Adult Learners’ Week special Quick Reads awards Wednesday, May 26, 2010 - 11:43

Dame Gail Rebuck CBE - Chair of Quick Reads and CEO of The Random House Group - was recognised for her outstanding contribution to literacy learning in the UK, with a special award at the Adult Learners' Week 2010 National Awards Ceremony in London, on Friday 21 May.

After receiving her award, Gail presented crime writer Peter James with the Quick Reads Readers' Favourite Award, for his book The Perfect Murder; one of ten new Quick Reads titles published on World Book Day, 4 March 2010.

Voted for by readers on an online poll - adult literacy groups, Union Learning Representatives, library visitors and the general public - it was chosen as this year's favourite Quick Read, beating off competition from the likes of Rolf Harris, Cathy Kelly, Alvin Hall, Alison Weir and Andy McNab.

One adult learner, aged 26, from Nottingham, said:

"I loved this book -I never much liked reading at school, but this is funny, interesting and gives you ideas! I've got a small baby so not much time for reading, but I could really get stuck into this and I didn't want to put it down. I've asked my tutor to get me all the other Quick Reads books!"

Peter James, said of his win:

"I am utterly thrilled to receive this award. In my view, a life without reading books is only half a life. This wonderful Quick Reads initiative is spreading the joys and riches of reading to hundreds of thousands of people. For every good book they go on to read, they have a gift for life that can never be taken away."

Carol Taylor, NIACE Director of Operations, said:

"Well done to Peter James on winning this award. He is a great writer - exciting and challenging books, with just the right amount of detail and lots of twists and turns to keep you hooked. And The Perfect Murder is also very funny, and very close to home for many of us!"

Previous winners of the Quick Reads Learners' Favourite Award are Patience Thompson, for 101 Way to get your Child to Read in 2009; Adele Parks for her book Happy Families, in 2008; Ricky Tomlinson for Reading My Arse! in 2007 and Minette Walters who won the inaugural prize in 2006 for her book Chickenfeed.