The Man Who Changed the Way We Read: The Story of Allen Lane and Penguin Books

The story of Penguin Books, Allen Lane and how they changed the world, to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Penguin

‘An invaluable and fascinating account’ NICK HORNBY
‘Outstanding’ LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS
‘A triumph . . . rich and humorous’ ROGER LEWIS

By founding Penguin Books in 1935 and popularizing the paperback, Allen Lane not only changed publishing in Britain – he was also at the forefront of a social and cultural revolution.

In The Man Who Changed the Way We Read, Jeremy Lewis brings this extraordinary era brilliantly to life. Lane’s books gave millions of people access to what had previously been the preserve of a wealthy few; they alerted the public to the threat of Nazi Germany; and Penguin itself became a cherished national institution, much like the BBC and the NHS, whilst at the same time challenging the status quo through the famous Lady Chatterley case.

This is the spellbinding story of how a complex, highly fallible man used his vision to change the world.

‘Rakish and racy . . . tells the story not just of a man, or even a firm, but of a cultural makeover that shaped the world as we know it’ DAILY TELEGRAPH