Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads - the program that selects a book for communitywide reading, discussion and events - has chosen its 2010 title: "The Living Great Lakes: Searching For The Heart Of The Inland Seas" by Jerry Dennis.

Titles under consideration had previously been narrowed to two; the other finalist was "Arc of Justice: Saga of Race, Civil Rights, and Murder in The Jazz Age" by Kevin Boyle. An 11-member selection team - made up of educators, students, librarians and others, and led by Molly Mahoney, philosophy librarian at the University of Michigan - made the final choice after a two-hour discussion.

According to Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads, both the Ann Arbor District Library and the Ypsilanti District Library own copies of the book and expect to order more. The book will be reprinted, and additional copies are expected at local bookstores.

The community read is scheduled for January and February, with details to come on events and specific ways to become involved. Watch the program's web site for more details.

From the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads press release:

"The winner of the 'Best Book of 2003' by the Outdoor Writers Association of America, 'The Living Great Lakes: Searching for the Heart of the Inland Seas' chronicles author Jerry Dennis’ travels as a crew member on the tall-masted schooner Malabar on a four-week trip through the waters of Lakes Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior. The author, a resident of Traverse City, Michigan, reminisces on a lifetime spent near the lakes and interweaves his personal journey with stories from the biologists, fishermen and sailors that he met during his travels. "This title has been praised as 'passionate, poetic, and meticulously researched. Its voice beckons like a trusted friend: look, discover, enjoy… this is history at its best and adventure richly described. A magical book, hugely enjoyable and entertaining' (Doug Stanton, author of 'In Harm’s Way'). "Jerry Dennis is a Traverse City native and the author of 11 non-fiction books, mostly reflections of living by the big water in the Great Lakes region. He has written for Smithsonian, Sports Afield, Gray's Sporting Journal, and the New York Times. "His previous books, including 'It's Raining Frogs and Fishes,' 'A Place on the Water,' and 'The River Home,' have won numerous awards and have been translated into five languages. In 1999, he was the recipient of the Michigan Author of the Year Award presented by the Michigan Library Association."