Britons Take to Books on National Reading Group Day

LONDON, June 24, 2011 -

Reading Groups Celebrate First Annual
Event on Saturday 25th June

Avid readers around the country will be flocking to their local
independent bookshops for discussion groups, author events and
lunches, to celebrate National Reading Group Day, (NRGD) tomorrow,
Saturday 25^th June.

The day is part of Independent Booksellers Week (IBW) and
demonstrates what the ‘indies’ do best - creating and supporting
their local community. Reading groups have enjoyed a
resurgence in recent years, encouraged by local independent
bookshops who host, and in many cases run, local reading groups.
 Many are well-established, while others are being launched on
NRGD itself.

As well as author-led talks and discussion groups, activities
include competitions and even a world record attempt.  

A visit by Dawn French to a reading group is being offered as
first prize in a major national competition, launched tomorrow,
Saturday. The competition is open to all reading groups in the
UK who are invited to enter by explaining, in 30 words or
less, why Dawn should come to their reading group.  The
competition celebrates the paperback publication this month of
Dawn’s No.1 bestseller, A Tiny Bit Marvellous.  
More information is available at href="www.readinggroups.org/dawnfrench">www.readinggroups.org/dawnfrench.

More unusual initiatives include the launch of a world record
attempt for the largest ever reading group.   The attempt by
The Big Green Bookshop, Wood Green, London,   takes place on
30^th July and will be made by joining people nationwide
using social networking sites, a website forum, Skype and video
links. An online discussion will take place from 4pm-8pm, with a
central forum set up for people to share their views.

In addition, a new series of The TV Book Club Summer Read starts
this weekend on More4, giving reading groups the opportunity to
read along with the series.  The programme is offering the
chance for a reading group to watch filming on 19^th July
- more information is available at href="https://62.49.37.27/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=www.readinggroups.org/tvbookclub/">
www.readinggroups.org/tvbookclub/

Note to editors:

• National Reading Group Day is part of Independent Booksellers
  Week, an annual celebration of the ‘the indies’ around the country,
  run by The Booksellers Association.

• The Booksellers Association is working in partnership with The
  Reading Agency’s Reading Groups for Everyone initiative, a central
  database and resource on reading groups.

For further information, please contact: Tracey Jennings, Midas PR, tel: +44(0)20-7361-7860, Email: tracey.jennings at midaspr.co.uk.