While the origins of National Book Lovers Day are shrouded in mystery, the observation guidelines are pretty clear. On August 9, bookworms across the world take a moment to emerge from behind their book covers, log onto social media and talk all things ~literary.~ Wanna join them? Here's how to celebrate #BookLoversDay, according to Twitter.
When #BookLoversDay began making the headline rounds around 2009, folks immediately began glomming onto the idea of a day dedicated not to a particular author, or publisher, or genre, or even skill level. All that was needed is a fervent appreciation for the written word. Truly, that was it.
The national book holiday has caught on in recent years, with the accompanying hashtag #BookLoversDay trending on Twitter and garnering hundreds of thousands of tweets. And the popularity of such a simply, straightforward "holiday" - there are no major campaigns, no observation rules - speaks to the sense of community books inspire within us. Because there's nothing better than discovering a story, diving deep into someone else's words, coming up for air a new person - and then finding other people who experienced the exact same transformation.
The world may feel deeply overwhelming and problems too severe and too painful to solve. But communication between one another, understanding how other people live and think and feel, is at the core of solving so many issues. And books, in their wildly diverse glory, are a great start. So let's celebrate how much we love to celebrate #BookLoversDay - and celebrate by picking up a book, opening the front cover and starting anew.
Well, For Starters You Could Buy A Book
Of note: Melville House's emphasis on paying a bookstore. A brick and mortar, physical, in the community, staffed-by-booksellers bookstore.
And You Could Make That Book-Buying Process An Act of Intention
It's no secret that there's a diversity problem among the major publishing houses in the United States. And while bookshelves may sometimes be dominated by white men writing about white experiences, check out this list of new books by women of color or perhaps this roundup of books by indie publishers for some inspiration.
If Buying A Book Isn't Financially Possible, Support Your Local Libraries and Snag A Library Card Instead
Public libraries have been an American tradition since the 1830s, when the first collection was donated by Benjamin Franklin; by 1920, there were more than 3,500 public libraries, allowing readers of all ages, of any background, of any reading level, to explore the world through literature.
Hey, While You're At It, Maybe You Could Even Learn to Repair An Old Book
This process is my ASMR. I'm so heckin' zen right now.
And Commiserate About the Identifying Features of a Consummate "Book Lover"
If I go missing for a few days, just check under the rubble of my toppled "To Be Read" pile.
Then... Read It. Your Book. Read Your Book.
The "not falling asleep" is particularly important, though studies have shown that reading before bed (as opposed to opening and closing Instagram in an endless loop) can have positive effects on your ability to sleep soundly.
While Reading, Do A Bit of Thinking About The Politics of Publishing
In 2010, a study by Attributor, an online content monitoring firm, determined that book piracy sites cost the publishing industry nearly $3 billion - about 10 percent of their total revenue.
And while there is absolutely something to be said about the democratizing of literature, in order to keep writing, authors need to be able to make a living from their work. That's the reality. And that's who ultimately suffers when you download that free ebook from a pirating site.
And Give Thanks to Everyone Whose Hard Work Went Into That Little Rectangle of Word Jumble
So many people contribute to the creation of a book: writers, agents, booksellers, librarians, editors, printers, cover artists, publishers, publicists and READERS. It takes a village to tell a story.
And Of Course, Ask Your Friends: What Are YOU Reading Today?
Get book, read book, talk about book, discover nuances about book, repeat.
