The Big Read is back in Flagstaff!

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If reading is your thing, you can’t beat free books. Add workshops with award-winning writers, a scavenger hunt for books around Flagstaff and a group book talk and you’ve got something really exciting.   

The Big Read program is back in Flagstaff for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. This program is a collaboration between NAU’s College of Arts and Letters and other community and campus organizations including the City of Flagstaff, Coconino County Public Libraries, Native Americans for Community Action, Inc., Coconino Community College, Bright Side Book Shop, Culture Connection AZ,  South Side Community Association, NAU’s Cline Library, Flagstaff Literacy Center, Museum of Northern Arizona and Bookmans. 

“The College of Arts and Letters wanted to see the program happen again, so I called a meeting last fall and invited every organization I could think of who might be interested,” said Jamie Paul, marketing and communications coordinator at the College of Arts and Letters. “At that point the Northern Arizona Book Festival was already planning to incorporate ‘There There,’ so we decided it made the most sense to start off with that book and have the season end around the book festival.” 

The goal of the program is to build community, encourage support, love and enthusiasm for the arts and humanities by getting one book in the hands of a diverse audience, inspiring a community dialogue about important themes and issues. 

There are several events scheduled including art, writing and poetry workshops, book discussions, book walks, a presentation of experiences from local community members, a scavenger hunt and even a game of Bingo. You can also pick up a free copy of ‘There There’ at any of these events. 

“There are lots of different kinds of programs, but they will all be related to the broad themes within ‘There There,’ including identity and how we form identity in relation to our families, cultures and places and how complicated that can get,” Paul said.  

Some of the programs are aimed at all ages, while others, like the book discussion at the library on April 9, are designed for in depth discussion with campus and community members who have read the book. 

The art workshops will be created and facilitated by NAU art students, and the writers’ workshop will be built around readers’ experiences. The idea is for the community to come together and share experiences and discussions,  

“Next year’s theme is OUR NATURE: How Our Physical Environment Can Lead Us to Seek Hope, Courage, and Connection, and there are 22 books on their list of choices,” Paul said. “We plan to use community votes to narrow it down to three finalists and have another round of voting in April to choose for next year.” 

To see events near you, visit https://sites.google.com/nau.edu/flagstaffbigread/events. 

To learn more about the Flagstaff Big Read Coalition, visit https://sites.google.com/nau.edu/flagstaffbigread/home 

Northern Arizona University LogoMariana Laas | NAU Communications
(928) 523-5050 | mariana.laas@nau.edu

NAU Communications