The Big Jubilee Read: 21 Booker books to celebrate the reign of Queen Elizabeth II
In summer 2022, the Reading Agency and BBC Arts teamed up for the Big Jubilee Read - a list of 70 books by Commonwealth authors, with 10 from each decade of the Queen’s reign. Below, find out more about the authors and books on the list who are part of the Booker family
The Big Jubilee Read campaign emphasised reading for pleasure, with one book chosen for each year of the Queen’s reign, featuring writers from across the Commonwealth.
Suzy Klein, head of arts and classical music TV at the BBC, said: ‘The list of 70 books is a real opportunity to discover stories from across continents and taking us through the decades, books that we might never have otherwise read, and reading authors whose work deserves a spotlight to be shone on it.’
There are 21 Booker Prize winning, shortlisted and longlisted novels on the list, and a total of 31 authors from the Booker family, including past judges as well as nominated writers.
Main photograph © Lisa Sheridan/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Read our features on the Big Jubilee Read authors
The Big Jubilee Read books from the Booker Library
Get to know the authors
Watch videos
The moment Damon Galgut wins the 2021 Booker Prize.
Booker Prize-shortlisted author Anuk Arudpragasm reads from ‘A Passage North’.
The 2019 Booker Prize ceremony, where the prize was shared by Bernardine Evaristo and Margaret Atwood.
Watch the full Channel 4 broadcast of the controversial 1985 Booker Prize ceremony, including interviews with the shortlisted authors and the deeply divided judges.
Watch the moment Thomas Keneally’s Schindler’s Ark is announced as the 1982 Booker Prize-winning book.
Watch the 2020 Booker Prize ceremony, in which Douglas Stuart wins the prize with his book,Shuggie Bain.
The full ceremony from 1992, in which Michael Ondaatje wins the prize withThe English Patient.
Watch Hilary Mantel’s acceptance speech on winning the Man Booker Prize in 2009 for Wolf Hall.
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