Several months ago, hundreds of books began appearing on Melbourne's public transport network. Slowly at first, then in increasing number – and all with a sticker on the front saying "take a book, read it and then return it for someone else to enjoy".
The project is called Books on the Rail, and it's the brainchild of Ali Berg and Michelle Kalus. "We're so overwhelmed by the attention it's got; people are very excited about it!" Berg tells Time Out. "Publishers even started sending us books."
Now, they're launching their next project: Book Ninja Book Club. "It's a book club starting at the end of the Frankston Line," says Berg. "It will stop at every stop and anyone can join whenever they want." The term 'book ninja' refers to the volunteers who came on board early on to donate their own books and place stickers on them. Just a few months on, there are almost 700 people involved.
So which book will travellers be discussing on their journey into the city? It's a secret... for now. "It's a blind date with a book!" says Berg. To get involved, readers must sign up to the Book Ninja program and subscribe. Then, in early November, they'll be sent the very first book club book, which they'll need to read in time for their train, which departs at precisely 11.14am on Saturday December 3.
Keen to get involved? Simply visit the website and subscribe. And next time you see a book left on your train, pick it up and get reading; you never know where it will take you.
Want to hear more about Melbourne's hidden secrets? Read 20 incredible facts about the city that you probably didn't know, or start ticking off our list of underground things to do in Melbourne.