Over the past five years of living with illness, I’ve developed a renewed appreciation for the value of books— audio and print—as companions, counselors, teachers, and friends.
This appreciation is especially relevant for those of us living with conditions like ALS, and to individuals in hospitals, long-term care facilities, rehabilitation centers, emergency housing, correctional settings, and those navigating mental health challenges. In such circumstances, where movement, communication, and community engagement are often limited, the companionship of the written or spoken word becomes a vital lifeline.
During my own hospital stays and time away from my personal collection, I was consistently dismayed by how limited—or entirely absent—access to this essential resource can be, whether in written or audio form.
That’s why I’m founding Radiant Book Giving (RBG), a nonprofit dedicated to restoring access to the healing power of books for those in crisis, isolation, or transition. Whether read or listened to, meaningful words can offer comfort, dignity, and a sense of connection when it’s needed most. Radiant Book Giving exists to ensure that no one is left without the quiet strength and companionship that only a good book can provide.
But limited access within care settings is only part of the problem. In a market dominated by commercially safe genres—romance, thrillers, crime, science fiction, and fantasy—books that offer quiet reflection, emotional depth, or deeper meaning are often viewed as risky investments. As a result, many important works struggle to reach readers who would benefit most.
Radiant Book Giving is designed to address both of these gaps by providing direct access to books in care settings and by offering a dedicated distribution channel—including guaranteed, mission-aligned purchases—for meaningful titles that might otherwise struggle to find a place in the commercial market.
In the vision I have for this organization , everyone wins.
- Emerging writers gain an audience they might not reach otherwise.
- Literary agents and publishers can take on clearly worthy—but commercially challenging—projects, supported by guaranteed sales at sustainable prices and a unique, mission-driven distribution network.
- Individuals in vulnerable circumstances gain access to reading and listening materials that may inspire, console, uplift, or even transform their lives.
- The general public discovers powerful, previously overlooked titles that might otherwise remain unknown.
- Donors can be confident that their tax-deductible contributions generate broad, lasting impact—potentially for generations.
To put this idea in more practical, concrete terms, consider the following example:
- Enough funding is raised to firmly establish Radiant Book Giving (RBG) as a nonprofit and to build broad awareness of its outreach efforts.
- A skinny, queer kid from Brooklyn writes an important, beautiful, unconventional book. After many rejections—deemed too risky for commercial viability—a literary agent or publisher submits the manuscript to RBG for consideration. Let’s call the book Leaves of Grass, for the sake of argument.
- RBG evaluates the manuscript to determine whether it aligns with its mission to distribute books that inspire, console, and uplift. If it does, the manuscript is passed on to volunteer readers for review and potential nomination for that year’s distribution cycle.
- Leaves of Grass is nominated. Thanks to donations raised, RBG is able to purchase 2,000 copies for this year’s program.
- These books are purchased at a price that balances affordability with a profit margin—ensuring that the publisher, agent, and author all benefit and encouraging ongoing engagement and enthusiasm for RBG’s model over the Years.
- RBG then matches Leaves of Grass to the organizations best suited to share it—hospitals, long-term care facilities, correctional settings, shelters, rehabilitation programs, and behavioral health centers—and ships the books accordingly.
- As a result, individuals in vulnerable circumstances receive access to a powerful, life-affirming work of literature. These books offer companionship, inspiration, and the quiet strength that only extraordinary books can provide—helping to reduce isolation and restore dignity during their time of greatest need.
These ideas are more vividly and attractively expressed in this presentation (Version 1.0), created by my daughter.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1dUTEYsKMkLpluU8IyCTqik-Cvck_6mlI3sYafZxpacs/edit?usp=sharing
If you’ve been moved by the blog over the past year, or by the book What Remains is Radiant, and wish to share the friendship, warmth, and light of meaningful books with those who need them most, please consider giving whatever you can to help improve the lives of others.
Best,
Bill
Please help to achieve this vision at: https://gofund.me/79dd361ab