The 2017 One Book, One Philadelphia kickoff event is set for tonight and marks the 15th year of this beloved Philadelphia tradition. Can you believe it?

The very first One Book, One Philadelphia title, The Price of a Child by Lorene Cary, was announced in 2002 with an eight-week period of programs and events running January through March of 2003. Since then, One Book featured selections have always been of outstanding literary quality, with laurels including the National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award, and many on The New York Times Best Seller list. One Book titles have been the inspiration behind films, instrumental musical compositions, an opera, and now, with the selection of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, a theatrical production!

So as we close the door on the reading period and dive into the programming and events surrounding this year’s choice, let’s take a trip down memory lane, shall we?

2003: The Price of a Child by Lorene Cary

2004: The Color of Water by James McBride

2005: The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien

2006: Ben Franklin Tercentary

2007: Waiting for Snow in Havana: Confessions of a Cuban Boy by Carlos Eire

2008: What Is the What by Dave Eggers

2009: The Soloist by Steve Lopez

2010: The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

 
2011: War Dances and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

2012: Create Dangerously: The Immigrant Artist at Work by Edwidge Danticat

2013: The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka

2014: The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers

2015: Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

2016: Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier

2017: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

Tonight's event will include a video of Mark Haddon, author of the 2017 One Book, One Philadelphia featured book, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, describing how he created his fascinating teenaged protagonist, Christopher Boone. Then, a panel of former One Book authors (Lorene Cary, Carlos Eire, Christina Baker Kline, Steve Lopez, and James McBride) will discuss their respective processes of creating characters and narratives. Finally, an original musical piece inspired by The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, composed by Nick Berardino, will be performed. This program is free and unticketed.

Join us TONIGHT at the Parkway Central Library at 7:30 p.m.!