The Reading Book

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A sprawling survey of the evolution of women’s bodies over 200m years, Cat Bohannon’s deeply researched book covers everything, as the author herself puts it, “from tits to toes”. Partly, it’s a bid to correct the “male norm” – the fact that scientists default to male bodies, be they mouse or human, when studying things in the lab. That means that models of normal functioning and disease all skew male, as do the treatments that are then developed. But this isn’t just a book for women: Bohannon invites you to “think of yourself: to think about where your body comes from, how the evolution of biological sex shapes it – whether you identify as a man, a woman, or another gender”. Our Read with Oxford series features the much-loved characters who have been helping children learn to read for over 30 years. Having a comfortable reading space where you like to spend time can help you read more books. Create a special space in your home with a comfy chair, good lighting, and everything you like to have within reach while reading. It will make your reading time less of a chore and more of an opportunity to relax and dive into a good book. Find ideas for your perfect reading nook here.

Faber is best known for his novels Under the Skin and The Crimson Petal and the White, but he’s been incubating a different kind of book for years, one about his greatest passion, music. The result is a series of finely tuned observations formed from personal memories, nuggets of neuroscience and interviews with musical luminaries, in which he attempts to explain “what really happens when we hear, and what’s really going on when we listen”. The answer is a combination of biology and biography. Sounds simple enough: Faber’s kaleidoscope-like book explains why it really isn’t. The Catcher in the Rye is the classic coming-of-age story. It follows sixteen-year-old Holden Caulfield’s adolescent journey of angst and alienation as he leaves his prep school and moves to New York City. 11. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte LISTENING TO AUDIOBOOKS IS NOT CHEATING. We all learn and retain information in different ways, and audiobooks are one of many ways to enjoy a good book. Audiobooks are amazing when it comes to multitasking. You can listen to an audiobook while driving, exercising, walking, and so much more. Plus it’s a great way to avoid eye fatigue when you’ve been reading a lot of print or ebooks. If you’re new to audiobooks or don’t know if they can work for you, I recommend starting with a memoir by a celebrity author you admire, like We’re Going to Need More Wine by Gabrielle Union. Alternatively, try a collection of essays or short stories that can be listened to in shorter bursts, like We Are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby. 6. Mix Up the Genres

First published in 1936, Dale Carnegie’s classic self-help book has stood the test of time. How to Win Friends and Influence People will teach you straightforward methods to improve your relationships – and as a result, your business and personal lives. 26. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg The Taiwanese-American author and New Yorker contributor Hua Hsu’s Pulitzer prize-winning Stay True (Macmillan, Sept) is finally publishing in the UK. A portrait of Hsu’s friendship with a college friend who died tragically young, it is a richly observed examination of grief, being an outsider and the healing power of art. In the melancholy Father & Son (Picador, Sept), the Soft City author Jonathan Raban, who died at the start of this year, reflects on his relationship with his army captain father, and tells the intertwined stories of his father’s war years, as revealed in his letters to Raban’s mother, and his own recovery from a life-changing stroke. The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power by Shoshana Zuboff

Samantha Harvey is a beautiful stylist; in Orbital (Cape, Nov) a group of astronauts look down on our fragile Earth. It’s a slim, profound study of intimate human fears set against epic vistas of swirling weather patterns and rolling continents. Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! by Robert T. KiyosakiIf you’re wondering “what book should I read next,” look no further. In summary, here are 40 must-read books of all time: Classic Novels to Read Accountability partners are often recommended for keeping your New Year’s Resolutions, and reading is no different. It’s helpful to have someone on your side, and even better if you can read some books together. Discussing what you’re reading with a friend can give you encouragement to read through to the end. And based on your discussion, your bookish buddy may have more recommendations for books you’d enjoy. It’s a win-win! 12. Create a Reading Nook Jane Eyre is often considered one of the must-read books of all time. It follows the emotions and experiences of a strong, unbroken woman who continued to grow morally and spiritually despite a troubled childhood and a sexist, repressed Victorian society. 12. Animal Farm by George Orwell

Opinions: A Decade of Arguments, Criticism, and Minding Other People’s Business (Corsair, Oct) by Roxane Gay Singer LM, et al. (2016). Reading across mediums: Effects of reading digital and print texts on comprehension and calibration. DOI:

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In Letters and Sounds, there are ‘sets’ within the Phases – so your child might not know all the sounds in every book within their Phase. Parents of children using Read Write Inc. Phonics may be interested in our home learning kits and flashcards: Read Write Inc. Phonics kits > Tolkien’s fantasy epic is one of the top must-read books out there. Set in Middle Earth – a world full of hobbits, elves, orcs, goblins, and wizards – The Lord of the Rings will take you on an unbelievable adventure. 3. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Margaret Atwood recently described Mona Awad as her “literary heir apparent”. (Of Awad’s BookTok sensation Bunny, Atwood remarked: “You think, ‘She’s not going to go there … yes, she is.’”) Rouge (Scribner, Sept) plays with horror and humour in a surreal, gothic tale about a mother-daughter relationship that is also a biting satire on the beauty industry. Rizzolo D, et al. (2009). Stress management strategies for students: The immediate effects of yoga, humor, and reading on stress.DOI:

Samur D, et al. (2018). Does a single session of reading literary fiction prime enhanced mentalising performance? Four replication experiments of Kidd and Castano. DOI: Mangen A, et al (2013). Reading linear texts on paper versus computer screen: Effects on reading comprehension. DOI:

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Inspired by Kerouac’s real-life adventures, On the Road tells the tale of two friends searching for meaning and rich experiences on a cross-country road trip. 34. Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson