Littleville nurse Cindy Roberts listens as high school junior Marcel LaBrecque delivers a reading from the book, “Mudbound.” (Photo submitted)
HUNTINGTON – Nearly 70 people attended the kickoff event at Gateway for this year’s ‘World Book Night’ community-wide reading of Hillary Jordan’s “Mudbound”. The audience was a mix of families, community members and Gateway staff who enjoyed a delta dinner prepared by Chef Carlos Neville, reminiscences of growing up in the deep south by Charles Neville, and selected readings from the book. Charles Neville also wowed the crowd with a musical performance on the saxophone.
A follow-up event will be held on Tuesday, May 28 at the Gateway Family Center, 9 Russell Road, in Huntington. It will include a pot luck dinner, trivia competition on the first five chapters of the book (along with prizes!) and free child care. Please bring a food item to share, and RSVP to 667-2203, extension 3
Mudbound takes place as a young white family moves to a ramshackle farm in the Mississippi Delta immediately following World War II. Each chapter of the story is told through the voice of a main character, including Laura, the city wife dealing with rural isolation on the farm; Henry, Laura’s husband who is living his dream of owning a farm; Florence and Hap, sharecroppers who work the farm while enduring the racism of the Jim Crow south; Jamie, Henry’s brother who returns home haunted by combat; and Ronsel, Florence and Hap’s son who returns from war as an American War Hero, still subjected to brutal discrimination in the deep south.
Jordan won the 2006 Bellwether Prize for Mudbound, her first book.
World Book Night (also known as a “Night of a Million Books”) takes place each spring; organizers provide a half a million free books, which are given out at hundreds of literary events around the country.
Children sit down to eat gumbo, collard greens, cornbread and macaroni and cheese. (Photo submitted)
“As part of a grant, we received 20 copies of the book to hand out at our kickoff,” said Kim Savery of the Gateway Family Center, one of the event’s organizers. “Many of the local town libraries have also obtained copies of the book. The Huntington Public Library has ten copies available for loan and the Montgomery library also has an audiobook version.”
Children were treated to a concert with children’s song artist Rick Goldin (whose song, “I Like to Read” received a Parent’s Choice “Recommended” Award) and crafts.
This event is sponsored by A Night of a Million Books, World Book Night USA, the Gateway Family Center, Hilltown Community Health Centers, Inc., area public libraries, Reach Out and Read, and the Gateway Regional School District.
