To celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee the BBC Arts and The Reading Agency have put together a list of books….The seventy titles consist of ten books from each decade of Her Majesty The Queen’s reign, offering a brilliant selection of beautiful and thrilling writing produced by authors from a wide range of Commonwealth countries such as Australia, Canada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, UK. .

The campaign enables readers to engage in the discovery and celebration of great books and shines a spotlight on lesser-known books and authors that deserve recognition.
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The books were chosen by an expert panel of librarians, booksellers and literature specialists from a “readers’ choice” longlist. Delivered with public libraries, reading groups, publishers, bookshops, and authors, the Big Jubilee Read campaign will use the proven power of reading to unite the public around the shared stories that define our social and cultural heritage.

The Big Jubilee Read will be highlighted across the BBC, including on BBC Two’s Between the Covers and BBC Radio 4’s Front Row.

Below is the full list and some Browsers highlights.

TO ORDER- BROWSE OUR WEBSITE, EMAIL OR CALL 01766512066

1952-61

ONE MOONLIGHT NIGHT by CARADOG PRITCHARD

PALM WINE DRINKARD TUTUOLA by AMOS

HILLS WERE JOYFUL TOGETHER by ROGER MAIS

IN THE CASTLE OF MY SKIN by GEORGE LAMMING

MY BONES & MY FLUTE by EDGAR MITTELHOLZER

LONELY LONDONERS by SAM SELVON

GUIDE by R.K. NARAYAN

TO SIR WITH LOVE by E. BRAITHWAITE.

HOUSE FOR MR BISWAS by V.S. NAIPAUL

SUNLIGHT ON A BROKEN COLUMN by ANITA HOSAIN

1962-71

CLOCKWORK ORANGE by ANTHONY BURGESS

GIRLS OF SLENDER MEANS by MURIEL SPARK

DEATH OF A NATURALIST by SEAMUS HEANEY

ARROW OF GOD by CHINUA ACHEBE

WIDE SARGASSO SEA by JEAN RHYS

GRAIN OF WHEAT by NAGUGI WA THIONGO

PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK by JOAN LINDSAY

WHEN RAIN CLOUDS GATHER/MARU by BESSIE HEAD

THE INTERROGATION by J.M.G LE CLEZIO

THE BEAUTYFUL ONES ARE NOT YET BORN by AYE KWEI ARMAH

1972-81

NOWHERE MAN by KAMALA MARKANDAYA

TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY by John le CARRE

THORN BIRDS by COLLEEN MCCULLOUGH

CROW EATERS by BAPSI SIDHWA

SEATHE SEA by IRIS MURDOCH

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE MUNRO, ALICE

HITCHHIKERS GUIDE TO THE GALAXY ADAMS, DOUGLAS

CLEAR LIGHT OF DAY DESAI, ANITA

MIDNIGHTS CHILDREN RUSHDIE, SALMAN

TSOTSI by ATHOL FUGARD

1982-91

SCHINDLERS ARK – 21S KENEALLY THOMAS

HANDMAIDS TALE ATWOOD, MARGARET

REMAINS OF THE DAY ISHIGURO, KAZUO

OMEROS WALCOTT, DEREK

ADOPTION PAPERS KAY, JACKIE

CLOUDSTREET WINTON, TIM

BONE PEOPLE by KERI HULME

SUMMER LIGHTNING AND OTHER STORIES by OLIVE SENIOR

WHALE RIDER by WITI IHIMAERA

BEKA LAMB by ZEE EDGELL

1992-2001

GOD OF SMALL THINGS by ARUNDHATI ROY

PARADISE by ABDULRAZAK GURNAH

WHITE TEETH by ZADIE SMITH

FINE BALANCE by ROHINTON MISTRY

SALT BY E. LOVELACE

BLUE BEDSPREAD by RAJ KAMAL JAH

DISGRACE by J.M. COETZEE

THE LIFE OF PI by YANN MARTEL

ENGLISH PATIENT by MICHAEL ONDAATJE

THE STONE DIARIES by CAROL SHIELDS

2002-2011

CHINAMAN by SHEHAN KARUNATILAKA

SMALL ISLAND by ANDREA LEVY

MEMORY OF LOVE by AMINATTA FORNA

BOOK OF NIGHT WOMEN by MARLON JAMES

BOOK THIEF by MARKUS ZUSAK

THE SECRET RIVER by KATE GRENVILLE

GOLDEN AGE by TAHMIMA ANAM

THE BOAT by NAM LE

HALF OF A YELLOW SUN by CHIMAMANDA ADICHE

WOLF HALL by HILARY MANTEL

2012-2022

LUMINARIES by ELEANOR CATTON

GIRL WOMAN OTHER by BERNARDINE EVARISTO

BEHOLD THE DREAMERS by IMBOLO MBUE

BONE READERS by JACOB ROSS

NIGHT TIGER by YANGSZE CHOO, YANGSZE

HOW WE DISAPPEARED by JING-JING LEE

SHUGGIE BAIN by DOUGLAS STUART

OUR LADY OF THE NILE by M. SCHOLASTIQUE

PASSAGE NORTH by ANUK ARUDPRAGASAM

PROMISE by DAMON GALGUT