World Book Night, Year 2

I was ecstatic to be selected for the second year in a row to be a Book Giver on World Book Night and to once again give away one of my favorite novels: Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple. Below is my review originally posted on Goodreads:

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Is it a crime that I am a newly-ordained librarian and I fully admit to judging books by their covers? Probably. However, that is the exact reason I chose to read this novel: I love(d) the cover.
Add in a librarian friend's recommendation that she thinks I'd love the story because of its epistolary format (which is masterful, in my opinion, I must add), and voila! Jumped to the top of my to-read list.

Throw in consistently-outstanding character development, an enviable back-story, a missing-persons mystery, as well as facts and journeys to Antarctica, a magical place you don't tend to hear a whole lot about, and you've got yourself a prize-winning, 5-star novel. 

One of my favorite lines in the book happened to be a parenthetical statement: "This is why you must love life: one day you're offering up your social security number to the Russia Mafia; two weeks later you're using the word calve as a verb."

I mean, right?
The interweaving points of view, the humor, and the quirky characters inspired me to start writing again. Thank you, Maria Semple. I can't wait to read your debut novel, "This One is Mine."

I will end this review with another underlined quote, a P.S. if you will:
"My heart started racing, not the bad kind of heart racing, like, I'm going to die. But the good kind of heart racing, like, Hello, can I help you with something? If not, please step aside because I'm about to kick the shit out of life."



View all my reviews

This time there was no same-name city, wrong state situation box location mix-up (see last year's post: World Book Night). I chose to pick up my box from City Lit Books, a wonderful, independent book store in neighboring Logan Square. They were so kind (both via e-mail and in person when I excitedly picked up my box) and even hosted a reception for all of the Chicago-area givers who used their store as a flagship. Unfortunately, I was out of town and missed it, but I heard it was a lot of fun with great conversation.

This year WBN had a lot of new and exciting features for Givers:

* 3 free audiobooks from audiobooks.com

* a free ebook 

* an essay contest

Below is the essay I submitted for the contest, but you get the pleasure of seeing the visual version, which includes a photo of everyone who got a copy of Bernadette, as well as a short video clip of two girls who called me a "librarian evangelist."

The Librarian Evangelist

"My heart started racing, not the bad kind of heart racing, like, I'm going to die. But the good kind of heart racing, like, Hello, can I help you with something? If not, please step aside because I'm about to kick the shit out of life."

–Maria Semple, Where’d You Go Bernadette

The night before World Book Night, I inched my way towards one of the stoplights at the 6-corner intersection in the Wicker Park neighborhood. Through my windshield I watched a woman attempting to sell StreetWise magazines, a publication that supports and employs Chicago’s homeless community, to hurried passersby in front of a Starbucks. I cringed every time someone ignored her, which was every time.

Twenty-four hours later I approached the same intersection, this time on foot, with a backpack decorated with Book Giver paraphernalia and full of free copies of one of my favorite novels: Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple. 

While walking down Milwaukee Avenue I gave away my first copy to a woman who couldn’t believe the book was free, then to a man walking his dog. 

The third copy went to two girls who said they were roommates and that they would share one copy so I would have more to pass out to others. 

As I crossed North Avenue, I was encouraged to see the same woman from the day before standing there with her stack of StreetWise. I regretted leaving the house without any cash but asked if she would like a free book to read. She seemed hesitant at first, but after I told her about World Book Night and insisted I wanted nothing in return, she took one, shyly smiled, and thanked me in a quiet voice.

I rounded the corner, intent on passing out some of the copies to commuters entering and exiting the Damen el station. I excitedly waved a few of them in the air, while announcing: “Free books! Take your mind off your commute!” No smiles. No eye contact. No takers. I approached a woman unlocking her bike, but she said, “I don’t have time to read! I have two 3-years olds at home!” and a man sifting through a trashcan, who replied, “I would love to read, but I can’t carry anything with me.”

This caught the attention of two girls, leaving a coffee shop next to the station, who waved me over to ask what I was doing. They each enthusiastically took a copy, asked how to become volunteers next year, and deemed me a “librarian evangelist,” after I said I was a librarian always looking for creative ways to get people excited about reading. I will continue to embrace that hilarious title with pride. 

A few steps further south on Damen I asked two more girls, who were walking together, if they would like a free book. While I was talking with them, I noticed that a group of girls inside a bar called Blue Line were watching us, curious about what was happening outside their booth’s window. Soon after, one brave soul ran out onto the blustery sidewalk, asked how she could acquire a book for herself and her friend, who was giving me the “thumbs-up” sign from inside. The best part of this interaction occurred when the girl from the bar said she needed a new book to suggest to her newly-created book club, said she would use Bernadette, and invited the other two, who had been strangers two minutes prior, to join the club! They all exchanged contact information, while I went on my merry way, eager to meet the second half of my recipients. 

            I crossed the street to stroll through Wicker Park and came across a group of teenaged boys. When I asked, “Do you guys like to read?” one of them stopped, a smile creeping across his face. He returned my high five, after I expressed my excitement that he answered “Yeah,” and didn't seem to care that his two buddies had already continued walking on without him. 

        Then I encountered a family visiting Chicago all the way from Germany. The son blushed when he said he’s “not a big reader,” and I said, “Then you’re a perfect candidate!” Eventually I convinced him to take a book, and he kindly said, “I wish you luck!” after I revealed once again that I’m a librarian and when they asked, “Where?” I said, “Nowhere yet, but I actually have an important interview tomorrow!”

