Best Books Ever Written contest winner

  Carol Brown shares her thoughts on winning 3,000 books

We asked Best Books Ever Written contest winner Carol Brown, from St. Clements, Ontario, to answer some of our questions about what it was like to win this fantastic contest.

What did you do when you first found out you’d won?
I received an email telling me that I’d won the 3,000 classic book library, and just couldn’t believe it! I read the email over several times before it hit me that I really had won this incredible library. I called my husband at work, and then my parents and friends. I was so excited—I still am! I think everyone thought at first that I’d made a mistake with the number of books.

What’s it like to receive boxes upon boxes of books in the mail?
When I was advised that the books would start arriving, I was very excited—and when I saw the truck pull in the driveway the first time, I got butterflies in my stomach! They’ve now been arriving throughout the last few weeks, and it’s like Christmas every time they come. I open the boxes and look through them immediately. My oldest daughter is just as excited as I am, and I’ve learned that she’s very interested in ancient Chinese philosophy—something I didn’t know!

What are you planning to do with 3,000 books?
My husband is busy building more bookshelves for the new collection. I’m sharing them with my family and friends, and I’ve also been in contact with our daughters’ high school in Elmira—they’ve chosen some for their library, too. If I read one book a week, they would last me almost fifty-eight years! And everyone has different tastes in books, so this way, all the books will be treasured.
 

Which book are you going to read first?
In the first shipment there were many autobiographies and diaries. I find true stories fascinating, and so I’ve begun with this collection—everything from Charlie Chaplin to Gandhi. The first book I chose from those first boxes is Untouchable, since I’d recently seen a documentary on India and wanted to learn more.

Do you have a favourite classic?
It’s hard to choose, but I think it would have to be Little Women. I love the fact that the collection I’m receiving ranges from classic books that were written hundreds of years ago to books written in this century. It’s truly an amazing collection, and I’m so fortunate to have won these wonderful books. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime, and I’m very grateful to Penguin Group for holding this amazing contest.