Listen free for 30 days

1 credit a month, good for any title to download and keep.
The Plus Catalogue—listen all you want to thousands of Audible Originals, podcasts, and audiobooks.
$14.95 a month plus applicable taxes after 30 day trial. Cancel anytime.
The Reading List cover art

The Reading List

Written by: Sara Nisha Adams
Narrated by: Tara Divina,Sagar Arya,Paul Panting
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $45.74

Buy Now for $45.74

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

An unforgettable and heartwarming debut about how a chance encounter and a list of library books helps forge an unlikely friendship between two very different people—a lonely London widower and a troubled teenager.

Widower Mukesh lives a quiet life in the London Borough of Ealing after losing his beloved wife. He shops every Wednesday, goes to Temple, and worries about his granddaughter, Priya, who hides in her room reading while he spends his evenings watching nature documentaries.

Aleisha is a bright but anxious teenager working at the local library for the summer when she discovers a crumpled-up piece of paper in the back of To Kill a Mockingbird. It's a list of novels that she's never heard of before. Intrigued, and a little bored with her slow job at the checkout desk, she impulsively decides to read every book on the list, one after the other. As each story gives up its magic, the books transport Aleisha from the painful realities she's facing at home.

When Mukesh arrives at the library, desperate to forge a connection with his bookworm granddaughter, Aleisha passes along the reading list…hoping that it will be a lifeline for him too. Slowly, the shared books create a connection between two lonely souls, as fiction helps them escape their grief and everyday troubles and find joy again. 

©2021 Sara Nisha Adams (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

What listeners say about The Reading List

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    89
  • 4 Stars
    27
  • 3 Stars
    10
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    99
  • 4 Stars
    15
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    77
  • 4 Stars
    26
  • 3 Stars
    7
  • 2 Stars
    6
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Gentle story

Great book for when you are in the mood for a strong story line with family twists and a happy vibe.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A great story made even better by the actors who read the characters, especially Mukesh Patel

This book was a pleasure to read. The characters developed naturally throughout the book, and the ending did not seem contrived. Plus there are two great reading lists arising in this book - one that the book is framed around, and another that the author shared in the end notes. I found the list in my hardcover version of the book. Unfortunately, I don’t think it was contained in the audiobook. This should be rectified.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
  • DMD
  • 2023-10-11

The Transformative Power of a Story

I really enjoyed this book. Aleisha begins to work at the library and at first she's not happy about it, but when she meets a lonely widower named Mukesh, things begin to change. She finds a Reading List in a book and begins to recommend those books to Mukesh and also begins to read them herself.

Books have the power to change us and the way we see the world and they begin to change both Aleisha and Mukesh and also to create a powerful friendship between the two.

I thought the narrator did a good job with the story and the accents.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Falls short

Where was the editor? It was a great story idea, but the book drifted along slowly, with poorly developed characters who never expressed any joy.. It attempted to tackle some big subjects like suicide, mental illness and grief, but completely failed to capture the emotions. I think it may appeal to young adults with no experience of life, but any avid reader will find this book unsatisfying.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Zac
  • 2023-09-18

A lovely weave of lives

This book was lovely to hear. You love the characters and by the end want to read every book on the list!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved this story!

I was so glad I purchased this story - even though some Goodreads reviewers said this story was too saccharine for them. While it does have a hallmark feel to it, the author kept me wanting to hear more. I enjoyed watching the 2 main characters come to immerse themselves into reading and connect with others through reading. To find a love in listening to the character's (of each novel) story to tell. How they identified themself with some of the characters. It showed how much they were enjoy reading. And that is why I read: to immerse myself into another world.. to see life from someone else's eyes.
I've read most of the books on the list and plan to read the ones I haven't. Or re-read some of my favourites there were listed here.
I laughed and cried and totally loved this book. And I thought the narrators did an excellent job of bring each character to life. I do recommend this book to book lovers worldwide.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
  • AT
  • 2023-03-10

Great book and narrators. A bit slow at times.

I enjoyed the book but found it slow at times. The narration was well done. The ending brings it all together.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Lovely!

I felt so many emotions listening to this book, I can't believe it's already ended. The narrators were excellent! There are other books referenced in this book that I haven't read yet, which have now been added to my list!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

ok

I can't really recomend this book,found it boring and depressing. Maybe if you had read all the books on the reading list that this book talks about you would have enjoyed it more. Not for me.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I adored this book

Beautifully read! Poignant, stirring and a wonderful reminder of the power of books and community

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Barbara S
  • Barbara S
  • 2021-10-29

Fabulous narrators!

