100 Notts Novels

This World Book Day treat yourself to a novel set in Notts.

In no particular order, here are one hundred of the best novels set in Nottingham or Notts (or as it's been fictionalised, Nottwich, Lacingham, Trentham, Beechnall…).  

1.       Saturday Night and Sunday Morning by Alan Sillitoe (1958)

2.       Sons and Lovers by D H Lawrence (1913)

3.       Harris’s Requiem by Stanley Middleton (1960)

4.       The Rainbow by D H Lawrence (1915)

5.       The Unfortunates by B S Johnson (1969)

6.       Smart by Kim Slater (2014)

7.       Easy Meat by John Harvey (1996)

8.       A Gun for Sale by Graham Greene (1936)

9.       The Killing Jar by Nicola Monaghan (2006)

10.   The Underground Man by Mick Jackson (2007)

11.   The Hosanna Man by Philip Callow (1956)

12.   Who’s That Girl? by Mhairi McFarlane (2016)

13.   Secrets of Death by Stephen Booth (2017)

14.   Darkness, Darkness by John Harvey (2014)

15.   The Great Deception by David Belbin (2015)

16.   They Were Sisters by Dorothy Whipple (1943)

17.   Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D H Lawrence (1928)

18. Start Somewhere by Michael Standen (1965)

19.   Women in Love by D H Lawrence (1920)

20.   Cold in Hand by John Harvey (2009) 

21.   Beholden by Claire Littleford (2003)

22.   Fortuna Chance by James Prior (1910)

23.   The Night Raid by Clare Harvey (2017)

24.   Our Lady of Everything by Susan Finlay (2019)

25.   Cold Gradations by Stanley Middleton (1972)

26.   They Knew Mr Knight by Dorothy Whipple (1934)

27.   The Taking of Annie Thorne by C J Tudor (2019)

28.   Lonely Hearts by John Harvey (1989)

29.   Bone and Cane by David Belbin (2011)

30.   Forest Folk by James Prior (1901) 

31.   Brief Garlands by Stanley Middleton (2004)

32.   Closer by K L Slater (2018)

33.   Birthday by Alan Sillitoe (2001)

34.   Goose Fair by Cecil Roberts (1928)

35. No Way To Say Goodbye by Rod Madocks (2009)

36.   Dark Forest by Frank Palmer (1997)

37. Top Hard by Stephen Booth (2012)

38.   The White Peacock by D H Lawrence (1911)

39. Key To The Door by Alan Sillitoe (1961)

40.   Attention Deficit by Nigel Pickard (2010)

41.   Last Rites by John Harvey (1998)

42. The Daylight Thief by Alan Williams (2015)

43.   A Great Adventure by Muriel Hine (1939)

44. Gideon Giles the Roper by Thomas Miller (1841)

45.   To Fear A Painted Devil by Ruth Rendell (1965)

46.   Bendigo, The Right Fist of God by David Field & Alan Dance (2016)

47. By The Trent by Eliza Sarah Oldham (1864)

48.   A Cautious Approach by Stanley Middleton (2010)

49. Cutting Edge by John Harvey (1991)

50.   Death Duty by Clare Littleford (2004)

51. Influence by Chris Parker (2014)

52. Trace and Eliminate by Keith Wright (1992)

53.   Framed by Christy Fearn (2013)

54.   Gilded Wagons by F E Wharmby (2013)

55.   Her Three Wise Men by Stanley Middleton (2008)

56.   The Green Leaves of Nottingham by Pat McGrath (1970)

57.   The Arrow of Sherwood by Lauren Johnson (2013)

58.   The Boy Who Lied by Kim Slater (2018)

59.   The Greenwooders by Geoffrey Palmer (1963)

60.   Married Past Redemption by Stanley Middleton (1993)

61.   The Mistake by KL Slater (2017)

62.   A Start in Life by Alan Sillitoe (1970)

63.   What You Don’t Know by David Belbin (2012)

64.   Words Best Sung by Lee Stuart Evans (2017)

65. Narrow Marsh by A R Dance (2008)

66. Outlaw by Angus Donald (2009)

67.   Over My Dead Body by Raymond Flynn (2000)

68.   The Open Door by Alan Sillitoe (1989)

69.   Love Lessons by David Belbin (1998)

70.   In a Strange Land by Stanley Middleton (1979)

71.   One Oblique One by Keith Wright (1991)

72.   Wild Rye by Muriel Hine (1931)

73.   New Harrowing by Mollie Morris (1933)

74.   Two Brothers by Stanley Middleton (1978)

 

75.   Independent Street by Joan Wallace (1984)

76.   Safe With Me by K L Slater (2016)

77.   I Came to Find a Girl by Jaq Hazell (2015)

78.   The Deed Room by Michael R D Smith (2013) 

79. Rough Treatment by John Harvey (2005)

80.   Penny Lace by Hilda Lewis (1957)

81.   Truths by Rebecca S Buck (2010)

82.   The Vixen's Cub by Katharine Morris (1951)

83.   Student by David Belbin (2011)

84.   Bows Against the Barons by Geoffrey Trease (1934)

85.   The Westbrook Affair by A R Dance (2013)

86.   The Lord of Milan by Robert Nieri (2017)

87.   The Runaway Countess by Leigh LaValle (2012)

88.   I love Samuel Taylor by Ian Collinson (2009)

89.   Amphetamines and Pearls by John Harvey (1976)

90.   Secret Gardens by David Belbin (2011)

91.   Blackmail by Michael Stokes (2016)

92.   Born in Mid-Air by Scott Taylor (2011)

93.   The Cat Café by Caroline Bell Foster (2015)

94.   Sherwood Forest by Elizabeth Sarah Villa-Real Gooch (1804)

95. Make Less Strangers by Steven Wilcoxson (2009)

96.   Thinner Than Blood by Stella Shepherd (1991)

97.   Crocus Street by Jessie Boteler (2012)

98. Nancy of Nottingham by Audrey Coppard (1973)

99.   Dead Certainty by Glenis Wilson (2015)

100.           And finally, I know it’s not a novel but I have to include this collection, The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner by Alan Sillitoe (1959)

