The Rotary Club of Wilmette Harbor is a proud partner of the Wilmette Public Library's "One Book, Everybody Reads" program. We encourage members and friends to participate. Learn more...
The Wilmette Public Library is thrilled to announce that “Beautiful Ruins,” the bestselling novel by author Jess Walter, has been named the 2013 “One Book, Everybody Reads” selection. Mr. Walter will visit Wilmette on Sunday, May 5, to discuss his book with members of the community.
“One Book, Everybody Reads” is the library’s annual community-wide reading and book discussion program, funded by the Friends of the Wilmette Public Library. Local residents are encouraged to read the selected title and participate in various events that explore the book and its themes.
Published in June, “Beautiful Ruins” was listed in many popular year-end “Best Books of 2012” lists. Esquire Magazine named “Beautiful Ruins” the Book of the Year, describing it as "a very funny book about a distinctly American relationship to destiny," and NPR's Maureen Corrigan called the novel a "stunner of a tale" when she named “Beautiful Ruins” her pick for the Best Novel of 2012.
Author Richard Russo called “Beautiful Ruins" an absolute masterpiece," The New York Times termed it "a high-wire feat of bravura storytelling," and Salon called it "a masterpiece ... damn near perfect."
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The “One Book” series is designed to create opportunities for shared enjoyment of the selected book as well as enhance the individual reading experience. In an effort to make the title available to the entire community, the library will offer numerous copies of the book in a variety of formats.
This year’s programs will begin in the spring, and details about those events will be available in the near future. The “One Book” series will culminate when Mr. Walter discusses “Beautiful Ruins” at the Wilmette Community Recreation Center, 3000 Glenview Road, Wilmette, on May 5 at 2:00 p.m. Ticketing information for Mr. Walter’s talk will be available closer to the date of the event.
“Beautiful Ruins” is a comic and inventive novel that straddles between Italy in the 1960s and Hollywood and the Pacific Northwest in the present. As it moves back and forth through the lives of its characters, revealing their improbable dreams and spoiled careers, the book explores themes of love, loss, heartache, destiny, and friendship.
Nearly 500 community members participated in the 2012 “One Book, Everybody Reads” program, which featured bestselling author Ann Patchett’s novel, “State of Wonder.” The library’s previous “One Book” selections included “Let the Great World Spin,” by Colum McCann (2011); “Olive Kitteridge,” by Elizabeth Strout (2010); “The Man Who Loved China,” by Simon Winchester (2009); “Loving Frank,” by Nancy Horan (2008); “A Hope in the Unseen,” by Ron Suskind (2007); and “Before You Know Kindness,” by Chris Bohjalian (2006).
For more information about this spring’s “One Book, Everybody Reads” program, visit www.wilmettelibrary.info/onebook or call (847) 256-6930.