L&S Honors Program

With the Fall 2002 Honors first-year class the L&S Honors Program initiated a new "Common Book Program." Through this program all of the 450-500 incoming first-year Honors students are sent a book during the summer (see below) written by a University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty member. At the beginning of the academic year, Honors first-year students are invited to attend a reception at which the author gives a presentation followed by a discussion with the students about the book and its content. Volunteer upper class Honors students also participate in the event and serve as discussion facilitators at each table.

2002 Common Book Student Facilitators; photo by Jeffrey Shokler

Honors student discussion facilitators at the inaugural

L&S Honors Common Book Program Reception

Recently, the Common Book Program has taken on a community service component where interested members of Madison's retirement communities are sent free copies of the Common Book. Discussions of the book take place later at the retirement communities and are facilitated by Honors student volunteers.

Sam Hall facilitating discussion at Oakwood

Sam Hall (right) leads a discussion for the 2004 Common Book Program at the Oakwood Village Retirement Community

The L&S Honors Program Common Books

2009		*Human Goodness* Author Yi-Fu Tuan, Dept of Geography
2008		*Breathing Space: How Allergies Shape Our Lives and Landscapes* Author Gregg Mitman, Depts. of History of Science and History of Medicine
2007		The Last Day of the War: A Novel Author Judith Claire Mitchell, Dept. of English
2006		Blood Done Sign My Name: A True Story Author Timothy Tyson, Dept. of African American Studies
2005		*Remembering Pinochet's Chile: On the Eve of London 1998* Author Steve J. Stern, Dept. of History
2004		*Talking about Politics: Informal Groups and Social Identity in American Life* Author Katherine Kramer Walsh, Dept. of Political Science
2003		*Love at Goon Park* Author Deborah Blum, Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication
2002		*Dream Birds: The Strange History of the Ostrich in Fashion, Food, and Fortune* Author Rob Nixon, Dept. of English

The Common Book Program is made possible by generous support from the UW Parents' Fund administered by the UW Libraries which enables us to send the book to all incoming Honors Students and provides a copy to participants in Madison retirement centers. Parents' Fund support also makes possible the opening reception and discussion with the Common Book authors. Past support for this program was provided by the Anonymous Fund, the Evjue Foundation, and the Pathways to Excellence Project. Thanks to our donors!