Read or Bleed – A New Tradition for Hallowe’en
If these walls could talk, they would recite a Neil Gaiman story.
And this is Neil’s library. I dare say, it rivals my own…
but just by a smidgen.
Anyway, to the point.
Hallowe’en is fast approaching and Neil has spearheaded a new tradition for everyone’s favorite holiday: All Hallow’s Read. You’ve heard me champion it before and I will continue to do so. It’s so brilliantly marvelous and simple, sublime and infectious. Want to take part? Not sure how? Here were Mr. Gaiman’s initial thoughts on the subject, as posted on his LiveJournal back in 2010:
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I propose that, on Hallowe’en or during the week of Hallowe’en, we give each other scary books. Give children scary books they’ll like and can handle. Give adults scary books they’ll enjoy.
I propose that stories by authors like John Bellairs and Stephen King and Arthur Machen and Ramsey Campbell and M R James and Lisa Tuttle and Peter Straub and Daphne Du Maurier and Clive Barker and a hundred hundred others change hands — new books or old or second-hand, beloved books or unknown. Give someone a scary book for Hallowe’en. Make their flesh creep…
Give a scary book.
If you don’t know what kinds of books there are, or what would be appropriate for the person you’re giving a book to, talk to a bookseller. They love to help, most of them. (The ones that don’t tend not to be booksellers for long.) Talk to librarians. (Do not plan to give away their books though, unless they are having a library sale.)
That’s it. That’s my idea.
Scary book. Hallowe’en.
Who’s with me?
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I sure as hell am. How about you?
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