The Awesome Story Behind the Books Scattered in London’s Tube
Finding the time to read these days is few and far between, and that is where a cool initiative called Books on the Underground comes into play. The project wants to get people reading again and make it a fresh and innovative experience by crafting a scavenger hunt of sorts through the station’s of the London Tube.
Book fairies are out and about every day, planting old and new copies of various titles in nooks and crannies of the underground maze. Find a book and take the time to read it while on your way to and from wherever you are travelling and once you are done, drop it back off somewhere for a new traveler to find. The organization works with a stream of publishers and authors to keep up and running, and the idea took off so swimmingy in the UK that the same concept was started in New York City called Books on the Subway.
They are both like travelling public libraries with a treasure-seeking bent. The sole aim? To get more people out of their smartphone haze and into reading again – rediscovering literature and the imaginative worlds beyond the daily grind.
In an average week, some 150 books are being scattered under seats and benches, on stairwells, beneath station signs, on ticketing counters and more. Check their social media channels for updates and even quirky clues on where the books can be discovered closest to your stop.
