2008 Woodie Awards
Synergy releases new novel and reflects on the past
Jennie Klahre
Issue date: 4/10/08 Section: Lifestyles
The title of the new required novel for the fall 2008 incoming freshman class, "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro, was recently announced by Synergy, the UNCW Common Reading Experience.
The award-winning book will be handed out to students during summer orientation and organizers hope it will foster a sense of community and intellectual experiences.
Starting in fall of 2007, UNCW followed in the footsteps of many universities that already offer a reading program.
"We decided to do this program because we have such strong freshman seminar classes that we could incorporate the book into," said Common Reading Committee member Jenny Adams. "And we wanted to send students an expectation of college academics and also enhance a sense of intellectual community."
The novel is chosen by the Common Reading Committee of about 15 people including faculty, staff, administration and students. Recommendations are submitted and researched, and certain criteria are met for each book chosen.
The novel must engage students and spark passionate discussion, have historical and cultural references, appeal to a wide range of students, contain rich themes and be relevant to student life in terms of diversity, relationships, identity and coming of age issues.
"It was a very difficult choice this year and we're excited about it," Adams said. "The themes mesh well with the objectives and criteria and it's also more complex and challenging [than 'The Kite Runner']."
"Never Let me Go" follows the lives, trials, tribulations and relationships of a few English boarding school students.
"It reads like a mystery with lots of symbolism," Adams said. "There's also a big focus on creativity so we hope to organize creative participation events at the Kickoff Ceremony."
Adams added, "I think it will appeal to some students that 'The Kite Runner' didn't appeal to. It's less culturally deep and more of a psychological thriller."
The award-winning book will be handed out to students during summer orientation and organizers hope it will foster a sense of community and intellectual experiences.
Starting in fall of 2007, UNCW followed in the footsteps of many universities that already offer a reading program.
"We decided to do this program because we have such strong freshman seminar classes that we could incorporate the book into," said Common Reading Committee member Jenny Adams. "And we wanted to send students an expectation of college academics and also enhance a sense of intellectual community."
The novel is chosen by the Common Reading Committee of about 15 people including faculty, staff, administration and students. Recommendations are submitted and researched, and certain criteria are met for each book chosen.
The novel must engage students and spark passionate discussion, have historical and cultural references, appeal to a wide range of students, contain rich themes and be relevant to student life in terms of diversity, relationships, identity and coming of age issues.
"It was a very difficult choice this year and we're excited about it," Adams said. "The themes mesh well with the objectives and criteria and it's also more complex and challenging [than 'The Kite Runner']."
"Never Let me Go" follows the lives, trials, tribulations and relationships of a few English boarding school students.
"It reads like a mystery with lots of symbolism," Adams said. "There's also a big focus on creativity so we hope to organize creative participation events at the Kickoff Ceremony."
Adams added, "I think it will appeal to some students that 'The Kite Runner' didn't appeal to. It's less culturally deep and more of a psychological thriller."
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