That Summer Feeling - Softcover

‘Knowing what awaits us should make us grasp at life’s fading light, every single wonderful colourful noisy moment. We have around us all that cant, about living for the moment, you only get one chance and so on, but who hears that stuff? And if they do, it slips their mind in a minute or so, becomes a tiny fillip, a full stop in their book of the day. We have to really believe it, cherish it until we swoon on the beauty of being alive; every single bloody second. For it will soon be gone, soon vanished. It’s the best we can do, the only thing that has a chance of saving us when our eyes close for the last time: well, I gave it my best shot, did what I wanted, made a difference, ate it all up, yum yum.’

That Summer Feeling coalesces genres, among them coming-of-age, campus, northern, realist and comic. It takes a literate, enigmatic and upbeat view of all that truly matters in life – childhood, families, love, friendship, ambition, writing, disillusionment and hope. Always hope.

Set in 2004, it is about a young man on a creative writing course who can't decide between two girls. So he dates them both, leading to layers of existential angst. In a bid to clear his head, he embarks on a fateful road trip with his eccentric, quarrelsome pals. Meanwhile, his young nephew has a serious illness that sets a faultline through the entire family and his college lecturer is having a full-on breakdown in a rundown pub on the edge of town.

‘Hodkinson writes quite beautifully, which means that those of us with lesser gifts are given a glimpse into his soul. It is a richly
rewarding place to be.’ The Times.

‘Pomona’s impressive list of authors includes Simon Armitage, Barry Hines and Trevor Hoyle. Hodkinson proves himself worthy of such illustrious company.’ The Observer.