Penguin/Orange Broadband Readers' Group Prize 2007
The 2007 Prize was won by the Books on the Broad Reading Group from Oxford.
As part of their prize, the reading group received a visit from author Naomi Alderman who led a reading group session on her book, Disobedience (Penguin).
You can read about her visit at
The Guardian
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Books on the Broad
is a mixed group of all ages and includes housewives, a mathematician, a political sociologist and a school governor. The group hold their monthly meetings in Blackwell’s and also have an online presence with a number of virtual members; as well as links with other book clubs in Germany and Italy.
Kate Wilson, a member of Books on the Broad, said: “We were over the moon when we heard that we'd won! We've had so much fun together planning for the Penguin/ Orange Broadband Readers’ Group Prize. It's a splendid focus for all the energy and creativity that's out there in reading groups.”
Kate Jones, literary agent and Chair of judges said: "Books open many doors for many readers and after a lot of passionate debate we finally decided upon Books on the Broad, who brought an individual sense of adventure to the shared pleasures of finding new voices from around the world and rediscovering fresh delight in old favourites. They represent something found in all this years entries and as such are worthy winners.”
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Penguin/Orange Broadband Readers’ Group Prize 2007 judges
Kate Jones, literary agent, founder of the Penguin readers group website, (Chair)
Nicci Gerrard, Penguin author and one half of crime writing duo Nicci French
Professor Jenny Hartley, Roehampton University, Author of The Reading Groups Book
Guy Pringle, publisher of newbooks magazine
2007 Readers' Group Prize Shortlist
The Rugeley Book Club (Staffordshire)
Formed four years ago in response to the lack of arts facilities in the small ex-mining town, this group now has more than 20 members.
St Mawgan Readers’ Group (Cornwall)
This all female group began meeting in the local 16th century pub two-and-a-half years ago. They have flourished and are now promoting reading by fundraising for local schools and Book Aid International.
The Book Gluttons (London)
This group started just over a year ago in Victoria Library, London and meets the needs of commuters who would otherwise get home too late to join a local reading group.
The Book Groupies (Lincoln)
The five members have gone from being acquaintances to true friends over the past seven years and thisbook group has become an important part of all their lives.
Books on the Broad (Oxford)
They meet in a local bookshop and discuss novels from around the world as well as the history and culture which informs the writing.
VIP Readers’ Group (Kent)
This group has been meeting for less than a year. All the members are visually impaired and the book group has helped build new friendships.
Second place was awarded to The Book Gluttons from London. They won two sets of the 2007 Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction shortlist.
In addition to the prizes, groups also had a chance to win visits from Penguin ambassadors including Helen Dunmore, Clare Clark and Nicci French. They each ran a reading group session with the following reading groups chosen at random from the 2007 entries:
VIP Reader’s Group, Kent received a visit from Nicci Gerrard
Sheffield University Women’s Reading Group received a visit from Clare Clark
East Hagbourne Book Group near Didcot in Oxfordshire received a visit from Helen Dunmore
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Clare Chandler of the reading group website www.bookgroup.info
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Dymphna Flynn, producer of Radio 4’s Book Club
Jane Mathieson, Regional Reader Development Co-ordinater for Time to Read