World Book Night

I’m going to have some fun today.  I’m an official World Book Night book giver.

World Book Night is an annual celebration designed to spread a love of reading and books. To be held in the U.S. as well as the U.K. and Ireland on April 23, 2012. It will see tens of thousands of people go out into their communities to spread the joy and love of reading by giving out free World Book Night paperbacks.

World Book Night, through social media, traditional publicity and book givers like me, will promote the value of reading, of printed books, and of bookstores and libraries to everyone.

Successfully launched in the U.K. in 2011, World Book Night is celebrated today in the U.S. with more countries to come in future years. April 23 is UNESCO’s World Book Day, chosen due to the anniversary of Cervantes’ death.  In case your knowledge of literary history is a little rusty, he is the author of Don Quixote, the book considered to be the first modern European novel.  It also corresponds to  Shakespeare’s birth and death.

I’m excited to be part of the inaugural US World Book Night.  I’ll on the 16th Street Mall in downtown  Denver giving away 100 copies of The Book Thief, one of my favorite novels.  I’ll get there about 10:00 am.  If you’re in Denver, please stop by and get a free copy of The Book Thief.  The weather is going to be great.

Keep reading and learning.

Bud