One Book One College

The One Book/One College program at CSN strives to foster a sense of community, creativity, and conversation through the mutual study of a common reading.  Our goal is to unite students, faculty, and staff from all CSN campuses in the contemplation of the selected reading. The committee is comprised of faculty from the library,  as well as from the English, philosophy, communication, history, environmental, and biological sciences departments.  We are also part of the First-Year Experience program, seeking to engage new students with relevant and accessible books.

"This is a book about ten Great Ideas. Each chapter is an attempt to savor one idea that has been discovered by several of the world’s civilizations - to question it in light of what we now know from scientific research, and to extract from it the lessons that still apply to our modern lives. It is a book about how to construct a life of virtue, happiness, fulfillment, and meaning." ~ Jonathan Haidt

The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom is an accessible and multidisciplinary journey into the topic of happiness. Haidt blends ideas from neuroscience, psychology, ethics, religion, and philosophy to explore ideas of happiness and practical ways to increase happiness in one's life.

Here you will find an extensive research guide to accompany your study of The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom.  The guide includes articles, videos, and books. (For library guides on previous selections, see the "previous selections" tab below.)

Library Guide

We seek to host events that encourage students and faculty to engage with the book on various levels. These free events include hikes, film screenings, lectures, and competitions.

OBOC Hikes in the Spring Mountains and Red Rock Canyon

Due to Covid-19 restrictions on social gatherings, we will hold virtual "hikes" the first Saturday of each month until we can safely resume physical hikes. Faculty and students will hike or even take a walk around their neighborhoods, post pictures to a shared photo album, and meet on Zoom to share their experiences. It's a great way to connect with faculty and other students and to remember that you are part of a community.

Zoom sessions will take place on the following days/time:

Saturday, September 12: 3:00-3:30 PM
Saturday, October 3: 3:00-3:30 PM
Saturday, November 7: 3:00-3:30 PM
Saturday, December 5: 3:00-3:30 PM

To obtain the link for the photo album and Zoom sessions, email: Contact Us

Online Discussions Featuring Topics from the Book

Due to Covid-19 restrictions on social gatherings, we will be holding discussions online instead of in person. These discussions will allow faculty and students to connect and discuss issues related to the book as they work together to interpret and apply the information to their lives. Discussions will take place in October and November. Dates and details to be posted soon!

Our goal is to promote literacy and cross-disciplinary discussions, and we invite you to become involved as much or as little as you like.  Some ways to get involved:

• Teach some or all of the book in your classroom.  Our committee provides resources to help you, including a library guide with research links and topics related to the book as well as teaching lessons and plans.  You can teach the book as part of a semester-long project or as a one-day discussion.  See our current guide for The Happiness Hypothesis here : http://libguides.csn.edu/oboc
• Encourage your students to attend the events. We have lectures, film screenings, hikes, and festivals, which can all be enjoyed even if participants haven't read the book.
• Suggest your own event! Maybe you don't have the time to teach the book in your course, but you have an idea that somehow links to the concepts in the book.  The 2020-21 selection is Jonathan Haidt's The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom, which relates to concepts about happiness and well-being as well as psychology, sociology, neuroscience, ethics, and philosophy.  We’ll help to promote your event.
• Be creative. With all of us working together, we have an excellent opportunity to promote conversation, community,  and engagement with our students.  If you have an idea, please share it with us.
• Join our committee. Our committee currently consists of librarians, CSN staff and administration, and professors in English, communication, world languages, philosophy, and biology.
• Questions, comments, ideas? Email us! Contact Us

2016-17: The House on Mango Street, Sandra Cisneros

Library Guide:  http://libguides.csn.edu/HOMS

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2017-18: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot

Library Guide: http://libguides.csn.edu/hela

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2018-19: Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic, Sam Quinones

Library Guide: https://libguides.csn.edu/dreamland

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2019-20: If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look On My Face? Alan Alda

Library Guide: https://libguides.csn.edu/understood

In Spring 2017, OBOC collaborated with Professor Dan McElhattan's Advanced Graphic Design class to create student designs for the new One Book/One College program.  Under Dan's expert guidance, students created poster and logo designs, which they kindly donated to the One Book/One College program.  The images below represent the student designs chosen by the committee.  Click on each design to learn more about each of these talented designers.  The link below will take you to a book showcasing all of the student designs.  The committee is grateful for Dan's and the students' contributions.

Holly Schwartz

The committee chose Holly's design as the official logo of the One Book/One College program.  Holly will graduate in May 2018 with her AAS degree in graphic communications.  For more information about Holly, email her Contact Us

Holly: "I am honored to have been given the opportunity to give back to our college and design a logo for a program that I have truly enjoyed watching unite our CSN community . . .  My design goal and philosophy is to give back to my local community in any way that I can . . . I want to be able to shine a light on my community with everything that I do in life."

Amy Terry

Amy is an animator, illustrator, and graphic designer.  For more information:  Contact Us
Twitter and Tumblr: @pixelameart
Portfolio website: https://pixelameart.myportfolio.com/

Sabrea Lawrence

Sabrea is a Las Vegas graphic designer. For more information, email her Contact Us or call 702-752-1272

Therese Bautista

Therese is a graphic designer based in Henderson, Nevada. She originally wanted to major in art, but design
opened her eyes to view things past their aesthetic pleasure and see how they carry out their functions in their entirety. In combining art and design, she hopes she can properly convey messages that can positively impact society. (702) 461 5902
http://theresebautista.design or Contact Us.

Student Submissions

• "Story of Henrietta Lacks Used for Cross-Discipline Teaching at CSN" by Natalie Bruzda https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/education/story-of-henrietta-lacks-us..."
• Campus-Wide Book Program Creates Conversation and Community" by Valeriya Bondarenko 
  https://coyotestudentnews.com/2017/04/04/campus-wide-book-club-creates-conversation-and-community
• "Campus Book Club Looks at Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Brianna Fayerverger  https://coyotestudentnews.com/2017/11/02/campus-book-club-looks-at-life-of-henrietta-lacks/

The One Book/One College (OBOC) committee wishes to send a sincere THANK YOU to everyone who has helped to make this program a possibility. We wouldn't be here without you. Thank you to CAPE, web services, the publicity and events teams, hike leaders, and all administration and faculty who have participated. Thank you also to the students who continue to engage with this material and to add their voices to the conversation.
One Book/One College (OBOC) committee
Specials thanks to those who have put in extra time and effort to help us:

Ashton Ridley
Jann Carson
Carl-Jon Chun
Mike Fite
Eric Garner
Levia Hayes
Ayesha Kidd
Sue Mitchell
Kevin Seiter
Mike Spangler
Lester Tanaka
Michelle Word
Suzan Workman
LaToya Wright

Finally, thank you to Laura McBride and her GiVe group who have graciously supported the program: