A Year of Reading

This sounds like an intriguing idea:

In 2009 I want to spread my love of reading throughout the world. The Year of Readers aims to bring people who enjoy books together to have fun bringing literature into the lives of others. From the 1st January 2009 until 31st of December 2009 I will be running an international read-a-thon that will be open to anyone who reads. It doesn’t matter what kind of books you read or how many you read as long as you’ve got your nose in a book in 2009 you can join in.

It’s an easy concept (which is probably why I thought of it). You pick a literary charity that you want to support in 2009. You sign up to be part of The Year of Readers, get people to sponsor you and just start reading whatever you like. If you’re going to read next year why not join and help a bookish charity at the same time?

Right on, especially if your bookish charity includes a cough nonprofit press, like, I don’t know, a press that only publishes and promotes literature in translation and accepts donations via the link below.

But seriously, this is an intriguing idea and reminds me of a cross between summer reading programs at public libraries (which I remember fondly, although I never placed well, since at a young age I was already addicted to long books) and walk-a-thons.

Anyway, if you’re interested in participating, you can do so by visiting this page.