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Baseball and the American Vision
The Beardsley & Memorial Library, 40 Munro Place in Winsted hosts a lecture and book discussion series on "Baseball and the American Vision" on Wednesdays during the month of August. The books to be discussed include The Celebrant by Eric Rolfe Greenberg on August 7; Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella on August 14; and Wait till Next Year by Doris Kearns Goodwin on August 21.
A Barlett Giamatti, former Yale University President and Commissioner of Baseball, wrote: "Baseball is one of the few enduring institutions that has been continuous and adaptable and in touch with its origins. As a result baseball is not simply an essential part of this country, it is a living memory of what American culture, at its best, wishes to be."
This discussion series seeks to demonstrate that literature, sports and American culture can be linked by focusing on baseball as a reflection of the American vision and American culture. In doing so the series will attempt to answer some of the following questions: Why are fans so passionate about the game? How does baseball reflect the vision of the American hero? How has that vision changed in the last 25 years? How and why has baseball been able to link one generation to the next?
Baseball historian and poet Michael J. Bielawa will be the discussion leader. Michael’s poetry is part of the permanent literature collection housed at the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library in Cooperstown, NY. He has contributed baseball poetry to many journals and newspapers, and is the author of From Fairfield to Newfield: The Baseball Dream of Orator Jim O’Rourke. Mr. Bielawa lives in Woodbury and is the Community Relations Librarian at Bridgeport Public Library.
This program is free and open to the public; to register call 860-379-6043.
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