Books written by Mark Twain adorn a display at the Bookloft in Enterprise marking Fishtrap's Big Read.

Fishtraps Big Read 2011 celebrates Mark Twain and begins by focusing on one of his most popular works, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. The event offers January and February activities and marks the 175th anniversary of Twains birth and 100th anniversary of his death.

The Big Read Kick-Off event is a talk, Mark Twain: Why Hes Still Relevant, Still Funny, and Still with Us, by Cindy Lovell, professor at Quincy University and executive director of the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum in Hannibal, Mo, at 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 9 at the Odd Fellows Hall in Enterprise

Earlier, on Friday, Jan. 7, Lovell will give an in-service session for teachers on methods of teaching about Twain at 9 a.m. Friday, Jan. 7, at Fishtraps Coffin House. Advance reservations are advised.

In addition to Lovells presentation, the Kick-Off will feature a free book raffle, sign-ups for book discussions, a list of Twain books available at The Bookloft and a review of the 2011 Big Read calendar of events.

Many people throughout the county have expressed interest to participate in discussion groups, Fishtrap interim director Barbara Dills said. Theyll read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, then get together for an hour or so to share their reflections on the book and memories of reading Twain in childhood.

Book discussions are planned at the Coffin House, Arrowhead Chocolates in Joseph, the Wallowa County Library in Enterprise and the Wallowa City Library. Anyone out there who would like to initiate a discussion group should give us a call, and well provide them with readers guides and other resources, Dills noted. And folks can sign up for book discussions at the Kick-Off event.

The popular Film Series begins at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 10, with screenings of the classic Hal Holbrook performance, Mark Twain Tonight! The film will be shown at Mutiny Brewing in Joseph, Lears Main Street Pub and Grill in Enterprise and Wallowa City Hall.

Other films to be shown during the Big Read include, Mark Twains America, Stand By Me, the1938 classic version of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and from the 1960s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Dates, times and locations for the screenings are available at the Big Read website, www.fishtrap.org, and will be listed in the calendar of events available at the Kick-off event, the Bookloft and libraries. Not all movies will be shown on Mondays this year and locations will vary.

Another event is the Tom Sawyer Family Game Night to be held on three evenings: Jan. 13 in the Joseph School Multipurpose Room, Jan. 27 at the Wallowa Senior Center and Feb. 3 at the Odd Fellows Hall in Enterprise. Families are invited to participate in an evening of old-fashioned fun including shooting marbles, tiddlywinks, hoop races, the cupcake walk and more..

The Big Read culminates on Feb. 13 at the Hurricane Creek Grange with a dramatic performance by Twain impersonator Kurt Sutton.

Other events include book discussions, evening presentations, guest editorials in the newspaper and cooking classes focusing on Twain-period southern cuisine and stories Sunday evenings on radio station KWVR.