The Big Read Kickoff April 3, 2013

Columbia College Chicago begins its celebration of The Big Read on April 3 with a kickoff event centered around this year’s book selection, “In the Time of the Butterflies,” by Julia Alvarez.

The kickoff event includes a discussion with Carmelo Esterrich, associate professor of Humanities, History and Social Sciences at Columbia College, who will speak about the novel’s importance: how it brought the lives of the Mirabal sisters to light and the historical background of the Dominican Republic including the sisters' role within the political context of the mid-twentieth century. The event also includes a reading from playwright Caridad Svich's adaptation of “In the Time of the Butterflies” by Teatro Luna, Chicago's All Latina Theater Company and a performance by members of Columbia’s Latino Alliance student dance group, Adrenaline.

Official Website: http://www.colum.edu/bigread