World Book Night

 by Alan Wilkinson

 World book Night is tonight on 23/04/2013 On the 07/04/2013 we had World Book Day and as night follows day we now have World Book Night

World Book Night  is tonight so everyone can queue up at their library for a designated book and a cup of Horlicks-or hot chocolate-strictly no booze, you buy that yourself-it impairs  reading pleasure ,who can read Gone Girl  while lying in a ditch in a drunken stupor?

Seriously World Book Night  is a celebration of reading and books when thousands of passionate volunteers gift specially chosen and printed books in their communities to share their love of reading with the unread.

The website says “it’s about people, communities  reaching out to others and touching lives in the simplest of ways, through the sharing of stories.”

Or is it middle class intellectuals foisting their pretensions and prejudices on the largely uninterested!

  To be fair it has worthwhile purpose in spreading the reading of books-even if in twenty years’ time such an endeavour may seem relevant,in the way its relevant  keeping steam trains working

What happens? Each year 20,000 volunteers hand out 20 copies of their favourite from 20 books chosen by an independent editorial committee. Oh no

Members of the public sign up, giving  away their chosen book with information on where, to whom and why they want to give their books. They inscribe the first page with their name,  the bookshop or library name and a unique identifying number so  each book can be tracked

In addition the mysterious World Book Knight distributes 100,000 books through the schemes partners ,libraries and bookshops; to the hardest to reach potential readers in prisons, care homes, hospitals, sheltered and the homeless and through partner charities  throughout the UK.

Hundreds of events take place across the country on April 23 to celebrate books and reading.To actually place books into the hands of those who don’t read is incredibly personal, peer to peer encouragement of potential readers

April 23 is a symbolic date for world literature. It is both the birth and death day of Shakespeare, as well as the death day of Cervantes. In their honour UNESCO appointed it the international day of the book and that is why it was chosen as World Book Night. April 23rd also marks the city of Barcelona's celebration of St George's Day. St George is the patron saint of Catalonia as well as England and traditionally, to celebrate this day, Spanish gentlemen gave their ladies roses and the ladies returned the favour with a book. If you can think of any other reason why April 23^rd is a good day for World Book Night, please email the committee, they seem to want as many reasons as possible no matter how tenuous to celebrate on this day