Australians can ‘get lit’ in the true sense in this book lovers’ crawl
If you like visiting bookshops, but don’t always have the time, there’s a big incentive to go next week. From Monday, April 21, book lovers in 16 countries are taking to the streets for the Global Book Crawl. It’s like a pub crawl, but with books instead of drinks.
You can pick up a Global Book Crawl Passport from your local participating bookshop, get the list of other independent bookshops in your area that are joining in, and plan your adventure. You collect a stamp at each shop you visit and if you fill up your passport you get a free book and enter the draw to win book prizes.
Self-organised book crawls have been gaining in popularity in recent years. One blogger, London writer Michael J. Vowles on tumbleweedwrites.com, got together groups of friends and explored bookshops in Houston, Texas, and in London.
Australia will take part in the Global Book Crawl for the first time this year.
Vowles pointed out this is not necessarily about spending money. “A bookshop crawl isn’t a shopping trip. It’s more about experiencing the bookshops themselves and getting a feel for what makes each of them special.” What also makes it special is “the camaraderie; discussing books, comparing your respective hauls at the end, all the unscripted silliness that happens when you get folks together for a little organised fun”.
The Global Book Crawl curates this organised fun into an annual program for everyone. It’s led by booksellers in the US, Ireland and Spain. Countries that have signed up so far include Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Guatemala, Italy, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Switzerland and Sweden, and more are expected to join.
This year Australia is taking part for the first time, and groups of shops have signed up in Melbourne, Sydney, Hobart, Newcastle, the Blue Mountains, the Mornington Peninsula and north-east Victoria.
I like the idea that you could be browsing in a cluster of bookshops at the same time as folk in Vienna, Sligo or Mexico City, and that you’re one of thousands of readers exploring hundreds of bookshops. But the real benefit of this initiative is local, both for bookshops and readers.
The bookshop crawl isn’t a shopping trip, but is instead about experiencing the bookshops themselves.
Readings chairman and Global Book Crawl’s Australian organiser, Mark Rubbo, says many readers are feeling reluctant about giving their money to Amazon executive chairman Jeff Bezos. “We want to show them how rich their local bookshops are, and what a wonderful resource. It’s very nice we are all working collaboratively and showing readers what we have to offer.”
