One Maryland One Book

The Story of a Marylander's Ascension to African King is the 2013 One Maryland One Book Pick

King Peggy: An American Secretary, Her Royal Destiny, and the Inspiring Story of How She Changed an African Village by Peggielene Bartels and Eleanor Herman is the 2013 One Maryland One Book selection. Alexander McCall Smith, author of the internationally-renowned and well-loved No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency Series called the book “An astonishing and wonderful book about a real-life Mma Ramotswe. An utter joy.”

King Peggy chronicles the journey of an American secretary, Peggielene Bartels, who suddenly finds herself king to a town of 7,000 people on Ghana's central coast, half a world away. Peggy's first two years as king of Otuam unfold in a way that is stranger than fiction. In the end, a deeply traditional African town is uplifted by the ambitions of its decidedly modern female king, and Peggy is herself transformed, from an ordinary secretary to the heart and hope of her community.

Read about the authors
Watch a CNN interview with Peggielene Bartels

In its sixth year, One Maryland One Book is designed to bring together diverse people in communities across the state through the shared experience of reading the same book. Readers are then invited to participate in book-centered discussions and other associated programs at public libraries, high schools, colleges and universities, museums, bookstores, and community and senior centers. Programs will take place in fall 2013. A calendar of free public events will be available online this summer.

Click here to learn how a $10 donation via text message can help to provide a copy of this year's One Maryland One Book selection for a local public school classroom or library (Message and data rates may apply).

One Maryland One Book Sponsors

This flagship program of the Maryland Humanities Council's Maryland Center for the Book would not be able to reach all 23 Maryland counties and Baltimore City without the continued support of our partners and sponsors. Please join us in thanking them for their generosity!

Lead Sponsors: