One Book, One Philadelphia Concludes At Main Free Library Branch
By Pat Loeb
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - This year's "One Book, One Philadelphia" concludes tonight with a celebration at the Main Branch of the Free Library. The author of this year's selection will be on hand for one last discussion.
"This seems like a really great way of wrapping up the experience of traveling around and discussing the book with readers," Kevin Powers said he wrote the novel Yellow Birds about two soldiers in Iraq to convey the feeling of what it was like to fight in that war.
He says he'll be happy if it helps readers see through a military uniform to the person wearing it.
"They have their own concerns and fears, hopes and dreams, people who love them, people who care about them."
The library estimates 100,000 people either read the book or participated in events at schools, non-profits or library branches.
Powers says many people told him they might not have heard about the book if it had not been this year's selection.
"It's maybe reaching a wider audience than it would have otherwise, which, of course, I'm incredibly grateful for."
Next year's selection will be announced in October.
