The Big Read Finale

Today Cortland’s Big Read concluded with a fascinating demonstration “Chemistry of Fire.” Paula Jones and Peter Jeffers conducted several demonstrations, and Scott Ochs engaged students in a discussion/workshop on arson. After a powerpoint and a lecture, the students’ had a task to determine where a house fire started that caused serious damage to the structure. Photos with some telling clues in each of three rooms were examined: a first floor living room and kitchen and a second floor bathroom.

Although the damage was significant in all three rooms, the toilet paper had not burned. Had the
heat of the fire been significantly higher in the bathroom the paper would have burned.

What would that temperature have had to be to burn the paper?

A rather fitting last event for the Big Read.

Dr. Sheila Cohen

Check This Out

Hello, Folks,

Please check out this local blog on books!

Big Read Update

The Wednesday radio broadcast on 90.5 by Dr. Kaltefleiter and her Communication Studies majors was brilliant, very insightful analysis of the novel and the current issues of surveillance of U.S. citizens by the current administration. We will soon post a link to a podcast of that radio program.

We will also have a recording of an interview by Robert Thompson with Ray Bradbury that we plan to air on the radio.

Thompson, Director of the Bleier Center for TV and popular culture conducted the interview from a WCNY studio in Syracuse by phone with Bradbury at his home in Los Angeles.

Let’s hear from those who heard the radio show produced by Dr. Kaltefleiters class or from those or audited the teleconference of the Thompson interview with Bradbury. What struck a chord with you?

–Dr. Sheila Cohen

Hello, Big Read Community!

I’m Ray Hedrick (sorry for the outdated website), a graduate assistant for Dr. Shelia Cohen.  I’ve been working intimately along with a lot of people trying to make Cortland’s first Big Read a success.  It’s been truly wonderful.  I wanted to take a moment to talk about the campus kickoff which took place last night.

I’m sure of most of you reading this will have heard of the uber-popular ya-novelist Chris Crutcher.  SUNY Cortland had the pleasure of hosting a discussion panel with the author himself.  Crutcher’s lively stories told of the problems of censorship and his search for the truth.  Other teachers in the surrounding areas also took the time to tell the audience of their own censorship problems.  The turn-out was incredible.  Many classes, high-school teachers, professors and interested people showed up to hear what Crutcher and others had to say.

If you are upset that you missed this discussion, then don’t fret!  There will be an iMovie version coming soon.  This will most likely be posted on Cortland’s Big Read website, which you should check out if you haven’t already.

Also last night, the calendar of events was handed out.  If you weren’t able to get your hands on one, and you would like to, then check out SUNY campus or e-mail: mgs@cortland.edu.  You can also check out a digital copy on the Big Read website.

If you were able to attend any of the Big Read events and have some feedback, we would love to hear from you.  Just comment on this page or e-mail MGS, and we will enable you to post on this blog.  The more the merrier!  Also, don’t forget to comment!  We would love to hear what you thought about the kickoff!

Thanks to everyone for being part of The Big Read, and don’t miss out on all of the incredible events we have to offer!  Keep reading, Cortland!

–Ray