Summer Book Special

This week sees the start of Independent Bookshop Week – the annual chance to applaud all the diversity and joy of the UK’s indie bookshops that are often the heart of a community. As long-time supporters of the celebration, The Big Issue brings you a guide to some of the very best bookish places to visit, with a little help from some of the country’s top authors. We also have our pick of the best summer reads, whether you’re taking a book on a summer beach holiday or sheltering from pollen bombs at home.

Also inside

• Six years on from Grenfell, the cladding crisis is still causing anxiety and hardship for homeowners
• We take you inside the depressingly grim reality of overcrowded, sub-standard migrant accommodation
• Founder of the Chineke! Orchestra, Europe’s first majority-ethnically diverse orchestra, Chi-Chi Nwanoku explains how a lifelong commitment to battling racial injustice led to musical revolution
• Comedian and Strictly star Jayde Adams talks about her ‘Greatest Days’ bringing Take That’s songbook to the big screen
• And our vendor Deda in Richmond shares what happened when PM Rishi Sunak passed her pitch. Did he buy or not buy? Find out by purchasing your own copy this week!

If you can, please buy a copy from your local vendor.

If you can’t buy in person, you can purchase magazines from The Big Issue Shop or download a digital version via The Big Issue app, available now from the App Store or Google Play