One Book, One College
One Book, One College is a year-long, interdisciplinary program engaging the ICC community through the reading and discussion of a shared book.
Fostering interdisciplinary relationships through a shared reading experience.
2019-2020 One Book, One College Selection:
How We Got To Now
In this illustrated history, Steven Johnson explores the history of innovation over centuries, tracing facets of modern life (refrigeration, clocks, and eyeglass lenses, to name a few) from their creation by hobbyists, amateurs, and entrepreneurs to their unintended historical consequences. Filled with surprising stories or accidental genius and brilliant mistakes — from the French publisher who invented the phonograph before Edison but forgot to include playback, to the Hollywood movie star who helped invent the technology behind Wi-Fi and Bluetooth–How We Got To Now investigates the secret history behind the everyday objects of contemporary life.
Johnson examines unexpected connections between seemingly unrelated fields: how the invention of air-conditioning enabled the largest migration of human beings in the history of species — to the cities such as Dubai or Phoenix, which would otherwise be virtually uninhabitable; how pendulum clocks helped trigger the industrial revolution; and how clean water made it possible to manufacture computer chips. — from Penguin Random House.
About the Author
Steven Berlin Johnson is the bestselling author of eleven books, including Where Good Ideas Come From, Wonderland, and The Ghost Map. He’s the host and co-creator of the Emmy-winning PBS/BBC series How We Got To Now, and the host of the podcast American Innovations. He lives in Brooklyn and Marin County, California with his wife and three sons. — from Penguin Random House.
Read more about Steven Johnson at Biography in Context.
View the ICC Library’s LibGuide to learn more about How We Got To Now.
Events
Community Leader Presentations
A leader from the Peoria area is invited to campus to speak about the importance of the theme in their work and personal life. (45 minutes)
Faculty Presentations
ICC faculty members use their specialized knowledge and experience to present information about the One Book, One College theme and/or selection. (45 minutes)
Faculty Presentation Request
Have a presentation idea? Tell us about it!
Event Archive
Watch recordings of One Book, One College Community Leader, and Faculty presentations.
Selecting
Selections for One Book, One College are made by a team of librarians and faculty from several departments at ICC.
If you have a suggestion for next year’s read, please contact Amy Glass by email or call (309) 694-5748 or complete this online form.
Past Selections
2018-2019 Frankenstein: The 1818 Text
2017-2018 The Book of Joy by the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, and Douglas Carlton Abrams
2016-2017 The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
2015-2016 March: Book One by John Lewis
2014-2015 Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Contact Amy Glass by email or call (309) 694-5748 for more information.