPL and its community partners now offer a yearlong season of learning and engagement focusing not just on one book but on one theme integral to the lives of all Chicagoans.

The book is just the beginning. In the pilot year of this expanded program, from April 2013 through March 2014, every Chicagoan has the opportunity to explore a great theme through books, films, performances, lectures, storytelling and art, with programs offered in every neighborhood across the city.


One Book, One Chicago Selections

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2013-14: The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

The Warmth of Other Suns book cover

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One Book, One Chicago has expanded—join us for a full year of conversation. Instead of just one month spent with a great book, spend a year exploring a great theme through books, films, performances, lectures, storytelling and art. For the next 12 months we’ll look at how migration has shaped—and continues to shape—Chicago. We’ll start by reading Isabel Wilkerson’s award-winning The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration. Now through spring 2014, Chicago Public Library and its many community partners will offer multiple ways for every Chicagoan to explore how the drive to move, to migrate and to create a better life has made Chicago into the most American of American cities.


Fall 2012: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Book Thief One Book, One Chicago guide cover

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Markus Zusak’s novel The Book Thief, about a foster girl living in lower-class Germany during World War II, has been critically and popularly acclaimed since its publication in 2006. The novel had been on the New York Times bestseller list for more than 250 weeks by the time Zusak joined us for a series of programming in October 2012. Not only did we have the honor of hosting Zusak in various events that pleased hundreds of devotees of this wonderful novel, but we offered further programming on themes of war and justice. Most notably, Paul Rusesabagina, whose story was told in the film Hotel Rwanda, spoke about his own experiences. CPL also hosted accordion performances, drawing workshops for teens, read-outs of banned books and more. A stage adaptation of the book at Steppenwolf Theatre presented a wonderful opportunity to see this book brought to life.


Spring 2012: Gold Boy, Emerald Girl by Yiyun Li

Gold Boy, Emerald Girl One Book, One Chicago guide cover

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Yiyun Li’s third book, Gold Boy, Emerald Girl, presented an ideal opportunity for Chicagoans to learn more about China and its people, whose daily lives are not much different from our own. Francine Prose wrote of the book, “Yiyun Li’s tenderness toward her characters, her respect for the richness of their lives, and the subtlety and gentle humor with which she portrays them make the experience of reading Gold Boy, Emerald Girl consistently heartening.” Li’s collection offered rich material for discussions and programming throughout April 2012, including an appearance by the author in conversation with fellow writer Achy Obejas; a lecture by author and scholar Jeffrey Wasserstrom (China in the 21st Century); a week of screenings at the Gene Siskel Film Center of the documentary film Mulberry Child, which shares many themes from Gold Boy, Emerald Girl and features local author Jian Ping; a reading from the book with Silk Road Rising theatre; a concert of music inspired by Li’s stories presented with the Chinese Fine Arts Society; a tour of Chinatown with the Chinese Cultural Institute; cross-promotion of lectures and exhibits at the Chinese-American Museum of Chicago; and an open mic night for teens in YOUmedia at the Chicago Public Library.


Fall 2011: The Adventures of Augie March by Saul Bellow

The Adventures of Augie March One Book, One Chicago guide cover

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Our 10th anniversary selection challenged all Chicagoans to immerse themselves in Augie’s world, and in the incomparable writing of Saul Bellow. Programming took place over the course of two months, and in September and October 2011 we offered twice the programming around this selection. Martin Amis, Bellow’s friend and protegee, came to the Harold Washington Library Center to defend his claim that The Adventures of Augie March is the “Great American Novel.” Young adult novelists John Green and Benjamin Alire Sáenz discussed Bellow’s characters. Some of Chicago’s finest actors from a variety of theater companies, including Tony Award-winner Deanna Dunagan, read from the first chapter of the novel at Victory Gardens Theater. Two tours of “Augie’s Chicago” were offered by bus from Chicago Neighborhood Tours. Janis Freedman-Bellow joined editor Benjamin Taylor and scholar Jonathan Wilson to discuss Saul Bellow: Letters. Scholarly talks were offered at both DePaul University and the University of Chicago. Historian Dominic Pacyga offered a look back at Chicago during the Depression, when Augie March walked our streets. In partnership with DePaul University, the Chicago Public Library hosted a “flash fiction” contest judged by Stuart Dybek, and Dybek was joined at a reading by writers Achy Obejas, Jaswinder Bolina and Natalie Moore as well as the three finalists from the contest. The Adventures of Augie March was discussed not only in our library locations and in area bookstores and community centers, but on Twitter in a daily discussion led by a team of librarians. Programming also focused on the anniversary of One Book, One Chicago, including a reading series of past selections at the Cultural Center, a poster design contest, a bookbinding contest and exhibit, and community discussions.


