Community Read Registration Is Full
You can still join in on the Community Read fun this summer!
Wow! We are overwhelmed by the response to this year's Community Read. Registration has reached capacity, and together, the Library and Aspen Words distributed 334 books to the community. Thank you to everyone who signed up!
We'd still love for you to read Endling and join the conversation. Copies are available through our library collection and digital resources, like Libby. We'll share updates if additional books become available.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended our Community Read Book Distribution Party! We loved celebrating the start of this year's Community Read with so many enthusiastic readers. Your excitement and support helped make the event a wonderful success, and we're thrilled that all copies of Endling by Maria Reva found their way into the hands of our community.
Special thanks to Frank Tadaro, Aspen Piano Player, for sharing his music and helping create such a warm, welcoming atmosphere for our Book Distribution Party.
We cannot wait to continue the journey with you this summer through author events, discussions, and conversations inspired by Endling. Happy reading!
2026 Aspen Words Literary Prize & Community Read
The Community Read, presented by Aspen Words and the Pitkin County Library, strives to celebrate literature, unite readers around a work of fiction, and ignite meaningful conversation on the vital social issues explored in each year's Aspen Words Literary Prize-winning novel and those nominated.
Each year, after the Aspen Words Literary Prize is announced, Aspen Words and the Library team up to put these great stories into readers' hands. Together, we distribute free copies of the winning book to community members, helping spark conversation, connection, and a shared love of literature.
Reservations are recommended—but not required. Reserving your book also gives you the option to sign up for future emails to stay in the loop about upcoming events, book conversations, and literary happenings.
Aspen Words Literary Prize Winner Announcement
Thursday, April 23 | New York City
Watch the livestream announcement and conversation with the finalists, moderated by The New York Times Book Review writer and editor, Elisabeth Egan.
Author Talk & Book Discussion
Wednesday, July 15 | 5:30pm-6:30pm | Dunaway Community Room | Adults
Author Talk with Maria Reva | 5:30pm-6:00pm
A virtual conversation with Maria Reva, author of this year’s Community Read book, Endling. Reva will discuss the inspiration behind her Booker Prize-longlisted novel, her writing process, and the themes that shape her work in a moderated conversation with Breeze Richardson.
Have a question for Maria Reva?
As part of the Community Read conversation with Maria Reva, we invite you to submit a question about Endling, the writing process, Ukraine, or any of the themes explored in the novel. While we may not be able to answer every submission, we'll do our best to include as many questions as time allows.
Submit a Question for Maria Reva.
Missed the author talk? Watch the livestream.
Book Discussion with The Lit Lounge Book Club | 6:00pm-6:30pm
Readers are invited to explore Endling and join others for an open, thoughtful conversation that encourages reflection, dialogue, and connection through literature.
Previous Community Read Books
Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange
2025 Aspen Words Literary Prize Ceremony
Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad
2024 Aspen Words Literary Prize Ceremony
Isabella Hammad Author Talk with Aspen Public Radio
The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories by Jamil Jan Kochai
2023 Aspen Words Literary Prize Ceremony
Jamil Jan Kochai Author Talk with Aspen Public Radio
The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton
2022 Aspen Words Literary Prize Ceremony
Dawnie Walton Author Talk with Aspen Public Radio
The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich
2021 Aspen Words Literary Prize Ceremony
The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri
2020 Aspen Words Literary Prize Ceremony
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
2019 Aspen Words Literary Prize Ceremony
Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
2018 Aspen Words Literary Prize Ceremony
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Aspen Words was founded in 1976 as a literary center based in Aspen, CO. A program of the Aspen Institute, its mission is to encourage writers, inspire readers and connect people through the power of stories. The Aspen Words Literary Prize is a $35,000 annual award for an influential work of fiction that illuminates a vital contemporary issue and demonstrates the transformative power of literature on thought and culture. Open to authors of any nationality, the award is one of the largest literary prizes in the United States and one of the few focused exclusively on fiction with a social impact. The inaugural award was presented in 2018 to Mohsin Hamid for his novel Exit West.