Great books can provide companionship when we are lonely or peacefulness in the midst of an overcrowded daily life. Reading provides a unique kind of pleasure and no-one should live without it. In the ten essays in this book some of our finest authors and passionate advocates from the worlds of science, publishing, technology and social enterprise tell us about the experience of reading, why access to books should never be taken for granted, how reading transforms our brains, and how literature can save lives. In any 24 hours there are so many demands on your time and attention - make books one of them. This title includes essays by Carmen Callil, Tim Parks, Nicholas Carr, Michael Rosen, Jane Davis, Zadie Smith, Mark Haddon, Jeanette Winterson, Blake Morrison, Dr Maryanne Wolf & Dr Mirit Barzillai.