August 22, 1997

Contact:
Craig D'Ooge (202) 707-9189

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"Great American Portraits" Program To Be Presented in San Francisco, Hartford, St. Louis, and Chicago

Author Phyllis Theroux will present "Great American Portraits" -- a program of readings by well-known Americans about Americans -- in four cities under the sponsorship of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. The spoken portraits will be drawn from her new work, The Book of Eulogies: A Collection of Memorial Tributes, Poetry, Essays, and Letters of Condolence (Scribner, 1997). Each program will feature citizens of the state in which the program is being held.

"The Great American Portraits program at the Library of Congress on May 14 was such a success," said Center for the Book Director John Y. Cole, "that we decided to share it with the country through the state centers for the book. This pilot project is the first step."

Each program will be part of "Building a Nation of Readers," the Center for the Book's national reading promotion theme for 1997-2000. The San Francisco program will be held on Sept. 26, at the San Francisco Public Library. For information contact Stephanie Mason, San Domenico School, telephone (415) 258-1931. The Connecticut Center for the Book will make "Great American Portraits in Connecticut" its inaugural event in Hartford on Nov. 17. For information, contact Kathleen Lyons, Connecticut Center for the book, telephone (860) 543-8652. Dates for the programs in St. Louis and Chicago have not yet been set.

For further information, contact the Center for the Book directly or visit the center on the World Wide Web at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/.

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PR 97-136
8/22/97
ISSN 0731-3527