April 1, 2007

By SHARON G. McBRIDE

Frontiersman

SHARON G. MCBRIDE/Frontiersman Copies of the Ray Bradbury classic “Fahrenheit 451” are up for grabs at the Wasilla Public Library. It’s all a part of The Big Read, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, to get everyone in our communities reading and talking about books.

WASILLA - What's better than a good book? How about a good book that's free? The Wasilla Public Library is giving away copies of Ray Bradbury's classic novel “Fahrenheit 451.”

It's all a part of The Big Read, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, to get everyone in our communities reading and talking about books.

Bradbury's book was chosen because of its relevance to contemporary issues with its themes of censorship, oral tradition and the importance of reading in a free society, according to a National Endowment for the Arts press release.

“Fahrenheit 451” refers to the temperature at which paper burns. Written in 1953, it tells the story of firemen who don't put out fires, but start them. They burn houses and the books contained within.

Can you imagine a world without books? What happens when print is no longer the medium to store human knowledge? Who decides the information you get? What is the effect of technology on our quality of life? If you could save only one book from a fire, what would it be? Questions like these will be discussed on April 26, at 7 p.m. at the Midnight Sun Family Learning Center.

“The first 10 people to register for the discussion will receive a free copy of the book along with a discussion guide,” said Jean Powell, the adult services librarian. More copies will be made available if more people want to participate, she said.

The books and guides were made available through a grant that was given to the Anchorage Municipal Libraries through the National Endowment for the Arts.

“Anchorage was very generous in sharing their grant with us,” Powell said.

Parents and teens are encouraged to attend. There will be a drawing for a door prize at the end of the discussion.

Other libraries in the Valley are also holding discussions. The Willow Public Library is hosting a “Backdoor Breakfast Club” on April 10 at 8 a.m.,, to discuss “Fahrenheit 451.” Copies of the book are also available for those in the Willow community who want them. Interested persons should call 495-7323.

Anyone interested in participating in the discussion in Wasilla should register by calling the Wasilla Public Library at 376-5913, ext. 16.

Contact Sharon McBride at 352-2250 or sharon .mcbride@frontiersman

.com.