Join US for the Great American Read!

By Paulette Stiles Rowan Public Library

     If you are anything like me, a book has at one time or another been your Best Friend Forever (BFF).  One of the most dismal winters of my life was made much more colorful and bearable by reading a bedraggled copy of Don Quixote while I rode the city bus home to a lonely apartment.  In contrast to remembering that time as cold, miserable and downtrodden, I disappeared instead into the timeless world of Miguel de Cervantes’ medieval Spain, remembering  the smell of horses,  the sight of windmills, the summer heat as I followed the trials and tribulations of the humorous characters in the errant knight’s pursuit of his beloved Dulcinea.

     If you have been by your local library this summer, you may have noticed a colorful display of classic novels conveniently displayed to entice you away from your iPads, smart phones, and social media.  Reading harkens back to a time peaceful enough to enjoy a quiet read.  Across the country, libraries and communities are being encouraged to take a quiet moment to reflect on the stories that captured our imaginations, stole our hearts, or impacted our lives.  For fun, I enjoy looking at the list of a hundred books to see how many I have read, and make a promise to myself to read the ones I have missed.  

    Luckily, The Great American Read will be going on through October 23, 2018 so I have several more months to change up the number of books on the list I have read (a paltry 27, if you must know).  PBS will be hosting an eight part companion series examining such themes as “Who Am I?”, “Heroes”, “Villains and Monsters”, and “What We Do for Love” gleaned from the books on the list.  The series will air every Tuesday evening 8 pm/7 pm Central from September 11 to October 23 on your local PBS station.  PBS and your library invite Americans to come together and enjoy our shared heritage through reading. 

     Reading has health benefits too.  People who read are 2.5 times less likely to develop Alzheimer’s.  According to studies, reading six minutes a day reduces stress by up to 68%, and reading 30 minutes burns 50% more calories than watching TV.   Now that’s a good friend.  Plus, you can vote for your favorite book and watch the finale, October 23rd to find out which book won the hearts and minds of Americans everywhere.

     Care to share your BFF story?  Rowan Public Library will be filming testimonials from readers talking about their favorite books at the Rowan Public Library, East Branch, 110 Broad Street in Rockwell on Tuesday, September 25, 4:30 – 6:30 pm.  Testimonials will be submitted to PBS Charlotte and could be selected for feature on their social media, and possibly included in the national PBS specials airing this fall.

     Find out more by visiting your host Meredith Vieira at the PBS website: http://www.pbs.org/the-great-american-read/home/ or visit your local Rowan County Library and let us help you find your new BFF.