The Common Reading Program at Appalachian State University is delighted to offer Callings: The Purpose and Passion of Work, from legendary American radio producer and documentarian Dave Isay, as the university’s common reading book for the 2025-2026 academic year. In 1994 Isay founded Sound Portraits Productions, from which in 2003 he launched StoryCorps, an oral history project aimed at recording, preserving, and sharing the stories of Americans from all backgrounds and beliefs. StoryCorps, whose mission is to “help us believe in each other by illuminating the humanity and possibility in us all—one story at a time,” is committed to the idea that everyone has an important story to tell, and everyone’s story matters. In Isay’s own words, StoryCorps is “a project about permanence in an ever more disposable society. It reminds us of what’s really important in the midst of all of life’s distractions. It encourages us to connect despite endless temptations to detach and disengage.”
Callings is Isay’s eighth book, and his fifth for StoryCorps, for whom his contributions include beloved bestsellers Listening Is an Act of Love: A Celebration of American Life from the StoryCorps Project, and All There Is: Love Stories from StoryCorps. In Callings, an inspiring tribute to rewarding work and the American pursuit of happiness, Isay presents unforgettable stories from people doing what they love, demonstrating how work can be about much more than just making a living, and that chasing dreams and finding inspiration in unexpected places can transform a vocation into a calling.
Learn more about the Common Reading Program here.
Event is free and open to the public.
About the Author
Dave Isay’s work over the past three decades has earned him nearly every award in broadcasting, including five Peabody Awards, a Guggenheim Fellowship, a MacArthur “Genius Grant,” the 2015 TED Prize, and numerous other recognitions. His work, which taps into the heart and soul of the human experience, has brought more than 600,000 Americans together—two at a time—to record intimate conversations about their lives, create a human connection, pass wisdom from one generation to the next, and leave a legacy for the future. Each conversation is preserved at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress—the largest single collection of human voices ever gathered. Millions of listeners hear StoryCorps’ weekly broadcasts on NPR’s Morning Edition, and select stories are also shared through StoryCorps’ podcast, animated shorts, digital platforms, and books.
Parking
Parking can be challenging, particularly for sold-out events. Please allow extra time to park and arrive at the theatre before showtime. See map for parking recommendations.
Accommodations
App State is committed to providing an inclusive experience for individuals with disabilities. If accommodations are needed in order to fully participate on the basis of a disability, contact the Office of Disability Resources (828-262-3056). It is recommended that accommodation requests be made two weeks prior to the event.
