Celebrities Can Read

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recently revealed that he has been chosen to appear on a reading poster for America’s libraries. On his blog for nba.com, Kareem writes, “The library has been my access to worlds that I know nothing about and it has helped me learn about the enormous diversity on our planet.” He’s shown reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

I’ve always been mildly interesting in these posters, which appear in school and public libraries across the country. Do the celebrities get to choose their own books? I only ask this because it seems to me like some of the books don’t match well with the reader.

For example, Colin Farrell is reading James Joyce’s Dubliners in his poster. I had no idea Colin Farrell could read to begin with. But I’m glad he’s aiming high. The same goes for Johnny Damon, although his book is the much more modest A Trip to the Beach. Back in high school, my favorite poster was the one with LL Cool J, which sat on the wall back by the computers. He’s reading The Children’s Health Food Book. I told you–who’d have thought?

You can buy these posters and others at the American Library Association store. Members save two dollars, but anyone can get 20% off when you buy five or more! I recommend Severus Snape’s, seen below. Reading posters are the great equalizer. Who else puts Major Payne’s Damon Wayans (that rhymes) on the same literary level as Stephen Hawking?