MEDIA RELEASE

3/24/2025

—  For Immediate Release —

Contact: Louis Medina, Outreach Director, Sierra Forever  Louis@sierraforever.org, Cell 323.788.7447

Sierra Forever’s 2025 Book Club and Reading Challenge Inspire Readers to Explore the Unique Stories of the Sierra Nevada and Great Basin

People learn from books. People learn from culture. People learn from nature.

When people learn from books about the nature and culture of the Sierra Nevada and Great Basin, they get the best of all worlds.

That is the spirit behind Sierra Forever’s Book Club and Reading Challenge, which combines monthly book club meetings online around selected titles, plus 12 unique prompts designed to encourage participants to discover on their own a wide variety of books related to the Eastern Sierra and Great Basin.

“We’re thrilled to build this community of readers and lovers of the area from near and far,” said Sierra Forever’s Education and Events Manager Michelle Kelly. “Everyone is welcome to participate!” Both activities are free.

The Book Club

The Sierra Forever Book Club was launched in February with a look at “Deepest Valley: Guide to Owens Valley,” by Genny Smith.

• March Book

For March, the book club will feature “Miracle Country,” a deeply personal memoir about growing up in the Owens Valley by local author Kendra Atleework.  Blending history, family narrative, and environmental insight, Atleework’s book is described as “a poignant memoir of flight and return, emptiness and bounty, the realities of a harsh and changing climate, and the true meaning of home.”

The virtual book discussion will take place on Monday, March 31, at 6:00 PM (PST). Readers of all backgrounds are invited to participate, whether they’re local to the region or joining from afar. The link to join the online discussion may be found at sierraforever.org/reading-challenge.

• April Book Teaser

Because April is the month of the Manzanar Pilgrimage, which commemorates the survivors of the war relocation center in Southern Inyo County where more than 10,000 Japanese Americans were interned during World War II, the book club will look at “Farewell to Manzanar,” by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston. Also a memoir, this book provides a look into the lives of Jeanne Wakatsuki and her family before, during, and after their relocation to the Manzanar internment camp. The virtual book discussion will take place on Monday, April 28, at 6:00 PM (PST), with the ability to join at the same weblink above. (For those wanting a more immersive experience, this year’s Pilgrimage to Manzanar National Historic Site will take place two days before Sierra Forever’s book club meeting, on Saturday, April 26. Information is available at manzanarcommittee.org and nps.gov/manz.)

 

Other book club titles for future months will be announced ahead of time at SierraForever.org/Events.

The Reading Challenge

For those who are ready to become experts on the Sierra Nevada and Great Basin, Sierra Forever has curated a year-long literary adventure of 60 titles that explore the history, ecology, and stories of our unique region.

The challenge divides the 60 titles into 12 groups of five books, each under fun prompts that inspire them to read, “A book about desert or mountain ecology,” “A book about a sport or activity you can do in the Sierra,”  “A book about the Indigenous people of the Sierra or Great Basin,” “A book by an author local to Inyo or Mono County,” and more. Readers can complete as many prompts as they like—pick and choose casually or go all in! Those who finish all 12 prompts will earn a commemorative sticker and a 10% off coupon that can be used for purchases at 20 Sierra Forever bookstores at visitor centers and ranger stations throughout our region, as well as the Webstore at SierraForever.org.

The Sierra Forever Reading Challenge and Book Club are the result of a collaboration between Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center Bookstore Manager Beth Jeffery, Visitor Services Specialist Abby McAlister, and Kelly, who describes the effort as, “a wonderful example of an idea that started from a conversation, led us to the realization of a community need, and provided us with the impetus to work together to make it happen.”

This fun community reading project aligns perfectly with the mission of Sierra Forever: “To educate and inspire people about Sierra Nevada and Great Basin public lands through high-quality interpretive programs, products, literature, exhibits, and events.”

Visit sierraforever.org/reading-challenge for more details, prompts, a recommended book list, a link to Sierra Forever’s Webstore, and the virtual book club meeting link to register for upcoming book club discussions. For questions, please write to education@sierraforever.org.

###

 

Graphics courtesy of Sierra Forever.