Knox County Library

For Immediate Release: September 15, 2009
Contact: Mary Pom Claiborne, (865) 215-8767; (865) 640-4146

The Big Read to launch tomorrow on Market Square  

Bless Me, Ultima is the focus of the third annual community-wide reading program

YWCA and Knox County Public Library have teamed up for the
third year to bring The Big Read to East Tennessee. The community-wide reading
program featuring Rudolfo Anaya's coming of age story, Bless Me, Ultima, will
launch at noon tomorrow, September 16, at the Market Square Farmer's Market.
In the event of rain, the celebration will take place in The Square Room at
4 Market Square. This year's month long program explores Hispanic culture and
will run concurrently with Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 16 - Oct. 15).

The Big Read launch includes presentations by Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam,
YWCA Executive Director Marigail Mullin, and Knox County Public Library
director Larry Frank as well as performances by Knoxville Argentine Tango
Society and the Mexican folkloric Grupo Santa Cruz. Organizers will be giving
out 100 copies of the book in English and 25 copies of the book in Spanish.
Additionally, support materials including Reader's Guides and Audio Guides
prepared by the National Endowment of the Arts will be distributed.

Over 35 programs ranging from book discussions and lectures to art exhibits
and concerts are included in this year's Big Read. Featured events include
Owl Programs by the Knoxville Zoo at various libraries (the owl is an
important character in the novel), an Herbal Plant Walk at Ijams, a Latino
arts exhibit at the KMA, and a concert by Carrie Rodriguez at The Square Room.

Maryville College students are participating in the Big Read in a big way. All
first-year students at the college will read the novel. Bless Me, Ultima will
be incorporated in the college’s “Perspectives on the Individual” class. 
Focusing on the theme of the Individual, the class is the first in a series of
related first-year seminars designed to provide academic and personal skills
essential for college success. Sense of identity, vocation, spirituality, and
wellness philosophy are topics covered. Using the book to connect to these
themes, nearly 350 students and 19 professors will use Blount County Big Read
events to connect to the broader community and learn that reading and
community are important parts of life.  

NEW THIS YEAR: Blog the Book. As part of the Big Read, the public is invited
to join an online book discussion of Bless Me, Ultima led by literary guides.
The book will be divided into four sections with a reading schedule. Each week
the guides will discuss that section and the public is invited to join the
conversation at www.knoxlib.org.

The Big Read is made possible through community partnerships:
Alcoa City Schools, Blount County Public Library, Blount County Schools,
Blount County Education Initiative, Carpe Librum Booksellers, Carson-Newman
College, Challenge Entertainment, City of Knoxville, City of Oak Ridge,
Community Television of Knoxville, East Tennessee Foundation, East Tennessee
History Center, Friends of Literacy, Friends of the Knox County Public
Library, Grupo Santa Cruz, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, HOLA Hora Latina,
Ijams Nature Center, Knox County, Knox County Schools, Knoxville Argentine
Tango Society, Knoxville's Community Development Corporation, Knoxville Museum
of Art, Knoxville News Sentinel, Knoxville Zoo, Market Square Farmer's Market,
Maryville City Schools, Maryville College, Oak Ridge Public Library,
Pellissippi State Technical Community College, University of Tennessee, WUOT
91.9 FM.

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


ABOUT THE BOOK
Bless Me, Ultima is the story of a young boy's loss of innocence and approach
to maturity as he struggles to reconcile the often conflicting influences of
family, community and religion. The book deals with tradition and education,
faith and doubt, and the nature of good and evil. And if he doesn't find an
absolute truth in his search, he still comes to believe with his father that
"sometimes it takes a lifetime to acquire understanding, because in the end
understanding simply means having sympathy for people." Replete with rich
multicultural traditions, surreal and prophetic dreams, herbal lore and a
haunting landscape, it's a magical and mystical coming-of-age story set in New
Mexico during World War II—a story with roots in Anaya's own life, that went
on to become the bestselling Chicano novel of all time.


ABOUT THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS
The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting
excellence in the arts—both new and established—bringing the arts to all
Americans, and providing leadership in arts education. Established by Congress
in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the Arts Endowment
is the nation’s largest annual funder of the arts, bringing great art to all
50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases. For more
information, please visit www.arts.gov.