American Sniper Selected for Big Library Read

CLEVELAND, OH - For a two week period, American Sniper will be available for millions of readers worldwide in the largest digital book club through libraries. Big Library Read, facilitated by OverDrive, is a program that connects readers around the world with the same eBook and audiobook at the same time. There will be no waitlists for this popular book. Starting March 17, for two weeks, readers across the globe can borrow the eBook and audiobook, American Sniper, the bestselling memoir of U.S. Navy Seal Chris Kyle and participate in a worldwide digital version of a local book club.

To find a participating library near you, visit www.overdrive.com.

American Sniper is a story of firsthand loss and Chris's heroic story was turned into an Oscar nominated film starring Bradley Cooper. Chris Kyle was a decorated war hero recording the most career sniper kills in United States military history. In this book, Chris writes honestly about the pain of war including the deaths of two close SEAL teammates. In moving first-person passages throughout, his wife, Taya, speaks openly about the strains of war on their family, as well as on Chris.

"Chris didn't write this book for recognition, he wrote it so he could put his flaws on the table," said Taya Kyle, Chris Kyle's widow. "Each member of our military has different opportunities and experiences but this is a common story that is felt by anyone who serves in any way. He wrote this book to give recognition to those he served next to and those who lost their lives."

Chris and Taya's remarkable story has captivated millions. In a recent podcast interview with OverDrive, Taya discussed the emotional core of the book: how their love and faith survived years of war and how they handled the transition when Chris came back from service. "Marriage, adulthood and life can be so hard for all of us, but if we can simplify it there is so much happiness that can come from it. I always say, if you were given one pair of shoes for the rest of your life, wouldn't you take such good care of those shoes? That's the way we need to look at marriage," said Taya. The full interview can be found on OverDrive's podcast.

Big Library Read kicks off March 17th and concludes on March 31. It's a free program and to get started reading, all that is needed is a valid library card or student ID from one of the thousands of OverDrive-powered libraries. American Sniper can be read on all computers and mobile devices, including iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets, Chromebook and Kindle [U.S. Libraries only]. The digital book will automatically expire at the end of the lending period. Readers can join in an ongoing discussion at www.biglibraryread.com to share their thoughts about the book.

To find a participating library near you, visit www.overdrive.com.

About OverDrive
OverDrive is the leading digital distribution platform, supplying the industry's largest catalog of eBooks, audiobooks, streaming video and periodicals to 34,000 libraries, schools and retailers worldwide. We support all major computers and devices, including iOS, Android, Chromebook and Kindle (U.S. only). OverDrive delivers all digital media on a single platform, and offers innovations such as OverDrive Read, the breakthrough EPUB and HTML5 browser-based reading experience, and Read-Along eBooks. Founded in 1986, OverDrive is based in Cleveland, Ohio USA and is owned by Tokyo-based Rakuten. For more information, visit www.overdrive.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and our blog.

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