Take on Moore with One Book

Available at the University Store. Photo Credit / Jamie Reese
Available at the University Store.
Photo Credit / Jamie Reese

BY JAMIE REESE
News Editor

This semester at East Stroudsburg University, the campus is hosting a reading program called One Book, One Campus.

The premise of the One Book, One Campus initiative is to designate a novel for the entire campus and community to read in order to spark communal discussions, belonging, and readership.

The program is based on a similar program called “If All of Seattle Read the Same Book,” started in 1998 by Nancy Pearl. The novel chosen for that particular program was “The Sweet Hereafter,” by Russell Banks.

The novel designated by East Stroudsburg University for this semester is “The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates,” by Wes Moore.

This novel is a biography and an autobiography that compares the lives of two people named Wes Moore.

The story parallels the lives of the two men, from birth to current day. Both were born a few blocks away within a year of each other, and both were brought up fatherless.

The life stories of the two Wes Moores follow different paths; one becomes a convicted murderer and the other a Rhodes Scholar.

The author, Wes Moore, interviews the convict Wes Moore in an attempt to sort out what made the difference in their lives.

The author Wes Moore is scheduled to visit campus on November 19, 2013

In the meantime, the university is hosting an essay competition with prizes. They will also host public readings and discussions every Wednesday leading up to the visit.

The first of these meetings occurred on September 4 in Lower Dansbury.

The event began with a public introduction by President Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D and Peter Pruim, Ph.D.

“We wanted a book that has so many themes, so many facets,” Said Pruim.

“Everyone on campus should read and all incoming students are required to read our selection,” said Welsh.

Following their introduction, Dean Peter Hawkes, Ph.D, read the opening chapter of the book.

If you are interested in learning more about the reading initiative, visit the university website or ask around.

“It’s in books that we preserve the best of what’s been thought and said,” said Pruim. “It’s promoting meaning.”

Email Jamie at:
jreese6@live.esu.edu