Penguin Random House funds a special print run of ten titles from its Quick Reads back catalogue, supporting The Reading Agency’s ambition to gift one million books.
The Reading Agency is marking the 20th anniversary of Quick Reads with a gift of 50,000 books, funded by Penguin Random House, for people supported by probation services across England and Wales. The special print run supports the charity’s ambition to gift one million Quick Reads for the programme’s anniversary and forms part of its National Year of Reading activity.
The books will reach people serving sentences in the community and those rebuilding their lives after prison. Some will become part of shared reading collections, while others will be gifted directly to individuals, helping more adults find reading that suits their interests and needs.
Karen Napier, CEO of The Reading Agency said: “Twenty years after Quick Reads began, its purpose remains as vital as ever: to make the transformative benefits of reading accessible to everyone, including people who may not otherwise see reading as something for them.
“We are enormously grateful to Penguin Random House for funding the reprinting and distribution of these 50,000 books. This generous support will help us reach people in probation and community settings across England and Wales, bringing us closer to our ambition of gifting one million Quick Reads during the National Year of Reading. A single accessible and engaging book can help someone begin—or rediscover—a reading journey. It can offer enjoyment, build confidence and create new possibilities at an important point in their life.”
Meredith Adams, Director of Social Impact, Penguin Random House said: “We’re incredibly proud to continue supporting Quick Reads through this special National Year of Reading gift of 50,000 books. Reading can open new worlds, provide comfort and build confidence, but we know that not everyone has equal opportunities to discover a love of reading. What makes Quick Reads so powerful is the combination of brilliant storytelling from some of the nation’s best-loved authors with accessible formats that help break down barriers to reading. This programme builds on our long-standing commitment to improve access to reading within the prison system and we hope will help more people discover, or rediscover, the joy of reading and the possibilities it can bring.”
The ten books included in the distribution are:
- Screw It, Let’s Do It by Richard Branson
- Today Everything Changes by Andy McNab
- Bloody Valentine by James Patterson
- How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran
- Blind Spot by Paula Hawkins
- Dead Man Talking by Roddy Doyle
- Paris for One by Jojo Moyes
- Boys Don’t Cry by Malorie Blackman
- Hello Mum by Bernardine Evaristo
- The Jealousy Man by Jo Nesbø
Written by bestselling authors, Quick Reads use clear, straightforward language while retaining the compelling characters, ideas and storytelling of longer works. The short books offer an accessible route into reading for adults who find it difficult, have lost the reading habit or face barriers to accessing books.
Since its launch in 2006, Quick Reads has helped millions of people experience the benefits of reading.