Spring 2011: Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Neverwhere One Book, One Chicago guide cover

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For the 20th selection for One Book, One Chicago, the Chicago Public Library chose Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, one of the most versatile and prolific writers working today. The winner of numerous awards in fantasy fiction, comics and books for children, Gaiman wrote Neverwhere after being disappointed with how the script he had written for television was translated to the screen. The result of his creative tenacity is the richly realized and delightfully fun story of Richard Mayhew, a quiet office worker who helps a mysterious woman and subsequently finds himself in the fantastical “London Below,” where people speak to rats, beasts roam the subway tunnels and darkness is only one of many frightening things. To celebrate Neverwhere, the Library offered a full slate of programming. Neil Gaiman appeared in two separate programs—a solo talk as well as a conversation on stage with friend and fellow writer Audrey Niffenegger; he also met with teens in YOUmedia who had read the novel and created projects around it. Tours of our own “Chicago Below,” the Pedway system, were included; as were a full reading of the popular stage adaptation by Lifeline Theatre; a discussion on fairy tales between writers Lydia Millet and Kate Bernheimer; and a lecture by physicist and cosmologist Lawrence Krauss on alternate realities.


Fall 2010: A Mercy by Toni Morrison

A Mercy One Book, One Chicago guide cover

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Toni Morrison is an icon of American letters and the first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. With her novel A Mercy she returned to the subject of her most well-known novel, Beloved—slavery in America. However, this time Morrison’s focus is the era in which the foundations of racial slavery were just being laid, in the late 17th century, and she brings us this period with a keen historical eye, fully realized characters from a vast array of backgrounds and her signature poetic prose. One Book, One Chicago kicked off programming for A Mercy, the 19th book selection, with a lecture by scholar Dwight McBride on Morrison’s importance as a leading American intellectual. Further programming included a staged reading with Steppenwolf Theatre; a series of genealogy workshops offered in libraries across the city, many focusing on searches involving the slave trade; film screenings of the documentary The Black List and the film adaptation of Morrison’s Beloved; and a discussion among scholars about race in colonial America. The Chicago Public Library was honored to host Toni Morrison, who gave a reading and talk on the legendary stage at Symphony Center to an audience of 2,000.


Spring 2010: Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín

Brooklyn One Book, One Chicago guide cover

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Colm Tóibín’s novel Brooklyn was published one year before it was selected as the 18th selection for One Book, One Chicago; it was lauded as the finest work yet from this highly respected international author and received the prestigious Costa Fiction Award. The story of a young girl from Ireland struggling to find herself in 1950s Brooklyn, it is a story about immigration, family, love and adjusting to change. Colm Tóibín joined us in Chicago for a conversation on stage with Chicago Public Library Commissioner Mary Dempsey. He also met with a group of students from area high schools who had been working on projects related to the novel in the Library’s YOUmedia space. Through an online forum created by YOUmedia, Chicago schools communicated with students from two schools in Ireland who were also reading the book, and “met” with the Irish students for a virtual discussion. The Library worked closely with the Chicago Sister Cities Galway Committee and the Irish American Heritage Center on further programming, including multiple performances of readings from the novel set to music, put together by local actor Michael Patrick Thornton. A discussion blog was started, and publicized through the Cúirt Festival of the Galway Arts Center in Ireland, with essays by guest bloggers serving as the catalyst for discussion between readers on both sides of the Atlantic.


