National Endowment of the Arts - The Big Read

Publications

The National Endowment for the Arts has released the following Big Read-related publications. Click on on the thumbnail to download a PDF of the publication. You will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view these files.

	The Big Read Brochure An 12-page introduction to and overview of The Big Read, including the basics of how The Big Read works, a list of materials received by participating communities, highlights from past programming, and how your community can apply for a Big Read grant. [278KB PDF]
	The Big Read Catalog This publication provides information on the first 21 books to be featured in the NEA's Big Read initiative, including brief book and author descriptions and information on themes, film adaptations, performance possibilities, and accessibility materials. Information on how to apply to the program is also included. [1MB PDF]
	NEA ARTS Newsletter, July 2007 NEA ARTS is the 16-page newsletter of the National Endowment for the Arts, published five times a year. Each issue includes recent information on the NEA's national initiatives, sponsored programs, awards, grants, and a calendar of upcoming events. The July 2007 issue focused exclusively on The Big Read. [2MB PDF] [HTML Version]
	Reading at Risk Executive Summary This document presents a summary of the results from the literature segment of the Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, conducted by the Census Bureau in 2002 at the NEA's request. The survey asked more than 17,000 adults if during the previous 12 months they had read any literature that was not required for work or school. The results of this survey sparked The Big Read. [1.2MB PDF]
	To Read or Not To Read: A Question of National Consequence Executive Summary This report is a comprehensive analysis of reading patterns of children, teenagers, and adults in the United States. Assembling data on reading trends from more than 40 sources, this compendium expands the investigation of the NEA's landmark 2004 report, Reading at Risk, and exposes trends that may have severe consequences for American society. [818KB PDF]

To order a hard copy of any of the above publications, or to view additional publications from the NEA's Literature department, visit the National Endowment for the Arts Literature Publications Web site.