‘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         

‘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         

‘Deeply poignant . . . powerful’
Sunday Times         

‘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         

‘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         

‘Reading this memoir is to realise there is no better tool for social mobility than a book . . . lovely’
Daily Mail         

‘Entertaining’
Financial Times         

‘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         

‘Effusive, entertaining’
Times Literary Supplement         

‘Written with verve . . . [Hodkinson} is a hero’
Daily Mail