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Starter for Ten (novel)
Encyclopedia
Starter for Ten by David Nicholls
is a novel first published in 2003 about the character Brian Jackson and his first year of university (1985–6), his attempts to get on the Granada Television
quiz show
University Challenge
, and his tentative attempts at romance with Alice Harbinson, another member of the University Challenge team. The title is taken from an opening question to a round on the quiz show worth ten points, known as the teams' 'starter for ten.' Because this reference might be lost on American readers, it was originally released as A Question of Attraction when it was published in the United States.
It was adapted in 2006 as the film Starter for 10.
, is set in 1985 and chronicles the misadventures of student Brian Jackson in his first year at an unnamed university
. A somewhat obsessive collector of general knowledge, Brian has been a fan since childhood of the television quiz show University Challenge
which he used to watch with his late father, and on arriving at university, he seizes upon the opportunity to join its University Challenge team. He is initially unsuccessful, but is selected after one of the other team members is forced to drop out because of ill health. The TV show's famous catchphrase — "Your starter for 10" — gives the book its title.
Brian promptly falls for his glamorous teammate, Alice Harbinson, although the attraction is not mutual, and he may have more in common with a counterculturalist chum, Rebecca Epstein. Additionally, Brian finds himself caught between his new life, amongst the middle-class university set, and his old, with his working-class family and friends in the seaside town of Southend, Essex
.
. Brian Jackson is a working class
teenager from a one-parent family. His mother works in the chain-store Woolworths
. On attending the prestigious University, Brian is aware that his state school background and working class roots make him stand out. In an interview in The Guardian
, the novel's writer David Nicholls expands on this theme.
David Nicholls (writer)
-Background:Nicholls is the middle of three siblings. He attended Barton Peveril sixth-form college at Eastleigh, Hampshire, from 1983 to 1985 , and playing a wide range of roles in college drama productions...
is a novel first published in 2003 about the character Brian Jackson and his first year of university (1985–6), his attempts to get on the Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
quiz show
Quiz Show
Quiz Show is a 1994 American historical drama film produced and directed by Robert Redford. Adapted by Paul Attanasio from Richard Goodwin's memoir Remembering America, the film is based upon the Twenty One quiz show scandal of the 1950s...
University Challenge
University Challenge
University Challenge is a British quiz programme that has aired since 1962. The format is based on the American show College Bowl, which ran on NBC radio from 1953 to 1957, and on NBC television from 1959 to 1970....
, and his tentative attempts at romance with Alice Harbinson, another member of the University Challenge team. The title is taken from an opening question to a round on the quiz show worth ten points, known as the teams' 'starter for ten.' Because this reference might be lost on American readers, it was originally released as A Question of Attraction when it was published in the United States.
It was adapted in 2006 as the film Starter for 10.
Plot summary
The story, told in first-person narrativeFirst-person narrative
First-person point of view is a narrative mode where a story is narrated by one character at a time, speaking for and about themselves. First-person narrative may be singular, plural or multiple as well as being an authoritative, reliable or deceptive "voice" and represents point of view in the...
, is set in 1985 and chronicles the misadventures of student Brian Jackson in his first year at an unnamed university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
. A somewhat obsessive collector of general knowledge, Brian has been a fan since childhood of the television quiz show University Challenge
University Challenge
University Challenge is a British quiz programme that has aired since 1962. The format is based on the American show College Bowl, which ran on NBC radio from 1953 to 1957, and on NBC television from 1959 to 1970....
which he used to watch with his late father, and on arriving at university, he seizes upon the opportunity to join its University Challenge team. He is initially unsuccessful, but is selected after one of the other team members is forced to drop out because of ill health. The TV show's famous catchphrase — "Your starter for 10" — gives the book its title.
Brian promptly falls for his glamorous teammate, Alice Harbinson, although the attraction is not mutual, and he may have more in common with a counterculturalist chum, Rebecca Epstein. Additionally, Brian finds himself caught between his new life, amongst the middle-class university set, and his old, with his working-class family and friends in the seaside town of Southend, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
.
Characters
- Brian Jackson - Narrator and central character of the story.
- Rebecca Epstein - The Marxist, Jewish law student with whom Brian has an intermittent relationship. She lives in the same residence hall as Alice and offers advice and encouragement to Brian.
- Alice Harbinson - The rich love interest of the narrator who has an unexplained scar on her lip. While wealthy, both she and her parents attempt to be socially conscious.
- Patrick - ToryToryToryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
Captain of the University ChallengeUniversity ChallengeUniversity Challenge is a British quiz programme that has aired since 1962. The format is based on the American show College Bowl, which ran on NBC radio from 1953 to 1957, and on NBC television from 1959 to 1970....
team who provokes a fight with Spencer. He, like Brian, has a crush on Alice.
Minor characters
- Tone and Spencer - Brian's working class friends. Tone gets a job as a salesman and, like Brian's father, is twisted by the need to make commission. Spencer runs into trouble while working and taking unemployment support, visits Brian, and causes a fight at the school.
- Mr. and Mrs. Harbinson - Alice's vegetarian and nudist parents, who barely tolerate Brian's visit to their palatial cottage in the country during the holidays.
- Lucy Chang - The fourth member of the team, a medical student, who serves as a force of moderation on the team. She is an international student from the United States.
- Des and Mum - Brian's Mother and her lover, "Uncle" Des, whom she plans to marry.
- Neil - An actor who played Richard III and who went about on crutches to get into character for a part; he eventually becomes involved with Alice.
- Marcus and Josh - Brian's housemates who brew their own beer.
Class
One of the major themes in Starter for Ten is social classSocial class
Social classes are economic or cultural arrangements of groups in society. Class is an essential object of analysis for sociologists, political scientists, economists, anthropologists and social historians. In the social sciences, social class is often discussed in terms of 'social stratification'...
. Brian Jackson is a working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
teenager from a one-parent family. His mother works in the chain-store Woolworths
Woolworths Group
Woolworths Group plc was a listed British company that owned the high-street retail chain, Woolworths, as well as other brands such as the entertainment distributor Entertainment UK and book and resource distributor Bertram Books...
. On attending the prestigious University, Brian is aware that his state school background and working class roots make him stand out. In an interview in The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, the novel's writer David Nicholls expands on this theme.