Frequently Asked Questions

Do I really have to read the book?

The answer is Yes! Many of your courses will build on the book in some way. One professor may simply use an event in the book as an example in a lecture; another professor may ask you to discuss and write about events or ideas in the book. Your professors will decide whether or not to use the book depending on its relevance to the courses they teach. However, the most important reason for reading the book is because it'll involve you imaginatively in experiences and emotions you might otherwise miss.

Who chooses the book?

A committee of students, faculty, and staff who love to read choose a new book each year. Their challenge is always to find a book of around 300 pages that is "big" enough in events and ideas to find its way into a variety of your courses.

Practical considerations include finding an author who can come to campus in September and who enjoys talking to students about writing. And, of course, the CBP committee wants to find a book you can relate to, that may even change your life.

Can anyone attend the author's reading?

The first night of the author's reading is held open for the Champlain community. Some years, the author reads and speaks on a second night, and then the reading is open to all.