NEW YORK (AP) - Best-sellers James Patterson and Ann Patchett will help lead a nationwide effort to spread the good words of books.

Patterson and Patchett are the honorary chairs of the U.S. chapter of World Book Night, an international project for which hundreds of thousands of free books are handed out by volunteers.

U.S. organizers announced Thursday that copies of 30 works would be distributed April 23, including Tina Fey's "Bossypants," Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451" and Michael Lewis' "Moneyball."

World Book Night was founded in Britain in 2010. Books are chosen by a panel of booksellers and librarians.