LEWISTON – The Lewiston-Auburn libraries are encouraging everyone to spend less time in front of televisions and computers and instead read a book, specifically “Fahrenheit 451.”

Lewiston-Auburn is part of The Big Read, a nationwide movement encouraging reading and critical thinking beginning March 5 and continuing into April.

The Big Read is being promoted by the National Endowment for the Arts. Students will read the book in school, and entire communities – relatives, friends, co-workers and students – are urged to read the same book then talk about it.

Through events readers will discuss what they read and reflect on how the book is relevant to today’s society.

Lewiston-Auburn events range from a debate about the First Amendment at Bates College to a “Fahrenheit 451” film at Flagship Cinema in Auburn to book discussions at the Lewiston and Auburn public libraries.

The event starts with a Big Read: L-A Kickoff at 6:30 p.m. March 5 at Festival Plaza in Auburn. The kickoff will feature a light-hearted drama of firefighters rescuing books from a bonfire. Lewiston Mayor Larry Gilbert and Auburn Mayor John Jenkins will be on hand. Edward Little and Lewiston high schools bands and choruses will also.

Ray Bradbury’s novel “Fahrenheit 451” depicts a society where critical thinking is suppressed and books are burned by firefighters. Meanwhile, citizens sit by in a drug-induced, media-saturated indifference. The central character, Guy Montag, is a firefighter who burns books and begins to doubt he’s doing the right thing. The number 451 in the title refers to the Fahrenheit temperature at which paper spontaneously combusts.

“Fahrenheit 451” has been required reading in many schools, considered a literary classic and a best seller.

Auburn and Lewiston library directors recommend the book, which is 179 pages.

Auburn’s Rosemary Waltos said how the mass media and technology works in the book’s society “is so today.”

Lewiston’s Richard Speer liked the transformation of the book’s main character. It’s about a firefighter trying to live his life and earn a living. “All of a sudden when he sees a woman who chooses to be destroyed along with her books, it gets him thinking that maybe what his life is all about isn’t that great,” Speer said. “It’s very real, very believable. To see that person change and how important culture and books and reading become to him is pretty powerful.”

“Fahrenheit 451” was chosen from among 16 books offered by the National Education Association.

Lewiston and Auburn libraries have been encouraging a communitywide read of one book since 2003, which used to be called One Community, One Book.

This year, the effort received a big infusion from the National Education Association, which gave the libraries a $7,000 grant to promote communitywide reading. Lewiston-Auburn is one of 127 communities in the nation participating, Speer said.