Author Event on April 17, 2007 at Mercury Hall, Austin, TX

In its sixth year, the 2007 Mayor’s Book Club has been very successful. Since Mayor Wynn announced Around the Bloc as the 2007 selection in February, the book has been checked over a thousand times, and hundreds of people have come together to discuss the book with University of Texas experts and other Austinities across the city at branch libraries. Around the Bloc is an award winning story of the travels of a young Latina writer and UT alumna Stephanie Elizondo Griest through Communist capitol cities. The book prompted conversations and discussion about America’s role in the world, and our perceptions of foreign peoples and cultures and their perceptions of us.

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On April 17 this year’s reading campaign ended with a visit from the author, Stephanie Elizondo Griest. Stephanie met Austinites at a welcoming reception at a south Austin venue, Mercury Hall where attendees enjoyed Cuban food by Habana Restaurant and enjoyed the sounds of music by Cerranato. Over 100 people attended the reception and program with Mayor Wynn and Mayor Pro Tem Dunkerly, and Stephanie wowed the audience for the hour long program. The discussion with the author was moderated by Mike Shea, Texas Monthly writer, and books were sold by Bookpeople.

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The City of Austin and the Austin Public Library would like to thank all of our partners and sponsors of this year’s reading campaign: The University of Texas Humanities Institute, Texas Gas Service, the Austin Public Library Foundation, the Friends of the Austin Public Library, Seabrooktv.com, ME-TV, and area bookstores.

Visit our previous Mayor's Book Club resource guides online:
Spring 2006: The Devil's Highway by Luis Alberto Urrea
Spring 2005: Writing Austin's Lives by Metro Austin Residents
Spring 2004: All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
Spring 2003: Holes by Louis Sachar
Spring 2002: Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya

To view what other cities across the country are reading visit
The Center for the Book