National Endowment for the Arts TKAM trailer:
The Big Read program to promote reading throughout January
Dozens of St. Louis events to focus on To Kill a Mockingbird; Kick-off set for Jan. 6 at Missouri Historical SocietyBy Liam Otten
Dec. 9, 2008 -- With its appealing evocation of childhood and powerful call for tolerance and social justice, Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is the rare American novel that can be discovered in adolescence yet rewards adult re-reading.
In January the book will serve as centerpiece of a National Endowment for the Arts' Big Read program. Modeled on successful "city read" programs, The Big Read is designed to encourage literary reading by helping communities come together to read and discuss a single book. Participants for 2008-09 will include more than 200 cities and towns across the United States.
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| Harper Lee |
"The purpose of The Big Read, like the purpose of literature itself, is pleasure," said NEA Chair Dana Gioia. "Not necessarily an easy pleasure, but a deliciously rich and complex one. A great book combines enlightenment with enchantment. It awakens our imagination and enlarges our humanity."
The St. Louis Big Read — coordinated by Washington University in partnership with several local organizations — will feature dozens of lectures, readings, art exhibits, theater productions, book discussions, film festivals and other events exploring the themes of Lee's novel. More than two-dozen sponsors and partner organizations range from local governments, library districts and school districts to museums, bookstores and arts, literacy and cultural organizations.
"The Big Read provides an opportunity to share University resources with the entire St. Louis community," said Cheryl Adelstein, director of community relations and local government affairs, who is spearheading the university's participation. "Working with our partners and sponsors, we will reach more than 10,000 area students and enrich their study of Mockingbird."
Adelstein also notes that much of the outreach will be done by Washington University students. For example, "Brown School students will lead programs for high school groups, and both graduate and undergraduate students will lead book discussion throughout the St. Louis community."
Events begin Jan. 6 with a reading and discussion at the Missouri History Museum, which will feature St. Louis television personalities Christine Buck (CW11) and Summer Knowles (Fox 2), along with local actors. On Jan. 8 Missouri's first black congressman, William "Bill" Clay, Sr., will discuss his new book, The Jefferson Bank Confrontation: The Struggle for Civil Rights in St. Louis, at the St. Louis County Library, Florissant Valley Branch.
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| Mary Badham and Gregory Peck review the script on the set of the film To Kill a Mockingbird, 1962. Badham will be in St. Louis Jan. 9-11. |
Edison Theatre and Metro Theatre Company will present a theatrical production of To Kill a Mockingbird Jan. 9 to 18. The opening night celebration will include an appearance by Mary Badham, who was nominated for a best-supporting actress Academy Award for her role as Scout in the 1962 film version. Badham also will host a trio of film screenings Jan. 10 and 11, at the St. Louis Public Library, Schlafly Branch; the Missouri History Museum; and the University City Public Library.
The Human Race Machine, which allows viewers to envision themselves as a different race, will be installed in the university's Mallinckrodt Student Center Jan. 11-18. Subsequent events will include the Black Repertory Theater of St. Louis' performance of Stamping, Shouting and Singing Home at the Missouri History Museum (Jan. 18); the Bias and Bigotry Film Festival, presented by the Anti-Defamation League of League of St. Louis and Cinema St. Louis (Jan. 18-22); and To Kill a Mockingbird Through Art, a family-friendly interactive event exploring racial and social justice issues through the arts, sponsored by Cultural Festivals of St. Louis (Jan. 31).
Individual discussion groups will meet at numerous branches of the St. Louis Public Libraries as well as at local bookstores, cafes and community centers.
For a complete calendar of events or to download a reader's guide, please visit bigread.wustl.edu or call (314) 935-4407.
In 2007 Washington University sponsored a Big Read focusing on Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. More than 12,000 people participated in dozens of public events and book discussion groups.
About The Big Read
The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. It brings the transformative power of literature into the lives of its citizens. A 2004 NEA report, Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America, identified a critical decline in reading for pleasure among American adults. The Big Read aims to address this issue directly by providing citizens with the opportunity to read and discuss a single book within their communities.
The purpose of The Big Read, like the purpose of literature itself, is pleasure. Not necessarily an easy pleasure, but a deliciously rich and complex one. A great book combines enlightenment with enchantment. It awakens our imagination and enlarges our humanity. It can even offer harrowing insights that somehow console and comfort us.
The prospect of an America where only a few people share a love of reading is just too lonely to bear. Even if statistics didn't show that readers are more active in their own communities and more engaged in their own lives, the act of reading would still be an indispensable part of what makes us fully human. It is for these reasons, with the incredible legacy of our nation's literature, that we at the NEA invite you to join The Big Read. For more information, please visit the NEA's Big Read website.
About Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a medium-sized, independent research university dedicated to challenging its faculty and students alike to seek new knowledge and greater understanding of an ever-changing, multicultural world. The university is counted among the world's leaders in teaching and research and draws students and faculty to St. Louis from all 50 states and more than 90 other nations. With 7,547 undergraduates and 6,033 graduate and professional students, Washington University offers more than 90 programs and nearly 1,500 courses in a broad spectrum of traditional and interdisciplinary majors.
Founded in 1853 by St. Louisans, Washington University is highly regarded for its commitment to excellence in learning. Its programs, administration, facilities, resources, and activities combine to further its mission of teaching, research, and service to society.
Set amid a thriving metropolitan region of 2.6 million residents, the University benefits from the vast array of social, cultural, and recreational opportunities offered by the St. Louis area. Bordered on the east by St. Louis' famed Forest Park and on the north, west, and south by well-established suburbs, the 169-acre Danforth Campus features predominantly Collegiate Gothic architecture, including a number of buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. For more information, please visit the University's website.
