Alert Janeite Nan sent a press release with the comment, “How cool is this?” We say, pretty darn cool!

Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade will make an appearance at Miami Dade College’s Wolfson Campus on Thursday, April 13, 2006, at 6:30 p.m. to discuss Pride and Prejudice with the Heat’s announcer; the event is a celebration of Penguin’s newly-packaged classics and a promotion of reading and literacy. If you buy a copy of one of the Penguin books available, you’ll get a copy of the poster pictured here, featuring Mr. Wade reading from P&P. (If anyone from Penguin is reading this–the Editrix would LOVE one! *cough cough*)

From the press release:

The project began when Penguin Classics and the NBA asked Wade to help celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Penguin Classics and NBA Cares “Read to Achieve” Literacy Initiative by choosing a classic title. Wade selected Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice as his favorite Penguin Classic.

“I’ve read Pride and Prejudice a couple of times,” Wade explained. “It’s one of my favorite books, which usually surprises people. I guess they wonder how a love story from Regency England could be relevant to a 21st century basketball player from the Southside of Chicago. Class struggle, overcoming stereotypes and humble beginnings, getting out of your own way and letting love take over: these are things I can relate to, definitely.”

We LOVE this guy!!!

Other NBA stars chose some great books as well: Siddhartha by Herman Hesse, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, and Narrative of My Life as a Slave by Frederick Douglass.

The event is free and open to the public; seating is first come, first served. Check out the press release for details.

ETA: Alert Janeite Robyn wrote to tell us that the Penguin Classics US Web site has an expanded quote from Dwyane and a PDF of the poster so you can print it yourself.