Fall 2009: The Plan of Chicago: Daniel Burnham and the Remaking of the American City by Carl Smith

Plan of Chicago One Book, One Chicago guide cover

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In partnership with the Burnham Plan Centennial, the Chicago Public Library selected historian Carl Smith’s acclaimed history, The Plan of Chicago: Daniel Burnham and the Remaking of the American City, as the 17th One Book, One Chicago selection. Our events and discussions were part of a citywide initiative to bring attention to Daniel Burnham and Edward Bennett’s bold vision for our city and region, and drew large and lively crowds. All of Chicago was invited to learn about and discuss our city’s evolution from prairie to industrial hub to the city we know today. Programming included a kickoff panel with prominent urban planners and policy makers on how to keep Chicago vital in the 21st century; documentary film screenings; a one-man performance of Burnham’s original pitch to the city; a lecture by Carl Smith as well as further lectures on public housing, transportation, the city and the environment; and modern architecture. Speakers included local historian Dominic Pacyga, fiction writers Bayo Ojikutu, Billy Lombardo and Gina Frangello; and architects Sarah Dunn, Martin Felsen, Patrick H. Grzybek and Doug Farr. Several library branches were also home to an exhibit on the Burnham Plan and community discussions led by experts on how Burnham’s vision translates to today.


Spring 2009: The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

House on Mango Street One Book, One Chicago guide cover

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en Español: Resource Guide (HTML) | Adobe Acrobat icon PDF Version (2.3 MB)

Sandra Cisneros’ seminal novel of a young girl growing up in a Chicago Latino neighborhood was first published in 1984. Cisneros depicted a world unique in its vibrancy, detail and people. The novel quickly became required reading in high schools, universities and book groups across the country, and was lauded as a groundbreaking work for and about young women. Upon the 25th anniversary publication of the book, the Chicago Public Library chose The House on Mango Street as its 16th One Book, One Chicago selection. Sandra Cisneros participated in a talk and book signing for capacity crowds, and met with student groups and led workshops at our partner organization, the National Museum of Mexican Art. Steppenwolf Theatre commissioned an adaptation from respected Chicago playwright Tanya Saracho for production the following fall; in the spring we hosted a reading of the play in progress and a talk-back with the cast and playwright. Further programming included writing workshops; poetry readings with community organizations Proyecto Latina and Palabra Pura; a lecture on Mexican Chicago; and “town hall” community forums on immigration issues.


Fall 2008: The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe

The Right Stuff One Book, One Chicago guide cover

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One of today’s most respected writers of both fiction and nonfiction, Tom Wolfe was a pioneer of the “new journalism” when he wrote The Right Stuff in 1979. In Wolfe’s distinct and energetic reportorial style, The Right Stuff shares the remarkable story of the seven astronauts chosen for Project Mercury, America’s first manned spaceflight project. Programs included Mr. Wolfe in conversation with Chicago journalist Carol Marin; a screening of the famous film adaptation in Grant Park; a panel of journalists led by Alex Kotlowitz; and a panel discussion at the Museum of Science and Industry on the future of space exploration with NASA’s Roger Launius and others. By choosing The Right Stuff for One Book, One Chicago, the Chicago Public Library applauded Wolfe’s legacy as a writer and the importance of this book in the canon of nonfiction, and presented an opportunity for Chicago to reflect on the early days of space travel during NASA’s 50th anniversary year.


Spring 2008: The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler

The Long Goodbye One Book, One Chicago guide cover

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Raymond Chandler’s distinct style has influenced fiction, film and more, well beyond just the crime genre. He and his iconic detective, Philip Marlowe, are at their most memorable in The Long Goodbye, the 14th selection for One Book, One Chicago. Hardened loner Marlowe gets pulled into class wars and murder, and along the way we meet cunning blondes, dirty cops and the wonderfully sharp sentences of Raymond Chandler. Who else could write, “She gave me a smile I could feel in my hip pocket”? To celebrate the world of Raymond Chandler, One Book, One Chicago hosted a slate of panel discussions, lectures, films and more. A reading from The Long Goodbye kicked things off at noir-inspired local bar Weegees; The Music Box movie theater held a Chandler film series throughout April; Chandler biographer Judith Freeman gave a talk and then joined Chandler enthusiasts Peter Sagal, Achy Obejas, Pico Iyer and others for a panel discussion of Chandler’s legacy; Chicago crime writers from The Outfit Collective got together to ruminate on their favorite part of the novel; and film scholar James Naremore talked about the influence of noir novelists in Hollywood.


