Let the city in on the story . . just read this and pass it on

Published on Tuesday 14 March 2006 11:59

IT is the bestseller set to put a smile on the face of hundreds of book lovers as they sit down to drink a coffee or pint of beer.

The One City book, which was penned by Edinburgh authors Alexander McCall Smith, Ian Rankin, and Irvine Welsh, and includes a foreword by Harry Potter creator JK Rowling, is about to embark on a magical adventure of its own.

Copies have been placed in community centres, cafes, bars, visitor attractions, parks, buses and trains.

Each one will be picked up, read by its new owner and then left wherever they finish the final page, for someone else to find.

The OneCity Trust charity, aimed at raising awareness about poverty and inequality in Edinburgh, has launched a website to track the books' progress.

Each copy of the book will be specially marked with details of an online "book-crossing" discussion forum where the journey of each book can be tracked. Readers will be invited to log on and reveal where they found and left the book and what they thought of it.

A special book-crossing website was set up six years ago in the US to keep track of books "released into the wild".

The Edinburgh project is the first time hundreds of copies of the same book have been released in such a way.

The idea is to give people who would not normally buy a book or visit a library a chance to read it. To protect the book, anyone leaving a copy behind is urged to put it in a plastic wallet. It is hoped copies of One City will eventually travel the world, spreading the word about the city and also the charity it is raising money for.

Lord Provost Lesley Hinds, president of the OneCity Trust, said: "This book aims to raise awareness of issues surrounding social exclusion in Edinburgh and to generate funds to tackle these challenges. Given the principles of the trust, it seems only appropriate the books reach readers who may not have ready access to points of purchase. I hope people enter into the spirit of the project."

The One City book was reprinted after all 25,000 copies from its first run were snapped up shortly after its launch last December. The authors each contributed a short story, taking their inspiration from Edinburgh.

Teri Wishart, development manager of the OneCity Trust, said: "The book has been much more successful than we expected and we believe this project will boost sales even more."

The OneCity Trust, which the three writers are ambassadors of, was set up to tackle poverty and inequality. Other backers include entrepreneur Sir Tom Farmer, snooker star Stephen Hendry and soccer boss Gordon Strachan.

The trust is to be the main beneficiary from the Evening News-backed CowParade, the massive public art project, which is set to see more than 100 specially designed cows take over the city's landscape in May.

Bars and cafes, including the Elephant House on George IV Bridge, have shown a keen interest in being chosen as a temporary home for one of the books.

The Royal Mail is helping to fund the distribution of 500 copies of the book. Ian McKay, Royal Mail director of Scottish affairs, said: "We're delighted to be involved in this novel initiative, delivering the written word to people across the city and beyond."