Friday, April 4, 2008

The Informal Book Club

Well I didn't need to look very far for the inspiration for a Friday Feelgood! Not strictly wellbeing in topic, but I want to share something with you all that I have loved doing.

My wonderful Mum gave me a letter when we went to stay last week. (Thank you, Mum!) It's called 'The Informal Book Club' and is a fantastic way to share books. Each person who receives it sends one book they have enjoyed to someone whose name is provided (someone they're likely to know, as they will be a friend of the friend who gave them the letter.) Then they forward the letter to six friends. In this way, for the cost of posting one book plus the price of six stamps, each person involved will receive 36 (THIRTY SIX!) books from 36 very different people.

I've sent my book (a small book of quotes about happiness, to a friend of Mum's who I know, and who I think will enjoy it.) I've forwarded the 6 letters to friends and I'm so excited to see what arrives through the post!

Plus I'm interested to see which book my Mum will get from my 6 friends.

I would have loved to send it to blogging friends (though would have had a very difficult time choosing only six!) so thought I'd share it with you on here and then perhaps you could start your own.

This is a copy of the letter as received from Mum:


The Informal Book Club

This is an informal book club. There is no money involved so it is perfectly legal and it's fun.

Please send a book or audio book that you have already read (and enjoyed) to the person listed at the bottom of this letter.

Copy this letter and send it to 6 friends, but DO NOT SEND THEM A BOOK. Attach my address label to each of the six letter. It is helpful if you provide your own address labels with the letters you send to your friends so they can just attach one to each letter they send.

You should receive 36 books. it will be interesting to see what they are and where they come from.

If you cannot do this, please let me know so that I can ask someone else. I have been told there is seldom a drop by anyone because they only have to send one book. Most recipients will be readers and book lovers.

Thank you and happy reading!

Please send a book to:

My Mum's name and address ...

(Label attached)

:o)

Mum also gave me 6 copies of the letter with her address labels and printed 36 labels out with my address. So as a way of showing my appreciation, I enclosed a sheet of coloured writing paper in each of my six letters, with a note asking my friend if they would mind slipping it into the book they chose to send.

On each coloured sheet of paper, I had written a short note ("Thank you, Mum ... you're a star!") or a quotation about mothers.

I had such fun with this and will spend the next few weeks actually looking forward to the postman arriving, for a change. Maybe even (if I'm up early enough!) opening the door and greeting him with a big smile and a "Thank you!" Which will maybe brighten his day too ...

Yes, an all-round feelgood thing to do!

Have a lovely weekend!

:o)

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

How did the Informal Book Club thing work out for you? My friend just asked me to participate, it sounds fun but I am hesitating.

It sounds infinite, if everyone sends to six people, how will we receive only/exactly 36 books? It sounds like it could go on forever (or eventually fizzle out due to lack of participation). I'd like to participate but it feels like the snail mail version of email spam. What are your thoughts on this?

Anonymous said...

You will only receive the 36 because that is how many address lables you will send out. After that Those people will be attaching there 36 lables and yours will be out of circulation. Sounds like fun. Just got one from my sisterinlaw so Guess im gonna give it a try. Dont have much to loose but a book I have read already.

Anonymous said...

Did you get 36 books?

CalyxAnn said...

I've been having fun with this, and even though I've only sent one letter so far, I've received three books already!! It's a lot of fun!

SusanA said...

I HATE chain letters, but my dad sent me this so I thought about it and it seems pretty harmless. But one of my six that I sent it to said her husband calls it a pyramid, so it IS illegal.

Anyone else get this kind of resistance?

Anonymous said...

I congratulate, what necessary words..., a remarkable idea