Big Read Roanoke Valley Kicks Off

Co-chairwomen Ann McCallum (above) and Lucy Lee at the press conference this morning^

The Big Read Roanoke Valley kicked off this morning at the Jefferson Center with considerable enthusiasm for its goal of getting a lot of people to read a single book. The book is Ernest Gaines' A Lesson Before Dying, which is being read people throughout the region. A number of events are scheduled to examine and celebrate the Big Read.

Valley Business FRONT is among its sponsors and I will be among those orchestrating one of nearly 20 events that will finish with a jazz poetry reading and recitation at Virginia Western Community College March 31.

Among the events are the showing of a movie based on the book, a number of readings from the books and several lectures, including "Anatomy of an Execution" by Roanoke College's Todd Peppers and Laura Anderson, who wrote a book by that title. My class, scheduled March 16 at 6:30 at the Blue Ridge Public Library, will be a writing workshop based on the book.

A complete list of events is here. I hope you'll take part.