I forgot that September happened - admittedly, it wasn't a very exciting month and not much happened. And if it did, I've already forgotten. But I promised Viviane and Pat to blog about World Book Night which happened years ago on April 23, Bill Shakespear's birthday.
I'd heard about it on Steve Wright's show (although it could have been Simon Mayo - the radio programmes seem to run into each other when you're having fun) when Andrea Levy came in to talk about her book 'Small Island' which was one of the many books that got distributed on WBN 2012.
What happens?
Well, if you're interested, you sign up and register to be a giver of books. You see the list of books that are going to be given away that year and if you are successful, receive 24 copies of the book that you'd like to give away to people who don't read much. A bit like God-bothering, really, only harder. Guessing who doesn't and who does read is not that easy in many places but in Crewe it is a cross between the two. When I tried to entice people I would either get a confused reply "Polish" or "I have a Kindle." Show-offs who do not appreciate the workmanship that goes into creating a book. I've never understood how people can dismiss that lovely feeling of turning over a page with preference to scrolling down.
Anyway, still feeling pretty new to the country I decided to settle for a pub - the Belgian pub, 'Hops' and distribute my books from there over a beer or too many. I managed to slur my way through the evening and wasn't really aware of who I gave books to in the end. I just remember that the 24th book went to the lovely man in the kebab shop near home as we stopped to pick up some chips to soak up some of the alcohol.
He really appeared to appreciate the book but that was seen through beer goggles.
His chips were bloody good though.
