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Join us at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 17 for a screening of River to the Heart, a beautiful and powerful documentary following Eddy Harris’s second trip down the Mississippi River in a canoe, 30 years after the journey detailed in Mississippi Solo. The 2018 documentary explores the way that the river, the adventurer, and the country have changed in the interval between Harris’s voyages. This free event will take place in the UCPL auditorium

This program is part of the 2026 Adult Summer Reading Big Book Challenge. The project is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the Missouri State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State.

We’re excited to announce that the 2026 Adult Summer Reading Big Book Challenge will feature  Mississippi Solo by Eddy Harris and Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain. Although published more than a century apart, both books combine elements of memoir, travelogue, and cultural commentary as the authors recount their experiences on the mighty Mississippi River.
     Over the summer, we’ll explore these classic adventures in monthly discussions, supplemented by a fantastic line-up of lectures and cultural programming. Participants can pick up their books and reading guides any time on Wednesday, May 27 by stopping by the circulation desk, and the program will officially kick off at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 3 with a keynote presentation by Mississippi Solo author Eddy Harris.
     Additional programs include a screening of Harris’s documentary River to the Heart; a field trip to explore the riverboat era of Mark Twain at the Missouri Historical Society Library & Research Center on Wednesday; and a family-friendly performance of Cajun and Creole music by the Southside Creole Playboys.
     For more information on all of our summer reading programs, visit the Adult Summer Reading page. If you’re interested in participating, please fill out this (very) brief RSVP so we know how many books and other materials we’ll need.
     Finally, we would be remiss if we didn’t add our thanks to the Library Services and Technology Act, which is appropriated by Congress and administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Missouri Secretary of State, which makes this program possible. We can’t wait to read with you!