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Bloomsbury is to publish What Writers Read, a collection of essays raising money for the National Literacy Trust, curated by Pandora Sykes and featuring award-winning authors such as Ruth Ozeki and Caleb Azumah Nelson
Head of Bloomsbury Trade Alexis Kirschbaum acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, plus audio rights to the collection from Nelle Andrew at Rachel Mills Literary. The book will publish on 10th November this year and all profits from its sales will be donated to the National Literacy Trust, with all contributors waiving any fees.
Introduced by Sykes, an award-winning writer and broadcaster, the collection explores the books that a selection of authors hold most dear and which made them who they are.
Its list of 35 contributors includes Ann Patchett, Elif Shafak, Leila Slimani, Marian Keyes, Nick Hornby, David Nicholls, Benjamin Zephaniah, Paris Lees, Damon Galgut, William Boyd, George the Poet, Dolly Alderton, Sebastian Faulks, Tessa Hadley, Elizabeth Strout and Nikesh Shukla.
"All of the contributing authors to What Writers Read are bona fide literary stars – I am still shocked how many of them said yes — but in this collection, they are simply readers," Sykes said. "To go one further, they are writers because they are readers. If anyone knows how important books are to growing minds — at a time when more public libraries are closing than ever before — it is them. Every author wrote their piece for free, and every penny of profits of this book goes to the National Literacy Trust, which works to eliminate childhood illiteracy. I’m so grateful to each and every one of them, and to Bloomsbury for supporting me with this project."
Kirschbaum added: "Pandora and her contributors have created a beautiful book that will make a lasting impact on the lives of vulnerable children throughout England thanks to the National Literacy Trust. I feel so privileged to have been part of it and can’t wait to help make as much money as possible for this brilliant cause. Pandora is a legend."
Sykes recently launched a book subscription service with Fane, and has written a collection of essays, How Do We Know We’re Doing It Right? & Other Essays on Modern Life, which was seized by Hutchinson in an 11-way auction.