Books

High-profile writers are always emphasising the significance of reading as a means to enhance their writing. Renowned authors like Stephen King and Margaret Atwood have stressed the importance of writers being avid readers themselves.George RR Martin, author of the Game Of Thrones series, once said: "A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one." James Patterson, one of the best-selling authors of all time, is also a passionate reader.With estimated book sales of around 400 million copies and a net worth of approximately £588 million, Patterson has penned classics such as Along Came a Spider, Kiss the Girls, and Murder House. Born on March 22, 1947, in Newburgh, New York, Patterson has achieved success on the New York Times bestseller list an im...

A reading fantatic has shared his favourite Stephen King books (file) (Image: Getty)Throughout his writing career, author Stephen King have published 67 novels and novellas, including seven under the pen name Richard Bachman, and five non-fiction books. He has also written more than 200 short stories, most of which have been compiled in book collections.However, if you are yet to pick up one of King's book to read, it can be difficult to know which one to start with, especially since there are so many well-known ones.To help, one reading fanatic named Alfie Tindall, who often creates book-related content on social media as 'alf_read' for his thousands of followers, has shared that he's read 19 of King's books, and went on to share which ones he would recommend others to read."Should you...

JK Rowling has revealed her favourite books (Image: Getty)The world-famous author of a children’s book series has named her 10 favourite books. JK Rowling is the British novelist who wrote Harry Potter, a seven-volume series about a young wizard. Published from 1997 to 2007, the fantasy novels are the best-selling book series in history, with over 600 million copies sold. They have been translated into 84 languages and have spawned a global media franchise, including films and video games. She writes Cormoran Strike, an ongoing crime fiction series, under the alias Robert Galbraith. Rowling has won many accolades for her work. She was named to the Order of the British Empire and was appointed a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour for services to literature and philanthropy. ...

Those old books on your bookshelf could be worth a lot of money (stock image) (Image: Getty Images)Rare books can be worth a lot of money - and even more so if they're signed by the author. In 2024 a signed first edition of James Joyce's 1922 novel Ulysses sold at auction for $460,500 (£339,000), while rare editions of other books can go for eye-watering sums - even more so if they feature the author's signature. But sometimes that piece of buried treasure you've uncovered in the attic or at the bottom of a box of books might not be quite what it seems. One bookseller has spoken of the time someone came into his shop claiming to have a signed edition of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. Published in 1937, it was the prequel to his epic The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and introduced readers to...

Warning Signs by Tracy Sierra, Hardback, £18.99When 12-year-old Zach joins his father Bram and his business clients on a skiing weekend in the Colorado mountains he immediately feels something lurking in the darkness outside their remote cabin. Zach was taught to spot dangers in the backcountry by his late mother, who grew up there, but the men on the fathers and sons trip think they know better. When disaster strikes he’ll have to use all of his survival skills to escape the wilderness and the monsters within it. The second novel from the Nightwatching author is a riveting tale of survival that builds dread and tension to keep the reader on the edge of their seat. The best thriller this reviewer has read in a long time. 10/10A Bad, Bad Place by Frances Crawford, Hardback, £16.99Janey D...

Music star Stormzy has thrown his weight behind a scheme designed to get adults reading as almost half of Britons say they are “not readers”. The Reading Agency’s Quick Reads is a flagship initiative featuring short, accessible books written by bestselling authors and created specifically for non-readers, lapsed readers, people with short attention spans, and neurodivergent readers. Since its launch in 2006, Quick Reads has distributed more than five million books, worked with more than 30 publishers, and generated more than six million library loans.The scheme celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2026 – the National year of Reading – with its most ambitious programme to date having grown into a national reading movement centred around World Book Night on April 23. Thousands of Quick Read...

February marks LGBT History Month in the UK (Image: Zahna Eklund)February marks LGBT History Month in the UK. It represents a month-long celebration honouring the heritage, accomplishments, and equality campaigns of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people.While this historical commemoration typically takes place in October across nations, including the US, Canada, and Australia, Britain observes it in February to align with the 2003 repeal of Section 28, which had formerly prohibited local authorities from "promoting" LGBT content or including it in school curricula.Today, 23 years after Section 28's abolition and an incredible 59 years since homosexuality was decriminalised in England and Wales, the LGBTQ+ community continues to encounter prejudice on a daily basis. Whil...

The early days of Middle-earth, as seen in Amazon Prime's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Image: Amazon Prime)Reading The Lord of the Rings is a coming-of-age experience for countless young readers. My dad read The Hobbit to my brother and I when we were young, and I knew there was a far more expansive, mature world merely hinted at through Bilbo Baggins' cheerful adventure with Gandalf and the Dwarves, waiting for me to discover when I was a bit older.When I eventually cracked open The Fellowship of the Ring for the first time as a teenager, shortly before Peter Jackson's magnificent film adaptations hit cinemas, it exceeded all expectations. The magnificence of Tolkien's trilogy lies in how it unfolds within a completely realised realm boasting extensive history, most of wh...

With January finally over and lighter evenings slowly on the way, it won’t be long before temperatures start to creep up again. But in the meantime, there’s no better time to curl up on the sofa with a good book. Luckily, February is full of big new releases from the likes of B.K. Borison, Kristen Ciccarelli and Matt Dinniman, as well as lots of exciting debuts. From fantasy and romance to historical and literary fiction, here are some of the best books coming out this month to help you find your next favourite read. For more book recommendations, reviews and news, you can subscribe to our free weekly newsletter, The Bookish Drop, on Substack. And Now, Back to You by B.K. BorisonTwo rival meteorologists are forced to find common ground when the snowstorm of the century arrives in the ne...

Stephen King's favourite books have been revealed (Image: Getty)Although he’s the master of horror and suspense, Stephen King’s love of literature extends far beyond his own genre.In a unique celebration of Goodreads’ 10th anniversary back in 2017, the iconic author ranked his top 10 favourite books, revealing a blend of classics and lesser-known works that inspired his own work. But not without disclaiming how “ridiculous” a list like this would be to build: “On another day, ten different titles might come to mind, like The Exorcist, or All the Pretty Horses, in place of Blood Meridian. On another day, I’d be sure to include Light in August or Scott Smith’s superb A Simple Plan. The Sea, the Sea, by Iris Murdoch. But what the hell, I stand by these.”Here’s a look at the full list of St...