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What Is the What' chosen for city reading program
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More from Conejo ValleyA real-life story based on "Lost Boys of Sudan" will be the book selection for the Thousand Oaks Reads — One City One Book program this year, officials said.
"What Is the What" by Dave Eggers is the selection for the program's second year, said Jana Covell, a Thousand Oaks Library representative.
Eggers' book is based on the real-life story of Valentino Achak Deng, who was among the boys forced to flee their East African village during that country's civil war.
Covell said the selection will build upon "the enormous success of last year's citywide reading initiative," which featured Jonathan Safran Foer's book "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close."
The program encourages members of the community to read a book and discuss it. A monthlong One City One Book celebration will kick off Sept. 20 at the Thousand Oaks Arts Festival and continue with community book discussions, film screenings, a panel discussion led by California Lutheran University faculty members and other activities.
A centerpiece will be an afternoon with the author, Dave Eggers, on Oct. 11 at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.
Covell said that in an effort to reach a wider audience, the One City One Book committee has endorsed three related titles for children and young adults. They are "Brothers in Hope: the Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan," by Mary Williams; "Home of the Brave," by Katherine Applegate; and "Of Beetles and Angels: A Boy's Remarkable Journey from a Refugee Camp to Harvard," by Mawi Asgedom.
Copies of the books are available at the Grant R. Brimhall and Newbury Park Branch libraries and at bookstores. More information can be found on Thousand Oaks Reads Web site, http://www.thousandoaksreads.org.
— From staff reports
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