James Patterson Sends 200,000 Books To Troops

By Dianna Dilworth 

Bestselling author James Patterson has donated 200,000 books to American troops stationed overseas.

This involved moving 20,000 boxes of books from Indiana to Georgia to California. The massive shipment was eventually sent to military bases and veterans’ hospitals overseas.

On his Facebook page, Patterson explained what this entailed: “It’s my hope these books will be some small token of our appreciation—and hopefully a welcome and well-deserved piece of entertainment after all they’ve done and are doing. It’s their service that makes freedom—to vote, to have families, to make a living, even to read—possible in the first place.”

Newsmax explains what motivated the author: “Patterson decided to make his donation after reading letters sent to a business partner from that man’s son, a captain serving in Iraq. ‘I would read these things, and I really became aware about what it’s like for these kids.’ They’re over there, so far from home, and they’re not getting the attention that they ought to get.”

This is not the first time the author of Along Came a Spider and Kiss the Girls has taken an interest in a good cause. Patterson founded the website ReadKiddoRead.com, a site dedicated to encouraging literacy for kids.