Scavengers

After ten years of struggle, submitting manuscripts and short stories, Darren Simpson’s persistence has paid off as his first mainstream publication Scavengers launches this week. It’s been listed as his debut novel but back in 2016 NottsLit reviewed a crowdfunded novel of his, the inventive The Dust on the Moth, published by Nottingham’s Bees Make Honey. Scavengers is his first book for younger readers although it didn’t start off with any particular market in mind. Simpson witnessed the cats at Calvo tip scrapping over a sandwich. It was enough to spark an idea for a book set on a wasteland. Scavengers was born.

Review
Young Landfill lives with - and occasionally off - the animals of Hinterland. His only human company is old Babagoo. This bearded dump-dweller is Landfill’s role model come authority figure. Babagoo protects Landfill from the outside world, something he does with rules that must be obeyed, such as never go beyond the wall. Landfill has learned to fear the foreigner, anyone beyond the confines of the tip. But Landfill is at an age when he begins to question the rules. Might he dare rebel against Babagoo? 

The feral Landfill is a likeable protagonist, uncorrupted by the materialistic. His wide-eyed wonder and relationship with nature help drive the story. It’s on watching animals breed that he begins to questions his own origins in this coming of age novel with political and societal exploration. Our assumptions are skilfully handled throughout the story, our imagination called upon as we wrestle with our interpretation of the events. Take Babagoo for example, is he sinister, worthy of sympathy, or both? The plot lives in the grey areas that make for debate. 

Whilst it may confuse at first it’s a book of depth and humanity with unexpected reveals and memorable characters. The animals, all named after writers, are also good company, and the artwork is a welcome addition. Both relevant and timeless, Scavengers is a strikingly assured and ambitious ‘debut’, likely to become a favourite of secondary schools and reading schemes for years to come. 

Launch
The launch of Darren Simpson’s Scavengers will take place at Five Leaves Bookshop on Tues 5^th March. There’ll be free drinks at 6.30pm, a short reading from the author at 7pm, then discussion until 8pm. Please let Five Leaves know if you’re going by emailing events@fiveleaves.co.uk

Out of Your Comfort Zone

NottsLit review of Out of Your Comfort Zone by Emma Mardlin

Nottingham resident Emma Mardlin is a clinical therapist and a founding partner in West Bridgford’s The Pinnacle Practice. Dr Mardlin specialises in improving the lives of those plagued by intense fears, phobias, life limitations, and anxiety. Two years ago, I read her first book, Mind Body Diabetes. I was impressed with how different techniques – psychological, physical, emotional, exercise, diet  – were combined with traditional and radical theories to help improve or reverse diabetes. With her latest publication, Out of Your Comfort Zone, the author turns her attention to fear.

The book is about ‘breaking boundaries for a life beyond limits’, and shows how courage can triumph over fear. It begins with a 'zone' test which aims to improve self-awareness and highlight what could be holding you back. From here there is practical advice on how to build up resistance and ‘dare to be different’. It’s about a changing mindset and it mixes well known ideas (do something every day that scares you) with new theories. These are set on a hook of seven principles which focus on the mind, establishing a greater awareness of the role our internal reality plays on our experiences. We may be born with only two fears (falling and loud noises) but those are soon joined by many more. In Out of Your Comfort Zone, Dr Mardlin examines how we might reassess expectations, to change how we feel fear.

Different types of fears are described with a look at how they affect the brain and body. There are certain fears that the book seems particularly suitable for tacking, such as the fear of change, fear of the unknown and fear of failure. There's some dietary advice but most the of the focus is on our adopting of resilience-building, anxiety-busting techniques. These hang on the fact that it is the mind that determines if things are experienced as scary or exciting. Perhaps Ronan Keating was right, ‘life is a rollercoaster’, and it’s up to use to decide if it’s a frightening or fun one. With this step-by-step guide, Dr Mardlin helps us make that choice. 

After all those fears, limitations and 'hold backs' have been revealed (and released), the book takes the reader on a journey of self-discovery to explore and align with their 'deep core blue print', everything they really want from life, how they want to live it and the kind of person they aspire to be. 

The book's finale involves an exploration of the fascinating quantum world. At this stage Dr Mardlin recommends that the zone test is retaken, to see the progression that's been made, and if there are any areas that might need revisiting. 

The book also includes some interesting case studies of Dr Mardlin's practice clients who have made those small changes to step outside their comfort zone - despite harrowing challenges such as being sectioned for anxiety - and now live a fruitful life medication free. 

You can take the zone test for free, to see your current comfort zone personality. You'll receive your results automatically, safely and confidentially (online) at www.outofyourcomfortzone.uk

Out of Your Comfort Zone, published by Findhorn Press, 7 Feb 2019