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. The Big Read addresses the decline in literary reading across America and encourages reading for pleasure and enlightenment. It provides communities with the opportunity to read and discuss a single book.
The Vermont Arts Council chose The Maltese Falcon, by Dashiell Hammett for Vermont's Big Read. In addition to being one of the best detective novels ever written, it is a thriller, a love story, and a dark, dry comedy.
Vermont's Big Read is presented by the Arts Council, in partnership with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Lost Nation Theater, and ORCA Media.
Watch a video clip of Lost Nation Theater performance of The Maltese Falcon in a dramatic reading at Montpelier's Kellogg-Hubbard Library. This series of readings was filmed and serialized by ORCA Media., and will be broadcast on Vermont's network of community access television stations beginning in February 2008. Read below for the television broadcast schedule.
Most episodes include an interview with a notable Vermont mystery writer including: Howard Frank Mosher, Jennifer McMahon, Nancy Means Wright , Sarah Stewart Taylor , Daniel Hecht and Archer Mayor.
THE MALTESE FALCON, performed by Lost Nation Theater
Chapters 1-4
- April 1 on Channel 10 (Springfield, Chester & Weathersfield) at 7:30pm
Chapters 5 & 6 plus interview with Vermont author Archer Mayor
- April 8 on Channel 10 (Springfield, Chester & Weathersfield) at 7:30pm
Chapters 7 & 8 plus interview with Vermont author Sarah Stewart Taylor
- April 15 on Channel 10 (Springfield, Chester & Weathersfield) at 7:30pm
Chapters 9 & 10 plus interview with Vermont author Daniel Hecht
- April 22 on Channel 10 (Springfield, Chester & Weathersfield) at 7:30pm
Chapters 11 & 12 plus interview with Vermont author Jennifer McMahon
- April 29 on Channel 10 (Springfield, Chester & Weathersfield) at 7:30pm
Chapters 13 & 14 plus interview with Vermont author Nancy Means Wright
- Mar 17 on Channel 15 (Montpelier) at 8:30 pm
- Mar 18 on Channel 15 (Montpelier) at 1:30 am and 2:30 pm
- May 6 on Channel 10 (Springfield, Chester & Weathersfield) at 7:30pm
Chapters 15 & 16 plus interview with Vermont author Howard Frank Mosher
- Mar 24 on Channel 15 (Montpelier) at 8:30 pm
- Mar 25 on Channel 15 (Montpelier) at 1:30 am and 2:30 pm
- May 13 on Channel 10 (Springfield, Chester & Weathersfield) at 7:30pm
Chapters 17-20
- Mar 31 on Channel 15 (Montpelier) at 8:30 pm
- Apr 1 on Channel 15 (Montpelier) at 1:30 am and 2:30 pm
- May 20 on Channel 10 (Springfield, Chester & Weathersfield) at 7:30pm
More dates will be added soon!
Thirty-one libraries are participating in The Big Read and each has multiple copies of The Maltese Falcon, along with Reader's & Audio Guides available for. Many are hosting community book groups, movie screenings and related activities.
SCHOOLS: Vermont schools can sign up to receive copies of The Maltese Falcon plus enough reader's guides, teacher's guides and audio guides for all classes. Suggested activities include book study groups, creating short detective films which could be screened at local film festivals, or writing short stories in the mystery genre that might be published through The Young Writer’s Project. Contact Stacy Raphael at 802-828-3778 for more information or to sign up.
ONLINE TEACHER'S GUIDE:
LIBRARIES: Interested libraries can receive 5 copies of the book, plus copies of the Reader's Guides and Audio Guides. Libraries might choose to host a book study group or a discussion with one of the Vermont writers that will be featured in the video productions. Contact Stacy Raphael at -828-3778 for more information or to sign up.
PARTICIPATING LIBRARIES
Copies of The Maltese Falcon are available at the following Vermont libraries:
ADDISON COUNTY
Lincoln Library
Salisbury Free Public Library
Starksboro Public Library
CALEDONIA COUNTY
Cobleigh Public Library
East Burke Community Library
McIndoes Academy Library
West Burke Library
CHITTENDEN COUNTY
Brownell Library
Deborah Rawson Memorial Library
Jericho Town Library
Westford Free Library
FRANKLIN COUNTY
Bent Northrop Memorial Library
Montgomery Town Library
Swanton Public Library
LAMOILLE COUNTY
Morristown Centennial Library
ORANGE COUNTY
Ainsworth Public Library
Fairlee Public Library
ORLEANS COUNTY
Greensboro Free Library
RUTLAND COUNTY
Benson Public Library
Middletown Springs Public Library
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Joslin Memorial Library
Kellogg Hubbard Library
Moretown Memorial Library
Roxbury Free Library
Warren Public Library
Waterbury Public Library
WINDSOR COUNTY
Norman Williams Public Library
Norwich Public Library
Quechee Public Library
Springfield Town Library
Whiting Library
Wilder Club & Library
As NEA Chairman Dana Gioia notes, Some people were surprised when The Maltese Falcon, a detective novel, appeared on the Big Read list. Yes, it is a detective novel—one of the best ever written. It's also a brilliant literary work, as well as a thriller, a love story, and a dark, dry comedy. The only criticism I would offer Hammett's private-eye classic is that it is so much fun to read, it might be hard the first time through to realize how deeply observed and morally serious it is. To learn more about the book visit the following links on the NEA's website.
ONLINE READER'S GUIDE: (Reader's and Audio Guides are also available at participating libraries)
Vermont Arts Council presents The Big Read in partnership with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Lost Nation Theater, and ORCA Media, with grant support from the Walter Cerf Community Fund.
Lost Nation Theater will be performing live dramatic readings of The Maltese Falcon on five consecutive Tuesday nights beginning October 30. The readings will take place at Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier at 7 PM and admission is free.
For 30 years, Lost Nation Theater has been producing high quality professional productions of classic, contemporary, and original theater works and first-rate education programs.The Company is dedicated to intimate events providing opportunities for empathetic understanding and personal transformation. Lost Nation Theater has received numerous honors and awards from The National Endowment for the Arts, The Vermont Legislature, The Governor of Vermont, US Senators, The City of Montpelier, The Vermont Historical Society, Vermont Magazine, The Vermont Arts Council, and the New England Foundation for the Arts in addition to industry service organizations.
Onion River Community Access Media, Inc. (ORCA Media) The Big Read events will be filmed by ORCA Media and broadcast on community access stations beginning in January 2008. Each episode will conclude by introducing audiences to notable Vermont authors through facilitated discussions.
ORCA Media is a full-service media center, providing local access production facilities to individuals and organizations in the communities served by Comcast's Montpelier franchise area. ORCA is also the playback source for the shows seen on cable channels 15, 16 & 17 in the same area. You can view a live stream of ORCA Media’s programming by clicking here.
The Kellogg-Hubbard Library’s mission is to provide books, materials, and access to information free of charge and to promote and stimulate knowledge, culture and reading for pleasure for all adults and children in Washington County. The library is a steward of the intellectual energy of the community. It serves as a resource to encourage life-long learning and acts as a catalyst for the free exchange of ideas and promotes literacy among all people.
The Library was founded in 1894 to serve the City of Montpelier and the towns of Berlin, Worcester, Middlesex, Calais and East Montpelier. For over 110 years the Library has served these towns and the greater central Vermont region through literacy initiatives, cultural and education programs, and partnerships with dozens of organizations and educational institutions.
Questions? Contact Jen Pelletier at 802-828-5422.
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.