This is how it began … a thought that Neil Gaiman had during a flight …

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.)

Here’s what Stephen King had to say: “Science Fiction & Fantasy writer Neil Gaiman put a great idea up on Twitter a few days ago: ‘This year make Halloween All Hallow’s Read.’ Neil suggests giving someone you love a scary book on the 31st. I think it’s a great idea. It can be one of mine but it doesn’t have to be. Have a great Halloween!”

Here’s what Joe Hill had to say: “I’m going to adopt this as a Halloween habit and I hope you will too. It ain’t easy to start a new holiday tradition on short notice – we might have to take a couple years to build this one up – but I think it’s worth doing.”

Find out more about the kickoff of this new Halloween tradition: All Hallow’s Read

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This