“The Reading List” is a beautiful story about the importance of reading. As a life-long reader, I was very moved by this story which highlights impactful novels and ordinary people. “The Reading List” shows how reading fiction allows us to become closer to people, to embrace challenges, and to become more empathetic.

The story revolves around a lonely widower who is still grieving the loss of his wife and a young library worker who works at the library to escape her family life and for the money. Mukesh goes to the library after he finished one of his wife’s favorite novels, “The Time Traveler’s Wife”. After reading that story, he felt closer to his deceased wife. She was an avid reader, so he wants to read more, but he doesn’t know where to begin. He meets Aleisha at the library and asks for a recommendation. Aleisha is very rude (she’s having a bad day) and is very unhelpful. Immediately she is regretful of her behavior, and by chance, finds a list on a piece of paper with book ideas. The first novel on the list is “To Kill a Mockingbird”, which Aleisha finds and puts on hold for Mukesh.

Of course, he finds “To Kill a Mockingbird” very relevant for what he is going through…..loneliness. How that story affects Mukesh and also Aleisha is heartwarming, and through the love of that novel, a friendship is born. The next novel on the list is “Rebecca”. Next, “The Kite Runner”; “The Life of Pi”; “Pride and Prejudice”; “Little Women”; “Beloved”; and the last, “A Suitable Boy”. Now that’s a great reading list!

If you have read these novels, you will be reminded of their storylines as the book characters reflect on how the novel relates to their lives. Mukesh especially finds more understanding of the people around him, particularly his daughters. It’s very touching and sweet.

This is a remarkable novel in that it reminds us of why we love to read. This is a feel-good story that is clever and well written. I listened to the audio production, narrated by Tara Divina, Sagar Arya, and Paul Panting. I highly recommend the audio because this is a story that is written to be read aloud. The talented narrators made the story pure enjoyment!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

83 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Babybear
  • Babybear
  • 2021-12-08

#1 Book for all my 2021 reading!

This was an incredible journey the author manage to weave of 2 people struggling with life (an older widowed man & a young 17 year old young woman with a dysfunctional family), an old library with the threat of closure, an odd booklist that keeps appearing no one knows the origin of, and the marvelous connections made. The author's format is absolutely remarkable! This book is for:

*those that love literature AND those that have never read before- (brilliantly done here walking through classic novels and immersing into them, showing how to enjoy a novel and relate it to personal experiences or life for those who have never read prior,...👍)
*young or old
*most any genre
*multi cultural
*a start on a reading list if not sure what to read

There are so many other positive reasons I loved this book but I encourage you to read it for yourself. Yes, it was a bit predictable but for what I got from the book overall,... absolutely worth it!

ENJOY! 🤗

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

54 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Jamie Lynn
  • Jamie Lynn
  • 2021-08-11

Perfect

It took me a minute to get into this but I’m so glad I kept at it because I feel like these characters are now part of my life, part of my family. I loved Mukesh and Aleisha, they’re friendship was so genuine and sweet. I just might start leaving a book list in random places; it may not be as profound as the list on this book but just maybe…

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

40 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Patricia
  • Patricia
  • 2021-09-22

The Reading List

I tried to get through this. I listened to half the story, but I couldn't continue. The narration is poor. The story goes nowhere slowly. Too many characters, like where did this one come from and how do they fit into this very boring but complicated plot? I would not recommend this book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

27 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Claudine
  • Claudine
  • 2021-12-15

Unique storyline

I had a very hard time staying focused in this story in the beginning. It may just be the author's writing style that I didn't like. The story itself was unique and interesting but I had to work hard to stay in the story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

23 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Bryan Gott
  • Bryan Gott
  • 2021-09-27

Delightful Story for Readers

This story touched my soul in a way that I haven’t felt with a book in awhile. It’s a wonderful story of community intertwined with books. And the reading list reminded me of a lot of old “friends” that I haven’t read in a long time that I’m going to revisit.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

21 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Joanne M Orfanos
  • Joanne M Orfanos
  • 2021-09-22

Read don’t listen

Most will enjoy the story but the accents made this a very difficult book to listen to.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for E Lorenzen
  • E Lorenzen
  • 2021-11-26

LOVED THIS BOOK

This was a very interesting book. Enjoyed the format. Excellent narrator. I highly recommend it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for J and B
  • J and B
  • 2021-10-22

This is a book I could read over and over and never tire of it

This book makes me laugh. This book makes me cry. The characters are real and interesting. It is heartbreaking in parts, but it is joyous in many others. This is probably the most beautiful book I have ever heard.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for rno
  • rno
  • 2021-09-25

A story with heart

I found it an easy story to get caught up in. A story that pulls your emotional strings from the prospective of a variety of people.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful