Wednesday 2 March 2011

World Book Night

OK, so this parcel didn't actually come through my letter box, I carried it through the door - OK, Martin carried it through the door, but it's an exciting project and I wanted to share the news.

World Book Night is this Saturday - 5th March.  20,000 volunteers were chosen to give away 1 million books - I was lucky enough to be chosen and I also got my first choice of book - Nigel Slater's Toast.  One of my very favourite books, I read it when it was first published and also watched the drama on TV over Christmas.

I collected my box of 48 copies of Toast on Saturday from Gainsborough Library.  As I work in the voluntary sector I have lots of groups that I can pass the books on to.  My friend is an outreach worker for AGE UK and she is going to give some to her clients.   We are also having a fundraising event at the office - to raise funds for our local Hostel for the homeless and I'm going to give some away then.

There has been much debate about World Book Night online - some authors and independent booksellers don't agree with it at all, they feel that by giving away books the booksellers will lose out.  I am thinking much more optimistically about it and hoping that more people may be encouraged to buy a book after reading their free copy.  Heres hoping anyway.  I do think though, in these troubled times it will be lovely to give and receive something for free.

5 comments:

  1. Hello Anne,
    You made it!
    Good to see you up and running.

    I have mixed thoughts about world book night.
    If giving books away will get people to start reading then it has to be good.

    I am not sure I like the format of giving 50 of one book away.
    I would have applied if we were given 50 assorted books.
    I could not see how I could find 50 people that would be interested in the same book.
    A variety would have been easier to give to male/female friends and acquaintances, etc.

    carol

    http://dizzycslittlebookblog.blogspot.com/

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  2. How do you go about getting a free book, or is it something you have to sign up for in advance? I've heard of world book day before but don't really know anything about it. Arlene :)

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  3. Hi Arlene.
    The people who are Givers had to apply to World Book Night and wait to see if they were successful.
    Books will be given away randomly by the givers.
    I will save a copy of Toast and post it to you x

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  4. Ooh thanks Anne! :)

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  5. I also gave away Toast by Nigel Slater and have a few copies left for fellow book addicts!

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