““You have to have somebody to hang onto,” Dr. Seyfarth said. “A friend gives you an element of predictability and certainty, and you can use that to buffer you against all the things you don’t have control over. There’s a biochemical component to this.”
A familiar friend calms and equilibrates, mops up the cortisol spills that can weaken the immune system, and in so doing may help lengthen life — in baboons, humans and other group-minded kinds. “Yes, having coffee with friends is good for you,” Dr. Silk said, “and we should all do it often.”
You look gorgeous. Have a cookie. Now tell me what’s on your mind.”
World Book Night is a celebration of reading and books which sees tens of thousands of passionate volunteers gift books in their communities to share their love of reading.1,000,000 books are given out in total - half of these are donated directly to hospitals, prisons and care homes, and the other half go to the Givers to distribute amongst individuals in their communities.
In 2012 World Book Night will be celebrated in the UK, Ireland, Germany and USA on April 23.
How does World Book Night work?
25 titles are specially chosen and printed in their thousands in World Book Night editions. Giversapply to give away a particular book (you get a first, second and third choice) which they must commit to give away to those who don’t regularly read to share and spread their love of reading. Each Giver receives 24 copies which they pick up from their local bookshops and libraries - the very heart of our reading communities - in the week before April 23.
The greatest reading journeys start when you put a book in to someone’s hand and say ‘this one’s amazing, you have to read it’ and by applying to be a giver you can help World Book Night give that experience to a million new readers on April 23.
It is difficult to quantify the value of reading on people’s lives, especially given the shocking statistics in the UK that outlines that one person in six struggles to read and write. Poor skills compromise health and well-being, confidence and employability. World Book Night’s charitable mission is to advance the education of the public by assisting in the promotion of literacy and the celebration of books and reading by creating unique moments which focus attention on adult literacy. By focusing on the enjoyment and engagement of reading we aim to reach and inspire those who have never discovered the value of reading.
One of the ways in which we aim to promote literacy amongst communities is through a partnership with a charity called Lemos and Crane. In working with this charity, World Book Night 2012 has been able to donate 100,000 gift books to prisons across the UK. The gift books are discussed by prisoners in reading groups and swapped amongst themselves, reawakening books and giving within this community. WBN gives prisoners an escape into fiction and the chance to explore the outside world in fiction while inside a prison, it gives them a piece of property which is theirs to own and pass on as they wish, and it fuels debates that are not about prison, crime and justice- another form of escape from prison life.
By applying to be a Giver, you too can help individuals to discover the incredible experience of reading. A Giver or reading ambassador can help others explore and expand their intellectual curiosity and imagination, just by placing a book in their hand.Why April 23rd?
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, the great Spanish novelist. It is in their honour that UNESCO appointed it the international day of the book and that we choose it to celebrate 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 Castille 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. Considering the rich literary history of this day, it seemed more than fitting that April 23rd should be chosen as the day of celebrating reading and the giving of books!
Please, all I want right now is a whole lotta stank cheese, cheesecake, and 10 Things I Hate About You. Con el vino, por supuesto.
(Imma come back with pitchas of cheese)
edit: THIS is what I want
