World Book Day (which is on Thurs 2nd March 2006) today launches a poll to find out the effect on the nation’s psyche of happy endings. What is the nation’s favourite happy ending? Does everyone agree on whether particular books end happily? Hollywood is famous for changing the endings of books to make them happier – most recently with the slushier US version of Pride and Prejudice. Should some of literature’s most famous tragic endings be rewritten to end more upliftingly?

Would readers prefer it if Anna and Vronsky lived happy ever after in Anna Karenina? Would they rather Scarlett and Rhett had had a less complicated and messy relationship?

Is it a happy ending when Mark Renton in Trainspotting rips off his friends and becomes an estate agent?

World Book Day will be attempting to find out whether happy endings contribute to the wellbeing of the nation, and what effect a satisfying conclusion to a book has on people.

This year for the first time free Happy World Book Day postcards will be available from bookshops, libraries, cafes and cinemas. Bookshops and libraries will be putting on a celebratory air, with Happy World Book Day balloons and festive events.

Which happy ending will turn out to be the favourite?


· Jane Eyre’s ‘Reader, I married him.’

· Elizabeth Bennett and Darcy finally getting together in Pride and Prejudice

· Joe and Jean working together to make Willstown a town like Alice…


The survey is online at www.worldbookday.com. Everyone who fills it in has the chance to win £50 worth of National Book Tokens.