The Saint Louis Library recently underwent a $70 million dollar refurbishment and made for a most impressive visit when I was there on Tuesday of this week. I met with some librarians, did some more research on Mark Twain and his connection in shaping the national (reader) identity in America and made some notes on developing a stronger reading culture more generally. The teen lounge was one such highlight of my visit to the library. This space was decked out with the latest and greatest furniture, bright colours, big screens and creative book exhibitions to promote an enjoyment of reading. One strategy that I thought was particularly interesting, was to have a particular grouping of books and then connect them with their film relations. For example, take the subject of history. You have seen the film Spartacus starring Kirk Douglas, right? Well how much more do you want to read the story on which it was based and pull a part the historical inaccuracies presented in the film by reading? In such a visual culture where many would choose the screen over the page, this approach could be a great conversation starter at the very least. I was even thinking of some of the books that I have on my classroom bookshelf, and how I could use those to connect with film adaptations and promote more of a stronger culture of reading in my own class.
I finished up my time in Saint Louis with a visit to a place known as “America’s backyard”, Forest Park. Forest Park is bigger than Central Park in New York and it was easy to get lost here (I did not mind this so much as it was all so pretty to look at). My purpose for visiting such a location was to check out ‘Shakespeare’s Glen’. This is a slab of grass that becomes a makeshift theatre for the annual Shakespeare Festival in Saint Louis every summer. A different Shakespeare play is performed each year, beneath the stars and all for free! This is a part of a wider strategy of promoting literacy/the arts and enriches the lives of individuals and families alike. The backdrop was exceptional and I was inspired to be more creative in the different ways that we can not only promote the wonderful work of Shakespeare, but the creation of physical theatre spaces in different contexts.
Wednesday signified a change of place and pace, from the Midwest to the deep south. I flew from Saint Louis, via Dallas onto Mobile, AL. Boarding the Mobile flight I learnt that yes, they do make 12 seater planes and I was on one! If this was not foreshadowing of small town life in Alabama that was waiting for me, then I don’t know what would be!
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post as I visit Harper Lee’s hometown and setting of the infamous novel, To Kill A Mockingbird.
The Delusion of the Great American Novel 