The article is a bit confusing. The Big Read is a program operated by the National Endowment for the Humanities started in 2006, to answer a serious issue. Don't recall any mention to the NEH in the article, but perhaps, is deserving of credit for the event. A worthy program. All programs which promote reading are worthy. Always glad to see a Mark Twain book is selected. 

"The Big Read answers a big need. Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America, a 2004 report by the National Endowment for the Arts, found that not only is literary reading in America declining rapidly among all groups, but that the rate of decline has accelerated, especially among the young. The concerned citizen in search of good news about American literary culture would study the pages of this report in vain." 

Since The Big Read operated by the NEH was intended to address the specific issue mentioned in the Reading at Risk survey, especially with young readers, the NEH selected four books per year, which they felt, addressed the issue. I believe Tom Sawyer was selected in the second year of the program. Huckleberry Finn, is unquestionably, not a good selection for our youth, except for Sam a.k.a. "Youth," affectionately nicknamed by Livy. 

Sam would probably say, 'The reading of a single book by communities has been occurring since the printing of the Gutenberg Bible, and I'm thinking about a rewrite ... and removing the word 'God.' (thanks for the U.K. "Victoria" cartoon strip circulated several months ago).

read about The Big Read at the NEH website


Warren Brown



-----Original Message-----
From: Arianne <[log in to unmask]>
To: TWAIN-L <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tue, Aug 30, 2011 3:17 pm
Subject: Hirst and Mark Twain coming to Sacramento


http://www.sacbee.com/2011/08/29/3868153/tom-sawyer-is-next-big-read.html
I'm surprised Huckleberry Finn wasn't chosen.
Arianne Laidlaw