‘World Book Night’ is set to take place on Saturday 5th March 2011, an inspired nationwide event when one million books will be given away by an army of bookworms. The volunteers will each have fifty copies of their chosen book (from a selection of twenty-five) to distribute to strangers on the street and people who may not normally have such easy access to the wonderful world of literature.
What struck me was the range of books on offer for the twenty-thousand enthusiasts to hand out. Not the usual Austen and Dickens collection, but a variety of modern classics and very recently published works. Often neglecting reading until bed-time when I typically read two pages and then nod off, I can only triumph one of the twenty-five, suggested to me by my big brother last year.
One Day by David ‘Starter for Ten’ Nicholls is a beautiful, funny and heartbreaking story about Dexter and Emma and how their lives progress after spending a night together on their graduation, checking in on them for the next twenty years on the same day, wherever they may be. Reading this as I was coming to the end of my time at university made it incredibly poignant and I am eagerly anticipating Hollywood’s adaptation due for release later this year. Directed by Lone Scherfig, with Nicholls in charge of the screenplay, and starring two of the best young actors around - Jim Sturgess and Anne Hathaway - this looks set to be a real treat.
In this rapidly advancing technological world we live in, it fills me with joy to think that there is a mass of people who, like me, will always believe you just can’t beat a good book.
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