Announcing "One Book Bernardsville"

A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson has been selected as the featured book for Bernardsville Public Library’s first "One Book Bernardsville." This shared community reading experience will take place during October this year, and there will be a month of book discussions and thematically related programs on conservation, hiking, and the Appalachian Trail itself. The events also coincide with National Reading Group Month which is sponsored by the Women’s National Book Association.

A committee composed of library staff and community members was formed in February to identify a book that everyone would enjoy. After reading a good number of possible books and much discussion, the group decided on this humorous, popular memoir. In the book, Bryson depicts the sometimes laugh-out-loud and unusual adventures he had with his out-of-shape friend Stephen Katz as they attempted to hike the entire 2,100-mile trail from Maine to Georgia. Bryson had been living in Britain for twenty years when he returned to the United States and decided to reacquaint himself with his native country by walking the Appalachian Trail. The trail, which offers an astonishing landscape of silent forests and sparkling lakes, also provides the writer endless opportunities to witness the majestic silliness of his fellow human beings.

“This book has broad appeal making it the perfect choice for our first 'One Book' selection,” said April L. Judge, Library Director. “The committee hopes that women and men alike as well as high school and middle school students will join them and the library staff in this shared community reading experience. We hope that local book groups will join us too."

If a book club is interested in participating, a discussion leader from the library staff will be assigned to the group to lead the discussion at a mutually convenient time. The library staff will have books for individual participants or members of local book clubs to borrow. Books will also be available to purchase from The Bookworm.

For further information about One Book Bernardsville and to register your reading group, please contact April L. Judge at 908-766-0118. More information will be available on the library website, www.bernardsvillelibrary.org, in the near future.