There’s nothing like the Mexico City metro: hundreds of miles of sweaty commute, neon green seats and beggars and entertainers of all sorts. Idle time is often spent fending off gropers and the occasional organ grinder, but Mexico City’s local government is giving riders another way to while away the hours: reading.

250,000 editions of an anthology featuring Mexican writers such as Elena Poniatowska and Juan Villoro will be distributed throughout the city’s green line, the longest trajectory running from the north to the south of the huge metropolis. Metro users can pick up a book when they get on, read it during their trip, then return it before hopping off at their destination.

The program, called “Para leer de boleto” looks to make non-readers into readers,”encourage reading among those who occasionally read, and provide reading material to those who cannot afford books.” I wonder if train riders are really going to choose a literature anthology over sexy comic books or revista Alarma.

Via / Terra

Image: jornada.unam.mx