Dear Festival Friends,

There’s probably nothing more satisfying than sneaking away for some alone time with a good book. Unless it’s reading a good book together with friends and neighbors from throughout your community.

For the past five weeks, at the invitation of the Santa Fe Public Library, hundreds of Santa Feans of all ages and backgrounds have been doing just that—sharing in a community-wide reading experience of Madeline Miller’s Circe. The New York Times bestselling book is the centerpiece of “Santa Fe Reads,” an initiative that, like our own Santa Fe International Literary Festival, celebrates the art of storytelling as inspiration for meaningful conversations and community connections.

Described by beloved author Ann Patchett as “an epic spanning thousands of years that’s also a keep-you-up-all-night page turner,” Circe re-casts the most infamous female figure from The Odyssey as a hero in her own right, celebrating a woman’s indomitable strength in a man’s world. On Thursday, May 16, those who have been losing sleep turning Circe’s pages will gather at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center to hear from author Madeline Miller, who will appear virtually, in conversation with St. John’s professor of philosophy Marsaura Shukla.

Free and open to the public, the Festival is proud to host this community event in partnership with the Santa Fe Public Library. Santa Fe’s Teatro Paraguas will present a live opening performance that celebrates the Circe theme, !YouthWorks! will provide refreshments, and Santa Fe artist Carrie Mae Rose will present an uplifting art installation organized by Creative Santa Fe and supported by the City of Santa Fe’s Arts and Culture Department. Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library has provided additional support. It’s the perfect community collaboration to kick off our May 17-19 Festival weekend.

The community spirit behind Santa Fe Reads, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts “The Big Read, is at the heart of the Festival’s belief that reading broadens our understanding of ourselves, our neighbors, and the world. And the project’s goal to engage and inspire young readers resonates with our desire to promote the lifelong value of literature and literacy through our Young Writers and Readers program. The selection of Circe by local high school educators is especially significant in its intention to engage teen readers as well as adults. Middle-grade and young readers also have been reading books that align with Circe’s epic themes. All books for the program are distributed for free to schools and organizations, and at special events throughout Santa Fe.

“Partnering with the Santa Fe International Literary Festival has been a dream come true,” says library programs manager Jessica Gulliford. “The Festival has provided the possibility for the library to elevate our culminating Santa Fe Reads author experience. The Festival has also provided wonderful books free at the Library celebrations for children. This partnership strengthens our programs, assuring that the community has the opportunity to receive quality books and have quality experiences engaging with literature and the arts.”

You won’t want to miss this free community event! For more information, visit santafereads.weebly

A heartfelt thank you to our Hospitality Partners

If you’re coming to Santa Fe for the Festival, our hospitality partners are ready to host you. For a complete list, click here.