Opening Chapter of One Book Bradford Season Set for Saturday

The One Book Bradford season is right on track with its first event. The Community Book Review will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in the Community Room at the Bradford Area Public Library.

Gannon, a member of the OBB committee, will lead the discussion on this year's selection, "Orphan Train" by Christine Baker Kline. "This is a remarkable book about a time in American history that not too many people know about," said Sandy Rhodes, a member of the OBB committee. "The lives of these children and the experiences they endured should not be forgotten." The book is a historical novel which tells the story of an orphaned girl who was put on an "orphan train" with many other homeless children. They traveled westward to join new families, but also many were chosen to provide labor for farmers in the Midwest. "Although this literary journey starts in the 1920s, it is very intriguing how the author ties in the trials and tribulations of orphans then with present-day people and events," Rhodes said. Gannon will show footage from the PBS "American Experience" and talk about how Americans are faring today with the plight of homeless and parentless children. Saturday's event is free and open to the public. OBB is a community-wide reading initiative where one book is selected each season. There are events which promote the themes of the book and the season ends with a visit to Bradford by the author. Kline will be in Bradford in November. Her visit is funded by the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford's Spectrum Arts Series and freshman seminar. “Orphan Train” spent more than 90 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list, including five weeks at No. 1, and has been chosen as a common reader by more than 50 communities and colleges. The next OBB event will be A Place at the Table luncheon on Oct. 17 at Pitt-Bradford. Tickets for the luncheon will go on sale at Saturday's event and will be available at the BAPL. The cost of the luncheon is $15. In addition to lunch, presentations will be made by members of Bradford Little Theatre and an employee of Beacon Light Behavioral Health Systems. BLT members will read letters from children who rode the orphan trains.

'Orphan Train' Author Coming to Bradford

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford and One Book Bradford are teaming up to bring “Orphan Train” author Christina Baker Kline to Bradford this fall.

Kline will visit Pitt-Bradford at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5, when she will give a talk that will be open to the public in the Bromeley Family Theater of Blaisdell Hall. Her best-selling novel “Orphan Train” will be used as a common reader in freshman seminar and creative writing classes on campus.

Community members are encouraged to read the book and attend as well. One Book Bradford is a collaborative venture under the auspices of the Bradford Area Public Library that annually chooses a book for the community to read together. Its annual events culminate with a visit to Bradford from the author.

Pat Shinaberger, chairwoman of One Book Bradford, said, “Our committee is very excited to join Pitt-Bradford in bringing an author of Kline’s caliber to Bradford. We are hopeful this is just the beginning of something great between our two groups.”

“Orphan Train” deals with orphaned, abandoned or homeless children who were sent from the East Coast to the rural Midwest to be raised by foster families between 1854 and 1929. Irish immigrant Vivian Daly is one of those children, and many years later, young Penobscot Indian Molly Ayer stumbles upon her story.

Moving between contemporary Maine and Depression-era Minnesota, “Orphan Train” has been described as “a powerful tale of upheaval and resilience, second chances, and unexpected friendship.”

“Orphan Train” has spent more than 90 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list, including five weeks at No. 1, and has been chosen as a common reader by more than 50 communities and colleges.

Dr. Nancy McCabe, director of the writing program at Pitt-Bradford and author of two books on the adoption of her daughter from China, said that what first made her want to bring Kline to Bradford is that “Orphan Train” is “a good read and very engaging.”

She was also intrigued by the historical tie-in of the orphan trains and, from a writer’s perspective, the shifting points of view in the story between Vivian, the Depression-era orphan, and Molly, a modern foster child who meets Vivian as part of a community service project.

Those who are interested in the orphan trains and orphanages of the early 20th century will also have a chance to view the PBS series American Experience’s documentary on the orphan trains on Oct. 19. Details of the showing will be announced later this summer.

One Book Bradford will also hold a community discussion of the book on Sept. 19 and is planning a talk on the history of orphanages in the Bradford area.

Funding for Kline’s visit will be provided by the Pitt-Bradford Spectrum Arts Series and freshman seminar.

For more information on Kline or the book, visit www.christinabakerkline.com, which provides book group discussion guides and historical background on orphan trains, including the itinerary for Vivian Daly’s train, which traveled through Buffalo, N.Y., and Erie.

Copies of the book will be available for purchase at The Panther Shop at Pitt-Bradford after July 1.

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