INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE BOOK

"Read, read, read."

William Faulkner 

(American writer)

A celebration of ...

... books and ...

... reading.

 World Book Day ( also known as International Day of the Book) is an event celebrated on 23 April every year, organized by UNESCO to promote reading, publishing and copyright. The day was first celebrated in 1995 in the USA.

The connection between 23 April and bookswas first made in 1993 by booksellers in Spain as a way to honour the Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes who died on that day.





This became a part of the celebrations of the Saint George's Day in Catalonia, where it has been traditional since the medieval era for men to give roses to their lovers and since 1925 for the woman to give a book in exchange.



In 1995, UNESCO decided that the World Book Day would be celebrated on this date because of the anniversary of the deaths of the best writers of all times, William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes.

 Thanks to the books...

                            "We know what we are, 
                 but we do not know what we may be."
                             William Shakespeare
                                                    
                                            &

                                                                               "We know that to be prepared 
                                                                                         is half the victory."
                                                                                     Miguel de Cervantes

* * * * * *

By the way, talking about books...

Did you know a phenomenon called 

"BOOKCROSSING"

BookCrossing is the "practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others, who then do the same thing". The term is derived from bookcrossing.com, a free online book club which started in order to encourage the practice of "crossing or exchanging of books", aiming to "make the whole world a library".

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

check out http://www.bookcrossing.com/  

 Here you are a short video about BookCrossing produced by EFE - TV.( In Spanish)

SPANISH VERSION.-

El "BookCrossing" es un movimiento cuyo objetivo es convertir el mundo en una biblioteca global. Está orientado a fomentar la lectura y promueve que se dejen (liberen) los libros en lugares públicos, formando poco a poco  un club anónimo de lectores que comparten gratuitamente su afición a la lectura con la idea de que con el tiemppo se sumen más personas a la cadena lectora.

Más información en:
http://www.bookcrossing-spain.com/

* * * * *

Just to finish, let's celebrate this World Book Day 2011

with a pair of Quotations and a couple of pieces of advice:

2 Quotations:

1.- A Quotation for Teachers:

"We should not teach great books;

We should teach a love of reading".

B.F.Skinner 

2.- A Quotation for Students:

"I find television very educating.

Every time somebody turns on the set, 

I go into the other room and read a book".

Groucho Marx

&


2 Pieces of Advice:

1.-  Relax and Enjoy Reading:

2.- Take Care of Books:

                              ... Enjoy reading !!

Remember the opening words,

by W. Faulkner:

"Read, read, read"