Free Saturday book giveaway draws long lineup to Chapters

A long lineup of Calgarians wait to receive a free book at the Chapters bookstore in Signal Hill Saturday morning. (Photo: Ron Leung, CTV News)

The free books didn’t last long at one Chapters bookstore Saturday morning.

There was a lengthy lineup outside the Chapters/Indigo at Signal Hill Saturday, as patient book lovers stood in line waiting for a chance to receive a free book.

The book chain is giving away 10,000 books Saturday, all of them past Heather’s Picks that have inspired her the most in her life.

Titles included The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd and The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls.

“This giveaway is in celebration of the books that create a lasting impact and aims to encourage Canadian book lovers to share the books that have inspired them over the years,” a media release said.

“Nothing has the power to inspire us like a book, and the books we love most have often been recommended to us by a friend or loved one,” it said, continuing.

“Inspiring a love of reading has always been at the core of Indigo’s mission,” it added. “By giving every Canadian the chance to pick up a free book, they aim to ignite a passion for reading in more and more people, encouraging them to not only dive into an instant classic, but share their favourite titles with the people that matter to them.”

By 11 a.m., all the free books at the Signal Hill location had been spoken for, according to a CTV News source.

Free books are available at any Indigo, Chapters or Coles store on Saturday.