“Tell me a story.” Research shows that stories can be life-shaping.
I’m not going for that here, though, and — probably — neither is the Library of America,* which if you don’t know about its mission to publish and keep in print “authoritative editions of America’s best and most significant writing,” you should.
But it’s in everyone in the cultural world’s interest, it seems to me, to promote reading — no matter which discipline most interests you. And that’s what LOA is doing through a new effort begun in January. It’s called “Story of the Week.” Every Monday, LOA emails a short narrative, selected from one of its many books. The first, in December, before it was a regular feature, was F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Cut-Glass Bowl.”
Other examples: “A Memorable Murder” by Celia Thaxter, “Mrs. Spring Fragrance” by Edith Maude Eaton, and “A Wind-Storm in the Forests” by John Muir. This week’s is about baseball, taken from “Baseball: A Literary Anthology.” (Who knew?)
Now, who has time to read a story on Monday mornings? Apparently, many people. Cheryl Hurley, LOA’s president, tells me that 39,000 people have already signed up. People have promoted the feature on FaceBook, Stumble Upon, Twitter, etc. and some libraries have done the same on their website.
As it requisite nowdays, LOA has a website where readers can leave comments.
I’m writing this not only because it’s a good cause, but also because it’s a lesson for non-profits in using social media. Presumably, subscribers will buy LOA books — because they are entitled to discounts for signing up.
Here’s the SOTW website, where you can read and/or sign up (link).
Photo Credit: Courtesy Library of America
*A consulting client of mine supports the LOA