World Book Night 'will increase book sales'
9th March 2011
The success of World Book Night is likely to increase book sales rather than harming them, authors who took part in the event have claimed.
Last weekend, one million books were handed out around the UK in a mass giveaway intended to stimulate interest in reading and literature in general.
Among the titles being given away was Sarah Waters' Fingersmith, with the author stating that the impact on the bookselling industry is likely to be a positive one, instead of stalling sales like some critics have claimed.
Her comments were echoed by the likes of Margaret Atwood and Alan Bennett, who took part in a public reading in Trafalgar Square and encouraged people to support both bookstores and libraries and spread their love of literature.
Major events also took place in Glasgow and Birmingham and were broadcast by the BBC, with Northern Lights author Philip Pullman telling the corporation that he was 'thrilled' by the concept of World Book Night.
'It's a wonderful idea. It's a very original [concept] and yet it seems so obvious. Give books to people and they enjoy them and go and buy more books,' he said.
The complete list of the 25 titles given away on World Book Night can be found by following this link.