Book launch: David Bowie, Enid Blyton and the sun machine by Nicholas Royle

16 Nov 2023

Come along to our book launch on 29 November from 5pm until 7pm, the Samuel Alexander Building, Room A7

Nicholas Royle’s one-of-a-kind book David Bowie, Enid Blyton and the sun machine blends elements of memoir and cultural commentary to create a tender and often hilarious portrait of family life during the pandemic, weaving it together with musings on dreams, life writing, the golden age of children’s book illustration, the value of ‘queer’, the meaning of being ‘English’ and alternative ways of thinking about education.

The book exposes previously unrecorded details about Blyton's personal life, notably her love affair with Royle's grandmother and discusses and reproduces previously unpublished photos of David Bowie taken by the painter Stephen Finer. Through beautifully written prose, Royle invites readers to embark on a journey through the rebellious voices that have shaped and reshaped our cultural landscape.

Nicholas Royle, author of The Uncanny and Hélène Cixous: Dreamer, realist, analyst, writing among many others, brings a wealth of knowledge to the topic in an inventive and surprising way. David Bowie, Enid Blyton and the sun machine is a testament to his dedication to exploring the dynamic interplay between literature, music and counterculture, shedding light on how David Bowie and Enid Blytoncan be seen to challenge and alter our conceptions of what ‘society’ and ‘education’ might be.

Nicholas will be in conversation with Naomi Booth, author of Swoon: A poetics of passing out, and the novels The Lost Art of Sinking and Exit Management.

Join us in the Samuel Alexander Building, room A7, followed by drinks in the foyer. No booking necessary, all welcome.

David Bowie, Enid Blyton and the sun machine - publishing 28 November, by Manchester University Press