Author Hanif Abdurraqib to Headline One Grand Read’s Community-Wide Book Program
The One Grand Read program is turning Ingham and Eaton County communities into a giant book club.
The initiative unites patrons of the East Lansing Public Library, Capital District Libraries, Michigan State University Libraries and local book stores by inviting them to read the same book. This year, participants will read “There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension” by Hanif Abdurraqib, a bestselling novel where the author reflects on his own life and broader cultural dynamics through the lens of basketball.
Those who would like to participate in One Grand Read can pick up the book at a local library or book store. Free events are offered throughout September that complement the book, including book discussions, a memoir writing workshop and a teen blackout poetry session.
These programs serve as precursors to the main event: a meet and greet with the Abdurraqib on Sunday, Sept. 27, at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center. The event begins at 2 p.m. with a keynote address by Abdurraqib, followed by an interview with a Capital Area District Libraries staff member, a live Q&A session and a book signing. Attendees are encouraged to register for the free event in advance.
“There’s Always This Year” was selected by a committee that represents communities participating in One Grand Read. The committee spent months narrowing down a list of 40 titles to one, evaluating factors like length, representation, narrative fit and potential programming opportunities. On a logistical level, the group considered whether they could acquire a high volume of copies, if it is available in languages besides English and if there are alternative formats like audiobooks available.
Library leaders chose the book because its rich themes of systemic changes, religion and adversity felt like a fitting choice for the community.
“It’s about the places that are bigger than yourself and what it means to love something bigger than yourself,” said East Lansing Public Library Director Chrissie Evaskis-Garrett. “Folks who are seeking belonging here — whether you are an immigrant, refugee, freshman student at MSU, or a general person in the community — I think we are always seeking places [where] we belong, where we can dig in our roots.”
Evaskis-Garrett added that the book serves as a reminder that there is more to people than their differences, a message that she feels often gets lost in the world today.
“I think in the world today there is so much division,” she said. “Sometimes we have to be reminded that there is more to us than our differences, and I think this is a good book that does a really wonderful job at that, while also reminding you of the power of community and the love of your friends and neighbors.”