Unread: A Memoir of Learning (and Loving) to Read on TikTok
Feb 2026 · Hachette UK
Ebook
256
Pages
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Eligible
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infoThis book will become available on February 24, 2026. You will not be charged until it is released.
About this ebook
As a result of childhood learning disabilities and educational neglect, Oliver James graduated from high school and became one of over 47 million functionally illiterate Americans. However, at age 34, with big dreams and few tools to actualize them, he dedicated himself to learning the key skill that had evaded him his entire life: reading.
Oliver has become a TikTok/BookTok sensation for the way he’s candidly documented his decision to learn to read as an adult, and his struggles and triumphs along the way. Here, he tells the full story behind his journey for the first time through the 21 key books that shaped and informed his experience. His story reveals the ways in which reading can teach each of us how to be better, more empathetic people. In just 365 days, Oliver went from barely being able to read a restaurant menu to closing in on his goal of finishing 100 books in a year. Unread is a moving reminder to all of us that words and stories have power, and that, no matter our past, it's never too late to grow.
Oliver has become a TikTok/BookTok sensation for the way he’s candidly documented his decision to learn to read as an adult, and his struggles and triumphs along the way. Here, he tells the full story behind his journey for the first time through the 21 key books that shaped and informed his experience. His story reveals the ways in which reading can teach each of us how to be better, more empathetic people. In just 365 days, Oliver went from barely being able to read a restaurant menu to closing in on his goal of finishing 100 books in a year. Unread is a moving reminder to all of us that words and stories have power, and that, no matter our past, it's never too late to grow.
About the author
Oliver James is a California-based personal trainer, motivational speaker, literacy activist, and influencer. He has been featured in or on Today, NPR, Jennifer Hudson Show, Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, Rachael Ray, and ABC News, among many others. Additionally, he is the recent recipient of the 2023 Barbara Bush National Literacy Award. He lives in Costa Mesa, California.
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