Big Jubilee Read to kick off with event featuring authors Zusak, Lee and Ross

An online discussion exploring the writing of the Commonwealth will kick off a roster of Big Jubilee Read events organised by the Reading Agency and Libraries Connected to celebrate the Queen’s 70 years of rule and the joy of reading. 

The sessions, free to stream, accompany a specially selected reading list of 70 books published across the Commonwealth during the Queen’s reign, such as Maragret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale (Vintage), Bernadine Evaristo’s Booker-winning Girl Woman Other (Hamish Hamilton) and Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall (Fourth Estate).

On 14th June at 7pm the first YouTube session will be chaired by journalist Sarah Shaffi, and include authors Jing-Jing Lee, Jacob Ross and Markus Zusak discussing what the future for writing from the Commonwealth looks like and who will tell its stories. 

Zusak, author of The Book Thief (Black Swan), said: “When I finished The Book Thief 20 years ago in the backwaters of Sydney, I thought it would sink without a trace. I didn’t even think it would be published in the UK, so its inclusion in the Big Jubilee Read feels like its biggest miracle of all. I can’t wait to be part of the events programme.”

In a discussion on the creative influence of journeys and migration entitled “Journeys in the Commonwealth”, Nam Le and Kate Grenville will be in attendance, while a celebration of writing by women across the Commonwealth hosted by poet, vlogger and presenter Leena Norm will feature Yangsze Choo (Malaysia), Tahmima Anam (Bangladesh) and Scholastique Mukasonga (Rwanda), and translator Melanie Mauthner. 

Karen Napier, c.e.o of the Reading Agency said: “We’re thrilled to be working with our partners at Libraries Connected and BBC Arts to host this series of inspiring national events, which bring the Big Jubilee Read booklist to life through discussion and debate. We hope that these events will encourage people to explore the book list and spark a conversation about reading, which is at the heart of our shared social heritage.” 

More events are yet to be announced, and all sessions will be streamed on the Reading Agency’s YouTube channel.