Press Release
Gayle Hornaday, Assistant District Manager
gmhornaday@hdpl.org
702.492.6582
Paseo Verde Library
280 S. Green Valley Parkway
Henderson, Nevada 89012
Mitch Albom to speak at Henderson Pavilion Oct. 14 as part of One Book Henderson festivities
‘The Five People You Meet in Heaven’ inaugural One Book Henderson read
HENDERSON, Nev. – Award-winning author and radio host Mitch Albom will speak at the Henderson Pavilion – a City of Henderson outdoor entertainment venue, located at 200 S. Green Valley Parkway, at Paseo Verde Parkway – Sunday, Oct. 14, at 2 p.m. as part of Henderson Libraries’ inaugural One Book Henderson. Other related activities and performances will take place from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Gates will open at 12 p.m.Through One Book Henderson, Henderson Libraries is encouraging the entire Henderson community to read one book at the same time. Albom’s first novel, “The Five People You Meet in Heaven,” was chosen as One Book Henderson’s first novel.
The Detroit-based writer has authored nine books total, including bestsellers such as “Tuesdays with Morrie.” “The Five People You Meet in Heaven” alone has sold more than 8 million copies worldwide and more hardback copies than any other book since its launch in 2004.
Albom has used his success to help others. In fact, Albom has founded three charities in his Detroit community: "The Dream Fund" (helping disadvantaged youth become involved in the arts), "A Time To Help" (bringing volunteers together once a month to tackle various projects in Detroit), and “S.A.Y. Detroit” (an umbrella program to fund shelters and care for the homeless). And on Sept. 10, Albom hosted his first charity golf tournament to benefit the homeless.
Albom also raises money for literacy projects, including performances with his band The Rock Bottom Remainders, which is made up of writers including Steven King, Dave Barry and Amy Tan.
One Book Henderson is a community-wide program that will include a variety of events that will take place throughout October and into November and are hosted by Henderson Libraries in partnership with the City of Henderson and inspired by “The Five People You Meet in Heaven.”
The One Book movement was established in 1998 by Seattle librarian, book reviewer and best-selling author Nancy Pearl in an effort to bring the community together. What began as “If All Seattle Read the Same Book” has since grown to more than 350 programs that have taken place throughout the country.
“The Five People You Meet in Heaven” itself is about an amusement park mechanic named Eddie who dies trying to save a little girl. The book begins by detailing Eddie’s movements during his last hours alive.
“It might seem strange to start a story with an ending … (but) all endings are also beginnings,” Albom writes.
Upon Eddie’s death, he finds himself in heaven, where he meets five people who explain to him the meaning of his life.
To ensure all Henderson residents can participate in the festivities, additional copies of “The Five People You Meet in Heaven” will be available at all of the library’s four Henderson locations in various formats such as hardback, paperback, large print, Spanish, and books on CD and cassette. The library will also offer extra copies of DVDs of “The Five People You Meet in Heaven” and “Tuesdays with Morrie,” another of Albom’s books, which spent four years on the NY Times bestsellers list.
Free copies of the book will also be available throughout the community in public gathering places such as coffee shops, hospitals, city recreation centers and more. Recipients of the free novels are encouraged to read their copy and pass it on.
The public will choose the next One Book Henderson novel by ballot in November. The One Book Henderson novel for 2008 will be revealed at the One Book Henderson 2007 concluding event – a community viewing of the movie “The Five People You Meet in Heaven” at The District Nov. 18.
Established in 1943 as one library in Downtown Henderson, Henderson Libraries now offers four locations throughout Henderson and cooperates with the other public libraries in Southern Nevada, the Nevada System of Higher Education, the Clark County School District and all other libraries around the state to provide quality service for Nevada’s residents.
To learn more about One Book Henderson, visit onebookhenderson.org. For more information about Henderson Libraries or its many services or to find locations, visit mypubliclibrary.com or call 702-492-7252.