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In 2020, Iowa City of Literature launched a campaign to create an alternative festive reading list, encouraging Cities of Literature around the world to share 17 books from their city that raise awareness of the SDGs using the written word.
This year, Manchester takes up the challenge once more. Every day, from the 1st to the 17th of December, we’ll be highlighting a book that relates to each Sustainable Development Goal. Our chosen 17 titles will span fiction, non-fiction, poetry and playwriting – and will be uniquely Mancunian. So if you’re looking for something a little different to add to your Christmas list, this is a great place to start.
Read on for our full list, or follow along on social media for the daily release.
GRQ: Get Rich Quick by Steven Bernstein from Fly on the Wall Press
“One day. One city on the edge. One man gambling it all.”
Steven Bernstein’s Get Rich Quick follows Marlon who is seduced by a shadowy financial guru promising salvation. A gripping descent into the dangers of ambition, delusion and the American obsession with success.
The Jackfruit Chronicles: Memories and Recipes from a British-Bangladeshi Kitchen by Shahnaz Ahsan from HarperNorth
A heartfelt memoir from an award-winning food writer and novelist, guiding you through the vibrant flavours and captivating story of Bengali food and its place in Britain.
Expecting by Chitra Ramaswamy from Saraband Books
“My own little Big Bang. The beginning of it all.”
A creative memoir taking the reader on a physical, intellectual, emotional, literary and philosophical journey through the landscape of pregnancy.
Answerlands by Joseph Minden from Carcanet Press
A poetry collection exploring the curiosity-destroying potential of school even as it celebrates the erring minds of teacher and student.
Witchborne by Rachel Grosvenor from Fly on the Wall Press
In medieval Locklear, Agnes harbours a dangerous secret – she can touch fire without being burned. In a society that fears female power, can Agnes find the strength to forge her own destiny?
Murky Water: Challenging an Unsustainable System by Lucia Calafati, Julie Froud, Colin Haslam, Sukhdev Johal and Karel Williams from Manchester University Press
Our water system is a mess. Rising bills and rivers full of sewage grab the headlines, but the greater threat is the climate crisis. Murky Water is essential reading for anyone concerned with the future of our most vital resource.
Turbine 34 by Katherine Clements from Wild Hunt Books
When an environmental scientist is tasked with evaluating the impact of a controversial new wind farm on the West Yorkshire moors, she soon discovers signs of devastation. A menacing and mysterious novella from a previous writing tutor at Manchester University.
The Legend of Ned Ludd by Joe Ward Munrow from Nick Hern Books
Machines can make our work easier. They can also make it vanish overnight. The Legend of Ned Ludd weaves together global stories to explore work, automation and capitalism, with a machine selecting the scenes for each performance. Joe Ward Munrow is a lecturer in script writing at MMU.
Collision – Stories from the Science of CERN edited by Prof. Rob Appleby and Connie Potter from Comma Press
A unique collection of short stories pairing award-winning authors with CERN physicists to explore scientific discoveries. Expect dark matter, quantum tunnelling and first-contact with antimatter aliens.
Liberation by Ntombizodwa Nyoni from Methuen Drama
First produced at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Liberation takes place during the 1945 Pan-African Congress in Manchester. Within a swirling mix of generational shifts, power dynamics and gender politics, the play explores timeless questions about revolution, freedom, and what it means to be an activist.
The Building Inspector by Myriam Frey from Nightjar Press
A series of short stories in which a bad-tempered building inspector leads us in and out of rented flats in a decaying block, intruding on a range of beleaguered tenants.
Pomona by Alistair McDowall from Methuen Drama.
Ollie’s sister is missing. Searching Manchester in desperation, she finds all roads lead to Pomona – an abandoned concrete island at the heart of the city. McDowall’s sinister and surreal thriller explores ruthless cycles of corruption and consumption, and was produced at the Royal Exchange Theatre in 2015.
The Wager and the Bear by John Ironmonger from Fly on the Wall Press
When a young idealist humiliates a politician in a Cornish pub, a simmering feud is sparked that cascades through their intertwined lives. Years later, they find themselves on a colossal iceberg with only a starving polar bear for company.
The Water That May Come by Amy Lilwall from Fly on the Wall Press
A lyrical novel exploring four intertwined lives as rising seas threaten to engulf Britain. In a future where we may all become refugees, how far would you go to stay afloat?
A Little History of the Earth by Jamie Woodward from Yale University Press
A lively account of the history of our planet, from its earliest origins to present day. An essential guide to our world that traces major geological changes and scientific breakthroughs. Jamie Woodward is a Professor of Physical Geography at the University of Manchester.
Red Sword by Bora Chung, translated by Anton Hur, from Honford Star
What does it mean to wield power over others? Drawing on the history of Korean soldiers who fought and died in a war against Russia on behalf of the Qing Dynasty, Red Sword takes place on a disputed planet – where an enslaved woman must battle an unknown enemy to uncover the truth about her identity.
Hard Pressed: Poetry and Essays Inspired by the Radical Presses of Manchester, 1977-2010 from CultureWord
A collection of tributes from today’s writers to the warriors and changemakers of the past. Hard Pressed shines a light on the radical presses in Manchester that gave voice to the working people.
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