No One Round Here Reads Tolstoy

Deeply poignant . . . Powerful * * Sunday Times * *
This is a book about the north; it is also about publishing, writing and music, but it transcends its subjects and meets the criterion Hodkinson sets out in his preface: "The best books, the same as the best days, skitter on the breeze. They go their own way" * * Observer * *
Mark Hodkinson is one of the great unsung heroes of literature . . . With verve, insight and perfectly-captured period detail, he reminds us that not only are books sacred objects that should be available to everyone, but also that working-class voices remain more marginalised and underrepresented than ever. No One Round Here Reads Tolstoy redresses this imbalance beautifully, and in a just world will kickstart a long-overdue working class literary renaissance -- BENJAMIN MYERS
Mark's journey into his own cocoon of books is a deeply personal tale but one with universal themes for all young lives shaped and transformed in some way by the written word . . . Thoughtful and engaging -- MARK RADCLIFFE
Reading this memoir is to realise there is no better tool for social mobility than a book . . . lovely * * Daily Mail * *
Moving . . . A work of triumphs * * Irish Times * *
This is an impassioned hymn of praise and declaration of love for that complex cultural object, the book. Anyone who has ever read, written or published a book will find their heart's pages turning as they sink joyfully into these craftsman-built paragraphs -- IAN McMILLAN
A resounding defence of the physical book and the thankless enthusiasts who bring it into existence . . . Entertaining * * Financial Times * *
A memoir refracted through literature and its impact on the author's life. . . He writes with sharp humour and unsentimentally . . . An enjoyable and uplifting read * * Morning Star * *
Some kids grow up dreaming of fast cars and fancy clothes. Others just want books and records. If that was you, particularly if you grew up in a small northern town where people said the word "book" the way they said the word "voodoo", this is probably your story. Even if you didn't, chances are you'll love it -- DAVID HEPWORTH