William Kent Krueger’s book “The River We Remember” has been selected as the title for the 2024 One Book, One Community reading project. The project is organized through a collaborative partnership of the Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo public libraries, Concordia College’s Carl B. Ylvisaker Library, Minnesota State University Moorhead’s Livingston Lord Library, North Dakota State University Libraries and the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County.
Set in the summer of 1958 in a rural community in Minnesota, Krueger’s novel focuses on long-held secrets, fears and prejudices that come to light following the murder of the county’s leading citizen. “The River We Remember” is a story of how we help one another heal from the wounds of the battles we fight in life, and of how we transform hate and anger into compassion. The themes of the novel center on the damage left by the wars that are fought abroad and at home and how people can heal from those traumas.
William Kent Krueger is the acclaimed author of the New York Times bestselling novel “Ordinary Grace,” as well as its companion novel “This Tender Land.” Krueger is also the writer of nineteen Cork O’Connor novels, a series of mysteries set in the Northwoods of Minnesota. Krueger’s work has received several awards, including the Minnesota Book Award, the Loft-McKnight Fiction Award, the Anthony Award, the Barry Award, the Dilys Award, the Edgar Award for best novel and the Friends of American Writers Prize. His last nine novels were all New York Times bestsellers. He makes his home in St. Paul, Minnesota.
This year’s One Book, One Community reading project launches in mid-August and features a variety of events including book discussions, presentations, films and other programs. The event series includes an author visit on Oct. 29 at the Knutson Campus Center Centrum at Concordia College. Further details about the author visit will be announced at a later date.
Copies of the book will be available for checkout in several formats at each of the participating libraries. For book club kits, contact Lori West at lwest@fargolibrary.org. For a list of related events and resources, visit any participating library’s website starting July 15 or visit 1book1community.org after July 15.
In its 13th year, the One Book, One Community reading project centers on the community-wide reading of a single book and is dedicated to creating a shared conversation along with a range of related events and activities for residents of all ages.
All One Book, One Community events are free and open to the public. This project is made possible in part with funding from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and supported by Concordia Cultural Events, Friends of the Fargo Public Library, Friends of the West Fargo Public Library and the Friends of the Moorhead Library.