Big Read starts next month
The Friends of the Homer Public Library presents its third Homer Big Read. The focus of the community read will be Thornton Wilder’s books “The Bridge of San Luis Rey” and “Our Town.” Together the community will examine the themes of the books, including how communities and individuals make sense of tragedy, what it means to make a life in a small town, how to seize the day, and the continued importance of reading and literature in a well-examined life.
The theme from “Our Town” of what it means for people to live out their lives in a small town is especially pertinent, and will encourage participants to reflect on what it means to have made their own lives in our small town. Similar to the small community “The Bridge of San Luis Rey” is situated in, Homer is geographically unique, a place many travelers pass through, yet is somewhat isolated and rugged. The Homer Big Read starts with a kick-off event at 6 p.m. Jan. 14 at Alice’s Champagne Palace.
As part of the Homer Big Read and the Top Drawer program, the Friends of the Homer Library seeks submissions for plays about the history of Homer and/or contemporary life in Homer. One winner will be selected. The winner will receive $250 and a bound copy of the play. A bound copy also will be made available at the Homer Public Library, and a staged reading of the play will be performed at Pier One Theatre in the summer 2017 season. For complete guidelines, visit friendshomerlibrary.org/top-drawer. The deadline is Jan. 31.
The NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. In addition, the Friends of the Homer Public Library are collaborating the Homer Council on the Arts, KBBI, Bunnell Street Arts Center, Pier One Theatre, Homer High School, The Pratt Museum, Alice’s Champagne Palace, The Homer Bookstore and Kachemak Bay Campus. For more information on how to get involved, call 235-3180.
Puzuri show is Friday
The Homer Council on the Arts holds a Second Friday opening from 5-7 p.m. of Puzuri ornaments and sculptures made in Gundega Sneptse’s workshops held this fall. Puzuri is the ancient Latvian tradition of making geometric objects using straw and natural objects.
Puzuri pre-dates Christianity and has been used as a solstice decoration in Latvia and other Baltic Sea countries since ancient times. The winter-solstice art also has a summer-solstice connection. At midsummer, it’s traditional for Latvians to burn Puzuri in big solstice bonfires.
The opening also is a holiday party for HCOA and a chance for staff and volunteers to celebrate after putting on the Nutcracker Faire last weekend.
