'One Book, One City' creator fears idea has gotten out of hand

NEW YORK -- Nancy Pearl, creator of the "one book, one city" program, should feel satisfied.

Four years after she organized a Seattle-based reading of Russell Banks' "The Sweet Hereafter," her idea of having a city's population read the same book to get the community talking has spread across the nation.

At least 18 states have tried it, from Alaska to Florida; Los Angeles, Chicago and New York are among the cities involved.

The concept has even been applied statewide in California and Virginia.

Cape Girardeau is completing its own version of the concept with its United We Read program.

In the Cape Girardeau program, the community has been encouraged to read John Grisham's "A Painted House" this month. Discussion groups on the book are listed daily on Page 2 of the Southeast Missourian.

But Pearl, executive director of the Washington Center for the Book at the Seattle Public Library, worries that the original purpose is getting lost.

"It's very gratifying that people are doing this, but this was never intended to be a civics lesson," she says. "This was always intended to be a library program that promoted a deepening engagement that helps people engage in good books."