Join us here in Manchester for the launch of two brilliant new books which explore the history of the North and its people – Brian Groom’s NORTHERNERS and WHERE THERE’S MUCK, THERE’S BRAS.

About the books:

Brian Groom – Northerners: A History

This authoritative new history of place and people lays out the dramatic events that created the north – waves of migration, invasions and battles, and transformative changes wrought on European culture and the global economy. In a sweeping narrative that takes us from the earliest times to the present day, the book shows that the people of the north have shaped Britain and the world in unexpected ways.

At least six Roman emperors ruled from York. The Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria was Europe’s leading cultural and intellectual centre. Cartimandua, Queen of the Brigantes, deserves to be as famous as Boudica. Neanderthals and Vikings, Central European Jews, Afro-Caribbeans and South Asians, have all played their part in the making and remaking of the north. Northern writers, activists, artists and comedians are celebrated the world over, from Wordsworth, the Brontes and Gaskell to LS Lowry, Emmeline Pankhurst and Peter Kay. St Oswald and Bede shaped the spiritual and cultural landscapes of Britain and Europe, and the world was revolutionised by the inventions of Richard Arkwright and the Stephensons. The north has exported some of sport’s biggest names and defined the sound of generations, from the Beatles to Britpop.

Northerners also shows convincingly how the past echoes down the centuries. The devastation of factory and pit closures in the 1980s, for example, recalled the trauma of William the Conqueror’s Harrying of the North. The book charts how the north-south divide has ebbed and flowed and explores the very real divisions between northerners, such as the rivalry between Lancashire and Yorkshire.

Finally, Brian Groom explores what northernness means today and the crucial role the north can play in Britain’s future. As new forces threaten the fabric of the UK again, this landmark book could scarcely be more timely.

Kate Fox – Where There’s Muck, There’s Bras

From rebels to writers, athletes to astronauts, join Kate Fox takes on an entertaining and eye-opening journey through the lives of these extraordinary women whose lives and achievements have too long been hidden.

From Cartimandua, the forgotten Iron Age Queen of the North, to Woodbine-smoking football player Lily Parr, Kate with her trademark wit and sense of fun, shows how these astonishing trailblazers laid the ground for modern stars from Victoria Wood to Little Mix. Nicola Adams, Betty Boothroyd and Helen Sharman all have these unsung northern champions to thank for paving their way.

Funny, enlightening and a call to arms, it’s perfect for a nation ready to rediscover its hidden heroes.

About the authors:

Brian Groom is a journalist and a leading expert on British regional and national affairs. His career was spent mainly at the Financial Times, where he was assistant editor and worked in various capacities. He lives in Saddleworth, South Pennines. This is his first book.

Kate Fox is a stand-up poet and has performed everywhere from the Glastonbury Festival to Radio 4. Kate has been a radio journalist, a Victoria Wood tribute act (called Victoria Wouldn’t) and newspaper columnist and does really hold a PHD in Northerness. As well as her poetry and touring, Kate writes and campaigns about neurodiversity. She lives in Whitley Bay.

Doors: 6.30, event starts: 6.45

Tickets are £3 or free when purchasing a copy of either book. NORTHERNERS and WHERE THERE’S MUCK, THERE’S BRAS will also be available to purchase on the night and Brian and Kate will be signing copies after the talk. If you would like a signed copy but cannot make the event, please contact us on 0161 274 3331 or manchester@blackwell.co.uk and we can arrange this for you.