BIG READ
ATTLEBORO ??? The NEA Big Read: Attleboro launches its 2018 two-month program on Saturday, Sept. 8, with events 1-3 p.m. at the Balfour Riverwalk Park, or inside the Attleboro Public Library, in case of rain.?? Playing off the themes in this year???s read, ???Five Skies??? by Ron Carlson, we are hosting a local 4H rabbit club, showcasing robotics provided by??Sensata Technologies, and presenting landscape paintings from??The Literacy Center.??The??Ten Mile Watershed Council??will be offering fishing activities,??and local tech artist,??Duken Delpe??will be displaying one of his works, and, there will be a variety of hands-on fun for the kids. Copies of the book along with Event Calendars, generously provided by The Sun Chronicle, will be distributed during the Saturday program.
???Five Skies,??? tells the story of three men whose lives intersect while erecting a structure in the Idaho wilderness.?? Each man is burdened by his past, and they develop a strong kinship and are forced to confront and begin to heal their individual psychological wounds during their brief time together.
Carlson???s writing is reminiscent of John Steinbeck or Kent Haruf, describing a sense of place as the back-drop for intricate character development supporting the storyline of the shared building project.
This year???s NEA Big Read celebration, will focus on the STREAM (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) elements that are featured in the book.
???The NEA Big Read: Attleboro Committee is pleased to offer its 12th annual celebration to the greater Attleboro community;?? as in previous years, we are partnering with the Attleboro schools and over 20 other local organizations to present a range of activities and book discussions for all ages??? stated Chris Johnson, the new Director at the Attleboro Public Library and committee co-chair.
The official kick-off event will be hosted by the Attleboro Arts Museum (86 Park St., Attleboro) on Saturday, September 15, from 2 to 4 p.m. with the mounting of an exhibit entitled Mesa: Tables Constructed with??Five Skies??Overhead.?? ???Five Skies?????repeatedly spotlights a range of tables: book character Ronnie Panelli???s well crafted, sky-blue gathering spot; the examination table where a wood sliver is removed; the tables at the??Antlers????? the best place to eat in town.????
Mesa: Tables Constructed with??Five Skies??Overhead, features original tables created in either two-or three-dimension.??
In all cases, the work on view has been built as Ronnie crafted his sky-blue piece ??? with commitment, care and a personal sense of pride.??The afternoon also includes performances of poetry from the Carpenter Poets of Eastern Massachusetts and is sponsored by the Attleboro Arts Museum and the Attleboro Cultural Council. RSVP for the kick-off is requested by September 13, call 508-222-2644 x 10 or email office @ attleboroartsmuseum.org.
Other major events this fall include a Skype virtual discussion with ???Five Skies??? author, Ron Carlson, on Thursday, October 11 at 7 p.m., hosted by Bishop Feehan High School (70 Holcott Dr., Attleboro) and keynote speaker, Neil Swidey, Boston Globe columnist and author of ???Trapped Under the Sea: One Engineering Marvel, Five Men, and a Disaster Ten Miles Into the Darkness??? on Wednesday, October 17 at 7 p.m. at Bristol Community College Attleboro Campus (11 Field Rd., Attleboro).
Registration is recommended for all events. Visit the NEA Big Read: Attleboro website at www.attleboros1abc.org or call the Attleboro Public Library at (508)222-0157 for more information.
NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.