From the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Last Act of Love , Cathy Rentzenbrink's D ear Reader is the ultimate love letter to reading and to finding the comfort and joy in stories. 'Exquisite' - Marian Keyes, author of Grown Ups 'A warm, unpretentious manifesto for why books matter’ - Sunday Express Growing up, Cathy Rentzenbrink was rarely seen without her nose in a book and read in secret long after lights out. When tragedy struck, it was books that kept her afloat. Eventually they lit the way to a new path, first as a bookseller and then as a writer. No matter what the future holds, reading will always help. A moving, funny and joyous exploration of how books can change the course of your life, packed with recommendations from one reader to another. “ C elebrates reading as a means of connection and a vehicle for escapism . . . a heartfelt reminder that, for all the wholesome effects that reading arguably has, the first reason to do it is for pleasure. Fittingly, Dear Reader is a pleasure to read ” ― Times “ I will never, ever forget the way Dear Reader made me feel: it is profoundly tender, generous, joy-filled, love-filled and compassionate. I have read so many wonderful books this year but this is the one I would buy and give away to everyone in the world if I could ” ―Daisy Buchanan, author of How to Be a Grown-Up “ If you love books or if you need companionship during a difficult patch in your life or if you simply want to be taken by the hand by a writer who is kind, wise, funny, generous, insightful and profound, then this is the book for you ” ―Elizabeth Day “ Exquisite. Dear Reader is touching, beautiful and contains countless excellent book recommendations! ” ―Marian Keyes “ Cathy Rentzenbrink’s exploration of reading books and the comfort they bring in Dear Reader feels like art in your hands ” ― Stylist, 'Best Gift Books this Christmas' “ Joyful, poignant and essential reading for people who love books . . . it is a book to cherish ” ―Nina Stibbe “ Beautifully written and a joy to read, Dear Reader is a best friend of a book ” ―AJ Pearce, Sunday Times bestselling author of Dear Mrs Bird “ This love letter to reading, which is packed with recommendations, is pure joy ” ― Good Housekeeping “ Dear Reader restored my soul ” ―Sara Collins, author of The Confessions of Frannie Langton “ A companion for readers everywhere . . . intimate, kind and self-effacing, it feels like someone is sitting right next to you, holding your hand and sharing their secrets. I loved it ” ―Kit de Waal, author of My Name is Leon “ A warm, unpretentious manifesto for why books matter ” ― Sunday Express “ Dear Reader is the best thing I’ve read for ages and it will stay with me forever ” ―Philippa Perry, author of The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read (and Your Children Will be Glad That You Did) “Your first port of call if you’re looking for a book to recommend or just a bit stuck on what to choose next. But it’s more than a reference book; it’s a personal account of how books have comforted the author and what they can do for the soul” ―Kit de Waal, New Statesman, Books of the Year “ A wonderful warm bath of a book. Perfect for all bookworms to sink into ” ―Jenny Colgan, author of Meet Me At The Cupcake Café “ This is a book that shows what can happen when reading becomes one of the foundation stones in someone’s life, how it miraculously reveals a map when you’ve lost your path and how it will always provide a connection to the world when we feel alone . . . Cathy, prepare for adulation ” ―Diane Setterfield, author of The Thirteenth Tale “ Dear Reader is a comfort, an inspiration and a gift of a book for readers, reluctant readers and anyone who wants to feel better about themselves and the world. I applaud Cathy Rentzenbrink, she is a truly brilliant writer ” ―Julia Samuel, author of Grief Works “Your first port of call if you’re looking for a book to recommend or just a bit stuck on what to choose next. But it’s more than a reference book; it’s a personal account of how books have comforted the author and what they can do for the soul” ―Kit de Waal, 'Books of the Year', New Statesman “ Comfort reading has been to the fore lately, and you'll find it in abundance in this joyous memoir of a life immersed in the pleasures and consolations of books by the author of The Last Act of Love . . . It's chock-full of Rentzenbrink's splendid reading recommendations, from "Children's Books I Love to Reread" and books about "Bad Love", to "Posh People Behaving Badly" and "Helpful Non-Fiction", which her own book most certainly is” ―Caroline Sanderson, The Bookseller Cathy Rentzenbrink is the author of the Sunday Times bestseller The Last Act of Love , How to Feel Better ( A Manual for Heartache), Dear Reader: The Comfort and Joy of Books, Write It All Down and Everyone Is Still Alive . It took her twenty years to wrestle her own life st