EmperorAnton: Debra, this is the first general question. Who is Debra?

debra_hamel: Debra is.... The mother of two little girls, a fallen ancient historian, an author (www.tryingneaira.com) , a blogger (www.the-deblog.com ), an amateur book reviewer (www.book-blog.com ), and, I worry, a dilettante.


EmperorAnton: What is your educational background?

debra_hamel: I majored in classics as an undergraduate at Johns Hopkins (B.A. 1989). And I went to graduate school at Yale, also in the classics department, but with a focus on ancient history (Ph.D. 1996).


EmperorAnton: I have seen the Buy A Friend A Boook(BAFAB )logo around the Web. how long has it been around(online)?

debra_hamel: I created BAFAB in the summer of 2005, and got a web site up and running for it (www.buyafriendabook.com ) in time for the first BAFAB Week, which began on July 1st of 2005. BAFAB--"Buy a Friend a Book"--is a simple idea: I propose that people celebrate four Buy a Friend a Book Weeks per year, in the first weeks of January, April, July, and October. And you celebrate by, simply, surprising someone with a book.

I have a great dislike of the obligatory gift-giving of Christmas (not to mention the crowds). To me it all seems very hollow. But I like very much the idea of just up and giving someone a more meaningful gift when you're not obliged to. Hence, BAFAB. I say on the site that you're giving a gift "for no good reason." Of course, the "reason" is that it's BAFAB Week. But still, you're not obliged to participate and, importantly, if you do participate you do so (generally) by just giving one person a gift. In other words, even if all your friends and relatives know that you celebrate BAFAB, they still don't know whether or not they might be getting a gift from you. it'll still be a surprise.


EmperorAnton: Who will benefit or use the services of BAFAB?

debra_hamel: Anyone who participates! Whether as a giver or a giftee. Obviously it's great to be on the receiving end of a BAFAB present, but also, there's a certain fun in targeting a recipient and figuring out what one book they might like. And there's so little pressure involved in the whole thing, unlike, again, Christmas, when people are so often scurrying around to get *anything* for someone because they have to.


EmperorAnton: What goals do you have for BAFAB

debra_hamel: I would just like to see the idea continue to spread. Certainly it's gained in popularity on the internet. Lit bloggers have embraced the idea. A lot of people throw BAFAB contests on their sites during BAFAB Week and give away books in drawings and so on. It would be nice to see the idea move out into the real world as well. I would think book stores would want to get behind a holiday that's all about surprising friends with books.