This week we're featuring one episode of The Big Read, a series that is essentially a national book club for the radio.  

In 2007, America decided it was having a literary crisis (and Sold a Story wouldn’t come out for another 15 years).  So, in response, the National Endowment for the Arts launched The Big Read, a program to bring people together to read some of the most acclaimed works of fiction by American authors.  Alongside grassroots local events, the NEA produced a series of audio documentaries for The Big Read, each featuring writers, actors and luminaries discussing a particular book – what it’s about, why it’s important, and how it moved them.  

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Original Series Credits:

This program was created by the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

It was written and produced by Adam Kampe and Dan Stone.

Readings for The Joy Luck Club were by Ming-Na.

Instrumental Chinese music performed by Music from China.
Cup of Happiness arranged by Zhou Long.

“The Lost Lamb” and “Song of the Traveling Daughter,” currently playing in the background, taken from Abigail Washburn’s full-length album, Song of the Traveling Daughter, used with permission of Nettwerk Productions.

Special thanks to Philip Brunelle, Susan Cheng, JT Griffith, Erika Koss, Kate Kaiser and Ted Libbey.

For the National Endowment for the Arts, I’m Dana Gioia.

Jo Reed: For more information, please go to www.neabigread.org, that's www.neabigread.org