Each year, the Common reading program solicits suggestions from the campus and area community as we begin our search to find the next year’s reading selection. From there, a committee of campus partners, faculty, students, and program administrators work to narrow the choices to create a shortlist of finalists. Some years, the choice for the selection from that group has been a unanimous decision. In other years, we seek the input from our campus community and the public to help decide what piece will be at the center of the next year’s conversation.

Have a suggestion? Submit your nomination by clicking the link below! Each nomination is considered for how well it meets each of the following criteria:

• Appeal to both faculty and first-year students (i.e., have a strong narrative or narrative voice that pulls readers in and builds empathy)
• Focus on a subject of timely, topical relevance
• Provide a strong intellectual hook, offering multiple disciplinary and interdisciplinary jumping-off points for discussion and teaching, inquiry and research
• Are accessible (in print, of readable length, etc.)
• Fits the annually selected theme

What do you recommend as an important work on this theme that the entire University of Oregon should engage in reading?  Offer your suggestion here:

Past themes:

Prior to the 2018-2019 academic year, the Common Reading program did not set specific themes for selection of books

2020-2022: Listen. Learn. Act. 

2018-2020: Transborder/Transnational