Fall 2007: The Crucible by Arthur Miller

The Crucible One Book, One Chicago guide cover

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Arthur Miller found an apt metaphor for the McCarthy hearings of the 1950s in the 17th century Salem witch trials. The Crucible is one of Mr. Miller’s most produced plays, and in fall 2007 it was on the main stage at Steppenwolf Theatre. The Chicago Public Library partnered with this legendary Chicago theater on the 13th One Book, One Chicago selection, and created programming and discussions that focused on the lessons of Mr. Miller’s play, most importantly understanding others in our community and the pursuit of truth. One Book, One Chicago welcomed New York Times columnist and former theater critic Frank Rich to our stage for a conversation with journalist John Callaway about The Crucible, McCarthyism and the current media’s role in politics. Further programs included a panel discussion on how truth is defined and controlled; a “Listening Room” event with Third Coast International Audio Festival and Steppenwolf Theatre featuring audio documentaries on what it means to be American; film screenings; staged readings from the play all over the city; and a number of community discussions in Chicago Public Library locations on the divisions in our communities and how they can be mended.


Spring 2007: Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin

Go Tell It on the Mountain One Book, One Chicago guide cover

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James Baldwin’s Go Tell It on the Mountain is a flagship work of American 20th century culture and history. Telling the story of a young boy coming of age under the gaze of a puritanical minister father, the novel draws much from Baldwin’s own life growing up African American during the Harlem Renaissance. It wasn’t until 1948 that Baldwin, after years struggling as a writer and working odd jobs in New York, set off for Paris, where he found success and creative freedom. “Once I found myself on the other side of the ocean,” Baldwin told The New York Times, “I could see where I came from very clearly, and I could see that I carried myself, which is my home, with me… I am the grandson of a slave, and I am a writer. I must deal with both.” In spring 2007, the Chicago Public Library selected Go Tell It on the Mountain as the 12th title for One Book, One Chicago. Special events included screenings of the PBS American Masters profile of Baldwin; a reading combined with musical performances by the Pilgrim Baptist Church Choir; and an appearance by Jabari Asim, author of The N Word: Who Can Say It, Who Shouldn’t and Why, whose lecture explored the history of this controversial word, its roots in American rhetoric and its use in Baldwin’s novel.


Fall 2006: Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri

Interpreter of Maladies One Book, One Chicago guide cover

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Interpreter of Maladies was the 11th One Book, One Chicago selection and the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2000. Jhumpa Lahiri’s first book is comprised of nine transcendent short stories, many of which initially appeared in The New Yorker. Ms. Lahiri appeared at the Harold Washington Library Center at a free public program to read from and discuss her work with Chicago Public Library Commissioner Mary Dempsey. A number of related courses and free events were sponsored by DePaul University’s Master of Arts in Liberal Studies program. In addition, Ms. Lahiri spoke to members of Mayor Daley’s High School Book Club who read and discussed her book.


Spring 2006: One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich One Book, One Chicago guide cover

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In One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn tells the story of a Soviet Union labor camp prisoner and his struggle to maintain a sense of individual humanity and personal dignity in an oppressive environment. This book was originally written for the Soviet journal Novy Mir and published in 1962. A number of translations in English have been published, however, the author prefers the English translation by H.T. Willetts. In appreciation of Chicago’s selection of his book, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn took a copy of the book from his personal collection, inscribed it and sent it to the Chicago Public Library. Chicago and its sister city of Moscow joined together for the first international One Book, Two Cities program, as students and other residents from each city read and discussed the book via email and teleconference. The Library hosted several events that bridged contemporary issues related to human dignity: James Fallows spoke about his experiences as a war journalist in Iraq, and Steppenwolf Theatre Ensemble member Yasen Peyankov presented a reading of passages in English and Russian. Panel discussions were held at the Harold Washington Library Center and DePaul University.


Fall 2005: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice One Book, One Chicago guide cover

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Jane Austen’s classic 19th century novel juxtaposes the “Proud” Mr. Darcy with the “Prejudiced” Elizabeth Bennet for a comedic, sparring and spirited tale where love triumphs above all else. Contemporary author Anna Quindlen describes the work as one that “illuminates the enduring issues of social pressures and gender politics” and thus has assured the continued popularity of the book. Pride and Prejudice was chosen for One Book, One Chicago’s ninth reading selection. The selection of a novel by a British writer celebrated the unique relationship between the Chicago Public Library and the British people, whose donation of books following the Great Chicago Fire prompted the founding of the Chicago Public Library. The Chicago Public Library hosted selected readings by Chicago actor Cheryl Lynn Bruce and Martha Lavey, artistic director of the Steppenwolf Theatre; over 50 book clubs in neighborhoods all over the city; lectures; and several discussions at the Harold Washington Library Center and DePaul University.


