The Flannery O’Connor – Andalusia Foundation is a proud sponsor of The Big Read in Milledgeville for 2009. An initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, The Big Read is designed to restore reading to the center of American culture.

The NEA presents The Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. The program brings together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment.

Organizers of The Big Read in Milledgeville have selected Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451” for the 2009 book. The Foundation is partnering with the “Flannery O’Connor Review,” the GCSU Library Special Collections, and the GCSU Museum to present “The Life You Save May Be Your Own.”

The GCSU Museum will host a screening of the film version of O’Connor’s short story by the same title, followed by a discussion about issues of moving from print to other media. This program will enable exploration of issues for an author — whether Flannery O’Connor or Ray Bradbury — when creative work goes from one platform to another.

The featured scholar for this event is Dr. Bruce Gentry, editor of the “Flannery O’Connor Review” and professor of English at Georgia College.