In this episode of the Downe House Podcast, host Simon Jones is joined by Danny Kirby (Murray Centre Manager), Bryony Watts (Head of English), and two Year 13 literary seniors, Audrey and Alex, to celebrate the National Year of Reading. The conversation explores how Downe House inspires its students to read and love reading, from library initiatives and cross-department collaboration to the evolving reading habits of teenagers in a digital age.

• Audrey's favourite: The Nose by Nikolai Gogol — a surreal short story
• Alex's favourite: Funny Story by Emily Henry — a contemporary rom-com popular on BookTok
• Alex's book swap read: The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
• Audrey's book swap read: Book Lovers by Emily Henry
• Danny's recommendation for adults getting back into reading: Never Lie by Freida McFadden — a psychological thriller (16+)