To the Point

City-Sized Book Clubs and the Role of Literature

It's become a clich- that September 11 was the kind of event to restore civic unity to a nation that's drifting apart. But the new urge for community might just fade away unless someone comes up with a gimmick. So what about getting everybody to read the same book? It's a small-town idea that started out in Seattle. Now, even Chicago, New York and LA are promoting a shared experience for people with nothing in common. Can the growing effort to get whole cities to read the same book unify a divided nation? We hear from advocates, skeptics, the creator of the nation's first citywide 'book club and author Ray Bradbury. Newsmaker: The Murder of Journalist Daniel Pearl A grisly videotape has proven that Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was brutally murdered by his abductors in Pakistan. President Bush says the incident has strengthened America's resolve to fight terrorism. But how often are journalists killed? How dangerous is their profession? Joel Simon, Deputy Director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, has some surprising answers. Reporter's Notebook: Former Olympic Hero on "Olympic Aid" for International Refugees Former gold-medallist Norwegian speed skater Johann Olav Koss is regarded as one of the greatest athletes in Olympic history. In 1999, he joined the IOC as part of the wave of reform. He's also founder of Olympic Aid, a humanitarian group that focuses on child refugees in countries devastated by war. While the controversies continue in Salt Lake City, the Olympic spirit is serious business for many athletes.