The Reading List: A Novel
NOW A LILLY’S LIBRARY PICK!
“The most heartfelt read…a surprising delight of a novel.”–Shondaland
An unforgettable and heartwarming debut about how a chance encounter with a list of library books helps forge an unlikely friendship between two very different people in a London suburb.
Widower Mukesh lives a quiet life in Wembley, in West London after losing his beloved wife. He shops every Wednesday, goes to Temple, and worries about his granddaughter, Priya, who hides in her room reading while he spends his evenings watching nature documentaries.
Aleisha is a bright but anxious teenager working at the local library for the summer when she discovers a crumpled-up piece of paper in the back of To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s a list of novels that she’s never heard of before. Intrigued, and a little bored with her slow job at the checkout desk, she impulsively decides to read every book on the list, one after the other. As each story gives up its magic, the books transport Aleisha from the painful realities she’s facing at home.
When Mukesh arrives at the library, desperate to forge a connection with his bookworm granddaughter, Aleisha passes along the reading list…hoping that it will be a lifeline for him too. Slowly, the shared books create a connection between two lonely souls, as fiction helps them escape their grief and everyday troubles and find joy again.
From the Publisher
Publisher : William Morrow Paperbacks
Publication date : August 9, 2022
Language : English
Print length : 400 pages
ISBN-10 : 0063025299
ISBN-13 : 978-0063025295
Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
Dimensions : 5.31 x 0.9 x 8 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #25,556 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #36 in Asian American & Pacific Islander Literature (Books) #125 in Friendship Fiction (Books) #832 in Contemporary Women Fiction
Customer Reviews: 4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (19,255) var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });
Original price was: $19.99.$7.50Current price is: $7.50.
NOW A LILLY’S LIBRARY PICK!
“The most heartfelt read…a surprising delight of a novel.”–Shondaland
An unforgettable and heartwarming debut about how a chance encounter with a list of library books helps forge an unlikely friendship between two very different people in a London suburb.
Widower Mukesh lives a quiet life in Wembley, in West London after losing his beloved wife. He shops every Wednesday, goes to Temple, and worries about his granddaughter, Priya, who hides in her room reading while he spends his evenings watching nature documentaries.
Aleisha is a bright but anxious teenager working at the local library for the summer when she discovers a crumpled-up piece of paper in the back of To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s a list of novels that she’s never heard of before. Intrigued, and a little bored with her slow job at the checkout desk, she impulsively decides to read every book on the list, one after the other. As each story gives up its magic, the books transport Aleisha from the painful realities she’s facing at home.
When Mukesh arrives at the library, desperate to forge a connection with his bookworm granddaughter, Aleisha passes along the reading list…hoping that it will be a lifeline for him too. Slowly, the shared books create a connection between two lonely souls, as fiction helps them escape their grief and everyday troubles and find joy again.
From the Publisher
Publisher : William Morrow Paperbacks
Publication date : August 9, 2022
Language : English
Print length : 400 pages
ISBN-10 : 0063025299
ISBN-13 : 978-0063025295
Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
Dimensions : 5.31 x 0.9 x 8 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #25,556 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #36 in Asian American & Pacific Islander Literature (Books) #125 in Friendship Fiction (Books) #832 in Contemporary Women Fiction
Customer Reviews: 4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (19,255) var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });
10 reviews for The Reading List: A Novel
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Original price was: $19.99.$7.50Current price is: $7.50.
LA Teen Whisperer –
I Just Finished “The Reading List”
“They were all her favorite books, the books she had grown up with, the books that had found her at the right time, that had given her comfort when she needed it, had given her an escape, an opportunity to live beyond her life, an opportunity to love more powerfully, a chance to open up and let people in…”This is a story about life, loss, healing, love, growing up, letting go, reconnecting, forgiving, friendship, family, and the power to learn from the stories of others. I’m enjoying it so much that I am only reading a chapter a day.The books featured in The Reading List are:To Kill a MockingbirdRebeccaThe Kite RunnerLife of PiPride and PrejudiceLittle WomenBelovedA Suitable BoyI have already read four of the books, and have since downloaded the rest onto my Kindle. (As these books are woven into the story, I’m pausing to revisit the books that I’ve already read, on film.)Yesterday, my husband and I watched Pride and Prejudice. A few days before, we watched The Kite Runner. The week before, we watched Life of Pi. My husband isn’t much of a reader, so these weren’t stories he was familiar with. It was nice to be re-introduced to them, and also share them with him.The value of reading, in my humble estimation, is the opportunity to live many lifetimes in one. There are deep lessons being shared through these stories, and it behooves us, both young and old alike, to learn from the wisdom of others.
Beth Deese –
Worth my time!
