READ@PolyU 2024

READ@PolyU is delighted to announce the 2024 Common Book, Klara and the Sun. The book is written by Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro.

It's a thought-provoking story that explores the poignant themes of love, humanity, and the moral complexities of a technologically advanced society through the eyes of Klara, an Artificial Friend, with a desire to understand the human heart.

Read@PolyU 2024/25 Promotional Video by The PolyU Library

Read with Us!

  • Get a free copy during the annual Book Pick-Up event
  • Borrow the print book from the Library
  • Read the e-book version here

Learn more about the author from the author's Biographical from the Nobel Prize website.

Get Your Common Book

Book Distribution*

Thank you for your support! All the common books have been distributed!

PolyU readers can also access the e-book version of the common book here to read anytime, anywhere.
 

Book Chat Groups*

Time: Week 3 - 5 (Mon - Fri), 11:30 / 12:30 / 13:30
Venue: The Bubble, 6/F South Wing of the Library

Share your reading experience in a Book Chat Group! Each group will meet 3 times within Sep - Oct. Let’s make new friends and develop soft skills during the thought-provoking discussion.

*For PolyU students only.

 

 

Common Book Selection Criteria

The selection process with a campus-wide call for nomination in January 2022, and concluded with the final selection by the READ@PolyU Programme Committee in May 2022.

The selection criteria help ensure that the common book will support the programme goal of cultivating a reading culture at PolyU, as well as the University's goals to provide a campus experience that is international and enriching.
 

  • The book will be in English, preferably less than 300 pages
  • It should be engaging for the PolyU community
  • It should be accessible, not difficult to read
  • It should appeal to students’ imagination, and should include some elements of exploration of and reflection on multi-cultural issues
  • It should preferably have been adapted for film
  • It should preferably have an electronic version
  • It should preferably have won international and critical acclaim
  • Ideally, the author would be available to visit PolyU

 

 

Common Books in Previous Years

  • 2011/12 The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
  • 2012/13 Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
  • 2013/14 The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 
  • 2014/15 The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne 
  • 2015/16 The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
  • 2016/17 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon 
  • 2017/18 The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky 
  • 2018/19 Fifteen Dogs by André Alexis 
  • 2019/20 Persepolis: The Story of Childhood by Marjane Satrapi 
  • 2020/21 Exhalation by Ted Chiang 
  • 2021/22 The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories by Ken Liu
  • 2022/23 First Person Singular: Stories by Haruki Murakami 
  • 2023/24 Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
  • 2024/25 Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

 

Events

Join a Book Chat Group

A Book Chat Group is a small group of students assigned to a volunteer Staff Facilitator that meets three times throughout September to discuss their responses to the common book. All PolyU students are welcome to join a group.

Register now to reserve your spot!

Why join a Book Chat Group?

  • Meet up with a small group of students from different backgrounds.
  • Share your responses to reading in a relaxed, informal setting under the guidance of a Staff Facilitator.
  • Get a free copy of the common book. All print copies will be distributed in Week 1-2. Alternatively, read the e-book version here.

When do we meet?

  • Once a week in Week 3 to 5

Who can join?

  • All PolyU students (except HKCC, SPEED or non-PolyU degree students)

What happens in the group?

  • Explore your responses to reading
  • Meet interesting new people
  • Have fun

 

Book Exhibition: Futuristic Frontiers - Exploring the World of Science Fiction

Date: 26 Aug to 31 Oct of 2024
Venue: Display Wall, P/F, Library

Discover the diverse futures imagined by renowned sci-fi authors like Asimov, Clarke, and Herbert at our featured book exhibition. From mind-bending multiverses to cautionary tales of technology's impact, these thought-provoking narratives will ignite your imagination and challenge you to consider the opportunities and perils that may shape our world.

 

Feature Talk: Human, Machine, and the In-Between in Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun

Date: 30 Oct 2024
Hybrid Mode: The Forum, 6/F, Library & Online via Zoom
Guest Speaker: Ms An Yu
Sign up HERE

In Klara and the Sun, the humanity of Ishiguro’s characters is placed on a spectrum. What does it mean to be human? Is humanity something that can be learned?

