For the next month, Middletown will, in effect, become one large book club. On Feb. 5 Mayor Dominique Thornton announced the start of One Book, One Middletown, a citywide program where residents read the same book and attend community programs. The book featured this year is “Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life’s Greatest Lesson” by Mitch Albom.
“One of the primary reasons [of One Book, One Middletown] is to increase literacy and encourage reading, which is a wonderful initiative,” said Cathy Crimmins, Director of Community Service and Volunteerism.
The book was chosen by a committee of representatives from different areas of Middletown put together by the Middletown’s Rotary Club. According to Crimmins, who is on the committee, the group looks for books that meet a number of criteria including broad appeal and universal themes.
“So when a book is selected, it is a book that can appeal to a broad audience,” Crimmins said.
She said that the committee also judges a book based on the “50 page test” and its accessibility. The book must be captivating within the first 50 pages, and it must also be available in paperback and on audio and other visual media, according to Crimmins.
“Tuesdays with Morrie” is about Albom’s weekly visits with his former college mentor, Morrie Schwartz. Morrie, who is dying from Lou Gehrig’s disease, talks with the author about life, love, growing old, and forgiveness among other issues, according to Albom’s website.
Crimmins expressed hope that the intergenerational issues raised in “Tuesdays with Morrie” will facilitate discussion among those who read the book. Also, the Mayor’s press release encouraged residents to talk about the book’s themes of life and death.
“There is no better message that we can spread as a community,” Thornton said in the Feb. 5 press release. “I hope that residents will take the time to read the book selected. It is a very fast read, and I know everyone will find it rewarding.”
The program gives residents about a month and a half to read the book and then ends with a weeklong series of events starting March 26. Events include a public reading at Russell Library, a showing of video clips at the Inn at Middletown of Morrie’s interviews with Ted Koppel about dying, and a showing of the movie, “Tuesdays with Morrie” at the University. Vinnie’s Jump and Jive on Main Street will also host a dance to pay tribute to Morrie’s love of dancing, according to Crimmins. Students are invited to participate in all events.
In addition, Broad Street Bookstore is holding an essay contest for the program. Open to both students and residents, the essay topic is about having an influential mentor. Starting March 26, the Middletown Press will publish selected essays for the week.
“We are really looking forward to reading some of those essays we get,” said Greg Petropoulos, General Manager at Broad Street Bookstore.
Crimmins said that a number of residents are also creating smaller book clubs and similar programs on their own. One high school is reading the book in a class about death and dying, and book clubs have formed in the North End and at a few local senior citizen centers.
“They found that last year the most successful programs were the ones where people took initiative,” Crimmins said. “This year we’re really trying to encourage people to take initiative and inform their own groups and form book clubs.”
In connection to One Book, One Middletown, Russell Library is hosting a workshop training session on Thursday, March 4 on how to lead book discussions.
Both Russell Library and Broad Street Bookstore have ordered additional copies of “Tuesdays with Morrie.”
“The great thing about this book is that it’s an easy read so you can read it and pass it along,” Crimmins said.
Last year, the One Book, One Middletown committee selected “The Giver.” According to Crimmins, the program last year received positive response from both students and residents.
The Office of Community Service and Volunteerism lists One Book, One Middletown events on its website: http://www.wesleyan.edu/ocs.
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