West Chester will be hosting a series of events for the Big Read from Sept. 11 to Nov. 11. The Big Read will have 35 events, all revolving around The Things They Carried. Originally published in 1990, Tim Obrien’s The Things They Carried is a semi-autobiographical account of his time as a soldier in the Vietnam War.
“If we leave the stories to history books, a lot will be left out. Tim O’Brien’s work speaks to the personal cost of war,” Dr. Kuhio Walters, a co-chair for the Big Read, said.
The kick-off event for the Big Read will be a Read-a-Thon on Sept. 11 in the Academic Quad. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., students, faculty, and members of the local community will read excerpts from war literature aloud. While most slots are taken, if anyone is still interested in reading for the event, they can email wcbigread@wcupa.edu.
There will also be an oral history project, a panel with members of the West Chester community from the 1960s, and a “What Soldiers Sang and Read” event.
Students are encouraged to get involved with the events. On Oct. 2, from 8 to 9:30 a.m., students will be doing visual presentations of posters relating to war literature at the local senior center. Participants will receive a small stipend, breakfast, transportation to the event, and good company.
“This event will cut across age groups and create intergenerational moments,” Dr. Eleanor Shevlin said, a co-chair for the event.
Students are also encouraged to get involved with the Oral History project. Students will be interviewing veterans at the West Chester Public Library. The stories will be archived at the West Chester Public Library, the Library of Congress, and the Chester County Historical Society. Anyone interested in being an interviewer or any veteran interested in being interviewed can contact the Big Read at wcbigread@wcupa.edu.
The Big Read will also be at the Restaurant Festival this year, handing out free books. Community members are encouraged to check out their stand.
Local high schools are even getting involved with a Letters to Tim O’Brien contest. Modeled after the Center for the Book’s Letters to Authors contest, high school students will write letters to Tim O’Brien. The judging panel will include the director of Pennsylvania’s Center for the Book.
The keynote speech on Nov. 11 will be given by Tim O’Brien himself. It will take place in Emile Asplundh. The event is free of charge, and everyone is welcome.
The Big Read would not have been possible without The National Endowment for the Arts and Arts Midwest. Dr. Shevlin and Dr. Kuhio Walters, both from the English department, began planning the event in November of 2012. Dr. Walters, a veteran himself, said The Things They Carried revolutionized how he thought of books and reading. Dr. Shevlin also shares an interest in war literature.
The NEA grant required the professors to get matching funds from groups in the community. The support of the local community was remarkable and dozens of organizations have stepped up to make the Big Read a success.
A complete list of events for the Big Read can be found at wcupa.edu/bigread. There will be 10 discussions of the book throughout the semester. On Oct. 22, there will be a campus-wide discussion; however, students and faculty are encouraged to attend events, even if they have not read the book. Anyone interested in helping with this event can find out more information by emailing wcbigread@wcupa.edu.
Theresa Kelly is a second-year student majoring in English literature secondary education. She can be reached at TK780615@wcupa.edu.
Fri. Apr 19th, 2024