A story of love, grief, and hope, told through Ishiguro’s understated prose and from the compelling point of view of an AI machine, this novel achieves what all novels aim to do, which is to stand by its readers as they each arrive at their own truths.

In this talk, Ms An Yu will provide PolyU readers with rich and thought-provoking perspectives on the novel's resonance with contemporary issues.

About the Speaker

Ms An Yu (安於) was born and raised in Beijing, and spent parts of her life studying and working in London, New York, and Paris. She received her MFA from New York University and writes her fiction in English.

She is the author of the novels Braised Pork (2020) and Ghost Music (2022). Her writing has also appeared in The Sunday Times Style, Freeman’s, Literary Hub, The Wall Street Journal, among other publications.
 

 

Call for Book Nomination

Date: End of 2024

Please send us your Common Book nominations for a new year of reading. It will help us decide which book the PolyU community will read in 2025.

 

 

READ@PolyU Challenge – Design Your AI Companion!

We are excited to announce a special contest as part of our READ@PolyU reading programme, centred around our common book 2024/25, Klara and the Sun. We invite you to explore the themes of artificial intelligence and companionship that lie at the heart of the novel.

In Klara and the Sun, we follow an artificial friend, Klara, who navigates the complexities of human emotions and relationships. This contest encourages you to reflect on your own ideas about AI and friendship. If you had the chance, what kind of AI friend would you create, and how would it change your life?

How to Participate:

  1. Design Your AI Friend: Write a 50-word description of your AI friend's unique qualities and role in your life.
  2. Visualize Your AI Friend: Study image prompting and use GenAI tools to visualize the image of your ideal AI companion. Let your imagination run wild!
  3. Eligibility: This challenge is open to all PolyU students. Each participant should submit one entry only.

Submission:

  1. Share on Social Media: Post the AI friend’s image and its description on your Facebook or Instagram with the title "READ@PolyU Challenge: Design Your AI Companion" and hashtags: #polyureads and #PolyULibrary.
  2. Email Your Submission: Send a screenshot of your post, the image, the full 50-word description of your AI friend, the final prompt and AI tool that you have used to lbread@polyu.edu.hk with your name and student ID.

Important Dates:

  • Submission Period: From today until 14 February 2025.

Prizes:

Submissions will be evaluated based on creativity, originality, and thoughtfulness.

All winners receive an award certificate and the opportunity to be featured on our social media platforms, along with book coupons:

  • Gold Award (x1): $500 book coupon
  • Silver Award (x2): $200 book coupon
  • Bronze Award (x5): $100 book coupon

Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to showcase your creativity for a chance to win amazing prizes!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at lbread@polyu.edu.hk.

 

READ@PolyU X OWS Talk - Supercharge Your Creativity: Unlock Your Storytelling Superpower with AI

Time: 19 February 2025, 2.30 - 3.30 pm
Hybrid Mode: The Forum, 6/F, Library & Online via Zoom
Guest Speaker: Dr Bernie Wong

About the Talk
Are you ready to elevate your creativity? Join us for an inspiring session where we merge the art of storytelling with the power of AI! In today’s fast-paced world, utilising AI can give you the edge you need for success in your academic and career pursuits.

About the Speaker

Dr Bernie Wong, Founder of Social Stand Limited and Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Association of Interactive Marketing, is a leading authority in digital marketing and storytelling. With a wealth of experience consulting for Fortune 500 brands like Adidas and Disney, he pioneers brand storytelling to captivate audiences. As a sought-after speaker, he delivers engaging seminars that blend practical insights with theoretical knowledge. His background as a radio host, columnist, and university lecturer enriches his teachings in storytelling and digital strategy. With a focus on the storytelling factors that drive global brand success in his doctoral research, Dr Wong is uniquely equipped to help you unlock your storytelling superpower with AI.