The Big Read Poughkeepsie Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
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The Big Read Poughkeepsie Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury October 5 - November 2 The Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. It is designed to revitalize the role of literature in American culture and to encourage citizens to read for pleasure and enlightenment. Big Read Explores Stay in Touch Tomorrow’s News Landscape the Power of Books This year you can follow The Big Read on Twitter: PPLD@poklib #TheBigReadPok, receive Big Read On Tuesday, October 14, Ray Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit Stuart Shinske, Executive 451 in 1953 in the basement of photos on your devices and make comments about the state of culture, technology, books, etc., on Facebook. Editor of the Poughkeepsie the UCLA library on a public Journal, speaks about the typewriter. He paid a dime for ‘Like’ us on Facebook at Poughkeepsie Public Library District (PPLD). For background information on Ray enormous changes taking each half hour of typewriter access place in journalism today. His talk looks at the future and took writing breaks to run Bradbury or Fahrenheit 451, dig into www.raybradbury.com or www.neabigread.org. of print news and how technology helps, and hurts, the upstairs into the stacks in search collection and dissemination of serious news. Are we a of appropriate quotes from classic literature to include better informed citizenry, or simply awash in a sea of in the work. Building on several short stories he had Tweets and tiny sound-bytes? previously written, he completed the book in nine days. One question that emerges from Bradbury’s dystopian Big Read Guest Speakers Role of the Bible look at a future America is “Why should we read books?” and it is this question that ignites our Big Read. Bradbury Biographer in Fahrenheit 451 On Sunday, October This is the eighth year that the Library District has at Opening 19, our guest speaker is received a grant from the National Endowment for Sam Weller, who spent hundreds Dr. Christopher Link, the Arts in support of a Big Read program. As in past of hours with Ray Bradbury Associate Professor of years, local businesses and organizations match the grant while writing the biography English at SUNY New Paltz. Dr. Link received his PhD funding. Countless educators, libraries, arts and civic The Bradbury Chronicles, says the in Religion and Literature from Boston University and organizations have been planning for the past 11 months author wished he hadn’t landed BFA in Film from NYU. His topic will be the role of to create meaningful opportunities for readers of all ages a bull’s-eye with some of his predictions. In Fahrenheit the Bible in Fahrenheit 451. Dr. Link regularly teaches to explore the power of books together. The Little Read 451, Bradbury predicted a future with remarkable courses on the Bible, American Literature, Great Books, companion book is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. In technological advances, including wall-size flat-panel and film, and also teaches the Novel, Asian Classics, and addition to the many middle and high school students televisions and iPod-style earbuds. His dystopian tale myth. He teaches Fahrenheit 451, both the book and who will read this work, we encourage adults to read about censorship also foretold of a people addicted film, as part of his Fiction into Film course at New Paltz. this book as well. to, and isolated by, mass-media sensory overload. “We talked many times about technology,” says Weller, who Science Fiction is coming to Poughkeepsie on Sunday, October 5. Many booksellers and scholars credit Bradbury’s and Technology Fahrenheit 451 for bringing the genre of science fiction “At the end of the day, he felt that the disconnect Dr. Angela Laflen, Associate literature into the mainstream of American readership. between people because of technology was alarming. Professor of English at Marist Fahrenheit 451 challenges us with visions of fast cars, He would say, ‘Quit staring at your phones and start College, is our guest speaker two-way radios, wall-size television screens, ear-buds, talking with the people in front of you.’” on Sunday, October 26. computerized robots, government surveillance, and a Dr. Laflen received degrees population lulled into mindlessness…is this the stuff Weller’s book The Bradbury Chronicles: The Life of Ray from Northern Kentucky and Purdue Universities. She of science fiction, or is this a glimpse of America’s Bradbury was a Los Angeles Times best seller, winner teaches in the areas of Literature and Gender, Digital tomorrow? Throughout our Big Read, readers of all of the 2005 Society of Midland Authors Award for Writing, and Technical Communication, and she will be ages will explore the fantastic and often chilling alternate Best Biography, and a Bram Stoker Award finalist. teaching Fahrenheit 451 this fall in a