I say this a lot, but so many of these days I’ve written about feel to me like they are just “Saturday” (or whatever day it is).  This is another one. One day to celebrate books and book lovers? Ridiculous!

Honestly, I think what we really need is a Book Conversion Day, where nonreaders are required to plonk down and absorb some pages of their choice. Who knows what kind of magic might arise from the confluence of literature and the nonliterary-minded? Society could benefit!

One of the funnier moments on my last book publication pimping effort was when I was sitting in a local bookstore and a guy came up and asked me what the book was about. After I told him and he got very engaged in my story, he goes, “But I dunno. I’m not much of a reader,” and after another few exchanges where I suggested short chapters or reading in the bathroom, he wandered off. All I could think was, Sir, why are you even in a bookstore? 

So maybe Book Conversion Day would be too much like forced labor and have a detrimental effect. Book Lovers it is, then.

One of the ways the experts suggest celebrating this day is to visit your local library. I endorse this. Another way is to “record a video of you reading a story for a child in your life.” I don’t know why we need a video of that. It feels like that is defeating the purpose. Just FaceTime them, or go to their house, or whatever.

The final suggestion is to randomly give a book to someone. I will do that one. Y’all better watch out! Incoming!