It’s Shakespeare’s Birthday today, a date which has been chosen by the organisers of World Book Night for “a celebration of reading and books which sees tens of thousands of passionate volunteers gift books in their communities to share their love of reading”. The project is not just about celebrating reading but about reaching out to those who “have never discovered the value or pleasure of reading”.

The video below is one of a series of “Lessons from the Young Atheist’s Handbook” I intended to release around the time of the UK publication of my book but I’m putting it out there today because it’s about why I love books and it feels like today is an appropriate day to share it: