“How the World is Passed” selected as Northwestern’s One Book in 2022-2023

One Book One Northwestern has chosen How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with The History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith as the selection for the 2022-2023 One Book. How the World is Passed explores the history of slavery through its discussion of various historic sites across the country. The work also combines historical research and individual interviews that challenges readers to understand how the consequences of slavery emerge every day. 

The author, Clint Smith, is a poet and journalist who currently works for The Atlantic. ‘How the World is Passed’ is a New York Times #1 bestseller and won the National Book Critics Circle Award for General Nonfiction last year.

“It’s a wonderful book for the Northwestern community,” said Leslie Harris, professor of history at Northwestern. “I see the book as important for its content, but also as modeling a kind of inquiry into the very geography around us — including at Northwestern, in Evanston, and in the Chicago area.”

The One Book One Northwestern program chooses a piece of writing every year that highlights significant issues in today’s world. First-year and transfer students receive the e-book for free, while the rest of the Northwestern community is welcome to participate in programming focused on the writing. Several events will be held to discuss the book, including an in-person lecture from Smith next school year. 

More information about this year’s selection can be found in Northwestern Now’s article, How the Word Is Passed by Clint Smith named One Book selection for 2022-2023. Additionally, you can learn more about last year’s piece, “The Story of More” by Hope Jahren.