One Book, One Denver events kicked off in festive fashion March 26 with a fiesta, compliments of the Business School’s Judy Chavez. Between mouthfuls of posole (pork and hominy stew), biscochitos (anise cookies) and boillios (bread), readers chatted about Caramelo by Sandra Cisneros. The novel was selected by the Mayor’s Office for the second annual One Book, One Denver community reading event. Participants debated the symbolism of the rebozo, the color caramelo and whether Awful Grandmother’s difficult life was reason enough for her bitterness. Those on hand also were treated by Chavez to salsa, guacamole, tortilla chips and Mexican pop, Mexican candy and fiesta favors.
In case you missed this celebratory kick-off event, there’s more to come including a One Book roundtable discussion with local authors and storytellers, noon-1:30 p.m., Monday, April 4, at the Tivoli Adirondack Room (Room 440). Participants on the panel include:
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John-Michael Rivera (who teaches American literature and ethnic studies at CU-Boulder
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Angel Vigil (who is a writer and professional storyteller specializing in the traditional stories of the Hispanic Southwest and Mexico
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Margarita Barcelo (who teaches Chicana/o literature at Metro)
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Manuel Ramos (who is an attorney and mystery writer living in Denver)
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Cate Wiley (poet Ethnic literature teacher at UCDHSC)
One Book, One Denver is a reading program that encourages everyone in the greater Denver community to read the same book at the same time as a way to wrap many events and activities around a common topic. Although new to Denver, the program has had tremendous success in cities across the nation. The "One Book" project was initiated by the Washington Center for the Book in 1998 with "If All of Seattle Read the Same Book." The Center for the Book at the Library of Congress provides a website listing cities that have been involved in the program, along with many links to many localized activities.
The University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center's Downtown Denver Campus is among several partners that are developing activities, events and programs of public interest. Faculty, staff and students are essential elements in this community-building activity through personal involvement. Already, many at CU-Peers, Staff Council and the faculty are exploring ways to encourage readership and create campus activities.
If you haven’t started reading it yet, there’s still time. The Auraria Library has several copies of Caramelo available at its Reserve Book Room. The Denver Public Library also will carry several copies at its branches. Local book retailers are carrying additional supplies of the book.
