NH Reads To Kill a Mockingbird

The latest Big Read project from the Center for the Book at the NH State Library is The Big Read: NH Reads To Kill a Mockingbird which will be going on at 100+ venues throughout the state during March 2010.

451° Filmmaker Challenge at SNOB

This past Saturday at the SNOB Film Festival The Center for the Book had the honor of recognizing the filmmaker whose 451° Filmmaker Challenge entry "best represented the essence of the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury." From the five excellent films entered into the challenge we chose The Future, made by John Herman and featuring the improv group Stranger Than Fiction was our choice.

We hope to bring you links to all of the films soon. If you are one of the filmmakers who entered the challenge and you have not talked to Kristen Harbaugh about our posting a link to your film, please get in touch with her or with me ASAP.)

Events - SNOB Film Festival

The 6th annual SNOB (Somewhat North of Boston) Film Festival begins on Friday, November 9th at 7pm and wraps up with a party and awards presentation at 8:15 on Sunday, November 11th at the Red River Theater in Concord. As a partner in the Big Read: NH Reads Fahrenheit 451, The SNOB Festival has issued the 451° Filmmaker Challenge: create a film, no more than 4 minutes in length that is based on any of the themes, concepts or ideas in Fahrenheit 451 and do it in no more than 5 days. The results of this challenge will be screened on Saturday at 6:15pm in the Jaclyn Simchik Memorial Cinema at Red River Theater.

Events - November 8, 2007

Bill Stroup of Keene State College will lead a discussion of Fahrenheit 451 in the Library Trustees' Room of the Keene Public Library at 7pm

Pillsbury Free Library (Warner) will host "Civil Liberties Vs. Security in a post-9/11 America" beginning at 7pm
As the federal government continues to address new national security issues in the wake of September 11, 2001, the uneasy balance between security and civil liberties is receiving renewed attention. This lecture by Richard Hesse, Franklin Pierce Law Center, explores the important trade-offs and considerations facing citizens and non-citizens alike.

Events - November 7, 2007

At 6pm the Frost Free Library (Marlborough) will show the film version of this classic novel as part of their Big Read programming. The Frost Free Library will also be holding a drawing for a $25 gift certificate from Toadstool Bookshops from the titles selected by their patrons for the book they would save from the flames. Visit the Frost Free Library for more details.

The Plaistow Public Library's Adult Book Club will discuss Fahrenheit 451 beginning at 7:15pm

Profile - Portsmouth Public Library

The Portsmouth Public Library serves the informational, educational and entertainment needs of the citizens of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Their new building -- which was dedicated in January 2007 -- was the first municipal building in New Hampshire to receive LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification

Tonight at 7pm the library will be hosting a Big Read panel discussion, Media and the Soul of the Citizen. Please join us!

Events - November 1, 2007

As part of their Big Read: NH Reads Fahrenheit 451 programming the Plaistow Public Library will be showing the film version of this classic novel at the Vic Geary Senior Center with an intermission for a short discussion and another short discussion at the end. The film will begin at 9am. The Vic Geary Drop-in Center is located on Greenough Road in Plaistow.

Events - October 31, 2007

The Peterborough Town Library will host a discussion of Fahrenheit 451 beginning at 7pm

Events - October 30, 2007

As part of their Big Read programming the Kelley Library (Salem) will host a screening of the film version of this classic novel beginning at 6pm with a discussion to follow

Free Speech in a Free Society at Sandown Public Library at 6:30pm

Media and the Soul of the Citizen begins at 7pm at the Portsmouth Public Library

Events - October 29, 2007

Hampton Falls Free Library will host a discussion of Fahrenheit 451 beginning at 7pm

Surveillance in the Post 9-11 World at 7pm at Madbury Library

"Civil Liberties in a Fahrenheit 451 World" at Philp Read Memorial Library (Plainfield) at 7pm

Ray Bradbury's remarkable account of life in a thoroughly repressive society was written in the midst of the "McCarthy Era" in the late 1940's and early 1950's. Many government officials and agents regarded communism as a sufficient threat to justify the suspension of civil liberties. To
accomplish that objective society had to be persuaded to suppress those who spoke and acted to protect those liberties. Bradbury's account relies on that pattern to construct a society which accepts the destruction of books (and one assumes, all other forms of art and literature) as an appropriate and necessary means of assuring "happiness." Those who do not accept that formula suffer a cruel fate. Are we living through a contemporary version of Fahrenheit 451 or have we insulated ourselves from that form of oppression? We will examine the trends in our society following 9/11 to take our temperature and determine how close we are to Fahrenheit 451.

Events - October 26, 2007

The Peterborough Town Library will host a discussion of Fahrenheit 451 beginning at 11am

Events - October 25, 2007

Discussions of Fahrenheit 451 will begin at 6:30 at Wiggin Memorial Library in Stratham (led by Christina Healey) and at Barrington Public Library (led by James Weber).


The Colonial Theater in Keene will show Fahrenheit 451 starring Oskar Werner and Julie Christie at 7pm. This event is in cooperation with the Keene Public Library.


