Book lovers, rejoice. The residents of Charlottesville and central Virginia will now be reading and discussing “Their Eyes Were Watching God” by Zora Neale Hurston, as The Big Read kicked off this past weekend. The National Endowment of the Arts created The Big Read, an exceptional program encouraging a nation of readers and restoring reading to the center of American culture, to inspire folks across the country to pick up a good book and discuss it within the community. The Jefferson-Madison Regional Library and other regional libraries have partnered with the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities in The Big Read for Charlottesville. There are lots of exciting events and programs scheduled for February and March 2009. Check it out.

[Map]