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The
Big Read - the search for Britain's best-loved novel enters its
final chapter
Press
pack available
"It's
always exciting to see how passionate and argumentative people can
get about books," says series presenter Clive Anderson.
"But
the thing about The Big Read is that it's not just literary heavyweights
slugging it out – it's anybody who cares enough to vote for
their favourite book."
The
search for Britain's best-loved novel enters its final chapter as
The Big Read heads towards a literary showdown this autumn.
Clive
Anderson hosts the nine-part celebration of the country's
favourite fiction, starting in October on 91Èȱ¬ TWO.
In
the first programme of the series, Clive counts down The Big Read
Top 100 – compiled earlier this year after 140,000 people
nominated their best-loved novel – from numbers 100 to 22,
before revealing the most popular 21 novels in random order.
He
then presents seven weekly programmes, each featuring three novels
from the shortlist.
Over
the course of the series, the 21 works of fiction, each championed
by a celebrity advocate, compete for the public's votes.
Anderson
summarises the arguments and follows the voting as the books vie
for the title of the Nation's Favourite Book.
The
public will be able to vote for their best-loved novel in the Top
21 by phone, text, digital television or internet.
•
Telephone: 0901 522 9000 (calls cost 15p)
•
SMS Text: 86200 (by texting the
title of the chosen novel – calls cost 12p)
•
Interactive TV: By pressing the red button on the
remote
•
Internet:
The
Big Read is one of the biggest-ever campaigns to get the country
reading. There has already been innovative programming throughout
the year on 91Èȱ¬ TWO and across all 91Èȱ¬ networks, particularly 91Èȱ¬
FOUR and 91Èȱ¬ Local Radio, as well as extensive activity on the dedicated
91Èȱ¬i website.
The
91Èȱ¬ is also harnessing the support of schools, libraries, national
literacy organisations and charities, and all major publishers and
book retailers to make the project a truly national event.
Jane
Root, Controller of 91Èȱ¬ TWO, says: "It's incredible how The
Big Read has taken off this summer with debate, discussion and a
heightened interest in reading.
"Book
sales of the Top 100 have dramatically increased and libraries,
schools and education institutions have all become involved in the
campaign with a raft of activities aimed at promoting reading.
"The
Big Read has become much more than a television programme –
it's an event that anyone can become involved in. And the really
exciting thing is, it's only just beginning."
On
17 May, The Big Read database was launched. This database of events
in Britain enables the public to find out about everything book-related
happening in their area.
Since
its launch, there have been 49,000 searches. The database is accessed
via the website ()
or the freephone action line (08000 150 950).
Working
with The Reading Agency, all 4,200 libraries have signed up to support
The Big Read campaign and events and displays have been taking place
throughout the summer and will continue until Christmas.
The
range of events include: 'sandwiched between books' sessions in
libraries in Derbyshire – lunchtime drop-ins to discuss Big
Read novels; 'Truckers Tales' in Hertfordshire on 8 September –
a 91Èȱ¬ Three Counties Radio broadcast from Toddington Service Station,
where local mobile libraries handed out 'breakfast menu' booklists
from the Top 100 to lorry drivers; and, in Caerphilly, displays
and staff previews around the Top 100 books have become a regular
library feature.
With
help from the National Literacy Trust (NLT), the 91Èȱ¬ has been taking
The Big Read into schools and further education institutions.
Over
18,000 Big Read teaching packs have been downloaded from the NLT
website ()
so far, and a new set of resources will be available online to coincide
with the autumn programming. (The 91Èȱ¬ is
not responsible for the content of external internet sites)
Monday
8 September was the NLT's Swap A Book Day when workplaces, schools,
colleges and libraries were encouraged to link events with The Big
Read, swapping favourites from the Top 100 novels and sharing recommendations.
The
91Èȱ¬ has been helping readers around the country start (or continue)
their own book clubs.
Fifteen
hundred reading groups have registered on The Big Read database
and there have been 80,000 downloads of the 91Èȱ¬ reading group pack
(),
The Little Guide To Big Reading, which contains handy tips and advice
about setting up a book club.
Booktrust,
supported by Arts Council England, are running Bookscapes as part
of The Big Read. They have appointed Readers in Residence to work
with a diverse range of groups, including commuters on the Newcastle
Metro and staff and customers from an Indian restaurant in Bradford,
to elicit their responses to some of the Top 100 books.
Over
the summer, The Big Read was out and about at some of the season's
most memorable literary events, designed to get people talking –
and arguing! – about the Top 100 books.
These
included events at the Hay Literature Festival, The Edinburgh International
Book Festival and a programme of events during the summer at The
British Library – 10 weeks of writers, critics, TV presenters
and broadcasters discussing the Top 100 books, all open to the public.
On
Saturday 11 October, The Big Read will be at the Cheltenham Festival
of Literature. Tony Benn, Kate Adie and Robert Harris will be joining
James Naughtie to discuss their own favourite novels and why they
value them so much.
Bookshops
around the country have been supporting The Big Read with in-store
displays, and they have reported a noticeable – and positive
– effect on book sales since The Big Read launched. For example,
10 times more copies of Love In The Time Of Cholera were being sold
in the month after the Top 100 was revealed.
Notes
to Editors
For
the latest on The Big Read - go to the Factual
& Arts TV page.
The
Big Read press pack is available below in , as a complete pack or in sections.
You
may require Adobe Acrobat Software to read PDF files which can be
obtained .
The
Big Read press pack in full (422 KB)
Series
presenter Clive Anderson (100 KB)
The
Big Read Top 100 (67 KB)
The
voting rules for the Top 21 (63 KB)
Related
press releases
British
novels dominate public's top 100 (17.05.03)
The
Big Read television special to reveal Nation's Top 100 books
(16.04.03)
The
Big Read - Britain's biggest ever reading campaign (14.03.03)
All the
91Èȱ¬'s digital services are now available on ,
the new free-to-view digital terrestrial television service, as well
as on satellite and cable.
Freeview
offers the 91Èȱ¬'s eight television channels, interactive services
from 91Èȱ¬i, as well as 11 national 91Èȱ¬ radio networks.
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