Roddy Doyle to pen book for adults with poor literacy

The award-winning writer Roddy Doyle is penning a new novel for adults who have difficulty with reading, after seeing “first-hand how low levels of literacy have a negative effect on people’s lives”.

The Irish author’s latest offering, Dead Man Talking, will be written as a shorter and simpler version of the full-length book, as part of the Quick Reads Initiative – a series of books designed for the one-in-six UK adults with literacy problems.

Doyle, the first Man Booker prizewinner to be involved, said he was “delighted” to be contributing to Quick Reads as they are “all about creating new readers”.

His book is about childhood friends Joe and Pat who fall out until the day before Joe’s funeral. It will be released next February and offered to prisoners and young offenders. He joins bestselling authors Sophie Hannah, James Bowen, Fanny Blake and Jojo Moyes in the project.

Quick Reads’ project director, Cathy Rentzenbrink, said of Doyle’s contribution to the project: “It shows the story possibilities that can exist even when using simpler language.”