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Thursday, February 11, 2021
GO! magazine — A&E in Northeast Oregon
Hast thou seen the white whale? VIRTUAL BIG READ KICKS OFF FEB. 17
■ Big Read’s “In the Heart of the Sea” tells true story that inspired “Moby-Dick”
ONLINE — Art
Center East and Cook
Memorial Library are
teaming up to help
bring the Fishtrap Big
Read to Union County
for the fourth year
running.
The Big Read is a
program funded by
the National Endow-
ment for the Arts that
“broadens our under-
standing of the world,
our communities and
ourselves through the
joy of sharing a good
book,” according to the
NEA’s website, www.
arts.gov.
This year’s book is “In the Heart of the Sea” by Nathaniel
Philbrick, which recounts the true story of the whaleship Es-
sex that inspired Herman Melville’s “Moby-Dick.”
In 1819, 20 crew members on the Essex left the popular
whaling island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and headed for
the South Pacifi c in what was to be a routine voyage. Instead,
they found themselves part of one of the most horrifying
maritime disasters in American history when an 85-foot
angry sperm whale rammed and sunk their vessel.
For 90 days, the crew drifted in small boats with no sense
of where they were in the vast sea. Facing starvation, disease,
brutal weather and a near loss of hope, they succumbed to
drastic measures as they fought to stay alive.
“In the Heart of the Sea” tells the true story of the crew
members’ fi ght for survival and the circumstances surround-
ing the disaster that inspired Melville’s classic 30 years later.
To participate in the month-long Big Read, which is virtual
this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, just read the book
then attend any or all of Fishtrap’s free online weekly events
designed to guide you and your family as you explore the
subject and themes of the book. Events range from a keynote
with the author, Nathaniel Philbrick, to a free screening of
the movie adaptation of “In the Heart of the Sea.”
Copies of Philbrick’s book may be borrowed from the Art
Center East Gift Gallery or the Cook Memorial Library (print
and digital available). To purchase a copy, readers are encour-
aged to buy a copy from a local bookstore.
KICK OFF TALK
The Big Read offi cially kicks off Wednesday, Feb. 17, at
1 p.m. with a talk about whaling with Dr. Lisa T. Ballance,
director of Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Insti-
tute and Endowed Chair of Marine Mammal Research.
Join the event live or watch the recording anytime begin-
ning Feb. 18.
The Essex of “In the Heart of the Sea” was of the era of
industrial whaling from the late 1800s to mid-1900s, which
was ultimately responsible for the removal of 2.9 million
large whales
from the
world’s oceans.
Ballance will
talk about
large scale il-
legal whaling,
of “scientifi c
whaling” that
is allowed
through a
provision in
the Interna-
Dr. Lisa T. Ballance
tional Convention
for the Regulation of
Whaling, and of ab-
original whaling that
is practiced by many
indigenous peoples all
over the globe, includ-
ing here in the Pacifi c
northwest.
“I will provide an
overview of each of
these and touch on
current hot topics and
long-standing ethical
debates,” she said.
Ballance came to
OSU from NOAA
(National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration), where she spent 30 years
conducting research on cetaceans and seabirds around the
world, including the tropical Pacifi c and Indian Oceans, Ant-
arctica, the Bering Sea, and the Mekong River in Cambodia.
She holds a PhD in marine ecology, an MS in marine science
and a BS in biology.
BIG READ FOR KIDS
Fishtrap has provided more than 400 free books to Wal-
lowa and Union County schools and libraries, including
companion books for younger readers.
Additionally, according to Art Center East, the Mountain
Valleys Reading Council is organizing a companion Big Read
for students. The council purchased copies of two picture
books that will be shared with students in local schools. They
also have provided books to Cook Memorial Library. and are
arranging a Zoom chat with the author of one of the picture
books.
LA GRANDE
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BAKER CITY
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