Spring 2005: The Ox-Bow Incident by Walter Van Tilburg Clark

The Ox-Bow Incident One Book, One Chicago guide cover

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The Ox-Bow Incident was published in 1940. Mr. Clark’s portrayal of the Western frontier in America addressed themes of law and order, guilt and innocence and the potential outcome of mob mentality. This novel transformed western fiction, with its serious subject matter and creative character development. The Ox-Bow Incident was selected as One Book, One Chicago’s eighth reading choice, and the Chicago Public Library hosted several film screenings and lectures, and numerous book clubs and discussion groups. Steppenwolf Theatre Ensemble’s Tracy Letts and Terry Kinney brought the novel to life during a reading at the Library. The film adaptation starring Henry Fonda and Anthony Quinn was also screened at a free event.


Fall 2004: In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

In the Time of the Butterflies One Book, One Chicago guide cover

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Chosen as the seventh One Book, One Chicago selection, In the Time of the Butterflies tells the story of the Mirabel sisters and their efforts to overthrow the oppressive dictatorship of the Trujillo regime in the Dominican Republic in the 1960s. Ms. Alvarez and her family escaped to the United States before the sisters were eventually killed, but she considers her family’s salvation a direct result of their efforts. Butterflies gave the Chicago Public Library the opportunity to work directly with Chicago communities in two languages—the One Book, One Chicago resource guide for In the Time of the Butterflies was written in English and in Spanish. Julia Alvarez visited the Library and spoke with Chicago author Ana Castillo during the Library’s free public program about Ms. Alvarez’s book and her writing. Other public programs included book club discussions held in Spanish, film screenings and a panel discussion hosted by DePaul University.


Spring 2004: The Coast of Chicago by Stuart Dybek

The Coast of Chicago One Book, One Chicago guide cover

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The Coast of Chicago is a collection of short stories by Stuart Dybek, an author born and raised in Chicago’s Little Village and Pilsen neighborhoods. This collection captures the essence of Chicago as a unique place and distinct urban space. One Book, One Chicago selected Coast for the Spring 2004 citywide reading program. Mr. Dybek appeared with Mayor Richard M. Daley at the announcement of the book. The Chicago Public Library hosted a lecture and discussion with Mr. Dybek, with other programs focusing on Chicago’s neighborhoods and the diversity with which each has come to be identified. Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s Kevin Anderson and John Mahoney read selections from the book, and patrons from all over the city participated in book discussions.


Fall 2003: The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien

The Things They Carries One Book, One Chicago guide cover

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Tim O’Brien’s personal account of the Vietnam War is told in The Things They Carried. He recreates the soldier’s wartime experience through vivid description of items placed around their necks, held in hands, kept in knapsacks, placed in pockets and stored in memory. At times heart-wrenching, but always poignant, Mr. O’Brien’s novel tells the story of a generation of soldiers fighting a war that continues to resonate in American culture. The New York Times considered the book one of the best 10 published in 1990; it was also a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize the same year. The Chicago Public Library selected The Things They Carried for its Fall 2003 citywide reading program. Mr. O’Brien spoke to a capacity crowd at the Harold Washington Library Center and signed copies of his book. In addition, the Library worked with Facing History and Ourselves to bring together a class of students from ACT Charter School in Chicago and Deerfield High School in the suburbs. These students met with Tim O’Brien and each other to discuss the book from different perspectives. CPL also sponsored discussions and film screenings, and collaborated with the Old Town School of Folk Music, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Steppenwolf Theatre and DePaul University.


