The Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area has a five-year history of successful community reads programs which encourage all of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti to read one book. University, Library, bookstore and community representatives from both Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti have been planning Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads 2008 for several months.

In 2008, the program will encourage readers of all ages to explore the theme China and America: Bridging Two Worlds. A screening committee, which met throughout the summer, chose three titles for this year’s consideration:

Ha Jin, The Bridegroom: Stories. New York: Pantheon Books, 2000.

William Poy Lee, The Eighth Promise: An American Son's Tribute to His Toisanese Mother. Emmaus, Pa.: Rodale, c2007.

Anchee Min, Red Azalea. New York: Pantheon Books, 1994.

More information about these titles may be found on the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads website at aareads.org – and there is an opportunity for individuals to blog their comments for each title on that site. In late October, a selection committee will choose one of these titles to be the focus of the Read.

ANN ARBOR /YPSI READS - My ranking of the three choices would be 1-RED AZAELA, it tells a real story about the time of several changes of the Chinese government and the world changes of sexual choices, 2- BRIDEGROOM STORIES, nice to have a selection of stories which can be discussed for difference of ideas and also a little humor is wonderful, 3 -THE 8TH PROMISE,

The Eighth Promise was intriguing to me right from the start and the way its presented w/ both voices and perspectives makes it even more interesting...the other 2 are good but not as discussion provoking...at least for me. JW Calhoun

I agree with JW Calhoun.
-S Dishmon

Its worth getting exposed to the real story of Red Azalea. Thats the best off the three books mentioned here!My vote is for this book to get the focus of the Read.