'A beautiful, big-hearted treasure of a novel' Lily King A runaway bestseller in the USA, available for the first time in the UK comes a heartfelt, uplifting novel about a chance encounter at a bookstore. Exploring redemption, unlikely friendships, and the life-changing power of sharing stories, this is a book that readers have taken to their hearts.Violet Powell, a twenty-two-year-old from rural Abbott Falls, Maine, is being released from prison after serving twenty-two months for a drunk-driving crash that killed a local kindergarten teacher.Harriet Larson, a retired English teacher who runs the prison book club, is facing the unsettling prospect of an empty nest.Frank Daigle, a retired machinist, hasn't yet come to grips with the complications of his marriage to the woman Violet killed.When the three encounter each other one morning in a bookstore in Portland – Violet to buy the novel she was reading in the prison book club before her release, Harriet to choose the next title for the women who remain, and Frank to dispatch his duties as the store handyman – their lives begin to intersect in transformative ways.How to Read a Book is an unsparingly honest and profoundly hopeful story about letting go of guilt, seizing second chances, and the power of books to change our lives. With the heart, wit, grace, and depth of understanding that has characterised her work, Monica Wood illuminates the decisions that define a life and the kindnesses that make life worth living. "The perfect pick to really light a fire under my book club, and yours … A reminder that goodness, and books, can still win in this world." New York Times Book Review "A beautiful, big-hearted treasure of a novel." Lily King "A deeply humane and touching novel; highly recommended for book clubs and fans of Shelby Van Pelt's Remarkably Bright Creatures." Booklist In this latest work of fiction, Monica Wood beautifully weaves a tale of grief and bereavement, set against the backdrop of bookstores and libraries. The humorous undertones provide a much-needed respite, making it a top pick for readers.nanHarperCollins 2026
