Starter For Ten
The debut novel by the author of ONE DAY and YOU ARE HERE
Published on 4. June 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
384 pages
978-1-3997-6520-6 (ISBN)
Description
Starter for Ten: the Sunday Times-bestselling comedy about love, class, growing up and the all-important difference between knowledge and wisdom
'Painfully funny'
ELLE
'Hugely entertaining'
DAILY MAIL
'Wincingly good'
TIME OUT
It's 1985 and Brian Jackson has arrived at university with a burning ambition - to make it onto TV's foremost general knowledge quiz. But no sooner has he embarked on 'The Challenge' than he finds himself falling hopelessly in love with his teammate, the beautiful and charismatic would-be actress Alice Harbinson.
When Alice fails to fall for his slightly over-eager charms, Brian comes up with a foolproof plan to capture her heart once and for all: he's going to win the game, at any cost. Because - after all - everyone knows that what a woman really wants from a man is a comprehensive grasp of general knowledge . . .
ONE OF BRITAIN'S MOST ACCLAIMED WRITERS
'One of the most astute chroniclers of England as it is now'
FINANCIAL TIMES
'An uncanny ability to make us laugh out loud, but also care passionately about his characters'
DAILY TELEGRAPH
'Nicholls writes with such tender precision about love'
THE TIMES
'No one else writes novels that are both relatable and revelatory in the way he does'
EVENING STANDARD
'Genuinely brilliant'
NEW STATESMAN
'Painfully funny'
ELLE
'Hugely entertaining'
DAILY MAIL
'Wincingly good'
TIME OUT
It's 1985 and Brian Jackson has arrived at university with a burning ambition - to make it onto TV's foremost general knowledge quiz. But no sooner has he embarked on 'The Challenge' than he finds himself falling hopelessly in love with his teammate, the beautiful and charismatic would-be actress Alice Harbinson.
When Alice fails to fall for his slightly over-eager charms, Brian comes up with a foolproof plan to capture her heart once and for all: he's going to win the game, at any cost. Because - after all - everyone knows that what a woman really wants from a man is a comprehensive grasp of general knowledge . . .
ONE OF BRITAIN'S MOST ACCLAIMED WRITERS
'One of the most astute chroniclers of England as it is now'
FINANCIAL TIMES
'An uncanny ability to make us laugh out loud, but also care passionately about his characters'
DAILY TELEGRAPH
'Nicholls writes with such tender precision about love'
THE TIMES
'No one else writes novels that are both relatable and revelatory in the way he does'
EVENING STANDARD
'Genuinely brilliant'
NEW STATESMAN
Reviews / Votes
Clever and well-written . . . Nicholls' portrayal of student affectations is accurate and funny * Independent * Brilliant . . . we would recommend it to anyone -- Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan A funny, touching novel reminiscent of the classic film Gregory's Girl with an authentic 1980s backdrop * Sunday Mirror * Hugely entertaining * Daily Mail * Nicholls delineates the whole university experience . . . But he does the serious bits well, too, and the fatherless teenager pulling himself up by his bootstraps, hopelessly out of his depth, is warmly evoked * Guardian * A bittersweet coming-of-age tale . . . A fine, funny book * Heat * I laughed a lot -- Jeremy Paxman Wincingly good . . . spry, affecting * Time Out * Hilarious . . . you won't be able to put it down * OK * Painfully funny * Elle * I feel for Starter for Ten as I do for the pick'n'mix counter: nostalgic, giddy, happy, sick and then devastated when there is none left. I could not put this book down. I love it. Literally -- Alan Cumming Warm and funny . . . hilarious * Daily Mirror * Highly engaging * Irish Independent * Wonderful . . . Nicholls recreates all the cringingly embarrassing moments students endure on the university bandwagon - the wild parties, tentative friendships and romantic interludes - with superb powers of characterisation. It's a fun-filled trip down memory lane for all students, with more than a touch of pathos * Hello * Hugely (and deservedly) hyped . . . Achingly funny * She * I laughed out loud, I cringed in recognition, and more than once I paused in admiration at an observation so wry, so on the money, I wondered why it had never occurred to me before -- Mike Bullen, creator of COLD FEET For conjuring up all those cringeworthy moments of youth, this read is unrivalled * Glamour * Relentlessly delightful -- Mil Millington, author of THINGS MY GIRLFRIEND AND I HAVE ARGUED ABOUT Absolutely fabulous . . . brilliantly funny -- Jenny Colgan, author of DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME? Toe-curlingly embarrassing and cleverly observed . . . it'll have you wincing and laughing simultaneously. Fabulous * Company * Wonderfully written . . . This is a lovely look back at a time when you were young enough to think that anything could happen * Word * Starter for