01 / 16 / 2008 - The 2008 Common Book : The Center for Liberal Education is pleased to announce the selection of Tracy Kidder’s Pulitzer Prize winning Mountains Beyond Mountains as the 2008 Virginia Tech Common Book.
Free copies of the Common Book will be distributed to all 2007-08 Freshmen and Transfer students following Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Tuesday, January 22 through Thursday, January 24 in the Williamsburg Room in Squires Student Center. Subtitled The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man who would Cure the World, Mountains Beyond Mountains is an inspirational account of Dr. Paul Farmer’s life as he travels around the globe from Harvard to Haiti, Cuba, Peru and Russia serving victims of poverty and infectious disease. Part biography, part journalistic saga, the book is a call to action, and a striking example of compassionate ambition that stands to inspire service and individual achievement throughout the freshman class at Virginia Tech. It is a story of persistence and determination, and a fascinating firsthand account of the global culture in which we live. Said one student member of the selection committee, the book is “an opportunity to become more aware of the world. Most college freshmen are aware that conditions in the third world are deplorable. Mountains Beyond Mountains, however, is unique in that it shows a real-life example of someone making a difference… it is a perfect book to demonstrate to students the impact they can make on others with their lives”. Assistant Provost Susanna Rinehart reflects, “rarely does one story simultaneously encourage reflection on privilege while kindling the fire of intellectual curiosity. Mountains Beyond Mountains is a book that speaks to the student in all of us, to the desire to listen, learn, and act. This book is an embodiment of Ut Prosim and Invent the Future”. The Common Book Project was established in 1998 as a means of enriching the first year experience. The Project aims to engage first year students through the lens of a shared reading designed to provoke conversation and expanded exploration in and out of the classroom.
Faculty interested in using the book in or out of their classes may submit a request for a copy by going to https://survey.vt.edu/survey/entry.jsp?id=1199892174193 (You may need to copy and paste the link into your browser) or you may email questions to Bonnie Alberts at balberts@vt.edu.
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Faculty - Frequently Asked Questions
How can I participate?
The goal of the project is to create an energetic intellectual community among first-year students. Many faculty members participate by devoting some time in their class to the project. See our faculty ideas page for sample assignments and resources.
In your classes, you can also model what it means to be an interested, intelligent person. Just by sharing an intriguing article that you read in a magazine, by mentioning a book that you've been reading, by talking about ideas, activities projects about which you are passionate, you reveal the life of an engaged person that goes beyond the boundaries of your classroom and syllabus. With your example, and with your interest, encourage them to get curious, and to seek out and make connections.
But the book doesn't seem to "fit" into my class content.
You can still devote a bit of time to the project in your course. Consider spending some time talking about books and reading, rather than the specific common book selection. Any time or assignment that helps students to experience what it means to read, think and express themselves beyond the requirements of a class will help them to grow.
I didn't receive a book. Why not? How do I obtain a copy?
We do our best to distribute copies to all faculty and staff who work with first-year students. If we missed you, or if you would like to read the book even if you don't work with first-year students, please request a copy from Monique Dufour, msdufour@vt.edu or 231-7534.
Why do you distribute the book at orientation?
There are a number of significant reasons that the book is now distributed at orientation. Originally, the common book was delivered to residence halls, and handed out to students by residence hall advisors. Although it did guarantee that many students would have the book on hand, it also posed some major difficulties. Under this system, first year students were handed a book at what is, for most of them, a most overwhelming moment in their lives. A book, arriving out of context, and in the midst of this emotional turmoil, is lost in that moment. Second, the hardworking residential life staff also has many responsibilities and is extremely busy at that time; the logistics of book delivery strained this staff. At orientation, students receive the book in the context of their introduction to the Virginia Tech experience. The Common Book Project, and the book itself, is presented as a significant and meaningful part of that first-year experience. And, as they return home to prepare for their college experience, students are often eager to begin their college life not just by buying dorm accessories, but by reading. We are excited to offer students a common place to direct this enthusiasm.
But what if students forget to bring the book with them?
Students who forget to bring to campus any necessary item, including this book, can have it mailed from home or can buy a replacement copy. We hope that all of us will encourage students in this important process of taking responsibility for themselves and their education.
How is the book chosen?
The Common Book Project Steering Committee creates a list of promising books, including suggestions solicited from the Virginia Tech community, and begins to evaluate the works according to its selection criteria. Once the group reaches a short list, it carefully reads all of these titles to make its final decision. If you are interested in serving on the steering committee, contact Monique Dufour. Click on "suggest a book" to view the selection criteria.
