Reading Allowed

When novelist Chris Paling went for a job at his local library, he anticipated a quiet life. It took two hours between the stacks to discover that the reality was somewhat different. Chris found that at times the library is an extension of A&E; at others a hostel for the homeless; a psychiatric ward; a crime scene; a theatre space; a venue for knitting and book groups; and a job. On most days the library is all of these.

At the core of this wonderful and heartwarming book is the extraordinary cast of characters who visit the library most days. Amusing, tragic, surreal and eccentric, Reading Allowed is a fascinating portrait of the classic British institution that is our local library which will both enchant and delight.