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One Book, One Community has been an annual project in Summit led by Shaping Summit Together, The Summit Interfaith Clergy Council, and the Mayor’s Forum on Diversity, and made possible by the Summit Area Public Foundation. Each year a book is selected in January and discussed during late October. The goal of this project is to bring people together to discuss issues from the book, and also to address issues in Summit. This year’s book is Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder.

Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder is about one man named Paul Farmer. He is the founder of an organization called Partners in Health which helps people in Haiti, Cuba, Peru, and Russia. Many people in Summit have demonstrated this type of leadership, from starting a new organization, to standing up to a bully in school. This book was chosen because it is very well-written and for its message to all of us that one person is able to make a huge difference. The committee hopes that the book will set an example for the Summit community to look up to and follow.

In January, the book selection committee receives candidates for the book of that year. The book is announced on Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. To publicize the chosen book, flyers are handed out, emails are sent, press releases are given to the local papers, and the news gets around through word of mouth. Websites, such as Summit-NJ-Online.com and the City of Summit publicize the community book online. Private book clubs are also encouraged to read the book. About 10 months later (in order to give enough time for the readers), large discussions are held about the book. Finally, there is a culminating event in the fall. This event will either have a speaker (such as the author or the subject of the book), or a paneled discussion of the people in Summit who have a connection with the plot or main message of the book.

Mountains Beyond Mountains is available for loan at The Summit Free Public Library, and to buy at Helen’s Books & Gifts which has a 20% discount for the book. Discussions will be held at the Summit Free Public Library on Monday, October 15 at 10 am, and on Thursday, October 18 at 7 pm. All discussions are open to the public. The Temple Sinai’s Sisterhood Book Group meeting is on October 22 at 7:30 pm at Temple Sinai. The date for the culminating event is still undecided, but it will be held in early December. For more information, please call Shaping Summit Together at (908)-277-4400.

Article by -- Annika Balraj