Love and Loss

Beguiling, funny and poignant, The Collected Works of A.J. Fikry is largely set in Island Books, a failing independent bookshop in the middle of an island community off the American coast. A. J.Fikry, the shop's owner, is struggling to come to terms with a devastating loss, Amelia, a sales rep for a small publisher can't find the right man, and Maya, the baby found abandoned beside the piles of books, with a note, all gravitate to its teetering stackes. Island Books brings them together and offers life lessons gleaned from reading which are passed on and shared.

Gabrielle Zevin is an award winning American novelist, writing for adults and young adults. She is also a screenwriter; her first screenplay was 'Conversations with Other Women' which starred Helena Bonham Carter and Aaron Eckhart.

Madeleine Potter has appeared in numerous films, television series, and theatre productions. She is well known to Radio 4 audiences for We Need to Talk About Kevin, The Great Swim and Where'd You Go, Bernadette.

Hari Dhillon reads from A.J. Fikry's journal. Hari has read for Book of the Week and Book at Bedtime and starred in Holby City.

The abridger is Sally Marmion and the producer is Elizabeth Allard.