Free Library Kicks Off Philly's "One Book" Program For 2011
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Free Library of Philadelphia will celebrate the start of its 2011 "One Book, One Philadelphia" series tonight with a special kick-off event at the central branch, 19th and Vine Streets.
The book chosen for this year's program, War Dances, is a collection of stories, poems, and unstructured writings that offers perspectives on a number of issues, relationships, and themes through the eyes of its author, Sherman Alexie, a Native American filmmaker, author, and poet.
War Dances, according to program leaders, should be read along with Aklexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.
Alexie says he was delighted that his book was picked for the "One Book" reading program.
"You know, I've been chosen for other cities but not a huge one like Philadelphia, so that was great," Alexie told KYW Newsradio. "And I also love the irony of the birthplace of the United States choosing a book by an indigenous dude. It's a slight case of my revenge against colonialism," he said.
Hear the entire interview in this CBS Philly podcast...
"It's still Native American-centered literature," Alexie says of War Dances, "but it's placing Native American characters in the whole world. So it's a multicultural, multiracial, multi-class, multi-geographical work. It places Native Americans in a totally Native American context."
There will be nine weeks of discussions, workshops, and events connected to the book. For more information, go to freelibrary.org/onebook.
Reported by Karin Phillips, KYW Newsradio 1060.
