Now that the teams are set, it’s time to talk about Super Bowl Sunday. Yes, we’ll put down our literary-mindedness and pick up the rallying cry for the sportiest day in America:

For some, Super Bowl Sunday is all about the commercials, for others it might be the nachos. There are those, of course, who savor the taste of one of the two gridiron sides in fierce competition for the sport’s most prestigious trophy. Just who will the champ be? Fans of the Patriots and the Giants will have their eyes glued to the action, hoping and hollering in support.

For us, the real celebration this special day incurs is a trip to Frederick to take in a reading. That’s right, a reading. You didn’t really expect us to put down our literary-mindedness completely, did you? Rest assured, it won’t get in the way of any Super Bowl activities, none at all. We promise to chip crunch, commercial watch and holler with the rest of the country. But first…

Diane Ackerman

Very excited! It’s time for the Burr Artz Poetry Series reading again.  The series, held Super Bowl Sundays (February 5th this year), is a perfect cultural compliment to the day’s sporting. It starts at 2pm at the Weinberg Center in Frederick and ends well before party and game time. It’s a great series that’s brought Billy Collins, Nikki Giovanni and Robert Hass to the gorgeous venue. We’re excited to learn this year Diane Ackerman is featured.  Plus… it’s free. (And, for us, it is a literary event we are not hosting, so we can sit back and just enjoy!)

Diane Ackerman, a literary force for decades with her work as an essayist, poet and naturalist, has authored some two dozen books, among them are eight volumes of poetry, more than a dozen non-fiction works and two children’s stories.  There are many favorites in the list; perhaps the most renowned is A Natural History of the Senses (1990). Her most recent work, from just last year, also non-fiction, is One Hundred Names for Love: A Stroke, a Marriage, and the Language of Healing. In 2007, her novel The Zookeeper’s Wife: A War Story captivated reader attention around the world.

Mark your calendars and save a little time on Super Bowl Sunday for Diane Ackerman, it will compete as a treat on a day that otherwise tends to be just about football.

• Diane Ackerman’s website
• Diane Ackerman on wikipedia
• Event details:
  • February 5th, 2pm. Free admission
  • Weinberg Center directions
  • As we understand, the event is underwritten by the C. Burr Artz Trust and is presented in partnership with the Weinberg Center, the Frederick County Public Library and Frederick Reads.