One Book

One Book, One Community

onebook_logoOne Book, One Community is an annual event encouraging residents of the City of Columbia, Richland County and the Midlands to read the same book at the same time, and to share their passion for reading with their friends and neighbors. Every November, this initiative brings together readers from all over the Columbia area in an attempt to promote literacy and its importance to our community. Make sure to check out the One Book, One Community Facebook page for the latest updates.

2019 One Book, One Community

Selection: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

One Book, One Community, a beloved initiative that encourages local residents to read the same book at the same time, returns this November, and Richland Library  and One Columbia for Arts and Culture are excited to announce Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko as the 2019 selection.

Known as a popular pick among book clubs
nationwide, Pachinko is a prior National Book Award finalist and a pick for the New York Times
10 Best Books of 2017. The timely read follows four generations of a poor Korean immigrant family, who are exiled from their homeland, and it showcases their struggles surrounding faith, family and identify in 20th century Japan.

In a review, the New York Times explains, “Pachinko is about outsiders, minorities and the politically disenfranchised… Despite the compelling sweep of time and history, it is the characters and their tumultuous lives that propel the narrative. Small details subtly reveal the characters’ secret selves and build to powerful moments.”

Mark the calendar and please join us in November 2019 as we dive into this book. Whether it’s grabbing a copy or joining a book group, Richland Library invites local residents to take part in One Book, One Community. Then be sure to Meet the Author: Min Jin Lee on Friday, November 15 during an after-hours event at our Main location (1431 Assembly Street).

Get the Book, Share the Experience

Then, plan to attend the One Book, One Community events!

The community is invited to join us for the author event, which is free and open to the public, at the Richland Library Main location (1431 Assembly Street):

  • Friday, November 15 |   7 – 9:00 p.m., Save the date! Pachinko author Min Jin Lee will be at Richland Library to speak and sign copies of her books. Additional details to follow!

Previous One Book, One Community Selections

2018: The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
2017: Grant Park by Leonard Pitts, Jr.
2016: The Stone Necklace by Carla Damron
2015: On Agate Hill by Lee Smith
2014: My Reading Life by Pat Conroy
2013: The Dry Grass of August by Anna Jean Mayhew
2012: Saints at the River by Ron Rash
2011: Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters’ First 100 Years by Sarah L. Delany