Let's Read Together! RAL Kickoff & Book Giveaway | THU, Jan 29
Stay tuned for our calendar of events
The Anthropocene Reviewed
Our 2026 community read will be The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green. This is an adult event, but teens can participate, too!
The Anthropocene is the current geological age, in which human activity has profoundly shaped the planet and its biodiversity. In this remarkable symphony of essays adapted and expanded from his groundbreaking podcast, John Green reviews different facets of the human-centered planet—from the QWERTY keyboard and Staphylococcus aureus to the Taco Bell breakfast menu—on a five-star scale.
Complex and rich with detail, the Anthropocene’s reviews have been praised as “observations that double as exercises in memoiristic empathy.” John Green’s gift for storytelling shines throughout this artfully curated collection that includes both beloved essays and all-new pieces exclusive to the book.
SOURCE: johngreenbooks.com
More Books by John Green
More Books by John Green
Read Across Lawrence Flashback
Yep, that's actor Keanu Reeves! He was performing with his band Dogstar (click link to borrow) at Liberty Hall in 2023 when we were reading Dracula. We gave him a copy to pass around the tour bus. Thanks for being so excellent, Keanu!
About Read Across Lawrence
Literature is the tie that binds.
Once a year, Lawrence comes together as a community to read the same book and explore its major themes with discussions and interactive programs.
Read Across Lawrence (RAL) promotes literacy, fosters community, and provides common ground for intergenerational, cross-cultural and civic-minded educational discussions.
It's also just a really fun and social way to get the most out of a book. Let's read together!
2026 RAL Events (Coming Soon)
Past Book Selections
2026 | Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
2023 | Dracula by Bram Stoker
2022 | Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu
2020 | The Round House by Louise Erdrich
2019 | Sourdough by Robin Sloan
2018 | Wonder by R.J. Palacio
2017 | In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez
2016 | The Martian by Andy Weir
2015 | The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
2014 | Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
2013 | The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan
2012 | Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell
2011 | To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
2010 | Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama | Kansas Reads
2009 | The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard | Kansas Reads
2008 | Kansas Curiosities by Pam Grout
2007 | Revolutionary Heart by Diane Eickhoff
2006 | The Center of Everything by Laura Moriarty
2005 | Blue Horses Rush In by Luci Tapahans
Past RAL Authors
RAL Picks: Blast from the Past
RAL Picks: Blast from the Past
RAL Picks: Blast from the Past
For more information about Read Across Lawrence contact:
Polli Kenn
she / her
Readers' Services Supervisor
785-843-3833 x132