One Book, One Community Of Monroe County
What if everyone read the same book and then joined all those readers in talking about it? That’s the idea behind One Book, One Community of Monroe County.
Each year, the One Book, One Community of Monroe County selection committee chooses a readily available and discussible book written by a major author, and invites Monroe County residents to read the same book at the same time and discuss it through a series of free programs running approximately one month. Each year’s events feature book discussions and free county-wide community activities related to the themes raised by these provocative and inspiring stories. One Book, One Community of Monroe County aims to enrich the experience of reading for everyone, regardless of race, gender, age, income or the neighborhood they call home.
One Book One Community of Monroe County 2026
The Committee is excited to announce that the One Book One Community selection for 2025 is The Art Thief by Michael Finkel.
About the Book
Stéphane Breitwieser grew up fascinated by art. As an adult he becomes the most prolific art thief in history, stealing over 2 billion dollars worth of art. All of his crimes are committed while museums are open, and he is never violent. He doesn’t sell any of the art, but instead hoards it in his attic room. He and his accomplice, girlfriend Anne-Catherine, become more audacious with each theft, until they are finally caught and their treasure trove of art is discovered. But the crimes don’t end there.
Learn More About the Book
To learn more about the book, or to find great One Book One Community events and companion titles, visit 2026 One Book One Community of Monroe County
About the Author
Michael Finkel specializes in telling stories that are both true and unbelievable. He is the author of The Art Thief, a #1 New York Times bestseller, about a man who stole more than 300 works of art just for the sake of admiring them. He also wrote The Stranger in the Woods, a New York Times and international bestseller, about a man who lived alone in the woods of Maine for 27 years. His first nonfiction book, True Story, about a murderer who took on Finkel’s identity while running from the law, was adapted into a major motion picture starring James Franco and Jonah Hill.
Finkel has reported from more than 50 countries across six continents, covering topics ranging from the world’s last hunter-gatherer tribes, to conflicts in Afghanistan and Israel, to theoretical physics and cutting-edge science. His work has appeared in National Geographic, GQ, The Atlantic, Esquire, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, and The New York Times Magazine.
In the line of reportorial duty, Finkel has skied off the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, stowed away on a Haitian refugee boat, joined a cult in Colorado, investigated the black market for human organs, descended into an active volcano, dogsledded in Greenland, hunted for baboon with the Hadza tribe of Tanzania, meditated silently for 10 days in India, run 100 miles in one day, and hitchhiked across the Sahara Desert. His writing has been anthologized in The Best American Sports Writing, The Best American Science and Nature Writing, The Best American Travel Writing, and The Best American Nonrequired Reading. He lives with his wife, three children, and two French bulldogs in Park City, Utah.
Let us browse for you
If you aren’t sure what to read or watch next, try the Library’s Personalized Recommendation Service. Complete a recommendation form and a librarian will create a customized reading list for you. We will contact you as soon as possible with our recommendations.