Book of the Week

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Book of the Week is a long-running BBC Radio 4 series first broadcast in 1998. It features daily readings from an abridged version of a selected book read over five or occasionally ten weekday episodes. Each episode is approximately 15 minutes long and is broadcast in the morning at 9:45 am, with a repeat airing early next morning at 00:30 am.

Book of the Week was launched in 1998 under the editorship of Di Speirs, who has had a significant role in producing Radio 4's literary output.^[1][2]

In 2010, the programme temporarily made way for the 100-episode series A History of the World in 100 Objects, a collaboration between the BBC and the British Museum.^[3]

An abridged version of a selected new book^[4] is read by a professional actor or the author. The selections often include memoirs, biographies, historical accounts, and cultural analyses. For each book, there are usually five daily weekday episodes over one week, but occasionally extend to 10 episodes over two weeks.^[5]

Literary critics appreciate the convenience of listening to the 15-minute episodes rather than longer radio shows.^[5][6] In a review for The Observer, Miranda Sawyer wrote that each short episode presented something worth knowing, and listeners can easily keep up with the daily readings, by listening regularly in short bursts.^[5] With the audience of white-collor workers in mind, writing in The Independant, the critic Nicholas Lezard wrote that the morning edition would not coinside with the morning drive to work and the late edition should be convient too.^[6]

Critics have praised the actors' narrations,^[7][8] and have recognized the additional impact provided by authors reading their own books.^[8][9]

According to the BBC's audience statistics, Book of the Week reaches over three million listeners per week. The BBC's statistics show that is attracts a predominantly female (60%) and older (50% are 65+) audience with 72% of the listeners being white-collar workers.^[10]

In 2009, Radio 4 controller Mark Damazer described Book of the Week as "a vital part of Radio 4".^[3]