Call for Books for Military in Afghanistan

Picture of Irene Watson, our editorArt Mills, award winner author of The Empty Lot Next Door, is stationed in Kabul, Afghanistan and requesting print books for himself and his fellow troop members. He tells me most of the books are old and worn-out, indicating people read them and hand them to others.

I sent him a box of 12 books and he wrote me: I placed the books on a book shelf and people rushed right to them. It's nice to know people back home still care after ten years. Thanks!!!!


Yes, we do care! Please donate a copy of your book (or ARC) so Art can put it on their barren shelves. If you send more than one copy it will be donated to another troop through Books for Soldiers.

And, it's okay to enclose a letter of thanks, or if you have a child have her or him draw a picture or write a letter. It is a lonely world in Afghanistan and if we can bring a smile or tear to our soldiers it will be a reminder to them that we do care.

Please send your donation to:

Reader Views
Books for Soldiers
3267 Bee Cave Road, Ste 107-380
Austin, TX 78746

We use candy for packing so if you'd like to donate a bag of candy as well, that would be terrific. The candy should be something that is wrapped individually, e.g. tootsie rolls, mints. (Not chocolate - it melts while sitting on the tarmac.)

Thanks! I know your book will be well received!


PS - if you have any military/war themed books, either your own or those you have read, please send them as well. Surprisingly those themes are well received.

PSS - This is an ongoing project - donations are accepted at any time.

October 2, 2011:

Received from Art: (We sent 4 boxes - 59 books and 2 pounds of candy)

I received the books yesterday. I opened the boxes and cut off the tops so the books could be easily taken from the dozen or so bystanders. One by one, and sometimes two by two, the books started to dwindle, and so did the candy. I placed the remaining books on a table in the front of the building. Everyone walking in and out can see the generosity of Reader Views and the dozens of authors that donated their books to us. Most of the donated books were autographed and included letters of gratitude for us soldiers. Thank you Irene, Reader Views, and to all the authors that donated their books to us. Now we can read books to help us take our minds off the curry!

October 4, 2011
Donation of 1200 books (54 boxes) to VFW in Austin, Texas to be sent to soldiers in Afghanistan

Dan West, State Assisted Adjutant
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Department of Texas

Carrying boxes of from office of Reader Views

 

 

 

 

 

 

Picture of Irene Watson, our editorMember of VFW carrying boxes of books from office of Reader Views

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dan West, VFW member

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

54 boxs of books (1200) books loaded into the VFW van

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Picture of Irene Watson, our editorPresentation of books to VFW

L to R - Susan Violante, Editorial Assistant at Reader Views; Dan West, AFW; Irene Watson, Managing Editor of Reader Views; Robert Watson, Shipping and Receiving at Reader Views

 

 

 

 

 

 

Donation Update - December 13, 2011:

3849 Books
252 music CDs
15 T-shirts
16 movie DVDs
1 playing cards, 1 puzzle
53 pounds of candy
$10 donation to buy candy
$100 donation toward shipping costs
282 Christmas cards and letters