Writing Austin’s Lives: a Community Portrait A Huge Success
A new initiative to KEEP AUSTIN WRITING is launched

This year’s book club was a huge success. Since the launch in May 2005 the book was checked out at Faulk Central Library and branch libraries over 2,000 times. Hundreds of people attended four special events during the summer and 8 discussion groups in September, hosted by the Austin Public Library and University of Texas Humanities Institute, and facilitated by well known Austinites including; Governor Ann Richards, Liz Carpenter, author, and music legend, Ray Benson, amongst others.

In partnership with the Austin Independent School District and the Austin Public Library the Mayor invited young Austinites to write an essay about what they would do if they were Mayor for a day. Four winners and three honorable mentions were chosen. Click here to view Press Release

At the end of September the fourth annual Mayor’s Book Club ended with a finale event at the Plaza at City Hall with a celebration of music, storytelling and film. At the evening event the mayor announced a new program—not only to Keep Austin Reading, but Writing as well—an interactive Web site where veteran and aspiring authors can offer stories about their lives and Austin on www.writeonaustin.org. When Mayor Wynn announced his choice of Writing Austin’s Lives: a Community Portrait as the 2005 Mayor’s Book Club selection he also issued a challenge. Not only did he want everyone to read the book, he wanted people in the community to continue writing about their life experiences in Austin.

The City of Austin and the Austin Public Library would like to thank all of our partners and sponsors of this year's reading campaign: the University of Texas Humanities Institute, the Austin Public Library Foundation, Texas Gas Service, Austin American-Statesman, the Austin Chronicle, the Friends of the Austin Public Library, and area bookstores.

Presently the Keep Austin Reading committee is reviewing titles for the 2006 Mayor’s Book Club. Check back after January for an update on next year’s book selection.

Visit our previous Mayor's Book Club resource guides online:
Spring 2002: Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya
Spring 2003: Holes by Louis Sachar
Spring 2004: All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy