Charles Dickens on the smell of books, Maya Angelou on the pleasures of reading aloud,Virginia Woolf on finding space for writing, Nick Hornby on reading for pure enjoymentand much more. Along the way, you'll find advice on how to look after your most precious volumes, what to do when books start taking over your home, and where to find the most atmospheric libraries and bookshops around the world.

Jane McMorland Hunter is a passionate lover of the written word who works at Hatchards bookshop when not writing. She has written and edited several books, including Ode to London, Favourite Poems of England, A Nature Poem for Every Day of the Year, Friends: A Poem for Every Day of the Year and A Nature Poem for Every Night of the Year. She lives in London. 

Jane McMorland Hunter is a passionate lover of the written word who works at Hatchards bookshop when not writing. She has written and edited several books, including Ode to London, Favourite Poems of England, A Nature Poem for Every Day of the Year, Friends: A Poem for Every Day of the Year and A Nature Poem for Every Night of the Year. She lives in London.