Date published: 01.09.08 - not release date

Blackwell names the 50 Books that Shaped the World

A leading UK bookseller has sparked a literary debate by listing the 50 Books that Shaped the World.

Experts at Blackwell took on the huge task of selecting which notable books produced across the centuries and the globe have most influenced how we live and think.

Works of literature, science, religion, philosophy and more have made a list which is intended to bring the books to a wider audience, to challenge perceptions and provoke debate.

The Bible, the Qur’an, The Joy of Sex, Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management and the Domesday Book have been chosen along with the writings of Confucius, Leonardo Da Vinci, Gandhi and Adolf Hitler. TS Eliot, DH Lawrence, Aldous Huxley, Solzhenitsyn and Salman Rushdie are among the diverse authors who have also made the final 50.

Phill Jamieson for Blackwell said: “We believe it's really important to bring books like the 50 we have selected to the attention of a wider public. Too often bookshops promote just the latest releases, we have taken the lead in bringing important classics such as these to the front of people’s minds.”

At Newcastle’s Blackwell branch, manager Andrew Lilley added: “Any book can shape your life if it's something that touches you on a personal level. Books can entertain and educate - if you read the right book at the right time it can truly become part of your life. Not all books will shape the world but a good book can shape your world.”

The public is being encouraged to join in the debate and name what book they think shaped the world and why. Book lovers can enter an in-store competition at Blackwell’s stores, as well as an online competition on Blackwell’s website at www.bookshop.blackwell.co.uk where they'll also find the list.

For more info contact:

Carol France
Tel: 01743 234224
Email: carolfrance@sealcommunications.co.uk
Web: www.sealcommunications.co.uk

Blackwell's Website: www.bookshop.blackwell.co.uk