The Big Read

The Big Read is shifting – to a new time frame, new ways of programming, and to a new book!
The Pennyroyal Arts Council, Christian County Public Schools, Hopkinsville-Christian County Public Library, Museums of Historic Hopkinsville-Christian County, and other community partners received the Big Read grant from the National Endowment of the Arts for the seventh consecutive year. The $15,000 grant for the Big Read broadens our understanding of our world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. Managed by Arts Midwest, this initiative offers grants to support innovative community reading programs designed round a single book. This year’s Big Read in Christian County will focus on CIRCE by Madeline Miller. Activities (many of which will be held virtually) will take place February 18 through March 18, 2021. Two exciting firsts this year will include a virtual visit with the author as our kick-off event and an outdoor art project to highlight divinities, mortals, and monsters that will have participants looking to identify all the characters in the story.
Madeline MIller’s Circe is a bestselling, critically acclaimed novel – about the goddess Circe – that has been called “spellbinding,” (O Magazine), “vivid, transporting” (Entertainment Weekly), “an epic page turner” (Christian Science Monitor), and “a romp, an airy delight, a novel to be gobbled greedily in a single sitting” (Guardian). Miller takes on the world of gods, monsters, mortals, and nymphs. These myths have been retold many times “and yet in Miller’s lush reimagining, the story feels harrowing and unexpected.” (Washington Post). If you think a novel based on Greek mythology isn’t for you, just wait!
This year has been all about adaptability. The institutions involved in the planning and development of the Big Read previously announced a different book and time frame for this year’s programming. The committee decided to change its selection to Circe in hopes to appeal to a wider audience, to allow for more robust programming, and to reflect the ideals and character of our community.
Like and follow @thebigreadhopkinsville on Facebook to stay updated on the latest developments and activities for this round of programming