Thank the troops?send a book

From: USA TODAY
Health, Education & Science section
The Better Life column
Date: April 23, 2003

Right now the nation's attention is focused on Iraq, but troops are still stationed in Afghanistan?and they're hungry for something to read. At www.alibris.com customers can purchase books from a list of titles gathered by a Marine sergeant responsible for troop morale and ship the books overseas with a personal note. Alibris chief executive Marty Manley says he started the books project after receiving an e-mail from Marine Sgt. Ryan McGeeney asking for reading material for U.S. military and civilian personnel living in safe houses near the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. Alibris specializes in hard-to-find books, music and movies. "Those folks were starved for reading material," Manley says. "This is a way to support our troops and say thanks."