Coral WilsonImagine groups of people gathered in...

Coral Wilson

Imagine groups of people gathered in libraries and coffee shops,

people of all different backgrounds and generations rapt in

conversation. In many cities, people have been coming together to

share a common story, a book.

“Finding new friends, finding new reasons to talk to people that

you otherwise might have never gotten to know before,” was Mary

Barton’s vision when she heard the concept for the first time on the

National Public Radio about a group that had started in Chicago. And

she thought, “If they can do it in Chicago, we can probably do it

here.”

The “One City, One Book,” program, traced back to Nancy Pearl in

Seattle, has taken off across America. In 2002, Barton took it to

Long Beach, where it was an immediate success, involving more than

100 events and 100,000 participants.

Orange County residents showed up at some of the Long Beach events

and someone suggested taking the concept to the county level.

Susan Redfield, who would become the project director for the

local spin-off, hesitated at the time.

“We can’t do it in Orange County,” she said then. “It is a huge

county. There are 34 cities. ... Plus, Orange County is really

complicated.”

But the challenge was exhilarating.

Redfield and Barton teamed up to create the Orange County Reads

One Book project. In what they call a very grass-roots effort, they

knocked on doors to spread the word.

“It was amazing how many people were interested in participating,

and it was philanthropists, educators, journalists and museum

people,” Redfield said. “It was amazing to me.”

But when the Orange County Department of Education came on board,

and Supt. of Schools William Habermehl became co-chair along with

Steven Barth, vice-president at the Los Angeles Times, Redfield knew

it was going to be big.

“I get approached with a lot of things, and I have a life that is

overbooked and overscheduled now, but this was something that as I

listened to for just a few minutes, I could quickly see that it was a

program that had real possibilities,” Habermehl said.

“Kids that can read become good citizens and do well in life, and

I just said I can’t afford not to do it, so it was an easy decision

to add it to the list,” he said.

In preparation for events to take place March 23 through April 12,

people have been talking, schools have been collaborating and people

throughout Orange County have been reading “Chinese Cinderella” and

its counterpart, “Falling Leaves,” by Adeline Yen Mah of Huntington

Beach.

In her autobiography, “Falling Leaves,” Mah wrote about her

struggle to overcome her destiny as an unwanted daughter in China.

Her biggest fans were children who related to the feelings of

parental rejection Mah had described.

“When many children feel desperate they confide in one another. If

there is no one to turn to, they turn to me,” Mah said, trying to

explain the huge response she had received.

Mah wrote a second book, “Chinese Cinderella,” encouraging

children to believe in themselves and detailing the harsh realities

of the first 14 years of her life.

The two books allow for discussion among children, adults and

people from all cultures. Mah and her books seemed like the perfect

choice, especially when the author agreed to appear at many of the

events.

All of the Borders Books, Music & Cafe locations in Orange County

will be hosting discussions on March 27. Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

night will be April 7. Barnes & Nobles Booksellers has a variety of

listings.

Professors will speak at UC Irvine’s “Meet the Author” night on

March 31, and the Orange County Department of Education has sponsored

a workshop to incorporate the concept into schools.

Libraries, museums, schools and universities have also been

developing creative ideas.

“What is making it work is when you let someone design their own

program, they get a sense of empowerment,” Redfield said, “They get a

sense of participation and belonging, and I think we are at a time in

our history when belonging is really important.”

Illiteracy is a serious problem in Orange County, Redfield said.

Obvious goals for the program include increasing reading and

community building.

But what makes the Orange County project unique are the objectives

of intergenerational and multicultural understanding, something that

is needed more than ever since the Sept. 11 attacks, Redfield said.

With the logo, “Orange County Reads. One book. Many Stories,” the

idea is that people from all different backgrounds will have

something different to bring to the table, she said.

“You know the academic decathlon program was started about 35

years ago here in Orange County and it grew from a county program to

a state, a national and then an international program,” Habermehl

said.

“I see this same Reads One Book concept as being something almost

as powerful as that, that could expand and grow into other regions

and areas because it is good for communities,” he said. “People love

to back it up.”