One Book is an initiative to promote reading and unity. Each year, Read To Succeed and the Rutherford County One Book Committee select a book and invite the community to read this book together.

The committee reads dozens of books before making their thoughtful selection. This year, the committee selected Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, a remix of the National Book Award winner, Stamped From The Beginning. Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You was published in 2020 by award-winning authors Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi. The nonfiction book explores the history of racism, the racist ideas woven into the fabric of our country, and steps to building an antiracist America, but it is not a history book. Reynolds traces influential people, movements, and events in a format that is accessible to youth and adults.

“One Book has always been about starting important conversations with one another in our community. My hope is that reading this book will allow us all to reflect on institutional and systemic inequalities that have existed in our county, city, state, and country for far too long,” says One Book Committee Member Jessica Bruce.

“By selecting a book to share with our community, One Book strives to cultivate a culture of reading and discussion. The goal is to choose a piece of literature that clicks with a variety of age groups and demographics. Please look for the One Book at locations in our community and join me in reading and discussing this book,” says Technology Engagement Center Manager and One Book Committee Member Kathleen Tyree.

Copies of the 2021 One Book can be found around town at “Book Crossing” locations, marked by one of the Read To Succeed red boxes. Books can also be borrowed from Just Love Coffee East, Simply Pure Sweets, Morning Brew, Technology Engagement Center, and all Rutherford County Library System Branches.

In each book, you will find a sticker on the insider cover with information about how to log on to the One Book Facebook Page and share your comments after reading. You can pass the book to friends, return it to any of the above locations, or drop it at Read To Succeed.