            The next three books went to a woman in scrubs, a mother with her young son who said she’s trying to keep up with his impressive reading habit, and another woman, who, due to the train clamor overhead, thought I said I had written the book. I laughed and said, “I wish! But you should still read it. It’s a great, well-written story with a cast of quirky characters.”

            At a nearby bus stop I gave one to a girl coming from her yoga class, rushing to catch the approaching bus, who still happily posed for a photo. When the bus rolled up, I gave another copy to a young musician carrying a guitar, who thanked me in a British accent as he boarded the bus. 

I then stopped in a local Thai restaurant called Penny’s Noodle Shop to order carry-out for later and left knowing one of their servers now has some new reading material to indulge in during his slow shifts. 

My last book went to a couple with an adorable baby standing underneath the blue line tracks. After I described the plot of Bernadette, he joked, "Oh is this like the sequel to Gone Girl? Gone Mom?" A perfect way to end my second year as a Book Giver.

                        *           *           *

Two weeks later I crossed paths with the StreetWise seller again and said, "Hi! Did you get a chance to start the book?" She recognized me then, smiled, and quietly replied, "I haven't read a lot yet, but I like it so far!"

As a future librarian and proponent of free access to information, World Book Night satisfies that inner desire to connect with my community through literature and spread the love of reading one person at a time. I look forward to being a giver again next year for round three! 

(end of submitted essay)

For anyone counting, you may be wondering: She only mentioned 19 people! What happened to the 20th book? Congrats on being observant. The answer: My dear friend, Lindsay, who's been wanting to get back in the habit of reading, is now the proud owner of book #20, after I accidentally left it behind due to changing my mind about in what I was going to carry all of them.

World Book Night!

Before I rave about how amazing World Book Night is, please note that the applications to be a 2014 Book Giver are due by this Sunday, January 5th!
Here is the link for More Information and the APPLICATION.

Now on to my musings...

Two years ago, in World Book Night's inaugural year, I applied to be a Book Giver but didn't make the cut. I don't remember my 3rd choice (but it was probably Hunger Games, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian or The Book Thief), but my first two were:

1) The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
2) The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
(both 5-star favorites, must read if you haven't already)

Last year I eagerly applied again, saying in the short-answer questions that, if chosen, I would give away my 20 books in Wicker Park, and that I wanted to participate because I had officially just become a librarian and wanted to spread the love of reading to neighbors I have never met before, who may have less access to free reading materials.

My top 3 choices:
1) The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
2) Bossypants by Tina Fey
3) Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
(also all 5-star favorites)

This time I got accepted AND got my #1 pick! The next step was choosing a pick-up location. There were limited places in Chicago, so I chose Barrington, since at the time I was commuting to Crystal Lake and could easily swing by there on my way home. Plus, the Barrington Public Library happens to be the backdrop of my earliest memories of being an avid reader and probably the initial seed planted that eventually led to me becoming a librarian 25 years later.

A few days later I received a confirmation of my pick-up location, which just said Barrington Public Library...can you guess where this is going? When I arrived at BPL on pick-up day, I got several confused looks from the librarians behind the circulation desk when I excitedly said I was there to pick up my World Book Night box. Turns out there's a Barrington in New Hampshire, and my books were 1,000 miles away. After a few e-mails back and forth with Amy, their library director, she said they often get holds requests from both Illinois and Rhode Island and offered to mail me my box. The awesome thing about librarians: They're always there to lend a helping hand and to help solve problems. So here's a public shout-out to Amy in NH! She sent me the box, I sent her a thank-you note with a check to reimburse the shipping cost, and I was back in business just in time to participate on April 23.

Except I was sick. And it was raining in Chicago.
A week later, it was bright and sunny, I was over the bug, and I was ready to finally distribute 20 copies of Phantom Tollbooth to other people enjoying the neighborhood. I proudly stuck my "I am a Book Giver" sticker to my shirt and gave one to my friend and fellow librarian, Stephanie, who offered to accompany me.

I felt uncomfortable at first because I realized people probably thought I was trying to pass out religious material (and, let's be honest, I'd be pretending to look the other way too if the roles were reversed), so instead of approaching people on the street and asking if they'd like a free book, I changed my approach to, "This is one of the best children's books, and it's celebrating its 50th anniversary! Want one for free??" We gave one to a pilot, one to a new mom, two to college students, four to a group of elderly women, one to a couple, one to a girl eating lunch in the park, a guy selling fruit, a few train passengers, a few people waiting for the bus, and a man with a dog. Some people were hesitant at first, mostly not believing that there wasn't a catch to the book being free of charge.
I sure hope they all find the book as magical and clever as I did, both at ages 10 and 30.

Me: "I wish I had an endless supply of free books to give away to people!"
Stephanie: "But you do...You work in a library!"

And that, friends, is the summation of why World Book Night and libraries are equally awesome!
Spread the literature love, and become a Book Giver!


Here are some of the portraits I took of the happy new book owners.
Click here to view the full album on Flickr.

At the bus stop on Damen at Milwaukee

At the same bus stop. Notice the previous man in the background is already reading!

Fruit stand on Damen outside the Blue Line station

Last copy went to a man and his dog! I'd like to think he read him the story :-)

My 2014 Top 3, you ask? 
1) Where'd You Go Bernadette? by Maria Semple
2) Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
3) Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky