‘Custodians of Wonder’ announced as 2026–27 Go Big Read
Go Big Read announced on Thursday its selection for UW–Madison’s 2026–27 common read: Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive by travel journalist Eliot Stein.
The travelogue explores 10 customs and their keepers, spanning cultures, communities, nations, and decades. One story involves a Guinean family that carefully guards a mythical instrument; another follows a Swedish night watchman who assumes his post atop a church tower, despite his role’s obsolescence. The common thread: Through shared traditions, communities develop distinct identities and ways of understanding the world, all while connecting past to present.
To bring these customs and their caretakers to life, Stein uses vivid storytelling techniques and in-depth reporting — a process he said served as a foil to the prevailing cynicism of now. For that reason, Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin said in the official announcement, Custodians of Wonder was the perfect Go Big Read choice.
“When so much of what we see and read focuses on crisis, conflict, and disruption,” Mnookin said, “Custodians of Wonder reminds us of something equally true: that people care deeply about culture, community, and connection to one another. The book offers a hopeful lens on humanity and suggests that protecting these small marvels is itself an act of optimism about our future.”
Sponsored by UW–Madison Libraries, the 18-year-old Go Big Read program aims to foster shared intellectual experiences across campus and the broader community by encouraging readers to explore a single book together. Discussions, lectures, and events centered on the book and its themes, including a fall visit to campus by Stein, will take place throughout the academic year.
Planning has begun for students, faculty, and staff to use the book in classrooms and for special events during the fall 2026 semester. All first-year students will receive the book at the Chancellor’s Convocation for New Students, and students using the book in their classes will also receive copies. UW–Madison instructors or event planners interested in using the book can request a print or e-review copy.