riginally published during the United States Centennial year of 1876, Mark Twain's classic novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer has been called a "national hymn to American boyhood". Filled with hair-brained adventures on the river, great escapes, hideouts, pirates, murder, first love, great heroics, and tough decisions; readers of all ages will chuckle at the antics of young Tom and his pal Huck in this largely autobiographical novel by Mark Twain. While most consider The Adventures of Tom Sawyer to be a book for children, this heart-warming coming of age story deserves to be revisited later in life when its satire of public morality, education, the law, religion, medicine, economics, and community life strike a chord with more mature readers. The universal themes of friendship, freedom and forgiveness at the heart of Twain's classic are still meaningful today, and provide an invitation to ponder what it means to be a child in America then and now.

This fall, Orem residents of all ages will have the opportunity to explore this classic novel and how its themes relate to us today as part of The Big Read, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The Orem Public Library will feature a month long series of presentations, discussions, performances, and lectures on The Adventures of Tom Sawyer drawn from Utah's most eminent scholars and artists. So pick up a copy, relax, and read. We know you'll love this book!

Share Your Thoughts

Share your experiences or your thoughts about the book at the The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: Orem Big Read Blog!

Did You Take Part in the Big Read?

We would like to hear about your Big Read experience! Feedback from readers like you will tell us what happens when communities come together to read and celebrate literature, and what the impact has been for overall reading. Tell us what you think.

The Big Read, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), is designed to revitalize the role of literature in American culture and bring the transformative power of literature into the lives of its citizens. The Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage citizens to read for pleasure and enlightenment. The NEA presents The Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. Some programming is also made possible by Utah Valley University Library and a grant from the Utah Humanities Council. The Utah Humanities Council promotes understanding of human traditions, values, and issues through informed public discussion. For more information on The Big Read, see www.neabigread.org.