Classic novel focus of Big Read

The Daily Inter Lake

Events offered around themes found in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'

The Flathead County Library System is offering The Big Read, giving the Flathead Valley an opportunity to join together as a community, and share the experience of reading "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee.

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest.

A number of events have been scheduled for the celebration, which began Sept. 12 and run through Oct. 14.

On Oct. 14, author and sociologist James Loewen will speak at Flathead Valley Community College, Arts and Technology Building, Community Room 139. Loewen spent two years at the Smithsonian surveying 12 leading high school textbooks of American history only to conclude that they were a blend of bland optimism, blind nationalism, and plain misinformation.

The bestselling author of "Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your High School History Textbook Got Wrong" has been an expert witness in more than 50 civil rights, voting rights, and employment cases. Loewen holds a Ph.D. in sociology from Harvard University and taught race relations for 20 years at the University of Vermont.

The award-winning classic film "To Kill a Mockingbird," starring Gregory Peck, will be shown on screen at various locations. The 1962 film is not rated, and is 129 minutes long.

Screenings are 4 p.m., Sept. 27, at the O'Shaughnessy Center in Whitefish; 7 p.m., Oct. 1, Flathead County Library, Kalispell; and 7 p.m., Oct. 5, Glacier Discovery Square in Columbia Falls.

Also to be shown is the 1957 classic "Twelve Angry Men." When Juror #8 (Henry Fonda) is not convinced of the guilt of a young ghetto youth, an exploration of the issue "beyond a reasonable doubt" ensues. Not rated, 96 minutes. The showing is 7 p.m., Sept. 29, at the Flathead County Library in Kalispell.

"Crash," in which a seemingly simple car accident in Los Angeles brings together a diverse group of people and forces them to confront their own fears and prejudices, was the winner of the 2006 Academy Award for Best Picture. It is rated R, and runs 100 minutes. Screenings are 7 p.m., Sept. 28, Glacier Discovery Square in Columbia Falls; 7 p.m., Oct. 6, Flathead County Library in Kalispell.

The 2008 film, "Prom Night in Mississippi" covers the story of Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman offeirng to pay for the senior prom at Charleston High School in Mississippi in 1997 under one condition: the prom had to be racially integrated. His offer was ignored. In 2008, Freeman offered again. This time the school board accepted, and history was made. Not rated, 90 minutes. It shows at 7 p.m., Oct. 8, Flathead Valley Community College, Arts and Technology Building, Community Room (AT 139).

The program also includes The Little Read storytimes with stories such as "B is for Bravery," "Will You Be My Friend?", "Terrific Tales from the South," "Mmm, Mmm, Good!" about food and samples of Southern "delicacies." Story times are Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 11 a.m., Flathead County Library/Kalispell; Wednesdays at 10 a.m. at the Bigfork Branch Library; Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. at Columbia Falls Branch Library; Thursdays at 1 p.m. at Whitefish Branch Library.

Also, "Building Birdhouses," where participants make birdhouse restaurants, is at 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 10, Flathead County Library in Kalispell.

For teens ages 12-18, the 2007 movie "Hairspray" is going to be presented. When Tracy Turnblad finds out that the hit television show that stars her teen idol crush is segregated, she takes a stand. Rated PG; 117 minutes. Screenings are 4 p.m., Sept. 29, at the Whitefish Branch Library; 4 p.m., Sept. 30, at the Flathead County Library in Kalispell; and 4 p.m. Oct. 8, at Glacier Discovery Square in Columbia Falls.

Free copies of "To Kill a Mockingbird" are available at all Flathead County Library System locations and at all Big Read events, along with Reader's Guides, bookmarks and CDs of audio discussion.

Large print and audio book versions of "To Kill a Mockingbird" are available for check-out at all library locations.

For more information, call 758-5815 or visit www.flatheadcountylibrary.org