When it comes to buying your next novel, if you would rather run your fingers along a shelf full of books, pick up one and flick through its pages – and, admit it, stick your nose in it and inhale that unique scent – than simply log on to the website of a retail behemoth and click click click done, then you will probably be interested in celebrating Independent Bookshop Week (IBW), which starts this weekend.

IBW seeks to celebrate independent bookshops in the UK and Ireland with events, celebrations, reading groups, storytelling sessions, author signings, literary lunches, face-painting and lots of special offers and book releases, promoting great literature, strong reading communities and the idea of shopping locally and sustainably.

Chorleywood Bookshop, our very own award-winning indie, is of course taking part, with a storytelling session for children at Christ Church School in Chorleywood on Saturday, June 20, and then an evening with Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, during which the religious leader, philosopher and author will be talking about his new book, Not in God’s Name, at Merchant Taylors’ School in Northwood on Monday, June 22 at 6.30pm. The book confronts the thorny issue of religious violence.

  • Independent Bookshop Week runs from June 20 to 27 at Chorleywood Bookshop, New Parade, Chorleywood. Details: 01923 283566, chilternbookshops.co.uk

 

BOOK GIVEAWAY!

If you would like to win one of five copies of Not in God’s Name by Jonathan Sacks, kindly donated by publisher Hodder & Stoughton, email your name and contact details to hodderfaith@hodder.co.uk by 5pm on Friday, June 26. A winner will be picked at random and notified by email.

Good luck!