The First-Year Programs office at Framingham State works throughout the year to help new students transition successfully to college life at FSU. The annual Common Reading Selection is a key component of this effort, as it provides the campus community with an interesting book to serve as a jumping off point for classroom discussions on a wide variety of themes, many of which relate to the life of an 18-year-old student who has just arrived at college.

The 2015-16 Common Reading Selection is In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick. This National Book Award winner tells the true story of the Whaleship Essex, which was sunk by a sperm whale in 1820. The tragedy inspired Herman Melville’s 1851 classic Moby-Dick.

The Common Reading Selection Committee selected In the Heart of the Sea for several reasons, not the least of which is that it’s a fascinating and well-written book. It also has many local ties to this region, as the Essex was originally from Nantucket, famous for its whaling industry. The committee also felt that first-year students would be able to relate to the text because the story is about ethical decision making and an innate desire to survive. Finally, the group felt the book could be adopted in many courses at the University due to its focus on history, class, race, geography and nutrition.