The Community Read, presented by Aspen Words and Pitkin County Library, strives to celebrate literature, unite readers around a work of fiction, and ignite meaningful conversation on the vital social issues explored in each year's Aspen Words Literary Prize winning novel.
Sign up for the Community Read
Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad is the 2024 winner of the Aspen Words Literary Prize!
Sign up for the Community Read and receive a copy of Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad.
Upcoming Events:
Book Pick-Up
Thursday, June 6 | 11:00am-1:00pm & 4:00pm-6:00pm
Stop by the Pitkin County Library over lunch or after work and pick up your copy of Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad.
Craft and Chat
Enjoy tea and a calming craft while discussing one of the Aspen Words Literary Prize shortlist books and some of the heavier topics at the center of these books.
Watercolor Postcards
Thursday, May 2 | 5:00pm-6:30pm
Create your own mini watercolor while discussing Witness by Jamel Brinkley. In the Dunaway Community Room.
Laser Cutter
Thursday, May 23 | 5:00pm-6:30pm
Find or create a simple design while discussing Temple Folk by Aaliyah Bilal. Then learn to use the Library's laser cutter to make an ornament or a coaster. In the Library Lab.
Paper Crafting
Thursday, June 13 | 5:00pm-6:30pm
Craft with paper to create unique cards or learn a few different origami creations while discussing one of the Literary Prize shortlist books. In the Library Lab.
Beading
Thursday, July 11 | 5:00pm-6:30pm
Use our large bead collection to create bracelets, necklaces, earrings, or other designs while discussing one of the Literary Prize shortlist books. In the Library Lab.
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Aspen Words Literary Prize 2024 Shortlist:
Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
Temple Folk by Aaliyah Bilal
Witness by Jamel Brinkley
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
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Previous Community Read Books
The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories by Jamil Jan Kochai
The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton
The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich
The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
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Recordings of Previous Author Talks by Aspen Public Radio
Community Read Author Talk with Literary Prize Winner Jamil Jan Kochai
Aspen Words Community Read: Author Talk with Dawnie Walton
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Aspen Words was founded in 1976 as a literary center based in Aspen, CO. A program of the Aspen Institute, its mission is to encourage writers, inspire readers and connect people through the power of stories. The Aspen Words Literary Prize is a $35,000 annual award for an influential work of fiction that illuminates a vital contemporary issue and demonstrates the transformative power of literature on thought and culture. Open to authors of any nationality, the award is one of the largest literary prizes in the United States and one of the few focused exclusively on fiction with a social impact. The inaugural award was presented in 2018 to Mohsin Hamid for his novel Exit West.