the reading agency – Lancashire & South Cumbria Library Blog

World Book Night

23rd April 2021

This Friday is World Book Night (23 April), celebrating the 10th anniversary of the annual celebration of reading. The Reading Agency will be celebrating with two live-streamed events in partnership with The British Library. Kicking off the celebrations is Kazuo Ishiguro in conversation with Kate Mosse. They are inviting every book lover, writer and reader of all ages to take part in the #ReadingHour from 7-8pm before finishing the night with their Books to Make You Smile event hosted by Sandi Toksvig, with David Nicholls, Bolu Babalola and Jamie Byng.

It promises to be a memorable night so get your free tickets now at the British Library website.

Women’s Prize for Fiction 2021

Longlist announced

The Women’s Prize for Fiction is the UK’s most prestigious annual book award celebrating and honouring fiction by women. The Prize celebrates excellence, originality and accessibility in writing by women in English from throughout the world. The 2021 longlist was announced in March, with the winner being announced on the 7th July.

Take a look at the list here to find out more about individual books and how you can get involved.

Women’s Prize for Fiction

Maggie O’Farrell wins the award for 2020

TWO EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE. A LOVE THAT DRAWS THEM TOGETHER. A LOSS THAT THREATENS TO TEAR THEM APART. On a summer’s day in 1596, a young girl in Stratford-upon-Avon takes to her bed with a fever. Her twin brother, Hamnet, searches everywhere for help. Why is nobody at home? Their mother, Agnes, is over a mile away, in the garden where she grows medicinal herbs.Their father is working in London. Neither parent knows that one of the children will not survive the week.

Hamnet is a novel inspired by the son of a famous playwright. It is a story of the bond between twins, and of a marriage pushed to the brink by grief.

Congratulations to Maggie O’Farrell for her achievement. To have your say or buy the book click here.