 Kick Off Event
Saturday, March 10, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
L.E. Phillips Memorial Library
Eau Claire fire trucks delivered free copies of Ray Bradbury’s book Fahrenheit 451 to the library. Crowd-pleasing author Mike Perry got us fired up and City Manager Mike Huggins officially ignited The Eau Claire Big Read.
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Closed Doors, Open Democracy
Monday, March 12, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire McIntyre Library Room L2023
National experts discuss open government and secrecy during this real-time webcast.
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Fahrenheit 451 and Other Red Scare Movies of the '50s
Wednesday, March 28, 7 – 8:30 p.m.
L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library Eau Claire Room
Jan Bogstad and Phil Kaveny will be discussing the content of a number of 1950s science fiction films in light of their implied 'red scare' connections. Critics have argued that films like the War of the Worlds, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and The Day the Earth Stood Still, to name a few, include many references to American anxieties about the Russians and the potential for atomic war. This presentation will document that perspective with film clips and discussion of the social setting in Post-World-War II America.
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Popping Corn and Burning Books:
A film showing and discussion
Tuesday, April 10, 6 – 9 p.m.
L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library Eau Claire Room
Join us for a viewing of Director Francois Truffaut’s 1966 film version of Ray Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451 set in a dystopian future and starring Julie Christie and Oskar Werner. There will also be a showing of the short film: “The Novel: a Discussion with Author Ray Bradbury.” A discussion of the film will follow with Assistant Library Director and media librarian John Stoneberg.
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 Book Slams
Thursdays, 7 – 9 p.m.
March 15: Acoustic Café, 505 S. Barstow
March 29: Coffee Traders, 2163 East Ridge Center
April 19: Racy D’Lene's Coffee Lounge, 404 Riverside Ave
What book would you “become” if it were, in fact, burned and no longer available? Listen to readings and recitations of “books we can’t live without.” Audience members are invited to read a selection from a favorite book.
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Censorship & Fahrenheit 451:
A panel discussion
Tuesday, April 24 – 7:30-9:00 p.m.
L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library: Eau Claire Room
 A panel of experts will discuss banned books and intellectual freedom in America as those issues relate to the themes of Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 and similar works. The session will focus on questions from the audience after some opening dialog.
Moderated by Timothy Shiell, professor of philosophy at UW-Stout, the panel will include locals as well as two nationally-known experts from elsewhere in Wisconsin:
 Dr. Nicholas Karolides – A professor of English at the University of Wisconsin – River Falls, Karolides is an author of several books on censorship and banned books, including: The Encyclopedia of Censorship (2005), and 120 Banned Books: Censorship Histories of World Literature (2005). He is an editor of Censored Books: Critical Viewpoints (1993).
Ginny Moore Kruse – Between 1976 and 2002, Kruse was director of the Cooperative Children’s Book Center of the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. On the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of the Freedom to Read Foundation in 1999, Kruse was named to an Intellectual Freedom “Roll of Honor,” acknowledging Intellectual Freedom “Champions” in each of the 50 states.
Michael Golrick – Director of L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library in Eau Claire.
Tim Hirsch – Retired professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
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Teen Discussions
April 3, 17, 24, 7-8 p.m.
Boys and Girls Club
Join us for a discussion of Fahrenheit 451! We’ll be devoting each Tuesday to a part in the book and how it connects to our lives and modern society.
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The Big Read Book Discussions
April 3: 7:30 - 9 p.m. — Borders Books Music Movies & Café
April 9: 7 - 8:30 p.m. — Chippewa Room, L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library
April 11: 7 - 8:30 p.m. — The Cabin, Davies University Center at UW-Eau Claire
April 18: 7 - 8:30 p.m. — Altoona Public Library, Community Room
April 25: 1:30 — L.E. Phillips Senior Center
April 25: 7 - 8:30 p.m. — Family Resource Center, 2105 Heights Ave.
Is censorship ever beneficial? How does book burning lead to “more happiness and equality?” What book would you memorize? Why? Join us to examine questions sparked by reading Fahrenheit 451.
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Final Event: The Bradbury Chronicles: An evening with Sam Weller
May 4, 7:30p.m.
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire: Schneider Hall, Room 100
Sam Weller, author of The Bradbury Chronicles: The Life of Ray Bradbury, will discuss his experiences with Bradbury and Fahrenheit 451. Weller is a professor at Columbia College and teaches the only college-level course in the US on the life and work of Ray Bradbury. Weller will discuss the time he spent with Bradbury, how the biography came to be, and the cultural relevance of Fahrenheit 451. There will be a question and answer session following.
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