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It is time to find out what everyone is reading at the kickoff event for the 2023 One Book One County Montcalm (OBOC) on Thursday, May 25, at 1 p.m. in the Stanley and Blanche Ash Technology and Learning Center on Montcalm Community College’s Greenville campus. 

Through the program, a committee selects a significant piece of literature to promote in the county’s book clubs, schools, libraries, organizations, neighborhoods and homes to create interaction in the community. The group rotates between fiction and nonfiction selections. This year’s book is nonfiction. 

“We all felt this would make for an interesting read on a topic we’d yet to cover, and we liked the author’s humorous take on life and events expressed through the writing,” MCC Library Director Katie Arwood said. “There’s also a Michigan connection, and the fact that this read might not be on everyone’s radar, though we’re sure it will be enjoyed. It has such broad appeal I’m sure readers of every genre will dig it.” 

She said it’s great to see the response of kickoff attendees and how they try to use clues to figure out what the book will be. 

“One of a librarian's greatest joys, and for some of us it is the very best thing, is sharing a book with a reader, and watching that title be enjoyed, talked about, and hopefully passed on to another,” Arwood said. “That’s the spirit of One Book in a nutshell.” 

Beth O’Grady, Carson City/Crystal library director and OBOC co-coordinator, thinks this year’s book has something for everyone - adventure, history, humor, and drama. 

“I so much look forward to the book reveal in May as we have an excellent presenter,” O’Grady said. “I also enjoy the slight air of suspense surrounding this event before the great reveal. All of the OBOC programs are welcoming, community-oriented events designed to inform, as well as entertain.” 

During the kickoff, participants will learn this year’s selection and also hear a presentation from Author Ron Rademacher. 

“I’ve enjoyed his books over the years and know readers have as well,” Arwood said. It’s always a pleasure to hear about Michigan, a place many of us have loved our whole lives and think we know so well, but Ron, a true Michigan adventurer, is going to take us on an armchair journey throughout our great state to many unexpected and unusual places and tell us how to discover these gems on our own.” 

Rademacher, podcaster and author of six books about out of the way places on Michigan’s back roads, is excited to see the how the audience reacts to his talk.  

“Almost 90 percent of it will be about things the audience has never seen before,” he said. “I’m looking forward to how much fun the audience will have. People are always amazed at the things I show them that they don’t know about.” 

From day trips to weekend adventures, there’s a lot of unusual things to discover along Michigan’s back roads. To get a sneak peek at some of the places Rademacher will explore, visit michiganbackroads.com. He talked about a set of ruins in the Huron National Forest that has a structure that is 80 feet wide by 100 feet long. He said no one has any idea why it was built. He also talked about the Bottle House in Kaleva that is made of 60,000 bottles. 

The One Book committee is comprised of representatives from each of the public libraries in Montcalm County. 

One Book One County Montcalm is sponsored by MCC, the MCC Foundation and the public libraries of Montcalm County. 

For more information, visit montcalm.edu/one-book. 

Media contact:
Shelly Springborn
Director of Communications and Public Relations
shellys@montcalm.edu
989-560-0833