Once again, the East Baton Rouge Parish Library transforms the immersive experience of reading into opportunities for cultural engagement with its One Book One Community (OBOC) program. By sparking creativity and dialogue around thematic storytelling, for eighteen years the program has provided the Baton Rouge community with chances to come together in conversation around a single, shared topic—providing readers with not just chances to develop an understanding of the literature informed by different perspectives, but also an opportunity to connect with fellow readers in one’s home town.
“The purpose of One Book One Community is to offer our community—whether they are active patrons or just dimly aware of the library—an opportunity to at least for a short period of time be on the same page,” said Mary Stein, Assistant Library Director. “And then for a brief period of time, we have something in common in a time when that is becoming increasingly rare.”
This year, noted Stein, Baton Rougeans who participate will have something else to united them: a love of food.
Max Miller, author of Tasting History. Photo credit: Riker Brothers
The selected title for 2024 is Max Miller’s Tasting History: Exploring the Past Through 4,000 Years of Recipes—the first cookbook to be featured in the OBOC program. Inspired by Miller’s popular YouTube channel, the book delivers recipes representing key moments throughout the course of human history. Miller’s extensive research into each recipe—which draws from ancient cookbooks, newspapers, and other vintage texts—is presented alongside fascinating histories accompanying each dish. Expect to learn about the origins of a circa 1740 BC red beet stew, deep-fried cheese balls called Globi, and a circa 1570 Pumpkin Tourte.
“We picked this book because in Baton Rouge there are a lot of people who share a love of food. But if you also love history, it’s a history book. Or if you just care about the modern economy and how it started with agriculture and the food we eat, there’s something for you, too.”
Mary Stein
Josh Hill, the Community Programming and Outreach Librarian at EBRPL, also noted the book’s appeal across demographics—Miller himself is a charismatic bridge between the worlds of analog literature and digital media, as a Youtube star and cookbook author. “We’re reaching out to a generation that might assume that libraries are just dusty books,” said Hill. “This is a way to connect to them as well.”
To top it off, Tasting History is accessible to people across a range of reading levels. Rich in storytelling, a wealth of practical knowledge, the book is highly digestible (pun-intended) with short, information-packed chapters. A food-focused book also sets up infinite possibilities for creative, and delicious, additional OBOC programming that celebrates Baton Rouge’s singular food culture and community. Watch the schedule for appearances by local food personalities, collaborations with your favorite neighborhood restaurants, and plenty of excuses to pair book talk with one of Louisiana’s best cultural assets: its cuisine.
This year’s OBOC program begins with a free kickoff party on Friday, March 8 from 5 pm–7 pm at the Main Library at Goodwood, with six weeks of free programming to follow. Find the schedule, and other information, at ReadOneBook.org.
