The Big Read Returns!

Building on the success of the first Big Read in the Wichita area, which attracted more than 16,000 people to events, exhibits and discussions, The Big Read returns in October-November 2009 with a new focus: "Great Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe." 

This year marks the bicentennial of Poe's birth, and October is the 160th anniversary of his death. An important writer who helped shape the popular genres of detective, horror and science fiction, Poe's short works are also perfect for lapsed and reluctant readers looking for an unintimidating way to enter (or re-enter) the world of literature. Poe's works are also a part of our cultural literacy.

As The Big Read nears, keep up on the latest news, join in book discussions, attend special events and exhibits from The Big Read - Wichita partners--and make reading a lifelong habit. Companion books have been identified for readers in grades preK-8; multiple resources for teachers are also available.

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Image credit: William Michael Harnett, Mortality and Immortality (1876). Oil on canvas, 22 1/4” x 27 1/4”, The Roland P. Murdock Collection, M58.45, used courtesy of the Wichita Art Museum