Starter For Ten by David Nicholls - ISBN: 9781399765206
Paperback
Love, ambition, and the ultimate quiz competition.
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Starter For Ten

The debut novel by the author of ONE DAY and YOU ARE HERE

$23.37

  • Paperback

    384 pages

  • Release Date

    22 September 2026

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Summary

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

‘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-…

Book Details

ISBN-13:9781399765206
ISBN-10:1399765205
Author:David Nicholls
Publisher:Hodder & Stoughton
Imprint:Sceptre
Format:Paperback
Number of Pages:384
Release Date:22 September 2026
Weight:273g
Dimensions:196mm x 128mm x 28mm
What They're Saying

Critics Review

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 FinniganA 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 PaxmanWincingly 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 CummingWarm 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 FEETFor 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 ABOUTAbsolutely 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 ITI absolutely loved Starter for Ten – Emily Barr, author of THE ONE MEMORY OF FLORA BANKSMoving, 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] * Northern Echo, 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 *

About The Author

David Nicholls

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.

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