County voters choose pirate theme for 2009 Wayne County Reads
By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on September 16, 2008 1:37 PM
Wayne County readers have spoken. The book they want to explore next year is "Blackbeard: America's Most Notorious Pirate."
The book, by Angus Konstam, was chosen by public vote over four other candidates to be the next Wayne County Reads selection. The "season of reading" will kick off in January or early February.
The Wayne County Reads Organizing Committee is looking at ideas for programs that will engage, inform and entertain all ages while exploring Captain Edward Teach (Blackbeard's real name) and the wreckage of the Queen Anne's Revenge as well as the mania over fictional pirates from today's Captain Jack Sparrow to the famous childhood villain Captain Hook.
Some suggestions for the upcoming Wayne County Reads season have included a musical theater production, treasure hunts, art projects, historical exhibits, trips to maritime museums, lectures on pirate truth and lore and discussions about the Konstam book.
"Blackbeard: America's Most Notorious Pirate" was published in 2007. This nonfiction account of Blackbeard's life and times includes a look at colonial life on North Carolina's Outer Banks. It is one of more than 50 maritime history books by Konstam.
The book will be available at the Wayne County Public Library branches, the Wayne Community College and Mount Olive College bookstores and at Books-A-Million.
Wayne County Reads books explored over the past five years have been "To Kill a Mockingbird" in 2004, "Big Fish" in 2005, "Night" in 2006, "Walking Across Egypt" in 2007 and this year's book "Blood Done Sign My Name."