The Big Read: DelawaREADS The Great Gatsby

Thank you!

2008-05-19T08:59:00.003-04:00

On behalf of the three library systems of Delaware county, I want to thank the community for their enthusiastic support of The Big Read. I very much enjoyed the season, all of us "on the same page" reading, thinking, and talking about The Great Gatsby.

We're still tidying up, getting the numbers that we need to report to the national program, and we'll post those here when we have them gathered up. I also hope to post more photographs that we took at events. As a start, here are some photos taken at the Curtain Players performance of The Great Gatsby: A Reader's Theatre Adaptation in Powell on May 4.

Celebrate The Big Read

2008-05-07T10:19:00.007-04:00

Sometimes they came and went without having met Gatsby at all, came for the party with a simplicity of heart that was its own ticket of admission.

I hope during the last month you've had an opportunity to get acquainted with Mr. Gatsby, but even if you haven't, do come to his party this Saturday, May 10, to celebrate the Delaware libraries and the culmination of The Big Read.

The event takes place at the main library building of the Delaware County District Library, 84 E. Winter St. in Delaware. The doors open at 7:00 p.m. We'll have music by the Toll House Jazz Band and food by All Occasions Catering. Instructors from the Fred Astaire Dance Studio will teach 1920's jazz steps to anyone who is interested. All within an atmosphere of a Long Island garden party, provided by Posh Event Services.

The event is sponsored in part by the Friends of the Delaware County District Library. At 7:30 p.m. the Friends will hold a short business meeting and kick-off the membership campaign for their new organization.

Please join us as we wrap up The Big Read with this festive evening of food, music, dancing.

"Gatsby" live!

2008-04-29T15:29:00.002-04:00

One of the reasons The Great Gatsby is such an enduring book is the beautiful language of the novel, some passages reading like poetry. It deserves to be listened to.

This weekend, actors from the award-winning Curtain Players will be performing a readers' theater adaptation of the novel. The script was adapted by William B. Jones, Jr. directly from the book, preserving as much as possible of Fitzgerald's words while still conveying the plot and major themes in a compressed time.

There are two opportunities to catch the performance:

Saturday, May 3rd, 7:30 p.m. at the Asbury United Methodist Church, 55 West Lincoln Avenue, Delaware, OH (map and directions)

Sunday, May 4th, 2:00 pm., City of Powell Village Green Amphitheater, 47 Hall St., Powell, OH (map and directions)

Film Screening

2008-04-24T07:27:00.003-04:00

Join librarian Stephen Cook for a free screening of the 1974 film adaptation of The Great Gatsby at the Strand Theatre this Sunday, April 27, at 2:00 p.m.

The film stars Robert Redford as Gatsby and Mia Farrow as Daisy, with a wonderful supporting cast led by Sam Waterston as Nick.

A discussion of of the film follows, and we will have "Big Read" t-shirts to give away as door prizes.

"The finest work of fiction by any of this country's writers"

2008-04-23T15:28:00.001-04:00

Washington Post book critic Jonathan Yardley wrote a series last year where he examined notable books of the past. In his column, he tries to set aside the decades of literary criticism and imagine what he would think of The Great Gatsby if he could have read it fresh in 1925. He examines the compelling, memorable characters and the poetic language, and concludes:

If in 1925 I didn't gasp at that, there would have been something seriously wrong with me. Those words, and the few hundred others that follow as the novel reaches its end, seem to me now -- eight decades after that imagined first reading -- the most beautiful, compelling and true in all of American literature. Each reading of them is a revelation and a gift. If from all of our country's books I could have only one, "The Great Gatsby" would be it.

You can view the whole article, 'Gatsby': The Greatest of Them All on the Washington Post's website

“The journey toward the dream is the most important thing.”

2008-04-22T13:30:00.000-04:00

The New York Times had an article in February about The Great Gatsby and its impact on a group of students today. They talk about the American Dream, and what Gatsby's green light means to them personally: it might be Harvard, financial independence, or just making their parents proud.

Some educators say the best way to engage racially and ethnically diverse students in reading is with books that mirror their lives and culture. But others say that while a variety of literary voices is important, “Gatsby” — still required reading at half the high schools in the country — resonates powerfully among urban adolescents, many of them first- and second-generation immigrants, who are striving to ascend in 21st-century America.

You can view the whole article, "Gatsby's Green Light Beckons a New Set of Strivers," on the New York Times website.

What does the green light mean to you?

Zelda visits Delaware

2008-04-21T09:52:00.004-04:00

Debra Conner brought Zelda Fitzgerald to vibrant life at the Sunbury and Delaware libraries last week. This wonderful program gave the audience the opportunity to learn more about Zelda, her life with Scott, and her perspective on The Great Gatsby and the Jazz Age she helped define.
We joined Zelda in 1948 in Asheville, North Carolina, where she was living at Highland Hospital and receiving treatments for the mental illness that had haunted her for nearly 18 years. She took us on a journey through her memories. We could ask questions directly of Zelda, and then later we could deepen the discussion with Debra.

I loved how this program added new dimensions to my experience reading The Great Gatsby. I'm looking forward to the program this Tuesday, April 22 at 7:00 p.m., when Dr. Ted McDaniel will talk about the evolution of American Jazz History.

Kick-Off the Big Read on Sunday

2008-04-10T07:42:00.003-04:00

On Sunday morning while church bells rang in the villages alongshore, the world and its mistress returned to Gatsby's house and twinkled hilariously on his lawn.

The "world and its mistress" may still be at Gatsby's house, but join us this Sunday afternoon at the Delaware County main library to launch the Big Read! The event begins at 2:00.

The event will feature classic cars, ice cream, and children's activities. Our special guests include the Delaware Hayes Jazz Band, who will get us in the mood with Gatsby-era music, and the Olentangy Liberty High School Drama Club, who will perform selections from their spring musical Thoroughly Modern Millie.

Members of the Delaware County community will jump start the Big Read by reading some notable passages of The Great Gatsby aloud.

Delaware County Loves This Book

2008-04-07T07:39:00.005-04:00

Why read The Great Gatsby? Check out this video promo provided by the National Endowment for the Arts. (It begins with a few seconds of black).

The Big Read kicks off this Sunday, April 13, at the main library of the Delaware County District Library. Pick up a copy of the novel. After reading it, come to one of the 20 book discussions to talk about what you thought of it.

Book Club Materials

2008-02-09T07:23:00.000-05:00

We'd love to get private book groups around Delaware County involved in the Big Read. If your group would like to read "The Great Gatsby" in April or May, please send me a note letting me know when your group meets and how many people you expect. I can provide you with copies of the Reader's Guide, an audio program that includes commentary from renowned artists, educators, and public figures, and (while supplies last) a copy of the book.

For more information, call me (Don) at the Delaware County District Library, 740-362-3861, or send me email at delawareads@delawarelibrary.org.

Delaware County reads "The Great Gatsby"

2008-02-02T10:30:00.000-05:00

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) continued its drive toward making the Big Read the largest federal reading program in U.S. history, and the Delaware County libraries are honored to play a part.

The partnership of the Delaware, Ashley, and Sunbury libraries was awarded a generous grant to support a county-wide reading program centered on The Great Gatsby.

The Big Read will kick off April 13, 2008, and run through May 10. Activities will include an ice cream social, a screening and discussion of film adaptations of the novel, special children's story times, guest presenters, and more than 20 book discussions throughout the county.

Watch this space for information about reading groups, activities, speakers, and the opportunity to discuss this pivotal novel with others in the community and throughout the United States.