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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 to revitalize the role of literature in American culture and bring the transformative power of literature into the lives of its citizens. The Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage citizens to read for pleasure and enlightenment. |
The Tyler Public Library was chosen by the National Endowment for the Arts for participation in the 2010 Big Read, and from February to June 2010 our community will celebrate John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath with a full calendar of events.
Would you or your church, organization or school like to host a book talk and book discussion about The Grapes of Wrath? We have many resources, such as free reading discussion guides, to help you get started. Call or email us for more information. (903) 593-7323 or Library Programs.
Special Events:
Azalea Tales -
Saturday, Mar. 27 - 2-5 p.m. - Taylor Auditorium
Experience the Dust Bowl through stories and music!
Local author Grace Lundmark will talk about her book Chloe May: Daughter of the Dust Bowl, a novel based on her mother, who survived a harsh time in our country's history with love, humor and determination.
Local storytellers will bring tales of the Dust Bowl and Great Depression.
Musician Jimmy LaFave will bring his distinctive style of the Okie sound to the Tyler Public Library.
Insight & Inspiration: A Taste of The Grapes of Wrath
Sunday, Apr. 25 - 2-4 p.m. - Taylor Auditorium
Wrap up our city's Big Read event with local scholars Dr. Ann Beebe, Dr. James Newsom and Dr. Karen Sloan, as they discuss The Grapes of Wrath, the Dust Bowl and their influence on America.
The Red Dirt Rangers will perform their unique brand of red dirt music.
Big Read Essay Contest - Join us in exploring the themes of John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath"--the Dust Bowl, migration, the Great Depression--and enter the Big Read essay contest from Jan. 11 through Mar. 23. The subject of the essay is "A Family's Journey" and should tell the story of a family's journey through time, across distance, or through extraordinary circumstances. It may be non-fiction or fiction and contain 2000 words or less.
There are four age groups to enter with one winner and one honorable mention per group. The age groups are: Children: Grades 3-5; Young Adults I: Grades 6-9; Young Adults II: Grades 10-12; Adults: Ages 18 and above.
Submissions must be typed, preferably in Microsoft Word and submitted electronically to: programs@tylertexas.com. A $25 prize will be awarded to the winner in each age group.
Great Depression on the Silver Screen -
Free movie series that bring the 1930s to life (see details below)
Tuesdays, Feb. 2 – Feb. 23 – 6 p.m. - Taylor Auditorium – Tyler Public Library
Steinbeck Film Festival -
Free movie series featuring film versions of some of John Steinbeck’s classic tales
(see details below)
Thursdays, Feb. 4 – Mar. 25 – 6 p.m. – Taylor Auditorium – Tyler Public Library
Exhibits:
Making Do: Quilts and Quilting in the Great Depression. Quilters Guild of East Texas.
Feb. 1 - March 31 - Display cases - Tyler Public Library
Photo exhibit from Humanities Texas -
Feb. 1 - March 31 - Lobby - Tyler Public Library
Striking in the depths of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl blasted hopes and hard work of people in the Great Plains. For those who lived through it, the experience remains unmatched as an example of ecological calamity. Nowadays it is not easy for younger generations to comprehend what happened. But humanities resources can bridge the gap between generations and promote understanding of the pioneering will to prevail in the face of immutable laws of nature.
In the 1930s, photographers working for the Farm Security Administration (FSA) captured unforgettable images of human fortitude and despair in the face of calamity; Nebraska photographer Bill Ganzel set out in the late 1970s to find and re-photograph Dust Bowl survivors for a book and exhibition. This exhibit, abridged from the original by Humanities Texas and displayed in Sherman in 1999, combines the FSA photographs and Ganzel’s interviews to create an eloquent story of human fortitude. -- Humanities Texas website
Movie series:
Great Depression on the Silver Screen
Tuesdays, Feb. 2 – Mar. 23. – 6 p.m. - Taylor Auditorium – Tyler Public Library – Free
| Feb. 2 |
Paper Moon - During the Great Depression, a con man (Ryan O’Neal) finds himself saddled with a young girl (Tatum O’Neal) who may or may not be his daughter, and the two forge an unlikely partnership. |
| Feb. 9 |
The Shoot Horses, Don’t They? - The lives of a disparate group of contestants intertwine in an inhumanely grueling dance marathon. Directed by Sydney Pollack; Jane Fonda stars.
