Published at 11:27, Monday, 09 July 2012

Keep Calm and Carry On. If Britain’s bulldog spirit could be summed up in five words, there they are.

This was the motto on a poster produced by the Ministry of Information in 1939 during the prelude to the Second World War.

It was intended to raise morale, but had only limited distribution and was quickly forgotten.

The poster was rediscovered in 2000 and has been reissued by several private companies, and used as the theme for many products.

These include a range of book warmers.

Book warmers, you say?

Reiver was not familiar with these objects.

But if one has a book which one is particularly fond of, one can protect it with a book warmer – a protective and decorative cover.

County Durham company A Stitch in Tyne has made a range of book warmers with a ‘Keep Calm...’ theme.

They include ‘Keep Calm and Carry On Reading.’

And on sale at Waterstone’s in Carlisle is one labelled ‘The Carlisle book warmer.’

Its message?

‘Keep Calm ‘n Git Amang It.’

Wise words indeed, and yours for £12.

Book warmers seem like a reaction against the digital age, a return to more innocent days.

Oh, and they’re the perfect disguise if you’re reading something smutty.

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk