Common Read Returns with Inciting Joy
Initiative invites first-year and transfer students to read the same book in an effort to build community and spark ongoing discussion across campus
More than a dozen events connected to the book are already in the works and will take place throughout the year, beginning with book chats during virtual orientation sessions in July. Book cover courtesy of Algonquin Books
Common Read Returns with Inciting Joy
Initiative invites first-year and transfer students to read the same book in an effort to build community and spark ongoing discussion across campus
A good book can spark conversation, build community, and broaden perspectives. Those are the goals of the Boston University Common Read, which returns for its second year to give first-year and transfer students a shared intellectual experience before they even step foot in the classroom.
This year’s pick is Inciting Joy, by Ross Gay, winner of the 2023 Hurston/Wright Legacy Award in Memoir Nonfiction. Through a series of essays, Gay invites readers to find meaning and joy in unexpected places, exploring themes such as friendship, community, injustice, political polarization, nature, and the everyday moments that shape our lives.
Common Read gives students a shared starting point to connect with each other and explore new ideas, while also creating opportunities to engage with faculty and take part in learning experiences outside the classroom, says Jason Campbell-Foster, dean of students and colead of the program, along with Amie Grills, associate provost for undergraduate affairs. Although geared toward incoming students, the program is open to the entire BU community, which is encouraged to read the book and participate in the numerous related events planned throughout the academic year.
Boston University Common Read is a great way to connect the BU community. Video by Joe Burke
“We’re inviting students to think and talk about how joy manifests in their life, particularly during a time when they’re navigating uncertainty, pressure, and the adjustment to college,” Campbell-Foster says. “How do you stop for a minute, be mindful, and extract joy from even those circumstances you may not think are immediately joyful?”
The selection process for this year’s book began with a list of recommendations curated by BU Libraries. A committee of faculty, staff, and University leaders reviewed the titles, whittled down the list, and, with input from student advisory boards, submitted a final recommendation to University leadership.
BU President Melissa Gilliam says she was delighted by the choice. “Gay’s stories and reflections challenge us to be open to moments of joy, even when we may be struggling, and to allow these moments to help sustain us,” she says. “I look forward to reading this work with our students, faculty, and staff, and to the many conversations about what it means to belong at BU. Together, let us find joy during a time of rapid change.”
Incoming students can request a complimentary hard copy of Inciting Joy at the Boston University Campus Store or the Office of the Dean of Students (books cannot be shipped). They can also elect to receive a digital copy; find details of how to do so here. Mugar Memorial Library also has extra copies of the book on its shelves. The broader BU community is encouraged to borrow the book from their community library or to purchase it from their local independent bookstore.
For Grills, the program’s real strength is that it gives students something in common before they even arrive on campus. “Now, they have something that they can talk to each other about when they’re just starting to get to know each other, and that they can attend programming around,” she says.
More than a dozen events connected to the book are already in the works and will take place throughout the year, beginning with book chats during virtual orientation sessions in July and book talks with faculty members during the in-person orientation in August.
During the academic year, tentative events themed around concepts in the book include a seed-sharing initiative (“joy in growth”), a crafting event at the makerspace on BU’s Fenway Campus (“joy in creation”), and discussions about finding happiness while studying for midterms or working on a group project (“joy in persistence”). Gay is also expected to come to campus for an event in the spring, organizers say.
Both Grills and Campbell-Foster say they were drawn to the idea that people don’t have to read the entire book to participate in the year’s events. Readers may find some essays speak to them more than others—and that’s OK, the organizers say. As Campbell-Foster puts it: “This is an invitation, not an assignment.”
“Really, our hope is that students will engage as much as they can, and then come be a part of the community and discussions and bring their whole self to those experiences,” Grills says.
Organizers say feedback from last year’s Common Read selection, the 2024 Booker Prize–winning novel Orbital, helped shape this year’s program. Students expressed interest in something that didn’t feel like required reading during a summer when they were packing up for college.
For Campbell-Foster, the program reflects a broader partnership between the Dean of Students office and the Office of the Provost, and reinforces their shared goal of connecting classroom learning with campus life.
Common Read, he says, is a perfect example of that shared commitment: “Learning isn’t just about acquiring knowledge in a classroom; it’s also about understanding who we are and how we show up. It’s great to have an opportunity to learn about joy and happiness, gain faculty insights, and coexist together in the community in thoughtful ways.”