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| Feb. 16 |
The Great Debaters - Denzel Washington stars in a drama based on the true story of Melvin B. Tolson, a professor at Wiley College Texas. In 1935, he inspired students to form the school’s first debate team, which went on to challenge Harvard in the national championship. |
| Feb. 23 |
O Brother, Where art Thou? - Homer’s epic poem "The Odyssey", set in the deep south during the 1930’s. In it, three escaped convicts search for hidden treasure while a relentless lawman pursues them. George Clooney stars.
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| Mar. 2 |
Seabiscuit - Tobey Maguire and Jeff Bridges star in the tale of lost men who discovered hope in a down-and-out racehorse named Seabiscuit, who took them and the nation on the ride of a lifetime. |
| Mar. 16 |
Cinderella Man - During the Great Depression, a common-man hero, prizefighter James J. Braddock--a.k.a. the "Cinderella Man"--was to become one of the most surprising sports legends in history. Stars Russell Crowe and Renee Zellweger. |
| Mar. 23 |
Bound for Glory – David Carradine stars in this film based on the autobiography of iconic folk singer Woody Guthrie who wrote “This Land Is Your Land.” |
Steinbeck Film Festival
Thursdays, Feb. 4 - Mar. 25 - Taylor Auditorium - Tyler Public Library - Free
| Feb. 4 |
The Red Pony - 1949 - A ranch boy is gifted with a colt, grows to love him but the colt escapes, with tragic results. Robert Mitchum, Myrna Loy star. |
| Feb. 11 |
East of Eden - 1955 - Director Elia Kazan’s updated retelling of the Biblical story of rival brothers, Cain and Abel, and a paradise lost. James Dean star. |
| Feb. 18 |
Of Mice and Men - A mentally retarded giant and his level headed guardian find work at a sadistic cowboy’s ranch in depression era America. |
| Feb. 25 |
The Grapes of Wrath - 1940 - Henry Fonda stars in this classic film set during the Great Depression, which focuses on a poor family of sharecroppers, the Joads, driven from their Oklahoma home by drought, economic hardship, and changes in the agriculture industry. In a nearly hopeless situation, they set out for California along with thousands of other "Okies" in search of land, jobs and dignity. |
| Mar. 4 |
Viva Zapata! - Marlon Brando and Anthony Quinn star in the story of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, who led a rebellion against the corrupt, oppressive dictatorship of president Porfirio Diaz in the early 20th century. |
| Mar. 18 |
Cannery Row - This delightful cinematic adaptation of the 1945 classic by John Steinbeck stars Nick Nolte and Debra Winger as a carelessly romantic couple who experience the impoverished life of vagabonds. |
| Mar. 25 |
Tortilla Flat - Based on the classic novel by John Steinbeck, this ensemble dramedy tells the affectionate story of a group of misfits whose loyalties are tested by monetary and romantic rivalries. Stars Spencer Tracy and Hedy Lamarr. |
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The Big Read Dust-up - Please note revised starting time!
Free performance of readers theatre adaptation of The Grapes of Wrath.
Friday, Feb. 5 – 7:30 p.m. - Tyler Civic Theatre, 400 Rose Park Drive, Tyler (adjacent to Tyler Municipal Rose Garden)
Kid’s Film Festival –
Free afternoon of movies for kids set in the Great Depression (see details below)
Saturday, Feb. 20 – beginning at 12:30 p.m. – Taylor Auditorium – Tyler Public Library
| 12:30 p.m. |
Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (G) 1 ¾ hour. The Great Depression hits home for nine-year old Kit Kittredge when her dad loses his business and leaves to find work. In order to keep their home, Kit and her mother must take in boards, paying houseguests, who turn out to be full of fascinating stories. |
| 2:20 p.m. |
Under Western Stars (G) 1 hour. Roy Rogers in his first starring role as a cowboy who gets elected to Congress to bring water to drought-challenged ranchers in his district during the days of the Dust Bowl. |
| 3:30 p.m. |
The Journey of Natty Gann (PG) 1 ¾ hour. Set in Chicago during the Great Depression, this inspirational story is about a sdcrappy girl’s search for her father after he is forced to suddenly travel west to take a job. Along the way, she takes a young wolf under her wing and is in turn befriended by a gentle drifter. |
Club Read Book Discussion Group – The Grapes of Wrath
Tuesday, Feb. 23 – 10 a.m. – Second Floor Atrium – Tyler Public Library - Free
John Steinbeck’s Birthday Party
Saturday, Feb. 27 - 10 a.m.
The Big Read for Art’s Sake –
Sunday, Mar. 7 – 2 p.m. – Tyler Museum of Art, 1300 S Mahon Ave, Tyler (by Tyler Junior College campus)
An afternoon of 1930s music and art by Tyler Museum of Art and musicians from the
East Texas Symphony Orchestra