Jonathan Dodd‘s latest column. Guest opinion articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the publication. Ed
Every now and then someone comes up with a truly original and astounding idea. One such is Jamie Byng, who runs a publishing house called Cannongate. Apart from publishing The Life of Pi and becoming Publisher of the Year in 2003, he had a beautiful and wonderful idea which became World Book Night.
Like all great ideas, it’s really simple. Each year since 2011, he persuades twenty authors to donate 25,000 copies of one of their books free of royalties, to be printed and given to 20,000 volunteers in batches of 24. On, or close to, April 23rd, those volunteers give their books away, wherever they think people would benefit from such a gift.
A book for a rose – fair exchange
Why April 23rd? It’s the UNESCO International Day of the Book, in honour of the day in 1616 when Shakespeare and Cervantes, who wrote Don Quixote, both died. There’s also a tradition in Barcelona on San Jordi Day, when men are supposed to give their women a rose, and receive a book in return. So far World Book Night has spread to the U.S.A. and Germany.
Each volunteer chooses their favourite title and author, and offers their enthusiasm and time along with the actual book. They go to hospitals or leave them in parks or stations, or select homeless people or other disadvantaged groups, wherever they feel that the joy and excitement of reading could do with a boost.
People love books
This is a small thing and a huge thing at the same time. An organisation and website have to be created. Half a million books are specially printed, packaged and distributed, 20,000 volunteers have to collect them and hand them out, and special events are organised all over the country, all because people love books and reading. Passionately.
This year I gave away twenty copies of A Little History of the World, a book originally written in Germany in the Thirties by a graduate called E H Gombrich, specially commissioned to tell the whole story of the world in a way that children, and therefore adults, can enjoy and understand without being patronised or bored to death. It’s wonderful, and it even starts with these words – ‘Once Upon a Time…’
Exhausted but happy
I gave my copies away in the Farmer’s Market in Ryde last Saturday, where Ryde Library set up a ‘Pop-Up Library’, and we offered free books and library membership and information about library services to people out shopping for vegetables and meat. It was wonderful, especially as it was the first properly sunny day of the year.
We managed to sign up lots of new members, and gave away at least 250 books. It was fantastic. If you’ve received a World Book Night, I hope you enjoy it and pass it on. I’ll also be running a quiz at Ryde Library this Friday with Fish and Chips. By the time you read this I’ll be lying down somewhere, exhausted but happy.
It gives me hope
Times are hard. Publishers are having a difficult time, sales are down, there isn’t anything like so much spare cash anywhere. On the face of it, the decision to give away half a million books seems ridiculous. But even though publishers have to be hard-nosed, they retain that spark of enthusiasm and delight that allows them to co-operate enough to give away books on the simple assumption and hope that they will be read and enjoyed. I like that. It gives me hope.
I haven’t seen any figures for this, but I suspect that there may even be some economic sense in it too, apart from simple altruism. The idea is that some people out there might enjoy their free book so much that they decide to read some more. The half-million free books might just turn into a million more books being sold.
An even greater bard
On April 23rd my favourite Hovertravel person checked my ticket and wished me a happy St George’s Day. I wished him a happy World Book Night and Shakespeare’s Birthday in return. He thought about it briefly and came back with this great joke.
‘You know that Shakespeare is supposed to be a great bard? Well, I’m an even greater bard than him. I’ve been barred from the Feathers, the Plough, the Ship, the Coach and Horses…’
Thanks for that Laurie. It made my day.
If you have been, thank you for reading this.
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Image: Garry Knight under CC BY 2.0
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Image: Ell Brown under CC BY 2.0
