A collection of short stories by Dr Jonathan Taylor, Associate Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Leicester, has won the prestigious Arnold Bennett Book Prize.
His acclaimed book, Scablands and Other Stories, earned him the £500 award, which was presented by The Arnold Bennett Society on Arnold Bennett Day.
Picture credit: The Arnold Bennett Society
The stories are set in Leicestershire and Stoke-on-Trent—Taylor’s hometown and the birthplace of renowned British author Arnold Bennett.
“This means a huge amount to me,” said Dr Taylor. “Arnold Bennett was the writer who changed my life when I was 17. I discovered his work while studying at Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College and even did a project on him. I remember reading Clayhanger in the common room—it was the first book that made me cry. He wrote about an ill father, and I had an ill father. It was the first time I saw my own experiences reflected in literature. It made me realise that it’s possible to write beautifully about your home city.”
Receiving the award from Morag Jones, chair of the judging panel, Taylor noted how meaningful it was that the venue’s postcode was nearly identical to his childhood address. “It really does mean a lot when your home city recognises you,” he added.
As part of the ceremony, all four shortlisted authors read excerpts from their work. Taylor shared a poetic story about visiting his twin children in hospital after their premature birth—an especially poignant choice, as the twins have just turned 17.
The Arnold Bennett Book Prize was established in 2017 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Bennett’s birth. Open to books published in 2023 or 2024, the prize continues to attract entries from both local and nationally recognised authors.
