When the bookshop existed only in my head and I was still figuring out what to call it, the name ‘Backstory’ appealed to me for a few different reasons. One of them was the idea that it would be a meeting place where we could delve deeper into the stories behind not just the books we stock but the world around us, the stories of our times.
For some, reading is about escapism. And that can be great fun: I wrote last week about the joys of rattling through a bunch of spy novels. But for me, reading is at its best when it does not shut out the world but leans into it. Hence my taste in realist character-driven fiction, giving us a better understanding of who we are and what we are doing here. And of course my first love, non-fiction.
So, although we’ve been lucky enough to host some top-drawer novelists at Backstory, I’ve been particularly proud of our current affairs events. In an era of shouty social media (and politicians), cancel culture and non-existent attention spans, it’s been a joy to bring dozens of people together in a room for a whole hour to hear from someone shaping the world around us. To hear different points of view, sometimes to allow yourself to be challenged and to reflect, to go home feeling enriched, not depleted.
I think of our events with Lyse Doucet and Jeremy Bowen, our screening of documentaries about Putin and about the Salt Path controversy, of hearing from an eminent Iranian scholar during the people’s protests that preceded the war and from Nobel Peace Prize-winner Maria Ressa about her fight for free speech in the Philippines.
And so I am delighted to announce that we will be hosting Nicola Sturgeon this September for her only London event marking the paperback publication of her memoir, Frankly.
You don’t have to agree with her politics to be intrigued to hear from her directly. Of course, recent events have brought Sturgeon unwelcome publicity, but there is much more to her story than that. In a time of increasing turbulence and churn at Westminster, Sturgeon, her mentor Alex Salmond and the SNP have shaped events north of the border for the last two decades.
Social media can offer all flavours of opinion on the controversies of this year and the more substantive question of Scottish independence. This, though, promises to be a fascinating opportunity to hear directly from one of the key players. I can’t wait.
Get your tickets now — and read on to get involved in our kids’ bookmark competition this summer.
Tom
Denise writes:
Attention all budding artists and designers, our annual kids’ bookmark competition is back.
Forget lively debate about which new release should be our Book of the Month, one of the more fiercely fought “discussions” we have each year is which design from our kids’ bookmark competition should be the winner.
Do we choose the simple, understated typographical design, do we go all out with a riot of colours and monsters or do we choose a more abstract route? Once all the entries are in, the office wall resembles the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition.
We love running this competition as it gives our younger customers the chance to be creative and be part of Backstory. The winner receives three months of books chosen just for them and the chance to see their design as Backstory’s kids’ bookmark for the next year. We’ll be printing thousands of copies just in time for the Christmas rush.
And, as the competition runs over the summer, we hope that it gives parents and carers a moment’s peace while their mini Picassos, Hockneys and Emins spend a few minutes (hours if you are lucky) coming up with their designs.
All you need to do is download the form below or pick up a copy in the shop. You can submit as many entries as you like to us by Sunday 6th September (just drop them back at the bookshop, or you can post them to us). We’ll announce the winner by the end of September.
Good luck!
A reminder that we’re making it very easy to pick your perfect holiday reads this summer. You can choose from 500,000 books on our website, for next-day delivery in the UK or click-and-collect from the bookshop.
And to make things even easier, why not browse our summer reads catalogue, with 48 books read and vouched for by our booksellers?
13th July, 7.30pm Tuppence Middleton, Scorpions Actor Tuppence Middleton joins us to talk through her visceral, raw and darkly humorous memoir about living with obsessive compulsive disorder
14th July, 7.30pm Sudi Pigott, Consider the Anchovy The Balham-based food writer talks with chef and food writer Ben Tish about her passionate embrace of the anchovy.
28th July, 7.30pm Antonia Hodgson, The Raven Scholar The author of The Raven Scholar will be delving into the world of epic fantasy novels in conversation with her fellow author Georgia Summers (The Bookshop Below, City of Stardust)
10th August, 2.15pm Jacqueline Wilson book signing The beloved children’s author will join us to sign copies of her latest book, Esme Pepper. Spots must be reserved in advance (no need to book a ticket for parents/guardians or siblings.)
1st September, 7.30pm Patrick Ryan, Buckeye This one was our Novel of the Year for 2025. We’re thrilled that Patrick is joining Darby, our bookshop manager, on paperback publication day.
2nd September, 7.30pm Cathy Rentzenbrink, The Agatha Christie Cure Finding herself feeling drained, novelist Cathy Rentzenbrink turns to Christie’s books for comfort and escape.
7th September, 7.30pm Jonn Elledge, 31 Inventions That Built Our World We’re thrilled to be joined once again by friend of Backstory Jonn Elledge, the bestselling author of A History of the World In 47 Borders, who has turned his trademark intelligence and wit to charting the most crucial inventions.
9th September, 7.30pm Hallie Rubenhold, Story of a Murder: The Wives, The Mistress and Dr Crippen The historian and bestselling author of The Five discusses the women in Dr Crippen’s story.
15th September, 7.30pm James Marriott, The New Dark Ages: The End of Reading and the Dawn of a Post-Literate Society We very much hope not! But can’t wait to chew over this meaty subject with the Times columnist and reviewer.
16th September, 7.30pm Frank Gardner, Ballistic The BBC’s Security Correspondent talks about his latest spy thriller, Ballistic, set in the Arctic.
22nd September, 7.30pm Joey D’Urso, More Than A Shirt: How Football Shirts Explain Global Politics, Money and Power The Tim Marshall of sports chews through what he reckons 20 shirts can tell you about geopolitics, in conversation with Patrick Maguire of The Times.
23rd September, 7.30pm Victoria Hislop, The Wine-Dark Sea The bestselling author of The Island and The Figurine joins us to discuss her latest.
30th September, 7.30pm Michael Cragg, Can’t Get You Out Of My Head: In Search of Kylie The music journalist chats all things Kylie Minogue with journalist and podcaster Miranda Sawyer
17th October, 11am Robert Harris book signing The bestselling thriller writer will be signing copies of his latest, Agrippa
25th October, 2.30pm Caitlin Moran book signing The journalist and writer will sign copies of How To Be Hopeful, her examination of whether it is possible to stay in the same house, in the same neighbourhood, but feel better about the frantic modern world by making better days.
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