PULLMAN, Wash. – Free copies of the 2012-13 WSU Pullman common reading book are available for teaching faculty at the co-located Pullman-Spokane campus who are considering use of the book in a course next year.
Request “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” from Karen Weathermon, co-director of the Common Reading Program for the Pullman campus, at kweathermon@wsu.edu.
The nonfiction bestseller has fueled national interest in many related topics, such as bioethics, race, gender, class and poverty. Written by Rebecca Skloot, it has earned several awards since it was published by Crown Books in 2010. It was selected as the WSU common reading book from 30 nominations submitted by faculty, staff, students and alumni.
The Common Reading Program began in 2007 as an annual introduction of freshmen to the value of research, the power of ideas and the varied but related ways in which disciplines across the institution approach similar problems.
In addition to its use in many first-year courses across disciplines, the book prompts discussions in a weekly faculty/guest expert lecture series. The common reading website features a calendar of program-related activities, lectures and events.