Slightly Foxed

Another excellent place with whom we have an affinity--Slightly Foxed-- has written very warmly about us. Thank you, Slightly Foxed. And all good things to you in the New Year.

The Reader org

The excellent Reader org has blogged about Give a Book. Thank you so much. They have a saying on their website: "You need it, you just don't need it." We're sure we have a natural affinity.

Give a Book for Christmas

The always admirable National Literacy Trust has just published one of their dismaying reports about declining literacy standards and the correlation between literacy and having books in the home. 1 in 3 UK homes have no books. That's 3.8 million children who don't have a book of their own. We can all help them in their work to change this by going here to help give the gift of reading for Christmas.

'Every printed page is a swinging door,' David Gascoyne

‘Every printed page is a swinging door’ David Gascoyne

“While every printed page is a swinging door/ Through which one can pass in either of two directions/ On one’s way towards oblivion.” From David Gascoyne, “Elegiac Improvisations on the Death of Paul Eluard” quoted by James Fergusson for his catalogue of books from the library of David & Judy Gascoyne

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/jul/03/david-gascoyne-poetry-kate-middleton

Blake Morrison on The Healing Power of Reading

There's a wonderful article by Blake Morrison published in The Guardian in 2008 on The Healing Power of Reading.

Florence Nightingale and Reading Rooms

Florence Nightingale introduced reading rooms into hospitals. As important as opening the windows.

http://www.superstock.com/stock-photos-images/995-103116

http://www.florence-nightingale.co.uk/cms/index.php/visitor-info

I prefer reading

Lyn at I Prefer Reading kindly blogged about Give a Book in the summer. Great photo on the site and quote too: "Some people say life is the thing, but I prefer reading." Logan Pearsall Smith.

Everyman's Library

Give a Book has received a wonderfully generous donation from Everyman's Library

Thank you to David Campbell and all at Everyman for their support.

Why is reading important?

In his July article (see earlier post) Charles Moore asked "Why is reading important?"

"Read in order to live." Gustave Flaubert, letter to Mlle de Chantepie, June 1857.

Volunteer Reading Help

Give a Book is now working in conjunction with Volunteer Reading Help to give books to children who struggle with literacy. They believe that every child deserves the opportunity to develop to their full potential and literacy is essential to achieving this in both education and in life.

Give a Book to a Child through Give a Book. Every month a special guest suggests a new book to give.

New research, obtained exclusively by The (London) Standard, reveals that one in three children does not have a book of their own at home…

Regular access to books has a direct impact on pupils’ results, irrespective of parents’ own education, occupation and social class, it was claimed in a major study which analysed more than 70,000 people in 27 countries to gauge the effect of family circumstances on educational chances. The report – published in the journal Research in Social Stratification and Mobility – also revealed that having as few as 20 books in the home still had an impact.

The results of this study indicate that getting some books into their homes is an inexpensive way that we can help these children succeed. Even a little bit goes a long way.

Life Wordsmith

Lovely book blogger Life Wordsmith has blogged about us. Here's the link http://lifewordsmith.blogspot.com/2011/10/give-book.html

Thanks for your support, Life Wordsmith.

First Story: how they'll use the books

12-16 books supply a FIRST STORY reading group at one of our schools…This is all super-exciting…

http://www.firststory.org.uk/2011/05/20/give-our-students-a-free-book/

Return to the GIVE A BOOK website http://www.giveabook.org.uk/

Age Concern and Sixty Plus: how they'll use the books

The plan is to use the books in our new Friends and Neighbours project - a little book club, starting with the donated books. This project targets isolated older people with the aim of creating friendship groups….

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/kensingtonandchelsea/news--campaigns/projects/give-a-book/

Return to the GIVE A BOOK website http://www.giveabook.org.uk/

from Maggie's Centres: some quotes about the books

“The first instalment of books has gone down incredibly well. There is something very humanising about being offered a book. People's first reaction is not to believe they are allowed to keep them .. we have to persuade them quite hard that it isn't a library system... then the books have induced round the table chats (we left them in a pile on the kitchen table for a day and explained what they were for.. ) most people hadn't read the selection or only knew a bit about them but the fact they look so new and nice makes them very enticing.

There is also a sense of being surprised by the books. You are so overwhelmed by cancer literature both in hospitals and because kind meaning friends give cancer books to you that it is so nice to be given a book that has nothing to do with your illness but is for you as a person.“

“When you're undergoing cancer treatment you can suddenly find yourself with a lot of time on your hands. Being given a book is one of the best ways I know to escape the reality of everyday and move into another world.”

“Books are the best gifts and to walk into Maggie's and find a whole rich selection to chose from made my day .. “

http://www.maggiescentres.org/newspublications/latest_news/give_a_book.html

Return to the GIVE A BOOK website http://www.giveabook.org.uk/

WONDERFUL ARTICLE

A good book offers the ultimate escape

It's not easy to explain why reading is so important, writes Charles Moore

"It is not easy to explain to people who don't do it exactly why reading matters not only functionally, but deeply. I think it relates to George Herbert's definition of prayer – "something understood". In our culture, that something is now less understood than at any time since before the invention of the printing press."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/8629159/A-good-book-offers-the-ultimate-escape.html

FIRST ORDER!