Hearty Words @ Love Arts Festival

Reading is proven to improve mental health, heck reading probably improves your disgestion that's how good for you it is. Trying to make people happy is a big thing for the Travelling Suitcase Library and that's why I'm really pleased to help promote Leeds Libraries #heartywords project, that aims to share those books that make your heart sing around Leeds.

Leeds Libraries and Love Arts Festival are starting a conversation to unearth the books that mean the most to people in Leeds. They are inviting you to thinkabout which reads have uplifted, soothed, inspired, challenged or moved you and to talk about them.

One of the best bits about a book swap is the talking (and often laughter) that goes with it. We would love to know what makes specific books special toyou and why you would share them with someone else.

To get involved,  join the debate on Twitter #heartywords, post your thoughts on the Leeds Libraries  Facebook Page  www.facebook.com/leedslibraries and look out for special postcards in libraries, on mobile libraries and at Love Arts festival events.

The industrious librarians will be collecting your choice of book (and it can be any genre, any type) and creating a longlist in November to see whether people share some of the same choices. In December, they will shortlist and produce book displays with copies in library branches across the city. Visit your local library to see if your book is included.

My personal books that always cheer me up I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith and Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons. I'm looking forward to finding out everyone elses.