Cuyahoga Community College's Common Reading Program

Presenting the Common Reading Text for the 2025-2026 Academic Year: "A Point of Beauty" by the Moth

About A Point of Beauty

New York Times Bestseller • An inspiring and entertaining collection of unforgettable true stories about finding unexpected beauty in life's transitions — from Lin-Manuel Miranda, Elizabeth Gilbert, Quiara Alegría Hudes and many more.

An international rescue mission for Paddington Bear. A family matriarch running numbers in Detroit. An epic Lucha Libre showdown in Mexico City. A beach vacation spent looking for the Kennedys. Storytellers from around the world share times they found real beauty in the moments when their lives changed forever — for better or for worse.

Carefully selected by the creative minds at The Moth and adapted to the page to preserve the raw energy of stories told live, on stage and without notes, A Point of Beauty features voices familiar and new. This collection offers a shared message: If we look closely enough, we can find power in strengthening frayed bonds but also in having the courage to walk away from things that no longer feed our spirit. Through these storytellers' passion and their hope, they teach us all about what's worth holding on to: our relationships with those we love the most, our understanding of ourselves, and — of course — gathering together to tell and listen to our stories.
— From the publisher

If you plan to use the text in class or would like to know more, contact your campus Common Reading Program leadership listed below:

Eastern Campus
Sara Ehret
John Rasel
Casandra Coin-Sweeney

Metropolitan Campus
Brenda Hartley 

Western Campus
Sara Clark
Joe Fell 

Westshore Campus
Theresa Gromek

What Is Tri-C's Common Reading Program?

Tri-C's Common Reading Program builds community and fosters intellectual engagement by drawing faculty and students together in discussion of a common fiction or nonfiction text. The program also creates venues for interdisciplinary learning as students explore the common text through different lenses in various classes and events across the College community.

Unlike many colleges that only schedule programming for the text at the onset of the school year or in FYE courses, Tri-C provides exciting opportunities to engage with the text throughout the academic year. Please see the "Events" tab for more information.

Find out how the Collegewide Common Reading Committee chooses the text, faculty and student resources and event updates. We look forward to working with you and your students in the coming year!