Miami-Dade Public Library joins THE BIG READ with Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God
MIAMI, January 22, 2008) – The Miami-Dade Public Library System, in association with Miami Dade College, will participate in THE BIG READ, with a community-wide discussion of Zora Neale Hurston’s classic work, Their Eyes Were Watching God.
Group reviews of Hurston’s book, which explores themes of control and liberation, coming-of-age, the image of the black woman, and nature as metaphor, will be held on the following dates:
Thursday, Feb. 7, 11 a.m. - Golden Glades Branch -100 NE 166 Street – 305-787-1544
(Participants in each discussion will receive a free paperback copy of the book, a reader’s guide and a CD.)
A public conversation -Writing after Zora- will also be held on Friday, February 22, at 3 p.m. at the Main Library, 101 W. Flagler Street. This session will explore how the newest generation of African American writers relate, nurture, respect and cultivate Hurston’s contribution to American Letters. Presenters include internationally acclaimed author Edwidge Danticat (Brother I’m Dying) and Carla Kaplan of Northeastern University, and author of Zora Neale Hurston: A Life in Letters.
Hurston (1891-1960), was a novelist, folklorist and anthropologist whose fictional and factual accounts of black heritage remain unparalleled. Other works by Hurston include: Dust Tracks on a Road, Jonah's Gourd Vine, Mules and Men, Seraph on the Suwanee, Moses, Man of the Mountain, and Every Tongue Got to Confess.
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, designed to revitalize the role of literature in American culture by encouraging literary reading and asking communities to come together to read and discuss one book. THE BIG READ in Miami is a project of the Florida Center for the Literary Arts (FCLA) at Miami Dade College, in partnership with Miami-Dade Public Library System.
About the Florida Center for the Literary Arts at Miami Dade College (FCLA) The Florida Center for the Literary Arts at Miami Dade College (FCLA) is a cultural and academic initiative that promotes reading and writing throughout the year by consistently presenting high-quality literary activities open to all in South Florida. FCLA brings authors to Miami where they read, lecture, participate in discussions, and teach workshops. Through its literacy-focused initiatives, FCLA encourages an appreciation for books, with the goal of fostering a dialogue in the community and enhancing the reading skills of learners of all ages. To learn more about FCLA please visit their website: www.centerlitarts.com
About the Miami-Dade Public Library System The Miami-Dade Public Library System, the ninth largest in the nation, serves a population of 1.9 million and has more than 4.2 million materials in circulation. To learn more about the library, please log on to: www.mdpls.org or call 305-375-BOOK (2665).
Victoria Galan, Public Affairs Officer
305.375.5180; galanv@mdpls.org
Vinora Hamilton, Public Information Officer
305.375.3327; hamiltonv@mdpls.org
