The Big Read

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. Put plainly, the NEA made a national book club for the radio. Heads up, these are some of the most traditional ‘public radio’-vibe pieces we’ve included so far on Selects (think classical music interludes), but they’re an easy listen, and each conversation is rewarding to sit in on. Akin to the community book clubs the NEA’s program inspired, these conversations democratize the experience of reading literature by handpicking an incredible selection of books, and then giving the listener context and entry points into each work. At Selects, we had to go a bit further so we cherry-picked from the original list of books to share some of our favorite pieces from The Big Read. Whether you’ve read these books already, or you’re looking to add a Great American Novel (or in one case, a Great American Poet) to your reading list, we think you’ll find these listens offer a sonic beach read that can easily fit into your summer.