Tonight is World Book Night! The 23rd April has been chosen as a particularly auspicious day in the world of literature. Not only is it the date that Shakespeare was born and died (in 1564 and 1616 respectively), but the Spanish novelist Cervantes died on the 23rd April too. In Barcelona, to mark St George’s Day, on, yes, you guessed it, the 23rd April, it is traditional for men to give women a rose and for the ladies to return the gift with a book. You can see why this date was chosen for World Book Night, and why it is also UNESCO’s International Day of the Book!
World Book Night will be marked by events all round the country when the “givers” will hand out free copies of their chosen book. You can see this year’s list of 25 titles here and you can search for events in your area here. If you’re not lucky enough to receive a free book, don’t forget that many of these titles can be borrowed from your SMU Library. There are some good ones featured, both classic and contemporary! Let us know if any of your favourites appear on the list. (Or tell us if there are any books that you hate on there!)
