05/29/2026
Still thinking about this incredible night! 📕 ✨
A massive thank you to the hundreds of UC Santa Barbara students, faculty, staff, and local community members who joined us on May 7 at a sold-out Campbell Hall for the grand finale of UCSB Reads 2026 and to celebrate the 20th anniversary of our award-winning common book program!
The expansive conversation between Michelle Zauner - Grammy-nominated musician and author of the bestselling memoir "Crying in H Mart" - and writer and professor Sameer Pandya (Asian American Studies) made for an unforgettable evening. 📚❤️
Their dialogue traversed complex themes of identity, culture, grief, family, food, music, literature, and interdisciplinary creativity. Following the discussion, UCSB students asked thoughtful questions during a lively Q&A session. The enthusiasm carried well into the night, with the book-signing line stretching out the doors of Campbell Hall.
Huge thanks to our co-presenters UCSB Arts & Lectures and everyone who made this free public talk and the entire UCSB Reads 2026 program possible.
Overall, the milestone 20th anniversary year of UCSB Reads sparked incredible engagement across the entire campus and the broader Santa Barbara community. We distributed more than 1,800 free copies of "Crying in H Mart" to students and put copies of the book into the hands of community readers through local public libraries (Santa Barbara Public Library and Goleta Valley Library ). The book was also integrated into 27 classes across 12 academic departments. We also sponsored 30 events at UCSB and in Santa Barbara with a combined attendance of more than 2,600 people.
