27 May 2021 | £1 | #QuickReads @readingagency

“Buy one, gift one: Buy a Quick Read this summer and we’ll gift a copy to help someone discover the joy of reading.”

One in six adults in the UK – approximately 9 million people – find reading difficult, and one in three people do not regularly read for pleasure. Quick Reads, which celebrates its 15^th anniversary this year, plays a vital role in addressing these shocking statistics by inspiring emergent readers, as well as those with little time or who have fallen out of the reading habit, with entertaining and accessible writing from the very best contemporary authors.

2021

Over 5 million Quick Reads have been distributed since the life-changing programme launched in 2006. From 2020 – 2022, the initiative is supported by a philanthropic gift from bestselling author Jojo Moyes.

This year, for every book bought until 31 July 2021, another copy will be gifted to help someone discover the joy of reading.

The Reading Agency

‘Buy one, gift one’ will see thousands of free books given to organisations across the UK to reach less confident readers and those with limited access to books – bring the joy and transformative benefits of reading to new audiences.

This year’s short books

OYINKAN BRAITHWAITE: The Baby is Mine (Atlantic)

Oyinkan Braithwaite’s follow-up to her Booker nominated debut sensation My Sister, the Serial Killer – a family drama set in lockdown Lagos (The Baby is Mine).

LOUISE CANDLISH: The Skylight (Simon & Schuster)

A dark domestic thriller from British Book Award winner Louise Candlish (The Skylight), who thanks reading for setting her on the right path when she was ‘young and adrift’.

KATIE FFORDE: Saving the Day (Arrow)

An uplifting romance by the much-loved Katie Fforde (Saving the Day), who never thought she would be able to be an author because of her struggle with dyslexia.

PETER JAMES: Wish You Were Dead (Macmillan)

The holiday from hell for Detective Roy Grace courtesy of long-time literacy campaigner and crime fiction maestro Peter James (Wish You Were Dead)

CAITLIN MORAN: How to Be a Woman, abridged (Ebury)

A specially abridged version of the feminist manifesto (How to Be a Woman) by Caitlin Moran: ‘everyone deserves to have the concept of female equality in a book they can turn to as a chatty friend.’

KHURRUM RAHMAN: The Motive (HQ)

An introduction to Khurrum Rahman’s dope dealer Javid Qasim (The Motive), who previously found the idea of reading a book overwhelming and so started reading late in life, to find ‘joy, comfort and an escape’.

My thoughts

It is my absolute pleasure to play a small part in supporting ‘Buy one, gift one’ by putting up this post and my thanks go to Hannah at Midas PR for the invite.

What next?

If you are able please support this initiative, you can do this by:

• Sharing this post on social media;
• Retweet and share similar posts on social media;
• For those who can please buy these quick reads before the 31 July (you can order now through your preferred method) to ensure a book, or books, are distributed to those who need them for free.

My thanks for your time, attention and support for this initiative. Think, for £6 (+postage), you could be helping someone to ignite the wonderful world of reading in their life. Thank you.

For more information go to: The Reading Agency