Ten is the debut of the year; a recommendation repeated by all who come in contact with it . . . Trust us, you'll love it * Arena * What a delight . . . David Nicholls is enormously talented, he has an exquisite eye for details, humour and the ridiculous -- Anna Maxted, author of GETTING OVER IT I absolutely loved Starter for Ten -- Emily Barr, author of THE ONE MEMORY OF FLORA BANKS Moving, wickedly observed, warm, uplifting and above all blindingly funny, Starter for Ten hits the spot time after time. Read this book * Jack * Brilliant . . . made me blush with remembered agonies [of university life] -- Critics' choice * Northern Echo * This funny tale . . . will have you laughing out loud * Herald * A witty and entertaining exploration of the agonies and ecstasies of university life and working out who you are * Good Housekeeping * Starter for Ten is the debut of the year; a recommendation repeated by all who come in contact with it ... Trust us, you'll love it * Arena * Nicholls' portrayal of student affectations is accurate and funny ... clever and well-written * Independent * Brilliant... we would recommend it to anyone * Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan * A funny, touching novel reminiscent of the classic film Gregory's Girl with an authentic 1980s backdrop * Sunday Mirror * Brilliant ... made me blush with remembered agonies [of university life] * <i>Northern Echo</i>, Critics Choice * Moving, wickedly observed, warm, uplifting and above all blindingly funny, Starter for Ten hits the spot time after time. Read this book * Jack * A toe-curlingly embarrassing and cleverly observed comedy ... it'll have you wincing and laughing simultaneously. Fabulous * Company * A bittersweet coming-of-age tale ... Brian conjure[s] up strong echoes of one of that era's literary heroes, Adrian Mole ... A fine, funny book * Heat * Spry, affecting debut ... If it's possible to wince with your whole body, that broadly equates to my experience of reading it * Time Out * Hilarious ... you won't be able to put it down * OK * Painfully funny * Elle * Warm and funny ... Hilarious * Daily Mirror * Hugely (and deservedly) hyped ... Achingly funny * She * I laughed out loud, I cringed in recognition, and more than once I paused in admiration at an observation so wry, so on the money, I wondered why it had never occurred to me before. There have been many pretenders to the throne of Hornby; David Nicholls is his legitimate heir * Mike Bullen, creator of 'Cold Feet' * For conjuring up all those cringeworthy moments of youth, this read is unrivalled * Glamour * Relentlessly delightful * Mil Millington * Absolutely fabulous ... brilliantly funny * Jenny Colgan, author of Amanda's Wedding * Wonderfully written ... This is a lovely look back at a time when you were young enough to think that anything could happen * The Word * What a delight... David Nicholls is enormously talented, he has an exquisite eye for details, humour and the ridiculous and he deserves every ounce of the huge success he will undoubtedly have with this pleasure of a book * Anna Maxted, author of Getting Over It * I absolutely loved Starter for Ten * Emily Barr, author of Backpack *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Hodder & Stoughton
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Illustrations
n/a
Dimensions
Height: 195 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 30 mm
Weight
272 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-3997-6520-6 (9781399765206)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
03/2004
Hodder & Stoughton Ltd
€2.99
Available for download
Person
David Nicholls is the bestselling author of Starter for Ten, The Understudy, One Day, Us, Sweet Sorrow and You Are Here. One Day was published in 2009 to extraordinary critical acclaim: translated into 40 languages, it became a global bestseller, selling millions of copies worldwide. His fourth novel, Us, was long-listed for the Booker Prize for Fiction. His latest novel, You Are Here, was an instant Sunday Times number one bestseller on publication.
On screen, David has written adaptations of Far from the Madding Crowd, When Did You Last See Your Father? and Great Expectations, as well as of his own novels, Starter for Ten, One Day and Us. His adaptation of Edward St Aubyn's Patrick Melrose, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, was nominated for an Emmy and won him a BAFTA for best writer. The Netflix adaptation of One Day was executive-produced by David.
On screen, David has written adaptations of Far from the Madding Crowd, When Did You Last See Your Father? and Great Expectations, as well as of his own novels, Starter for Ten, One Day and Us. His adaptation of Edward St Aubyn's Patrick Melrose, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, was nominated for an Emmy and won him a BAFTA for best writer. The Netflix adaptation of One Day was executive-produced by David.