Welcome to ReadingReads.com! Official website of the 2^nd annual Greater Reading Literary Festival. Visit the calendar for this year's schedule of events. Curious about last year's events? Visit last year's web site.

Keynote Address: Dr. Heather Thomas

A legacy of the inaugural Greater Reading Literary Festival will be unveiled at a noontime program on October 1 at 323 North 5th Street in Reading.

The 2006 literary festival opened with the hopes of securing an official state historical marker at that address, which is the birthplace of the acclaimed, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Wallace Stevens. Early in 2007, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission awarded a marker, which will be dedicated at the event, which is open to the public.

Second Annual "Greater Reading Literary Festival" Features Broad Range of Activities

From the Poet Laureate of the United States to one of the most respected forensic scientists in the world to experts on everything from the Amish to bridges to ghosts, ghost towns, and vampirism, the second annual "READING READS: The Greater Reading Literary Festival" will feature a wide variety of literary events geared for all ages and all literary tastes.

More than 60 events in more than 20 venues will take place throughout the month of October, and this year's festival will showcase storytelling, poetry, and photography as part of its overall mission.

John Updike Recalls His Literary Roots in Berks County; Offers Encouragement to 2008 "Greater Reading Literary Festival"

The 2007 Literary Festival pays tribute to legendary writer and Shillington native John Updike, who turned 75 years old on March 18, 2007.

While Updike sent his regrets when invited to attend a Literary Festival event in his honor, he did offer a gracious response:

U.S. Poet Laureate Donald Hall to Visit RACC Miller Center

Donald Hall, U.S. Poet Laureate for 2006-07, will present a reading at the Miller Center for the Arts, Reading Are a Community College, Second and Penn streets, Reading, on Tuesday, October 23, at 6 p.m.

Berks County's Poet Laureate to Lead Poetry Interpretation Workshop at Reading Public Museum

Join Ryan L. Sittler, Berks County Poet Laureate, as he leads you on a deceptively simple writers exercise--learning to use art as inspiration for the art of poetry. In addition to being a part of the month-long "Reading Reads" Festival, Sittler's workshop is one of the events at "Family Day" at the Reading Public Museum, Saturday, October 20, 2007.

Reading Mayor to Lead Book Readings for Children by Police Officers at Pagoda

Mayor Tom McMahon of Reading will be the host of a children's book reading program on October 13 at the Pagoda, atop Mount Penn.

The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will feature Reading police officers reading to children and interacting with them as they tell the stories.

Berks Bards Poets Take Active Role in Literary Festival

Berks Bards was founded in the autumn of 1998 by Steven Allen May as the beginning of his vision to create a month-long poetry event called BardFest. This was first accomplished in April 1999, in celebration of National Poetry Month, and has become an annual event in Reading and Berks County.

Berks Bards Presents Pair of Poets at City Espresso on October 4

Two respected and critically-acclaimed poets, Le Hinton and Jeff Rath, will read their works at City Espresso, 124 South Fifth Sreet, Reading, on Thursday, October 4, 2007, at 6:00 p.m. in a READING READS: The Greater Reading Literary Festival event sponsored by Berks Bards.

Renowned Naturalists, Former Hawk Mountain Curator Featured in Literary Festival Events at Nolde Forest Mansion Open House

In conjunction with READING READS: The Greater Reading Literary Festival, the Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center has added a stellar lineup of guest authors to its October 7 "Nolde Mansion Open House" program.

Hamburg Café is Linked With "BookCrossing" Movement

The Hard Bean Café of Hamburg is an official BookCrossing site.

According to the Concise Oxford English Dictionary; bookcrossing (n) is the practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others who then do likewise.

"Book Towns" Aim to Draw Tourists With the Lure of Second-Hand Books

Imagine Lenhartsville, Shartlesville, or any other crossroads village with each and every one of its storefronts, restaurants, hotel lobbies, and even service stations filled to the brim with shelves upon shelves of books. Thousands of books. Hundreds of thousands of books. All of those books at all of those locations would be used, and all would be for sale.

Last Modified: Sunday, 11-May-2008 11:18:14 EDT