Normally I'm pretty sceptical when an email arrives and it tells me that I've won something like the jackpot in the Djibouti Lottery or that I've been selected as a beneficiary of a wealthy Mongolian prince's will.
So it was a thoroughly nice surprise when I received an email on Thursday evening telling me that I had been selected for an actual real-life thing that is actually real. As part of World Book Night, the marvellous Mary Kent at Nemea Designs is kindly giving me a copy of Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. (No, not Peep Show David Mitchell.)
Twenty-five titles were selected for World Book Night and tonight forty thousand copies of each are being given away by twenty thousand 'givers'. That's one million books and I feel pretty privileged to be one of the million people who have been chosen to receive special numbered editions. Each book that is given away contains a ten digit number so that its journey can be tracked. When I've read the book I'll give it to somebody else so it can continue on its way. The next reader can then register the book on the World Book Night website and its little adventure will be charted for all to see. Isn't that just lovely?
Tonight BBC2 have a whole evening of World Book Night programmes starting at 7.30pm.
I'd like to say a big thank you to Mary for choosing me to be a recipient of Cloud Atlas. I look forward to reading it and I shall let you all know what I think of it when I've done so.
