Celebrate the end of a reading journey

The Big Read in Santa Fe will have its big finale Thursday, with what is essentially a citywide book club coming together to discuss the literary fantasy Circe at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center.

Santa Fe Reads, sponsored by the Santa Fe Public Library, began in April — courtesy of a National Endowment for the Arts grant — and has united readers to absorb the 2018 novel by Madeline Miller, which retells Homer’s classic Odyssey with a feminist twist.

In the novel, the witch Circe — she who turns men into pigs — becomes a more complex character, with her background and motivation fleshed in. She’s no longer an aside in Odysseus’ long journey. As The Guardian newspaper wrote in a glowing 2018 review, “In Miller’s version, Circe, who is passed over in a few dozen lines in the Greek original, matters deeply.”

Since April, participants in Santa Fe Reads have explored such topics as female strength, Greek mythology and the hero’s journey. There have been live performances, art programs, cultural presentations, contests and writing workshops throughout the weeks of Santa Fe Reads. At a time in the United States when certain forces seek to ban books, quiet librarians and otherwise limit what people read, events such as the Big Read are more necessary than ever.

Younger readers also could participate, with the Olympians series by George O’Connor, Goddesses and Gardens by Valerie Tripp and Little Bear, You’re a Star! by Jean Marzollo offered as selections. With the books, readers could explore the themes of love, regret, self-empowerment and transformation using the lens of Greek mythology. Teachers who wanted to join in could find free educational resources to bring the books to the classroom.

Now, it is time for the journey’s end.

Circe author Miller will be present at the discussion, virtually, with St. John’s College professor Marsaura Shukla leading the conversation. Miller also will answer questions from readers. In addition to conversation, Youth Works is catering a reception funded by the city of Santa Fe’s Community Services Department, with live opening performances from Teatro Paraguas, Xochitl Ballet Folclórico and La Compania de Los Niños de Santa Fe.

All in all, some 30 organizations have come together to celebrate the power of storytelling. That includes the Santa Fe International Literary Festival, which opens Friday and is a co-presenter of the event along with Santa Fe Reads. Creative Santa Fe is coordinating the closing event and is serving as host organization. This is a true community partnership — with individuals, private organizations, the city and local nonprofits working in concert. Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, has been an important backer. The closing event is free, although registration is required, with details at santafelibrary.org on how to sign up.

Through the Big Read, people in Santa Fe have joined in a common goal — sharing a classic story from our collective past with its modern update at the hands of a brilliant writer. In reading, and discussing what we read, we learn about different viewpoints and experiences, understanding the perspectives of others. We grow. And that’s why we read.