course for senior realities presented in science fiction works. The companion book, Listen to the Echoes: The Ray Bradbury Interviews, was published by Melville House/ English majors. She is author of Confronting Visuality in Multi-Ethnic Women’s Literature and co-editor of Gender Big Read Selfie Stop Smiling Books in 2010. With Mort Castle, Weller co-edited the anthology Shadow Show: All-New Stories in Scripts in Medicine and Narrative. Dr. Laflen will focus Late in Fahrenheit 451, the Celebration of Ray Bradbury (William Morrow Paperbacks, her presentation on Bradbury’s use of technology in protagonist discovers a colony July 2012), winner of the 2013 Bram Stoker Award for Fahrenheit 451 and the impact of this singular work on of people who have memorized “Superior Achievement in an Anthology.” Weller is the the broader science fiction genre. entire works of literature in order Associate Chair of the Department of Creative Writing to save them from extinction. at Columbia College Chicago. Joe Donahue on Books In keeping with that theme, we Many Hudson Valley residents invite you to consider what book From Paper to Celluloid are well-acquainted with the you would save. Ray Bradbury Maria Pranzo, Mill Street Loft staff On Wednesday, October 8, as engaging personality of Joe responded to this question by a lead-in to the screening of Donahue from WAMC Public claiming he would save A Christmas Carol by Charles Fahrenheit 451 at the Bardavon, Radio. Joe is the host of WAMC’s Dickens because it is about life, death, and the hope John Desmond, Associate Professor weekday Roundtable program, and that is offered to those who recognize what is truly of English at SUNY Dutchess, also interviews authors for The important in life. What book would you pick? When will examine the details of the Book Show. The son of a librarian, Joe is a voracious you’ve made your choice, send us an email naming the 1966 Francois Truffaut film adaptation. John is the reader, an advocate of books, and a tireless promoter book and explaining why you feel so strongly about it. If author, with Peter Hawkes, of Adaptation: Studying Film of all things cultural and educational. He is an award- you can, also send us a photo of yourself with the book, and Literature, a book frequently used as a text for college winning interviewer with an uncanny knack for eliciting or a piece of paper with the title and author on it. Send courses on film adaptation. He teaches a course in the extraordinary insights from authors about their books, it to [email protected] Many of our Big Read English Department at Dutchess Community College in the writing process, and the power of the written Partners will be collecting similar recommendations Film and Literature. word. Joe will speak with our Big Read audience on from readers and we plan to compile them for screening Wednesday, October 29, about the joy of books and at our Closing Event. will share highlights from his many author interviews. For program details, see poklib.org or brochure The Big Read: October 5 - November 2 * Program requires registration Indicates Little Read Program Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Morning, Various Schools 4 pm, Adriance* 3 pm, Adriance* 1:30 pm, Adriance 3 pm, Adriance* 11 am, Grinnell Public Library* Sam Weller speaks about Bradbury Fahrenheit 451: Teens Create Flaming Big Read Matinee: Storm Center (1954) Teens Build a Fahrenheit 451 Mural American Girl Doll Club in local High Schools Collage Workshop Book Cinemagraph 2 pm, Hyde Park Free Library* 5:30 pm, LaGrange Association Library* Read about Caroline Abbott for Tweens with Mill Street Loft Saving Texts: Repairing & Preserving Books Burnt Pages Nail Art Artist Christine Livesey 2 pm, Collegeview Tower 6:30 pm, Staatsburg Library* 6:30 pm, LaGrange Association Library* 7 pm, Adriance Discussion of Fahrenheit 451 Lego Night – Fire Trucks/Stations 4 pm, Adriance* Artist Rebecca Cyber-Bullying Prevention Night on the Town Time in a Bottle Strauss 6:30 pm, Morton Library/Rhinecliff 6:30 pm, Highland Public Library* Lego Mania – Fire Trucks! 5 – 6:30 pm 2:30 pm, The Auditorium on her Gallery Movie Night at Morton Hall - 1984 Restaurant Specials The Big Read Opening Exhibit 7 pm, Adriance 7 pm, Adriance 7 pm, Bardavon Bradbury’s biographer, Sam Weller, shares Pre-Show Organ Concert Adaptation of Book to Film Tomorrow’s News Landscape insight and stories about Bradbury. Stuart Shinske, Exec Ed, Poughkeepsie Journal 7:30 pm, Bardavon with Professor John Desmond Fahrenheit 451 Screening 7:30 pm, Hyde Park Free Library Movie: It Came from Outer Space (1953) 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Columbus Day Holiday 3:15 pm, Coyote Grill 1:30 pm, Adriance 6:30 pm, LaGrange Association Library* Spack Readers Discuss Fahrenheit 451 Big Read Matinee: 1984 (1984) Teen Quiz Night - The Hunger Games Great Day to read or 4 pm, Adriance* 3:30 pm, Vassar College 7:15 pm, Hyde Park re-read the book! Little R.E.A.D.