Anthony Cartwright's Heartland on Book at Bedtime
Thursday, 22nd October 2009
Anthony Cartwright’s Heartland has been chosen for BBC Radio 4’s Book at Bedtime
‘This is what fiction should be’ said David Peace. ‘Toweringly good’ and ‘paced like a thriller’ said the review panel on Simon Mayo’s BBC Radio 5 Book Panel – and now Anthony Cartwright’s second novel, Heartland, will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4’s Book at Bedtime, in ten weeknight episodes beginning Monday 26th October at 22.45 – 23.00.
Set in a fictional Black Country community, Heartland tells the story of post-9/11 Britain – a story of cultural tensions, grass-roots politics, the far right, and football. The story opens with Rob, who has returned home to Cinderheath after an unsuccessful football career, and is now a track-suited teaching assistant at his old school. But the Cinderheath of 2002 is in a state of flux: the Tipton Three are in Guantanamo, a mosque is about to be built on the site of the disused steel works and the BNP are standing in the forthcoming local elections. Only the World Cup offers any sign of relief.
Read by Alex Jones and Steve Holt, and abridged by Jane Marshall, Heartland will also be available to listen again on the Radio 4 website from Monday 26th October.
