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Bexley book club to host presentation at Drexel Theatre
On Jan. 11, 2009 at 4 p.m., Bexley Community Book Club (BCBC) will host a screening of "This Boy's Life," the film adaptation of the acclaimed memoir by 2009 Selected Author Tobias Wolff.
The screening, which will be held at the Drexel Theatre, 2254 E. Main St. in Bexley, will be immediately followed by a panel discussion about the adaptation of books to film.
The event is one in a series of BCBC-sponsored events throughout the year that seek to draw attention to and deepen understanding of the work of author Tobias Wolff, who will be in Bexley on April 27, 2009. On that day, Wolff will meet with high school students and faculty, attend a dinner reception for sponsors at Giuseppe's Ritrovo, and give a public lecture at Bexley High School. Other events this year include "book talk" panel discussions, book discussion gatherings, a December bookfair at Barnes & Noble at Easton, and guest speakers at Bexley High School.
"Drexel Theatres is excited to be part of the Bexley Education Foundation's 2009 Bexley Book Club Selected Author initiative and joins with other community groups and organizations to welcome award-winning author Tobias Wolff to Bexley," said Jeff Frank, President of Drexel Theatres Group.
The film screening follows on the heels of a well-attended panel discussion at Thurber House in October, where the topic under consideration was Wolff's two memoirs, "This Boy's Life" and "In Pharaoh's Army." Events in February and March will focus on Wolff's short stories, and readers will turn to Wolff's two novels, "The Barracks Thief" and "Old School," in April.
"The film 'This Boy's Life' stands alone as a powerful story," said Megan Walker, chair of the Bexley Community Book Club Committee, "but those who read the book before coming to the movie will have an especially rich experience. The panel discussion will be fascinating."
Set in the state of Washington, "This Boy's Life" follows Wolff and his nomadic divorced mother Caroline, whose goal is to find a decent guy, settle down and make a home for her son and herself. When she moves to Seattle and meets the seemingly respectable Dwight, she thinks she has it made. Toby - who has taken to calling himself Jack -- sees another side of his stepfather-to-be. Dwight seems to want to mold the boy into a better person, but his method includes emotional, verbal and ultimately physical abuse. The young Wolff will do just about anything to get away - and eventually he does.
Tickets for this event are $5 and will be available at the door, but seating is limited. Advance tickets can be purchased at the Drexel Theatre Box Office and in the BEF office. Call (614) 338-2093 or go to www.bexleyeducationfoundation.org.
Information about Tobias Wolff and tickets to the April 27 author presentation, as well as other upcoming BCBC events, is also available at the Web site.
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