Rhode Island Center for the Book Announces
2017 Reading Across Rhode Island Title:
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
Reading Across Rhode Island, Rhode Island’s One Book, One
State community read program kicks off its 15th year by inviting everyone to join in the
reading of Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. Reading Across Rhode Island is a program
of the Rhode Island Center for the Book at the Rhode Island Council for the
Humanities, made possible through a vibrant collaboration of librarians, teachers, book
group leaders and readers from across the state. The 2017 program runs from January
through May with readers in Rhode Island classrooms, libraries, community centers,
bookstores and book groups invited to join discussions and participate in local
community events such as lectures, exhibits and dramatic interpretations centered on this
year’s selection. Programming begins with a kick-off event on January 29th from
2:00 – 4:00 pm at the Providence Public Library in Providence, RI.
About This Year’s Book
An unforgettable true story about the redeeming potential of mercy. Bryan Stevenson was
a gifted young attorney when he founded Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice
dedicated to defending the poor, the wrongly condemned, and those trapped in the
furthest reaches of our criminal justice system.
Bryan Stevenson is the executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery,
Alabama and a professor of law at New York University Law School. He has won relief
for dozens of condemned prisoners, argued five times before the Supreme Court, and
won national acclaim for his work challenging bias against the poor and people of color.
He has received numerous awards, including the MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Grant.
“We are so thrilled to learn that Just Mercy has been chosen as the 2017 Reading Across
Rhode Island selection. We truly believe that the more people who read this book, the
better the country will become.” – Caitlin Mccaskey, Random House.
“Even before we started this election process, we did have a sense that there was a lack of
communication between communities, from Black Lives Matter protests to NFL players
kneeling during the national anthem. The intense debate arising from these protests
reinforced our sense of the need for dialogue. The first RARI book was chosen 15 years
ago – the 9/11 attacks occurred the year before and a heaviness and wariness still
remained. A group of librarians, educators and readers met to find a project that would be
a positive step forward in the aftermath of the tragedy. They were inspired by initiatives
in Seattle and Chicago where whole communities had come together to read one inspiring
book, gathering for discussions on the book’s theme,” stated Kate Lentz, Director of the
Rhode Island Center for the Book. “Bryan Stevenson’s powerful, well written story
presents bleak, almost overwhelming injustice against part of our population leavened by
his hard work, hope and eventually good results for his clients. Just Mercy is an updated
To Kill a Mockingbird.”
Reading Across Rhode Island Kicks Off on January 29th from 2:00 – 4:00 pm at the
Providence Public Library, Providence, RI
Readers are invited to join Reading Across Rhode Island Honorary Chairs Judge Judith
Colenback Savage and Judge Edward C. Clifton, both retired trial justices of the Rhode
Island Superior Court and Distinguished Jurists in Residence at Roger Williams
University School of Law as they lead a distinguished panel for an engaging introduction
to the book’s themes of proximity, understanding, and justice.
The kick-off event will give book group leaders an introduction to resources and
materials provided through Reading Across Rhode Island to catalyze interesting
discussions.
Other Planned Events:
Join us for An Afternoon With Bryan Stevenson on April 8th
at McVinney Auditorium in Providence, RI. Registration for this event will be available
on the Rhode Island Center for the Book website in February. Look for other upcoming
book-related events throughout the year at ribook.org
Sets of books are available for loan to classroom teachers, library discussion groups and
senior centers by contacting kate@ribook.org. Further reading lists, book discussion
guides, the author’s website, audio interviews and other supplementary materials may be
found on the Rhode Island Center for the Book website at ribook.org.
Resources:
Bryant Stevenson Website
The Equal Justice Initiative
Bryan Stevenson’s TED Talk
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Rhode Island Center for the Book at the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities is
a statewide organization devoted to promoting personal and community enrichment by
celebrating the art and heritage of reading, writing, making, and sharing books. Founded
in 2003, the RI Center for the Book is the state affiliate of the Center for the Book at the
Library of Congress and is hosted by the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities. The
Humanities Council’s mission is to seed, support, and strengthen public history, cultural
heritage, civic education, and community engagement