Talks & Debates
Review: Nick Hornby, Manchester Literature Festival
Nick Hornby’s pedigree is a little intimidating.
Read the full story..Review: Angela Davis in conversation with Jackie Kay, Manchester Literature Festival
One of my favourite annual events is the Manchester Literature Festival (MLF) which has been a calendar staple since I moved to the city in the noughties.
Read the full story..“We know the North isn’t one place, it’s not just one voice.” Northern Soul talks to HarperNorth’s Publishing Director, Genevieve Pegg
The North-South divide has long been a contentious issue but recent events seem to have accentuated the gap.
Read the full story..Are independent publishers surviving? We talk to Northern presses
Are you reading more than usual during lockdown? Are you consuming books at a rate of knots?
Read the full story..Common People: Breaking the Class Ceiling in UK Publishing
If there’s one thing the pandemic has brought home, it’s the importance of the uncelebrated.
Read the full story..My New Normal: Operation Provisions and a Life in Lockdown
So, I arrive back from my weekly shop and my wife Angela says: “You’ve done so well. When this COVID-19 business is all over, you should still do the weekly shop.” It’s at this point I wonder if there’s some sort of conspiracy going on.
Read the full story..Let’s Not Die a Young Man’s Death: Northern Soul talks to Roger McGough
British culture can offer few positions more indicative of popular, mainstream acceptance than an afternoon guest slot on BBC Radio 2.
Read the full story..Young readers: ten books to make you think about the world
How do young people make sense of the world and its complexities? Fiona Shaw, author and senior lecturer at Northumbria University, shares a range of thought-provoking and engaging novels for enquiring minds.
Read the full story..Review: Kate Atkinson, Manchester Literature Festival
I’m a binge-reader. I used to be someone who hovered over books slowly, drinking them in, pondering, possibly having a really good sniff of the spine.
Read the full story..Review: Jo Brand, Manchester Literature Festival
As a student in the early 90s, I spent three summers working in the Edinburgh Fringe box office.
Read the full story..Editor's Picks
- “The need for us is still there.” Junior Akinola, Chair of the Board of Trustees at Manchester’s Contact Theatre
- Brute Strength: Why Our Northern Concrete is Worth Keeping
- Writing a novel in 2021? Tips and guidance from a successful 2020 debut author
- “We’re a resource for the whole of the North of England.” Kenn Taylor, Lead Cultural Producer North at The British Library North
Advertising and Sponsorship Opportunities
Is your organisation interested in supporting quality journalism about culture, life and enterprise in the North of England?
For advertising and sponsorship opportunities contact Northern Soul’s Founder and Editor Helen Hugent at helennugent@northernsoul.me.uk.
Sign up for Northern Soul newsletter
The Northern Soul Poll

Recent Tweets for @Northern_Soul_
Thought for the Day: pic.twitter.com/fyi3v87Z7a
Right Good Mid-Week Read: The Man on the Street by Trevor Wood @TrevorWoodWrite pic.twitter.com/XBJk9DugG3
The People’s Choice Wine Awards 2021 northernsoul.me.uk/the-people… @PCDrinksAwards @GrazeRamsbottom pic.twitter.com/fv0luz1Uq6
“The need for us is still there.” At 28, Junior Akinola is the first person under 30 to chair a board of a major performing arts venue in the UK. But that didn't stop Manchester's Contact Theatre from hiring him. northernsoul.me.uk/the-need-f… @cparkwriter @Jr_JT3 @ContactMcr pic.twitter.com/tobyXTPpOc