From award-winning fiction, poetry, memoir, and biography to new books about the environment, current events, history, public health, science, social justice, student success, and technology, the titles presented in our common reading catalog will have students not only eagerly flipping through the pages, but also excited for the chance to discuss their reading journey when they return to campus. Selected titles include program mainstays as well as new titles from emerging authors that look at contemporary topics and issues facing young people today.
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unCommon Authors is a monthly video series highlighting exceptional and unique authors talking about their books.
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An initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, NEA Big Read annually supports approximately 75 dynamic community reading programs. Each community program that receives an NEA Big Read grant is also provided with resources, outreach materials, and training.
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Are you interested in bringing your entire school community together for a shared literacy event? If your answer is “YES!,” an all-school reading program— appropriate for K-12 levels—is an exciting and engaging experience to consider. Download the How to Start an All-School Reading Program Resource to get started.
Learn MoreWith the fall semester in full swing, colleges and universities around the country have announced their Common Reading books for the upcoming 2025-26 academic year. We’ve compiled a list of over 291 programs and their title selections from publicly available sources, which you can download here: First-Year Reading 2025-26. We will continue to update this
Read moreWe are delighted to present our new First-Year & Common Reading Catalog for 2026! From award-winning fiction, poetry, memoir, and biography to new books about the environment, current events, history, public health, science, social justice, student success, and technology, the titles presented in our common reading catalog will have students not only eagerly flipping through
Read moreTracy Kidder, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, has passed away at age 80. Tracy Kidder’s books covered subjects as wide-ranging as global public health, computer science, education, construction, and homelessness, but they were all united by his trademark research and dogged reporting that provided the foundations for stories of real people, passionately committed to their work. In
Read moreFor Rick Smith ’68, former editor-in-chief of Newsweek, reading has always been more than an academic exercise; it’s a bridge between people, ideas, and generations, reflecting the core of an Albion liberal arts education. As the endowment of Albion College’s Endowed Richard M. Smith Common Reading Experience (CRE) celebrates its 25th anniversary, we’re reminded of where
Read moreEl Paso is an extraordinary, can’t-look-away reported history; it uses deep research and dozens of new interviews to blow away the myth of this place, where Mexico’s Juarez and America’s El Paso intertwine. It charts the history of El Paso through five families. From the Mexican Revolution and the Mexican Repatriation, to the shifting immigration laws
Read moreWe’re pleased to share videos from the 2026 First-Year Experience® Conference. Whether you weren’t able to join us at the conference or would simply like to hear the talks again, please take a moment to view the clips below. Penguin Random House Author Breakfast Monday, February 17th, 7:15 – 8:45 am PST This
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