The Big Read

The Big Read has arrived! Newport Public Library has partnered with the Preservation Society of Newport County to present the National Endowment for the Arts' version of a community-wide reading initiative called "The Big Read." The book chosen by our community is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Newport connections to the film, the mansions, and themes of the book, made it a natural selection for Newport. Activities begin in January, and events and book discussions are planned through the end of March. Venues include the Preservation Society's Rosecliff mansion, the Newport Public Library, book stores, the Edward King Senior Center, the Boys & Girls Club of Newport County, and the Martin Luther King Community Center.

The idea of a community-wide read is already familiar to Rhode Islanders who have participated in Rhode Island's Reading Across Rhode Island project, now in its sixth year. Now Newport has its very own reading program. The goal is the same, getting everyone to read the same book, generating a local buzz about reading and discussing books and themes from those books with friends, neighbors and even strangers.

Newport Big Read begins on January 14 at Rosecliff with a screening of The Great Gatsby movie made in 1974 with Mia Farrow and Robert Redford. The Preservation Society will also host a lecture by Eileen Warburton on January 21 at Rosecliff. The Big Read won't finish until March 2010 with another screening of the film at Newport Public Library on March 21, and a Twenties style dance contest involving the Boys and Girls Club on March 25. In between there are book discussions at various locations, a jazz concert, a costume display, and two performances of a staged reading of The Great Gatsby by actors from Second Story Theater. Pat Hegenauer and Eileen Warburton are selecting scenes for reading and Hegenauer will direct. Those sessions are planned for February 1 at Rosecliff and February 21 at the Newport Public Library.

Staff of the Newport Public Library are leading book discussions of The Great Gatsby and a companion book for teens, Jake Reinvented by Gordon Korman, in several different locations in the community and at the library. The library is also providing Gatsby book discussion kits for private book discussion groups in our community. Groups wishing to take part in the Big Read can check out a kit with 10 copies of Gatsby, plus discussion guides, using their library card.

The following links give more information as well as a complete list of events:

Newport Public Library's Calendar

Newport's Big Read page at NEA.org

The Newport Preservation Society's Homepage