Controversy Over Religious Theme of County's "One Book" Program

"One Book" projects are reading programs designed to have everyone in a community read and discuss a single book. Usually they foster cooperation. But according to a report yesterday by the Associated Press, this year's Chester County, Pennsylvania program has stirred First Amendment controversy because of the religious themes of the featured book. The book chosen is Missing Heaven, which was self-published by Chester County author Caroline Wagner in 2003. The Freethought Society and the Anti-Defamation League have both questioned the appropriateness of the heavy focus on religion in the book and its accompanying discussion guide in a project being sponsored by a public library.