Brazos Valley Reads (BVR) is a community effort organized by Texas A&M University’s Department of English with extensive support from various groups in the university and the community. It was started to encourage bridge building between Texas A&M’s students and staff and the Brazos Valley community at large. For the past several years, BVR has invited internationally recognized authors including Ernest Gaines, Sandra Cisneros, Gish Jen, Tim O’Brien, and Sherman Alexie to College Station for a literary event and to meet with local high school students. In Spring 2011, BVR partnered with the National Book Foundation to support the launch of BookupTexas, a literacy program serving middle school aged children.

Leaving Atlanta, Tayari Jones’ 2002 debut novel, is the 2013 selection.  She will travel to College Station, Texas to participate in a number of literary events on April 1-3.  More details here.