Discussions of Fahrenheit 451 will begin at 7pm at Lincoln Public Library (led by Mark Brien); at Nesmith Library in Windham; at Pillsbury Free Library in Warner (led by Mark Cronin); at East Kingston Public Library; and at Orford Social Library, 573 Main Street, Orford (603-353-9756)

Media and the Soul of the Citizen

In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury envisioned a culture where people have lost interest in reading and in interacting with others and with the world around them. They are anesthetized by wall-size televisions that spew an endless stream of dumbed-down reality programs that don’t require them to think, read, or act. Sound familiar?

What is the role of the media in this age of infotainment, YouTube and the never-ending news cycle? What responsibility do citizens have in navigating the brave new world of new media?

A panel of journalists will address these questions at "Media and the Soul of the Citizen" on Tuesday, October 30 at 7 p.m. at the Portsmouth Public Library.

Aine Donovan, Executive Director of the Ethics Institute at Dartmouth College, will moderate the discussion. Dr. Donovan's research emphasis and publications are in the areas of moral education, applied ethics, professional ethics, and philosophy of education. The panelists will be Andrew Merton, reporter and UNH professor; political correspondent for the Boston Globe James Pindell; and award winning journalist Annmarie Timmins of the Concord Monitor.

This Big Read event is co-sponsored by the Portsmouth Public Library and was organized by the New Hampshire Humanities Council.

Events - October 24, 2007

As part of their Big Read NH Reads Fahrenheit 451 programming Rye Public Library will show the film version of this classic novel beginning at 1pm.

Discussions of Fahrenheit 451 will begin at 7pm at Derry Public Library, Kelley Library in Salem (led by Joan Fardella), Weare Public Library, Durham Public Library (led by James Webber), Canaan Town Library, and at the Masonic Hall at 18 Pleasant Street, Bristol (discussion will be led by Elizabethada Wright and hosted by the Minot-Sleeper Library which is next door).

"Civil Liberties vs. Security in Post 9/11 America" at Weeks Public Library in Greenland at 7pm As the federal government continues to address new national security issues in the wake of September 11, 2001, the uneasy balance between security and civil liberties is receiving renewed attention. This lecture by Richard Hesse, Franklin Pierce Law Center, explores the important trade-offs and considerations facing citizens and non-citizens alike.

Events - October 23, 2007

The Dunbarton Library will host a discusssion of Fahrenheit 451 at 6:30pm.

The Frost Free Library in Marlborough will host a discussion of Fahrenheit 451 led by Dr. Marianne Salcetti of Keene State College at 6:30pm.

Michael Brien will lead a discussion of Fahrenheit 451 at Barnes & Noble in Manchester at 7pm.

Discussions of Fahrenheit 451 will also begin at 7pm at Pease Public Library in Plymouth; at the Hills Memorial Library in Hudson; and at the Howe Library in Hanover where Laura Rubenis will lead the discussion.

"Civil Liberties vs. Security in Post 9/11 America" at Tracy Memorial Library at 7pm
As the federal government continues to address new national security issues in the wake of September 11, 2001, the uneasy balance between security and civil liberties is receiving renewed attention. This lecture by Richard Hesse, Franklin Pierce Law Center, explores the important trade-offs and considerations facing citizens and non-citizens alike.

Events - October 22, 2007

There will be discussions of Fahrenheit 451 hosted by the Abbott Library in Sunapee (held at the Methodist Church Meeting room) beginning at 6:30pm and at the Somersworth Public Library beginning at 7pm.

Events - October 21, 2007

Water Street Bookstore hosts a book group discussion with Liz Whaley held at the Loaf and Ladle one Sunday of each month at 3 p.m. This month's book selection is Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. The Loaf and Ladle is located at 9 Water Street, Exeter, NH.

Events - October 20, 2007

At the Silsby Free Public Library in Charlestown the CHAOS (Culture, History, and Other Stuff) Book Group presents a Big Read film presentation and community discussion on "What Book Would You Save?" beginning at 1pm

Events - October 18, 2007

Join the staff of the Barnes & Noble in Newington at 3pm to discuss “What book would you save?”

Beginning at 7pm there will be discussions of Fahrenheit 451 at Barnes & Noble in Salem, at the Gilford Public Library, at the Exeter Public Library, at the Colby Memorial Library in Danville, and at the Leach Library in Londonderry. James Webber will lead the discussion in Exeter and Mark Cronin will lead the Londonderry discussion.

At 7pm the Mill Pond Center for the Arts in Durham will host a screening of the original 1966 movie version of Fahrenheit 451 starring Oskar Werner and Julie Christie and directed by Francois Truffaut. This program is presented in partnership with the Durham Public Library, the Madbury Library, and the Lee Public Library.

Imaginate That! in the Youth Program Room at the Keene Public Library 3:30 to 5:00pm
Share your favorite science fiction stories. Create your own alternate universe and populate it with the people and animals you design. Make extraordinary other worldly crafts. Discover strange and unusual science “facts.” This program is for children in grades 4-8.

The Exchange

This afternoon New Hampshire Public Radio came to the NH State Library to tape an episode of The Exchange focusing on our Big Read book, Fahrenheit 451. Laura Knoy's guests were author Jeanne Cavelos and mass media expert Mark Timney. There were some great questions from the audience, and an interesting discussion of how prophetic (or not) Ray Bradbury was in his vision of a media saturated future. This program is scheduled for broadcast at 9am and again at 8pm on Monday, October 29, 2007.