For 12 years, Meredith's Summer Reading Program has brought together students, faculty, staff and alumnae in a common reading experience. This shared intellectual endeavor kicks off the College’s exploration of the campus theme each year and helps to foster the strong sense of community that is a hallmark of Meredith's campus.

The campus theme for 2010-11 is “Critical Thinking for Critical Times.” This year’s summer reading selection is “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide,” by Pulitzer Prize-winners Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. Kristof will also speak at Meredith on September 20, 2010, at 7 p.m. in Jones Auditorium. Kristof’s speech is part of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Presidential Lecture Series at Meredith College.

Previous Summer Reading Program books are listed below. To nominate a book for next year’s Program, please use the Book Nomination Form.

2009 - “Unbowed,” by Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai
2008 – “An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It” by Al Gore.
2007 - “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down” by Anne Fadiman
2006 – "No Ordinary Time" by Doris Kearns Goodwin
2005 – "Telling Tales" by Nadine Gordimer
2004 – "Naked in Baghdad" by Anne Garrels
2003 – "Night" by Elie Wiesel
2002 – "Ice Bound" by Jerri Nielson
2001 – "In the Time of the Butterflies, Julia Alvarez
2000 – "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom
1999 – "Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years" by Sarah L. Delany and A. Elizabeth Delany with Amy Hill Hearth

2009 - “Unbowed,” by Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai
2008 Meredith College SRP Book:“An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It” by Al Gore.	2007 Meredith College SRP Book: “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down,” by Anne Fadiman
2006 Meredith College SRP Book: "No Ordinary Time" by Doris Kearns Goodwin	2005 Meredith College SRP Book: "Telling Tales" edited by Nadine Gordimer
2004 Meredith College SRP Book: "Naked In Baghdad: The Iraq war as seed by NPR's correspondent" by Anne Garrels	2003 Meredith College SRP Book: "Night" by Elie Wiesel, Stella Rodway (Translator), Francois Mauriac
2002 Meredith College SRP Book: "Ice Bound: A Doctor's Incredible Battle for Survival at the South Pole" by Dr. Jerri Nielsen	2001 Meredith College SRP book: "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
2000 Meredith College SRP book: "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom	1999 Meredith College SRP book: "Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years" by Sarah L. Delany and A. Elizabeth Delany with Amy Hill Hearth