Are you joining The Great American Read?

THE GREAT AMERICAN READ, an eight-episode documentary, premieres Tuesday, May 22 on PBS. The series explores the power of reading as told through the nation’s 100 best-loved novels (chosen in a national survey).

Chapters Bookshop is participating in the months-long event by offering 10 percent off books included on the Top 100 list. We’re also giving away buttons and bookmarks. More activities and specials will be announced so return to our blog or follow us on Instagram and Facebook for updates.

In addition to the documentary series and Top 100 list, the PBS event also includes a Facebook book club and online voting for the coveted No. 1 spot. According to its website, The Great American Read investigates how and why writers create their fictional worlds, how we as readers are affected by these stories, and what these 100 different books have to say about our diverse nation and our shared human experience.

The television series features entertaining and informative documentary segments, with compelling testimonials from celebrities, authors, notable Americans and book lovers across the country. It is comprised of a two-hour launch episode in which the list of 100 books is revealed, five one-hour theme episodes that examine concepts common to groups of books on the list, and a finale, in which the results are announced of a nationwide vote to choose America’s best-loved book.

The series is the centerpiece of an ambitious multi-platform digital, educational and community outreach campaign, designed to get the country reading and passionately talking about books.

Voting will open online and on social media with the launch of the two-hour premiere episode and continue throughout the summer, leading up to the finale in October 2018. Over the summer, viewers can vote online and through hashtag voting via Facebook and Twitter. In the fall, viewers will also be able to cast their votes by using SMS and toll-free voting.