One of the first things I wonder when I pick up a new book is if it will be worth my time, worth the investment of stopping all my other activities to read what this one author wants to say about life.The Reading List certainly was worth my time and I enjoyed the characters and the taste of both Indian and English modern suburban culture. It’s certainly a unique storyline!The setup is a bit confusing as the point of view switches between multiple characters. I found that hard to follow, especially at the beginning when you’re trying to get a handle on how to read the book, though it’s explained by the ending so I’ll forgive it.Different people are finding the same reading list at different points in time. I was trying to track the list as I read but there was no link to how it was passed on. Also, some of those characters weave into the story and some really don’t. I kept expecting them to come back. We do find out the link between them and the lists later so I won’t give it away. But I would have liked more follow through with the minor characters and a better meshing of all of them so they enriched the story.The 2 main characters, Aleisha, a young 17 year old girl and Mukesh, an elderly Indian widower, are the focus of the book and both are dealing with a difficult season of life for their own reasons. They meet on rocky terms but begin to develop a unique friendship. I enjoyed the characters and found them realistic and relatable, though they both frustrated me for being a bit dim in certain parts of the book.Overall, the writing sings and I liked the overarching story structure of following along with the reading list. Great concept and solid book!
Amazon Customer –
A Lovely Read
What a wonderful book about books! And community, family, importance of friends. Reminds me of our community library and how important it is to a diverse group of people. What a great read!
Robert Heinemann –
So many books, so little time
Those of us who are avid readers have common problems. If we love a book we mourn the idea that it will end. If it ends what do we read next?The Reading List is a book that combines these ideas with the humanity that is at the center of every reader. It is the story of many inhabitants of a small English town that become joined by a mystery reading list that appears to each of them…in a book, in a bag, In a shelf, even in a shoe rack.One of the main characters, Mr P. Is mourning the loss of his beloved wife from Cancer. She was a devoted wife and family woman and an avid reader although he is not. When he happens upon the list, he unexpectedly goes to tge local library and begins to read. This joins his life with many others…a young librarian who is trying to care for her mother who suffers from depression and mental illness, old friends through his temple center, and his daughters and especially his granddaughter. Along the way we are exposed to the others as well as several classic novels that all have something to share with these readers. We also join the community as they attempt to save their local library for a tragic closing.Most of all we are reminded of the joy of books and reading. All of the books on this list are beloved and true treasures beginning with my personal favorite novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This book is written from the experience of the author and is a true testament to her family and growing up.Post as Kathryn Heinemann
Sandra –
An Inspiring Book!
Aleisha, librarian at the local but nearly empty library, doesn’t really care about books and actually knows little about them. Aleisha is stressed caring for her emotionally ill mother. Mukesh lives a lonely life nearby. Recently widowed, he finds it difficult to find joy in his routine life. Bossed by his concerned daughters and worried about his bookworm granddaughter, he feels lost.Everything changes when Aleisha is looking through returned books and finds a book list. Curious, she starts to read the books on the list. Meanwhile, Mukesh finds a book left behind by his beloved wife. In an effort to feel closer to her, he begins reading the book and finds comfort, feeling closer to his beloved wife. He is hooked. That’s when he visits his local library to find another wonderful book.This is a wonderful story about the power of books to teach, to comfort, and to bring people together. The realistically crafted characters bring the reader along in their reading adventures. These characters show us that books do change lives. If you are looking for a relaxing and inspiring read, this is it!
christinel –
Acheté un peu au hasard ce livre est entré dans le top 3 de mes lectures de l’année. Je l’ai déjà offert à plusieurs personnes, c’est un signe.Les personnages sont attachants et surtout c’est un livre qui donne envie de lire d’autres livres !A lire sans hésitation.
May –
Es un libro que me ha gustado mucho, muy emotivo. Creo que en algún momento te puedes sentir muy identificado/a,
M.Raes –
I have read this novel in no time. The story is amazing, so special, deep and heartwarming, If this is a debut I am ready to discover whatever the author will write in the future. Simply amazing!
Andi B –
Purchased after reading another book by the same author and loved it just as much. Wonderfully written characters that take you through the highs and lows of life. Would highly recommend reading and look forward to future books by this author.
Nicki Kendall –
Synopsis: heartwarming debut about how a chance encounter with a list of library books helps forge an unlikely friendship between two very different people in a London suburb.Widower Mukesh lives a quiet life in the London Borough of Ealing after losing his beloved wife. He shops every Wednesday, goes to Temple, and worries about his granddaughter, Priya, who hides in her room reading while he spends his evenings watching nature documentaries.Aleisha is a bright but anxious teenager working at the local library for the summer when she discovers a crumpled-up piece of paper in the back of To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s a list of novels that she’s never heard of before. Intrigued, and a little bored with her slow job at the checkout desk, she impulsively decides to read every book on the list, one after the other. As each story gives up its magic, the books transport Aleisha from the painful realities she’s facing at home.When Mukesh arrives at the library, desperate to forge a connection with his bookworm granddaughter, Aleisha passes along the reading list… hoping that it will be a lifeline for him too. Slowly, the shared books create a connection between two lonely souls, as fiction helps them escape their grief and everyday troubles and find joy again.Review: I was drawn to this book by the cover and the title I must admit. Once I started reading it I was swept up into this delightful story about the importance of reading and how it can bring people together and have such an amazing impact on their lives. It was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. Sweet, poignant, touching, inspiring…..A hug in a book that will stay with you long after the final page. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ #thereadinglist #saranishaadams #goodreads #getlitsy #thestorygraph #fable #tea_sipping_bookworm #bookqueen #bookstagram #harpercollins #amazonkindle