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Writers unite to battle HIV/AIDS with unique book
Di Caelers. 28 October 2004. Cape Argus. Republished courtesy of Independent Newspapers (Pty) Ltd.
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Musicians have been doing it for years, but now 21 of the world's best-known writers, including five Nobel literature prizewinners, are throwing their considerable weight behind a drive to raise money to fight HIV/AIDS.
The 21, including South Africa's own Nobel prizewinner Nadine Gordimer who kickstarted the initiative, have combined their talents between the covers of a unique book, Telling Tales, all the proceeds from the sale of which will go to the HIV/AIDS activist group, the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC).
Among the other high-profile contributors are Woody Allen, Susan Sontag, Paul Theroux, Salman Rushdie, Arthur Miller, Hanif Kureishi and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Gordimer, speaking during her address at the launch of Exclusive Books' Publishers' Choice Christmas promotion in the city, said she had long been concerned at the lack of group action among writers to raise funds to combat HIV/AIDS.
While individual writers had contributed to HIV/AIDS organisations, as a group "it seemed to me we have failed to do anything collectively".
Telling Tales is one of the books included in the Exclusive Books Christmas promotion selection. After discussions with various writer friends, Gordimer said: "I decided to take the initiative to compile an anthology of short stories by well-known writers, permission for publication to be without a fee, and to be published in a number of countries, without any profit to the publisher."
All proceeds would go to the TAC. The funds will be distributed by the TAC for its medical, social and psychological programmes of support in South Africa and neighbouring countries, and for prevention education.
The book will be launched in New York by United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan on November 30, the day before World AIDS Day.
English language editions of Telling Tales have been launched here, in England and the United States, and translated editions will follow soon in countries as diverse as Brazil, Germany, Italy, China, Greece and Russia.
Telling Tales is published by Jonathan Ball/Bloomsbury. |
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