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Join us at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 3 for a special visit from Eddy Harris, author of Mississippi Solo, our first book of the 2026 Adult Summer Reading Big Book Challenge. Mississippi Solo is an account of Harris’s journey by canoe down the entire length of the Mississippi River. This free program will take place in the UCPL auditorium.

Born in the Midwest and educated at Stanford University, Harris has been Writer in Residence and professor of English, Creative Writing, and African American Studies at esteemed institutions including Washington University in St. Louis and Goucher College in Maryland. He has traveled extensively the world, often in the most precarious conditions, and while he remains a simple Midwesterner at heart, he currently lives in France. He counts Mark Twain as one of his favorite writers.

This program is part of the 2026 Adult Summer Reading Big Book Challenge. The project is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the Missouri State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State.

We’re excited to announce that the 2026 Adult Summer Reading Big Book Challenge will feature  Mississippi Solo by Eddy Harris and Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain. Although published more than a century apart, both books combine elements of memoir, travelogue, and cultural commentary as the authors recount their experiences on the mighty Mississippi River.
     Over the summer, we’ll explore these classic adventures in monthly discussions, supplemented by a fantastic line-up of lectures and cultural programming. Participants can pick up their books and reading guides any time on Wednesday, May 27 by stopping by the circulation desk, and the program will officially kick off at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 3 with a keynote presentation by Mississippi Solo author Eddy Harris.
     Additional programs include a screening of Harris’s documentary River to the Heart; a field trip to explore the riverboat era of Mark Twain at the Missouri Historical Society Library & Research Center on Wednesday; and a family-friendly performance of Cajun and Creole music by the Southside Creole Playboys.
     For more information on all of our summer reading programs, visit the Adult Summer Reading page. If you’re interested in participating, please fill out this (very) brief RSVP so we know how many books and other materials we’ll need.
     Finally, we would be remiss if we didn’t add our thanks to the Library Services and Technology Act, which is appropriated by Congress and administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Missouri Secretary of State, which makes this program possible. We can’t wait to read with you!