Welcome to the Go Big Read Blog!

The Chancellor has selected In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto, by Michael Pollan, as our inaugural common book. We welcome you to participate in Go Big Read by reading the book, attending the public lecture scheduled for September 24th, and participating in discussions and other programming to take place throughout the year.

The goals of Go Big Read include generating vigorous discussions and exchanges of diverse ideas; promoting connections among students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the wider community; and tapping into the intellectual resources of the campus. This blog will be a venue for the sharing of ideas across communities, and we are soliciting contributions from individuals who bring a broad range of perspectives. We invite you to make suggestions for viewpoints and topics you would like to see represented and to comment on the blog posts.

We are fortunate in Wisconsin to be home to vibrant communities of interest around reading, agriculture, food and sustainability. Our university is home to individuals who can approach the topics discussed in In Defense of Food from many different disciplinary and personal perspectives. Our alumni and community members will bring additional viewpoints and experiences to our conversations.

Many of us feel passionately about the issues in the book, and this blog will be one venue to engage in constructive conversations and debates. Go Big Read is intended for everyone who would like to participate, whether we are engaged in these issues at home, in our work, as citizens, as learners, or as volunteers.

Sarah McDaniel
Project Manager, Go Big Read