Members of Athlone Literary Festival will be on hand to dole out free books in Athlone next Tuesday April 23.
As part of World Book Day members of the public in Athlone might just be handed a free book between 7-8pm on Tuesday!
Titles this year include The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry, The Girl With The Pearl Earring by Tracey Chevalier, and Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? by Jeannette Winterson.
The aim of World Book Night is to raise the profile of reading through a mass engagement project, to improve literacy, and to bring communities together.
Next Tuesday, 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. So if you’re strolling across the town bridge next Tuesday and someone offers you a free book - read it and enjoy it.
“I love the idea of giving away books for free, it adds to the accessibility of good literature and also adds a bit of exciting atmosphere in the town which is exactly what Athlone Literary Festival stands for! It will be great fun watching people’s reactions when we give them the books, it’s not often you get something for free, and the books are all quality reads,” said Fionnuala O’Connell of Athlone Literary Festival.
