Publisher's Synopsis
Pop Stars - Punks - Dealers - Dossers - Anarchists - Hare Krishnas - Hippies - Crusties - Coppers
They're all here in Leo Harrison's darkly comic debut novel. 1985 ingeniously chronicles the dying embers of Generation X, viewed through the eyes of four North Londoners teetering on the edge of adulthood. Danny Morley, Ben Bolan, Julie Kane and Fortune Goodluck are readying themselves for the biggest gig of their lives - the band is on its way at last! Or so they think... Someone isn't telling the truth, and best intentions mutate into a series of disasters, forcing a catastrophic exodus from the comfort of their North London homes. Via Hackney's squats to the emerging cool of Bristol's art scene, we follow the misadventures and tangled relationships of our four friends, all the way to the quagmire fields of Glastonbury. It is here a chance encounter returns them to London for the greatest day in the history of rock 'n' roll...
1985 Road To Nowhere is a stark, hilarious and truly vivid recollection of the highs and lows of the mid 1980's. If you love Irvine Welsh and Nick Hornby, Harrison's debut novel is a must-read.
"1985 brilliantly and movingly interweaves vivid fiction with historical fact. If you're old enough, it will bring memories flooding back. If you're too young to have been there, you'll wish you were."
"A great read from start to finish - spot on with some fantastic research."
"The best book I have read in a long time... all I can say is park yourself and start reading. It is quite a journey..."
"Leo Harrison evokes the carefree impulsiveness of young adulthood whilst describing brilliantly the private torments of self-doubt, relationships and unworldliness, against beautifully choreographed set pieces."
"I read this on my kindle and at 96% the battery died. Never have 10 minutes seemed so long while I waited for battery to charge enough so I could finish the book. Brilliant finale!"
The author is writing a sequel which is due for publication in the summer of 2022.