literacy

It’s a busy month for a non-profit organization that helps Berkshire County residents learn English.

Consider it a literary bucket list. The new book, "1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List" is an extraordinary book that’s as readable, entertaining, surprising, and enlightening as the 1,000-plus titles it recommends.

Covering fiction, poetry, science and science fiction, memoir, travel writing, biography, children’s books, history, and more, "1,000 Books to Read Before You Die" ranges across cultures and through time to offer an eclectic collection of works that each deserve to come with the recommendation: You have to read this. But it’s not a proscriptive list of the “great works,” rather, it’s a celebration of the glorious mosaic that is our literary heritage.

The man responsible is James Mustich. James began his career in bookselling at an independent book store in Briarcliff Manor, New York, in the early 1980s. In 1986, he co-founded the acclaimed book catalog, A Common Reader, and was for two decades its guiding force.

This Saturday, September 29, The New York State Writers Institute presents The Albany Book Festival. A fun way to celebrate authors, books and readers, the Albany Book Festival will run between 10a.m. and 4p.m. at UAlbany's uptown campus. Kicking off with a dance party, the Albany Book Festival presents conversations on genres such as food, mystery, history, and memoirs of new Americans.

The festival will feature renowned authors Doris Kearns Goodwin, Walter Mosley, Khizr Khan, Gregory Maguire and many more.

Joining us today is Director of New York State Writers Institute Paul Grondahl and Co-Director of Grassroot Givers Mary Partridge-Brown.

The Great American Read on PBS is an eight-part series that explores and celebrates the power of reading, told through the prism of America’s 100 best-loved novels (as chosen in a national survey.) The 100 books have been placed into a bracket and divided into quadrants based on the years they were published: The Classics, Mid-Century, Late Century and Contemporary.

The Great American Read investigates how and why writers create their fictional worlds, how we as readers are affected by these stories, and what these 100 different books have to say about our diverse nation and our shared human experience.

We were joined by Social Media Coordinator at WMHT Danielle Sanzone, Director of the Greenwich Free Library Annie Miller; librarian at Albany Public Library Christina Stenson-Carey; Suzanna Hermans of Oblong Books and Music in Rhinebeck and Millerton; and Matt Tannenbaum of The Bookstore in Lenox, MA.

Our Falling into Place series spotlights the important work of -and fosters collaboration between- not-for-profit organizations in our communities; allowing us all to fall into place.

Falling Into Place is supported by The Seymour Fox Memorial Foundation, Providing a helping hand to turn inspiration into accomplishment. See more possibilities … see more promise… see more progress.

Today we will learn about The Reading Is Fun Program in Schenectady, NY. The organizations goal is to help teach reading-readiness and conversational skills and vocabulary to as many of Schenectady’s 4 to 9-year-olds as possible. 

Reading is Fun will host the first Grand Reading Jamboree at Proctors on Saturday, April 21.

Here to tell us more are Dr. Alvin Magid, Founder and Executive Director of The Reading Is Fun Program; and Mary Lou Russo, the program’s Chief of Operations.

A new library will be built in Schenectady to bring resources and programs to city children and families.

  David Baldacci’s books are published in over 45 languages and in more than 80 countries. They have been adapted for both feature film and television. David Baldacci is also the cofounder, along with his wife, of the Wish You Well Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting literacy efforts across America.

With over 110 million copies of his novels in print, David Baldacci is one of the most widely read storytellers in the world. Now he introduces a new character: a man with perfect memory who must solve his own family's murder.

    This morning we will discuss the issues of literacy with two experts from Literacy Volunteers of Berkshire County. We will talk about literacy in general and specifically about the needs of those they serve right here in our region.

    John Wood worked for Microsoft for nine years, helping grow the company’s international profile. He resigned at thirty-five and founded Room to Read, which is widely regarded as one of the world’s top nonprofit organizations.

Helping people help themselves to someday leave public housing was the goal of a conference Wednesday sponsored by the public housing authority in Springfield Massachusetts.  WAMC’s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports.

    Every parent seeks a better life for their children was the motivational message aimed at more than 100 mostly young parents who attended today’s conference, some with their children in tow.