The Burn Journals

Here's the next in our bookshelf giveaways - "The Burn Journals" by Brent Runyon. The back cover reads:

"Brent Runyon, a super-smart boy from a well-to-do family in Virginia, had it all. But home pressures, school pressures, life pressures, were suffocating him - and aged fourteen he set fire to himself. He survived the blaze, but he lost eighty-five per cent of his skin. The Burn Journals is Brent's account of the traumatic year following his suicide attempt. Breathtakingly honest, shocking and heart-warming, The Burn Journals is the story of one boy's courage and determination to overcome terrible physical and mental scars."

Having been depressed and having suicidal thoughts as a teenager, I read this book after receiving it as a birthday gift aged 17. It is an incredibly moving story that in the end helped me to see the world in a much more positive light and deal with my own problems.

How to Claim

As always, comment below, on the facebook page, tweet me @Pippab3 or email me at Pippa@myriadit.net to claim this book. Free to a good home on the condition that its onward journal doesnt ever stop.

That time of year again. A Roundup.

Today, March 8th, is International Women's Day - a day to celebrate the achievements of women worldwide and to raise awareness of the gender inequalities and how we might address them. I'm not heading out to any big event this year, but hearing great things about several from home and wearing my Stop The Violence t-shirt whilst cleaning the house and tidying the garden for solidarity.

This week, and today especially, has seen an explosion of gender equality messages on social media. If you're on Twitter there's plenty of events to track through their hashtags including #IAmVisible, #WOWLDN (including an inspirational and much quoted speech from Malala Yousafzai this morning), and not to mention #IWD2014 itself. Then there's the infographics, quotes and all round Factivism going on to. Take a look at UN Women's #HeForShe campaign, and this great image from DFID.

Some of the WAGGGS delegation to CSW 55!

Monday also sees the start of the 58th UN Commission on The Status of Women in New York City - I an tell because my email inbox is swamped with different organisations promoting their side events and sharing inside knowledge on the negotiations that have already started. There's a fabulous delegation from the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts to follow - yes I know I'm biased, but these young women do some amazing work every year. The policy coordinator for the delegation is my fellow WAGGGS Post-2015 Ambassador from Australia, Erin Wicking, and you can follow her Tumblr blog here. Also worth following is Amy Graham, a member of the WAGGGS advocacy staff team, who also blogs here.It's also very exciting this year that there are remote delegates who will be contributing to the CSW discussions from their home countries and WAGGGS have produced an engagement document for the national guide and scout organisations to take the key messages forward.

Another Book - Persepolis

For the next book giveaway, due to the date and upcoming events, a fitting book is needed. That book is Persepolis. I first read this book shortly after I came back from my first UN Commission on the Status of Women event, and have since watched the film adaptation.

This graphic novel tells the story of a young woman's childhood in Iran, her travels to Europe to study and her subsequent return. The artwork is simple yet atmospheric and, I think, the graphic novel format helps you feel closer to the characters than in a traditional novel - but that might have something to do with dyslexia and reading images rather than words...

It's an easy to follow introduction to a little bit of the history of that area as the events are explained to the child character as they happen.

Like before, this is free to the first person to comment below, message me or send me an email (pippa@myriadit.net) and I'll update this post once it has been claimed. The only requirement is you pass it forward when you're down with it.

UPDATE - This book is heading to MaLau in Costa Rica!

Dismantling The Bookshelf

The Bookshelf

When I started this project I had quite a few books that I had read and that had inspired me to take action. Setting up a bookshelf that others could borrow from seemed like a great idea to share these publications with others.

The shelf of books and other resources, which is actually more of a big box for practical reasons, has travelled to various events including Camp Out in 2011 and a number of Girlguiding camps. Due it's size now, borrowing the whole shelf is difficult, and it's not living up to its desired purpose. 

That's why I'm proposing a different way to get the resources out there. One by one I'm going to review each resource and invite you to email me if you would like to give it a new home. The only condition is that you have to pay it forward - once your finished with it, be that in a week month or year as we all read at different speeds, you have to pass it on to somebody else. You can put it in a raffle, give it as a present, or donate it to a library, it's just got to continue its journey.

I'll post a little story about the book, a short synopsis and review, and if you want to give it a new home all you have to do is comment below and the first person to ask for it can have it.

The First Book To Fly

So our first title looking for a new adoptive parent is "Change The World For A Fiver" produced by 'we are what we do'.

This little book I got nearly 10 years ago now, and has perhaps been around the longest of any of the books on this shelf. I bought it for myself when I still had pocket money and enjoyed it so much I bought a copy for my firends birthday soon after. It contains 48 little actions that we can do to change the world around us a little at a time. They range from declining plastic bags to writing a postcard to somebody who inspired you.

The 'we are what we do' collective describe themselves thusly:

We Are What We Do is not a charity. It is not an institution. It is a new kind of movement - a movement with attitude. We are not trying to raise money. We are trying to show the power of a simple shift of atttitudes and day-to-day behaviour. 

It's an inspiring little book with great illustrations and even greater ideas for improving our communities. If you'd like to give it a read, just let me know.