The Humanities Institute: The Deep Read

Match Opportunity: DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT! Your donation will be matched dollar for dollar up to $2,500 throughout the day.

Matching funds were generously provided by UC Santa Cruz Foundation Board President Linda Peterson (Stevenson ’70, History).

This Giving Day, show your love for the Deep Read!

Are you passionate about books, critical thinking, and the exchange of ideas? The Deep Read is an annual program of The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz that focuses on a recent book by an award-winning author. The Deep Read invites our community of curious readers to think deeply about books and the most pressing issues of our contemporary moment.

This year, we will read James by Percival Everett, an adaptation of Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Currently on the shortlist for both the 2024 Booker Prize and the 2024 National Book Award, James is a novel about the brutality of slavery, the performance of race, and the value of language and literacy.

Every year, Deep Readers are guided by weekly emails, online forums, and community events with presentations by UC Santa Cruz faculty. At the end of the program, we bring the author to campus to discuss their work at a free, public event at the Quarry Amphitheater.  

The Deep Read is for everyone—current UC Santa Cruz students, staff, faculty, alumni, community members, community college students, high school students, and truly anyone, anywhere who’s interested in reading deeply and engaging with important ideas. We have built a community of 10,000 Deep Readers in Santa Cruz and around the world, and we’re still growing. There’s so much to love. 

Support the Deep Read today and help us continue to provide free access to our author events, virtual and in-person salons with faculty and community members, and program exploring the Deep Read book. Your gift also means we can give free books to every interested student and 200 lucky community members each year.

We launched the Deep Read six years ago to show our love for reading, thinking deeply, and our community. Now is your opportunity to show your love for the Deep Read. If the Deep Read has inspired you, reignited your love of books, or helped you change your frame of reference for a book, issue, or author, SHOW YOUR LOVE. 

Give what you can—help us keep these events free for everyone and continue to grow this incredible community.