Can a curated list of seventy books truly capture the spirit of a nation?

Science · Published 20 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 2022, the Big Jubilee Read launched to celebrate Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee by highlighting seventy Commonwealth books. While organizers aimed to foster connection through literature, the selection sparked intense debate over what constitutes great writing, revealing deep cultural tensions regarding diversity, popular fiction, and the definition of national identity.

The Big Jubilee Read was unveiled on 18 April 2022 as a collaborative effort between the BBC and The Reading Agency. Supported by the Arts Council, Libraries Connected, and the Booksellers Association, the project sought to promote reading for pleasure across the Commonwealth. A panel of librarians, booksellers, and literature specialists curated the final selection, choosing ten books for each decade of the Queen's seventy-year reign. The organizers explicitly intended to celebrate the power of literature to bridge divides between people and nations.

The resulting list, which includes nineteen Booker Prize winners, reflects a broad linguistic and genre scope. While predominantly English-language novels, the collection features poetry like Seamus Heaney's Death of a Naturalist, short stories such as The Boat, and works originally written in French or Welsh. The inclusion of Heaney, an Irish nationalist who had previously resisted being categorized as a British poet, highlights the complexities of Commonwealth identity. His selection was justified by his residency in the UK and his English publisher at the time of his work's release.

Despite these ambitions, the list faced significant criticism. Commentators noted the absence of popular staples like J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter, and Terry Pratchett's Discworld. Critics such as Allison Pearson and David Herman argued that the panel prioritized diversity over popular appeal, suggesting the list favored post-colonial and non-white literature while excluding beloved genres like fantasy, children's literature, and popular drama. This friction underscores a broader cultural disagreement: should a national reading campaign prioritize literary prestige and representation, or should it reflect the actual reading habits and preferences of the general public?

Ultimately, the project serves as a case study in institutional curation. By attempting to define a canon for a specific historical moment, the organizers invited scrutiny over the boundaries of Commonwealth literature. Whether the list succeeded in its goal of engaging all readers remains a point of contention, illustrating how the act of selection is never neutral but always a reflection of the values held by those in power.

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