Heywood Hill launches free books for life competition

London bookshop Heywood Hill has launched a competition to provide one book-lover with a free book every month for life. 

The Shelf Improvement for Life competition invites customers to nominate an individual who has helped others during the pandemic to receive a new hardback every month for the rest of their lives, with the winner drawn at random this autumn. 

The Mayfair indie operates a monthly book-subscription service, A Year in Books, and participants who are signed up to the scheme will be invited to explain their choice of recipient. 

Nominations opened this week, and will close at midnight on 8th November. The winner, drawn at random, will be announced later in the month. 

Nicky Dunne, director at Heywood Hill, said: "We want to offer a life-changing literary prize to someone who deserves to be acknowledged this year. Everyone has struggled this year, and many people have gone out of their way to put others first.

"It could be someone who has kept the family show on the road, or a friend in need, the nurse who looked after you, the neighbour who delivers groceries, the parent who has bravely home-schooled, or a child stuck at home who loves to read. We want to hear about deserving book-lovers from all over the world."

Camille Van de Velde, head of subscriptions at the shop, added: "We operate the most tailored monthly book subscription in the world and we have remained defiantly operational throughout this challenging year. Our subscribers in over 50 countries keep in regular touch with our very talented booksellers, each of whom read a great many books a year. Our subscribers tell us just how much it has meant to them to receive well-chosen books month in month out during the pandemic. One said their parcel was ‘a ray of light amid the gloom’. Now we are going to light up the reading life of someone who deserves a lifelong nourishing literary treat."