WCR pick 'Blackbeard' in stock at local stores
By Bonnie Edwards
Published in News on November 9, 2008 9:27 AM
Plenty of copies of the 2009 selection for Wayne County Reads have arrived.
The selection for the next Wayne County Reads season is "Blackbeard: America's Most Notorious Pirate," by Angus Konstam.
Copies of the book are available at the Wayne County Public Library branches and can be purchased at the Wayne Community College book store and at Books-A-Million.
Wayne County Reads Chairman Tara Humphries says the new season of reading will kick off in early February and run through March 22.
But since the book is 300 pages long, she said, now is the time to begin reading.
The 2009 season will end with four performances -- including a dinner theater fundraiser of "Hot Grog," a musical by Bland Simpson and Jim Wann.
Ms. Humphries said the committee has already started lining up speakers for every Monday night and plans to present classic pirate movies and docudramas. Plans are in the works for treasure hunts and maybe even a high-tech geocaching event. Geocaching is a high-tech game that involves treasure hunting. The game is played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices.
The basic idea, she said, is to locate something that is hidden in a container, called a geocache, outdoors. Then, the players share their experiences with each other online.
It's going to be a fun season, Ms. Humphries said
"We anticipate lots of opportunities to wear eye patches, brandish plastic swords and say "matey" and "arrggggh" while learning about how pirates -- and especially Blackbeard -- played a part in our early history," she said. "The Wayne Community College bookstore and Books-A-Million both have the book on their shelves just in time for the holiday gift shopping season. And of course, folks can borrow it from the library."
Wayne County Reads is organized and supported by many community partners.