Publish Date: 1897
Welcome to The Reading Room
Join Her Majesty The Queen Consort in The Reading Room; discover new books each season and meet the extraordinary people who create them
Season 8
Prepare to be dazzled by our new season as we dive into ‘The Whalebone Theatre’ by Joanna Quinn, ‘Dracula’ by Bram Stoker, ‘The Book Thief’ by Markus Zusak, and ‘City of Girls’ by Elizabeth Gilbert
Joanna Quinn
The Whalebone Theatre
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Jenna Bush Hager
Read With Jenna
Dorset Coast
Inspiration For The Whalebone Theatre
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Athelhampton House
Inspiration For The Whalebone Theatre
©
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Zoe Curnow – Executive Director
On The Minack Theatre
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The Whalebone Theatre
Book Extract
Boscombe Whale
Inspiration For The Whalebone Theatre
The Dorset Echo, 1998
Article by Joanna Quinn
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The Dorset Museum
On Flossie Seagrave and Dorset Women During the War
©
US Troops in an English Village
Imperial War Museum
Nancy Wake
Female Undercover Agent of World War II
Théâtre de l’Atelier in Paris
Inspiration For The Whalebone Theatre
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The Whalebone Theatre
Book Extract
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Joanna Quinn
In conversation with Jenna Bush Hager
Joanna Quinn in conversation with Jenna Bush Hager
Instagram Live
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The Dorset Museum
On the Fate of Stately Homes in Dorset
Season 7
Explore ‘Pride & Prejudice’ by Jane Austen, ‘The Fair Botanists’ by Sara Sheridan, ‘Girl, Woman, Other’ by Bernardine Evaristo, and ‘Dark Tides’ by Philippa Gregory
Jane Austen
Pride & Prejudice
Sara Sheridan
The Fair Botanists
Bernardine Evaristo
Girl, Woman, Other
Philippa Gregory
Dark Tides
Conversations with Her Majesty The Queen Consort
Join HM in The Reading Room as she discusses all things books and meets some of her favourite authors
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In Conversation
An introduction to The Reading Room
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Edna O’Brien
In Conversation: On writing ‘Girl’
©
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In Conversation
The Camilla Club
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Edna O’Brien
In Conversation: On Writing ‘The Country Girls’
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In Conversation
Who inspired HM’s love of books?
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In Conversation
Books Unlocked
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Peter James
In Conversation: On Roy Grace
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In Conversation
Hopes for The Reading Room
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Peter James
In Conversation: On writing crime
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In Conversation
Why should we read to children?
Treasures from the Library
The Queen Consort explores precious books and manuscripts from prestigious UK libraries
Find your next book
Explore this selection of brilliant titles, as chosen by Her Majesty The Queen Consort for The Reading Room.
Girl, Woman, Other
By Bernardine Evaristo
Publish Date: 2019 Awards: 2019 Booker Prize
‘A must-read about modern Britain and womanhood. This is an impressive, fierce novel about the lives of black British families, their struggles, pains, laughter, longings and loves. With a dazzling rhythm, Evaristo takes us on a journey of intergenerational stories,…
The Fair Botanists
By Sara Sheridan
Publish Date: 2021
It’s the summer of 1822, and in Edinburgh botanists patiently await for the Agave Americana plant to flower in the newly-installed Botanic Garden. When newly widowed Elizabeth moves into the grand house bordering the Botanic Garden, she becomes interested…
Pride And Prejudice
By Jane Austen
Recommended by: Miranda Cowley Heller
Publish Date: 1813
While Mrs Bennet wishes nothing better for her daughters than the prospect of an advantageous marriage, her daughter Elizabeth thinks otherwise. When the wealthy and eligible bachelor Mr Bingley moves into the neighbourhood, he soon becomes attached to Elizabeth’s…
Friends of The Reading Room Recommend
Discover more reading recommendations from authors and lovers of literature
His Majesty King Charles III
Delia Owens
Kazuo Ishiguro
William Boyd
Pick of the week
Among The Bohemians
In this insightful and fascinating book, Virginia Nicholson paints a portrait of the Bohemians in England, the artistic community that flourished in the early twentieth century, and their subversive social experiment.
Read more
Book Club Kits
Have you introduced your book club to The Reading Room?
Download our book club kits for conversation starters…
which may turn into bookish debate!
Children’s Books
Explore this selection of brilliant titles, as chosen by Her Majesty The Queen Consort for The Reading Room.
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