Have You Read It Yet?

I’m proud to answer an emphatic YES to the question. This year, I am all read up and ready for the week that the Long Beach Public Library Foundation celebrates Long Beach Reads One Book. From March 6 to 14, events will be held all over the city featuring the book called Three Cups of Tea, which details the harrowing near-death experience of mountaineer Greg Mortenson after his unsuccessful attempt to climb K-2 (a more rugged neighbor of Mount Everest) and of his subsequent quest to build schools for the impoverished villages of the remote mountain regions of Afghanistan as a way to repay the people who saved his life.

The highlight of the week will be an appearance by Mortenson on March 6 at the Carpenter Center on the CSULB campus. Tickets for the event are already available. There’ll be several opportunities to learn more about the book and Mortenson’s group, Central Asia Institute, at the local libraries as well as a Read-a-thon on Second Street and a Spoken Word Festival on March 14. Once the full schedule has been finalized, it will be posted on the Foundation’s website. This year, Smithsonian Week will be combined with Long Beach Reads One Book, a pairing that promises to offer a rich assortment of cultural experiences. So hustle on down to your nearest neighborhood library and pick up a copy of Mortenson's book. You'll be glad you did!