Common reading programs are becoming a ubiquitous component of first-year experience initiatives. Sometimes controversial, these programs are designed to provide students an introduction to the intellectual expectations of college in an often-informal gathering of college faculty and peers. Yet, truly dynamic and successful programs move beyond book discussion groups to include students, faculty, staff, and the larger community in a wide range of social and intellectual activities. Laufgraben gathers examples from programs across the country to offer a concise and practical guide to planning, promoting, and assessing common reading initiatives. Following a foreword (Mary Stuart Hunter) and introduction (Common Reading Programs: Going Beyond the Book), eight chapters include: (1) The Rationale and Goals of Common Reading Programs; (2) Components and Types of Common Reading Programs; (3) Creating and Implementing Common Reading Programs; (4) Selecting the Common Reading; (5) Planning Events and Activities for Common Reading Programs (Jodi Levine Laufgraben and Christopher Dennis); (6) Using the Common Reading Selection in the Classroom; (7) Assessing Common Reading Programs (Catherine F. Andersen); and (8) Conclusion: Going Beyond the Book. Two appendixes follow: (1) Common Reading Texts Referenced in the Monograph; and (2) Summer Reading Book List. A list of references and author information are also included.