A BIG Opportunity

March 27, 2009

Thanks to the efforts of a dedicated University of Redlands professor, who developed a "community read" and subsequently obtained a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, there is "The Big Read - Redlands taking place between March 15- April 25, 2009.
The program is for anyone and everyone. The book that is being read and discussed is Ray Bradbury"s 'Fahrenheit 451" which was published in 1953, but which has themes and questions about society that are relevant today. The NEA has made paper back copies of the book available at no cost. You can obtain a book at Redland's A.K. Smiley Public Library or at the Armacost Library on the University of Redlands campus.

The San Bernardino County Museum is also participating by hosting a discussion of "Fahrenheit 451" on Sunday, March 29, 2009 at 2 p.m. One question being posed has to do with the mission of the Museum. If books were banned, what stories would the objects in the museum collection tell us?

The purpose of The Big Read is to revitalize the role of literature in American culture and to involve the whole community in the reading and discussion of books of literature. The community actually chose "Fahrenheit 451" out of the list of suggested titles furnished by the NEA.

For more information about the NEA program you can go to http://www.neabigread.org/

For information about the Sunday discussion at the San Bernardino County Museum, you can contact education curator, Jolene Redvale at 909-307-2669, X252 or email: jredvale@sbcm.sbcounty.gov

In the Inland Empire, we are so fortunate to have so many cultural opportunities resulting from the dedication of our residents!