Spring 2003: A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

A Raisin in the Sun One Book, One Chicago guide cover

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Born on the South Side of Chicago, Lorraine Hansberry took a line from a Langston Hughes poem: “What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up, like a raisin in the sun?…” to title her play about the experience of an American family pursuing their dream of a better life. Hansberry relates this universal theme in a work seeking to underscore “…the many gradations in … one … family, [of] the clash of the old and the new.” A Raisin in the Sun was the first One Book, One Chicago title by a Chicago author and the first play selected. The announcement of this selection occurred at the Hall Branch, which was frequently used by Lorraine Hansberry and other significant African American authors living in Chicago. In addition to book discussions throughout the city, there were also special events including a Goodman Theatre staged reading of the play and screenings of several film versions including the famous portrayal by Sidney Poitier of Walter Lee Younger and Ruby Dee as Ruth Younger. The Library was pleased to host a special free public conversation with Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis.


Fall 2002: My Ántonia by Willa Cather

My Antonia One Book, One Chicago guide cover

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The Chicago Public Library’s One Book program for My Ántonia offered book discussions and a variety of other activities including an exhibit of photographs by Lucia Woods. These images featured prairie scenes of Nebraska as described by Ms. Cather in My Ántonia. In addition, DePaul University launched its partnership with the One Book, One Chicago program by offering a 10-week, graduate-level class, Chicago’s One Book: Issues and Perspectives. This class has been offered for each subsequent One Book selection.


Spring 2002: Night by Elie Wiesel

Night One Book, One Chicago guide cover

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In 1944, 15-year-old Elie Wiesel and his family were deported from Hungary to the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, the first of four he would experience. Upon release from the camps in April 1945, Mr. Wiesel initially vowed not to write about his ordeal for at least 10 years. By 1958 he had been convinced that by bearing witness to such atrocities and surviving he had a responsibility to tell his story. As he wrote: “…to remain silent and indifferent is the greatest sin of all.” In 1956, Mr. Wiesel published a version of the work in Yiddish. Shortened and published in French, La Nuit was translated into English in 1960 as Night. In April 2002, the Chicago Public Library selected Night as its second title for the One Book program. Elie Wiesel appeared at the Chicago Public Library at a free public program attended by over 600 people. As part of the public programming for Night, the Library worked with the Chicago Office of Facing History and Ourselves to present a discussion entitled “What Is Our Universe of Obligation?” featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning author Samantha Power.


Fall 2001: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

To Kill a Mockingbird One Book, One Chicago guide cover

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One Book, One Chicago’s inaugural book, To Kill a Mockingbird, was written by Harper Lee in 1957 and published by J.B. Lippincott in 1960. Through the eyes of a 6-year-old child, Scout, Lee addresses issues of civil rights and social injustice. Mockingbird was an immediate bestseller and won a Pulitzer Prize in 1961. Although it is the only novel Ms. Lee wrote, it continues to resonate as a representation of American culture, history and literature. It was awarded “Best Novel of the Century” by Library Journal in 1991. During One Book, One Chicago’s first program in fall 2001, Mockingbird was borrowed by over 6,500 library patrons, including the circulation of 350 foreign language copies. Discussions were held in branch locations as well as many Starbucks stores. Lectures, film screenings and a mock trial with local attorneys and news personalities drew enthusiastic crowds. The selection of Mockingbird by the Chicago Public Library was the impetus for many cities to create “One Book, One City” programs. Over 60 cities have read To Kill a Mockingbird, and it remains the most popular title chosen for “One Book, One City” programs across the country.


Experience Past One Book, One Chicago Programs

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Listen to Past Events

The audio archive is available through Chicago Amplified.

Fall 2012: The Book Thief
Spring 2012: Gold Boy, Emerald Girl
Fall 2011: The Adventures of Augie March
Spring 2011: Neverwhere
Fall 2010: A Mercy
Spring 2010: Brooklyn
Fall 2009: The Plan of Chicago: Daniel Burnham and the Remaking of the American City
Fall 2008: The Right Stuff
Spring 2008: The Long Goodbye
Fall 2007: The Crucible
Fall 2006: Interpreter of Maladies
Spring 2006: One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

Exhibits

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One Book, Many Interpretations (PDF)

A juried exhibition in 2006 commemorated the fifth anniversary of One Book, One Chicago. Fine bookbinders and book artists interpreted the first 10 One Book, One Chicago selections through the art of bookbinding.

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One Book, Many Interpretations: Second Edition (PDF)

One Book, Many Interpretations: Second Edition, in fall 2011, commemorated the 10th anniversary of the program with interpretations of the 10 most recent book selections.