COMMON: Nikolai Duffy in conversation with Jenn Ashworth

Wed Oct 15 2025 at 06:30 pm to 08:00 pm UTC+01:00

Blackwell's Bookshop | Manchester

Blackwell's Manchester
Publisher/HostBlackwell's Manchester
COMMON: Nikolai Duffy in conversation with Jenn Ashworth
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Join us for the launch of Nikolai Duffy's debut novel Common!
About this Event

Join us to celebrate the publication of Nikolai Duffy's debut novel Common, where he will be in conversation with Jenn Ashworth (The Parallel Path).

Doors: 6.30pm, starts: 6.45pm

Tickets are £4. Admission is free when purchasing a copy of the book.

About the book:

In the wake of his aunt’s death, Robert travels from Manchester to his childhood home in Hampshire to settle the affairs of her estate. Confronted with the debris of a life left behind, Robert goes for a walk on nearby Ludshott Common, a large area of ancient heathland. While there, Robert takes the impulsive decision to build a ramshackle hut on the common, where he stays for seven days, attempting to come to terms with his marriage and career, parenthood, the life-long impact of his father's alcoholism, and his aunt's insistent example to live an unroofed life.

Lyrical and irreverent, Common offers a moving reflection on solitude, freedom, responsibility, and the repeated attempt to transcend the legacies of the past.

About the author:

Nikolai Duffy is the author of two previous cross-genre poetry collections, and the literary non-fiction book Relative Strangeness: Reading Rosmarie Waldrop. His creative work has been read and performed internationally, including London, Manchester, Dublin, New York, Providence, Columbus, Ljubljana, and Bochum. In 2019 he was awarded a UNESCO City of Literature Residency in Ljubljana. He teaches American literature, poetry, and critical-creative writing in the English Department at Manchester Metropolitan University, where he is co-Director of the Manchester Poetry Group, part of the Manchester Writing School.


If you cannot make the event but would like a dedicated copy of the book, please email [email protected] or call us on 0161 274 3331.

Our event format is usually a 45 minute discussion between the author and interviewer, followed by a chance for audience members to ask questions. There will be the opportunity to get your book signed/dedicated after the event. Events are a brilliant opportunity to discover new books, meet authors and likeminded readers and learn something new.

Support your local bookshop and help us keep the Manchester literary scene vibrant and exciting. You can follow us on Eventbrite and social media (@BlackwellsMCR) to keep up to date on upcoming events.

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Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Blackwell's Bookshop, 146 Oxford Road, Manchester, United Kingdom

Tickets

GBP 4.00 to GBP 16.00

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