How to Read a Book

A runaway global bestseller, available now in the UK comes a heartfelt, uplifting novel about a chance encounter at a bookshop.

One bookshop. A thousand ways to rewrite a life.

When Violet Powell is newly released from prison after killing someone in a drink-driving crash, she longs for a chance to start over.

Harriet Larson believes stories can light a way through the loneliest chapters. Now she must hold onto that belief more than ever.

Frank Daigle works as a handyman in the bookshop. His quiet grief connects them in ways none of them anticipated.

As their lives intertwine among the bookshelves, small acts of kindness open the door to healing. Can forgiveness grow where it’s least expected?

"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

Reviews

"An utter gem; funny, sweet, and moving." People

"I laughed and wept my way straight through …” Lily King, New York Times bestselling author of Euphoria and Writers

"Gorgeously told … A finely wrought story, with deeply memorable characters.” Kirkus Reviews

“A wry, hopeful celebration of literature, unlikely friendships, and the power of small gestures of connection." Shelf Awareness

"What a master of plot and character Monica Wood is. I love the various worlds How to Read a Book took me to" Margot Livesey, New York Times bestselling author of The Boy in the Field and The Flight of Gemma Hardy

“incandescent and unforgettable." Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of With or Without You and Pictures of You

About the author

Monica Wood is a novelist, memoirist, and playwright; a recipient of the Maine Humanities Council Carlson Prize for contributions to the public humanities; and a recipient of the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance Distinguished Achievement Award for contributions to the literary arts. She lives in Portland, Maine, with her husband, Dan Abbott, and their cat, Susie.