March 2009
5 posts
"Words mean nothing. Action is the only thing....
Academy of Achievement
Saturday, March 21st, 1pm. CSU East Bay Oakland Center, 1000 Broadway, Ste. 109, Oakland, CA. Across the street from the Oakland City Center BART station.
Author Ernest Gaines joins us via satellite for a special discussion of his book A Lesson Before Dying. Hear what the man himself has to say about a book that has effected so much of our community. At the end,...
Time to Celebrate..Reading!
Thursday, March 12, 6:30 pm at the Oakland Public Library Main Branch, West Auditorium:
Ernest Gaines’ novel will be explored through its themes, history and rich characters as Dennis Chester, CSU East Bay Professor of African American literature, leads a community discussion on A Lesson Before Dying!
If you haven’t read the novel, pick up your complimentary copy tomorrow! If you have...
Race on Trial! Tonight in Oakland!
This past Friday we screened At the Death House Door to a room full of Big Read followers and newbies. It was a beautiful film, though dark in subject matter, that gives an up-close account of the capital punishment process through the eyes and audio diaries of former ‘death house’ chaplain, Rev. Carrol Pickett. This film began a dialogue that will be continued this evening...
"Free your mind and the rest will follow!"
A little update on how the Big Read is shaping-up. It has been a wildly successful experience so far, finding community collaborators who have not only donated lots of time, but have helped transform our Big Read project into a program for all minds, tastes, and ages. We are so thankful to Daunielle Rasmussen of Rough N’ Ready Theater Players for all of her hard work and dedication to...
February 2009
11 posts
"Don't Stop Believing!"
We admit that inspirational 1980s rock and roll is what got the Big Read through longs days and nights of planning, but it’s your support and participation that will make the Big Read thrive! This week you’ll find lots of programming around town and at your local branch libraries. So go out and get the book, get reading, get set and go! Go to events! See how the themes of A Lesson...
Quality vs. Quantity
Monday evening was our One Community, One Book event with Ruby (website) and Destiny Arts Center (website) Director, Sarah Crowell. At 6pm it didn’t look like anyone was going to show, but slowly library patrons starting trickling into the Golden Gate Branch basement. We reorganized the chairs to form a small circle and as an even smaller group of women consisting of young mothers,...
Lessons in Writing with Arisa White
Thanks to everyone who came out this weekend to our wildly successful, Big Read Kick-Off Cook -Off at the Oakland Museum of California. A huge round of applause to our CSU East Bay Theater and Dance performers as well as the incredible Destiny Arts Youth Performance Company. Both groups have upcoming shows and I highly recommend you getting our there and supporting our community arts...
See: Friday, January 16th, for Kick-Off...
Or e-mail us at: thebigreadoakland@gmail.com, join our facebook group at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=60765306473 see us on myspace at: myspace.com/thebigreadoakland or check out our formal website at: theoaklandcenter.com.
peace, hope, literacy, and love,
The Big Read Team
No deadlines, yummy food, writing workshops,...
First things first! No more deadlines for the Kick-Off. If you want to bring some southern food, do it! If you want to tell us about it first, by all means, but if not, we just look forward to seeing you there!
Join in our mind blowing, social changing, thought provoking, community building events!
Our Kick-Off Cook-Off celebration this weekend marks the start of a killer week! Our Lessons...
Deadline for food entries swiftly approaches...
So, a few have admitted that they would love to bring food, but don’t want to compete in the Cook-Off! Not a problem! This is a community pot luck where all dishes are welcome, prize worthy or not. Southern tastes and community are our themes and we hope that all interested parties will bring a dish to make this a sharing, caring, entertaining event! So entering the contest or not, send us...
Come on get happy! A wonderful Saturday afternoon...
Our Big Read Big Kick Off Cook Off is right around...
Our Big Read Cook Off Kick Off is right around the corner! Please see details below and signup to bring a dish today! You don’t have to compete, but you do have to have fun! So try a new recipe and bring friends and family for this exciting celebration of community, reading, and good eats! Contact us with any questions you may have :)
Big Read partner, The Oakland Museum of California...
Oakland Museum of California kicks-off Black History Month, Louisiana-style and gets the community excited for our Big Read Kick-Off Cook-Off extravaganza the following Saturday. Whet your appetite for southern tastes and spirit at African Rhythms: Oakland on the Bayou. Enjoy live music, beignet-making by Powderface, crafts, and even a Mardi Gras parade. This is a great opportunity to heart,...
Don't have the book? Have the internet? Perfect!
Although lots of copies of the novel will be available at our Kick-Off we would love to get you in the know about one of our favorite things happening at Google!
Feast your eyes on the future of literacy!
http://books.google.com/books?id=cV-gTPZVm8wC
Read A Lesson Before Dying over the internet. It’s free and provides bibliographic info, reviews, and tons of helpful links that will round...
January 2009
2 posts
Big Read Big Kick-Off Cook-Off Celebration
The first annual Oakland Big Read is starting off with a big eats Cook-Off celebration inspired by the Southern cuisine in our selected novel, A Lesson Before Dying.
Yes! The first annual, Oakland Big Read is starting off with a big eats, big cook-off celebration inspired by the Southern cuisine in our selected novel, A Lesson Before Dying. We encourage all of you to get in your kitchen to...
A little over a month till go time!
Check back tomorrow for lots of exciting Big Read updates! Including guidelines for the Big Read big Kick-Off Cook-Off at the Oakland Museum of California, new events at the Oakland Public Library Branches, where you can get your copy (maybe even a free one!) of A Lesson Before Dying, and lots more!
Check out this awesome YouTube video made by a Big Reader in Charlottesville, Virginia. Anyone in...
December 2008
4 posts
The National Big Read Website →
First things first: What is the Big Read?
Well to be honest, the Big Read is a lot of things! It is a wonderful opportunity to build community, a chance to transform office cooler talk, to bring together family, to explore history through literature, to learn about controversial topics from community experts, to see independent films, to visit your local library, to (re)discover American literature, to create community partnerships, and...
