Shukla, Jones and le Carré on World Book Night list

Books by Nikesh Shukla, John le Carré and Tayari Jones are among those featuring on World Book Night's list of titles for 2022, which will be donated alongside Quick Reads titles for the first time. 

Titles on each initiative's lists — both of which are organised by literary charity the Reading Agency — will be among the 84,000 gifted to organisations with a clientele who have limited access to books. These organisations include prisons, hospitals, youth centres, care homes and mental health groups. 

This year’s World Book Night titles have been contributed from publishers including Pan Macmillan, Hachette, Penguin Random House, Walker Books, Canongate, HarperCollins, Head of Zeus, Oneworld, Profile, Simon & Schuster and Bolinda UK. The list includes Women's Prize-winner Jones' Silver Sparrow (Oneworld), the debut novel from Aliya Ali-Afzal Would I Lie to You? (Head of Zeus) and Dr Alex George’s Live Well Every Day (Octopus). There are also memoir titles with a focus on prejudice and social belonging, including Gyspy Boy by Mikey Walsh (Hodder & Stoughton) and Brown Baby by Shukla (Bluebird.) 

Jones said: “World Book Night is a gift to readers and writers alike — and I happen to be both, so I am doubly delighted and moved to be part of this year’s festivities. Books are paper miracles. They at once allow us the solitude of our own thoughts while also bringing us together with other people who have found themselves immersed in the same stories. I am very honoured and grateful to be included this year. I don’t know what is more thrilling — the thought of Silver Sparrow reaching new readers, or the idea of readers reaching one another.” 

Audiobooks, including Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by the late spy novelist John le Carré, narrated by Michael Jayston and Russell Brand’s Recovery, narrated by the author, will also be donated.

The eight Quick Reads titles include an abridged version of Sissay’s memoir My Name Is Why (Canongate), historical drama The Black Mountain by Kate Mosse (Pan Macmillan), and The Swimmer by comedian and presenter Graham Norton (Hodder & Stoughton). 

Karen Napier, c.e.o. of the Reading Agency said: "We're thrilled to be announcing our World Book Night 2022 booklist. We are so grateful to all the wonderful publishers and authors who are participating this year, including the writers of this year’s brilliant and accessible Quick Reads. This year, we want to ensure that there is something for everyone on the list – from those who read avidly, to those who have never picked up a book.” 

Author and comedian Romesh Ranganathan, whose Straight Outta Crawley (Transworld) also makes the list, added: “It’s a real honour to have my book used as a way of inspiring new readers, something I feel very passionate about. I hope that it encourages people to take up reading as a regular hobby, as well as maybe convincing my family to read it, as none of them have so far.” 

World Book Night 2022 titles 

All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O'Donoghue (Walker Books) 

Brown Baby by Nikesh Shukla (Bluebird) 

Dare to Change Your Life by Lawrence Okolie (Ebury) 

Gypsy Boy by Mikey Walsh (Hodder & Stoughton) 

Laidlaw by William McIlvanney (Canongate) 

Live Well Every Day by Dr Alex George (Octopus) 

My Policeman by Bethan Roberts (Vintage) 

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam (HarperCollins Children’s) 

Recovery by Russell Brand (Bluebird) 

Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones (Oneworld) 

Straight Outta Crawley by Romesh Ranganathan (Transworld) 

The Boy Between by Amanda Prowse and Josiah Hartley (Amazon Publishing) 

The Dinner Guest by BP Walter (One More Chapter, HarperCollins) 

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See (Bolinda) 

The Upper World by Femi Fadugba (PRH Children’s) 

Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy by John le Carré (Bolinda) 

Transitions by Various (Jessica Kingsley Publishers) 

Would I Lie to You? by Aliya Ali-Afzal (Head of Zeus) 

Quick Reads 2022 titles 

My Name Is Why (abridged) by Lemn Sissay (Canongate) 

Sofia Kahn and the Baby Blues by Ayisha Malik (Headline) 

The Cutting Season by MW Craven (Little, Brown) 

The Swimmer by Graham Norton (Hodder & Stoughton) 

The Black Mountain by Kate Mosse (Pan Macmillan) 

Blind Spot by Paula Hawkins (Transworld) 

Witness by Alex Wheatle (Profile) 

The Kiss by Santa Montefiore (Simon & Schuster)