Although Rochester stretches across a seemingly vast amount of space, it is a city characterized largely by its strong community ties. In an effort to more fully unite Greater Rochester, in 2001 Writers & Books began a program called "If All of Rochester Read the Same Book…" to connect people through the experience of literature in reading and discussion. Each year, the book selection is based on suggestions from librarians, publishers, and book store employees that are then compiled and narrowed down based on Writers & Books staff reviews.

This year, the novel Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits by Laila Lalami was selected for its relevance to important international issues taking place today, as well as its cross generational appeal. Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits is a story about four Moroccans who cross the Straits of Gibraltar on a lifeboat in order to immigrate to Spain. As the narrative unfolds, key events in each character's past are linked together, each leading up to the treacherous journey. The novel focuses largely on issues including illegal immigration, persecution, and the Muslim culture of the characters, opening the door for a number of important discussion topics.

Writers & Books is in its seventh year of coordinating to have all of Rochester read the same book and were one of the very first community-wide reading programs in the entire country. As pioneers in the field, the staff at Writers & Books has watched this type of program sweep the nation, with hundreds of cities and towns participating.

There will be a wide variety of events taking place throughout the community in bookstores, libraries, schools, religious organizations, on radio and TV, and at Writers & Books. The program will culminate with a number of appearances by author Laila Lalami spanning three days in March. Copies of Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits are available at Writers & Books and local bookstores.

For more information, a Reader's Guide and Calendar of Events, visit www.wab.org or call Writers & Books at 473-2590