Quick Reads was launched in 2006. From then until 2018, over 100 Quick Reads titles were published; the books were loaned more than 5 million times through libraries and over 4.8 million books were distributed. The initiative established a reputation for publishing top quality bestselling authors, including Andy McNab, Jojo Moyes, Jeffrey Archer, Malala, Roddy Doyle and many more. 2018's brilliantly varied list featured books by Dorothy Koomson, Tammy Cohen, Kit de Waal, Vaseem Khan, Mark Billingham and Fern Britton.

After 12 brilliant years, three of those with The Reading Agency, Quick Reads will not be publishing a new list in 2019. We are currently working on the Quick Reads legacy plan with our publishing partners, many of whom will continue offering much of the backlist in ebook and audio formats. Quick Reads will continue to be used by prisons, colleges, NHS hospitals, adult learning organisations, trade unions and other partners, and publishers will also make titles available for purchase in bulk quantities to learning providers. The books will remain available for anyone to borrow from public libraries.

Ideas for using Quick Reads

• Hold a reading break or start a reading group in your workplace, college, library or local community. You can create a buzz about reading that will encourage even the most reluctant readers to pick up a good book.
• Set up a reading area at your organisation. You can provide a bookcase and a reading area if you have room. Use new books or ask people to donate their books.
• Use Quick Reads as part of Reading Ahead, which challenges people to pick six reads and record their reading in a diary to get a certificate.
• Hold a book swap by encouraging people to bring in books they have read and enjoyed to share with others. You ask people to write reviews or put stickers in the front of the books for people to write comments.

Get involved

Find out more about our reading programmes for adults, such as Reading Ahead and World Book night