An Oxford author celebrates his new novel, exploring the divide between town and gown life
Oxford: A local author has a fascinating story. He grew up in a tough area. Despite this, he earned a spot at Oxford University. He became a teacher and excelled in rugby. Now, he’s a successful author.
He just published his latest novel, Crossing Magdalen Bridge. This book reflects his own experiences. It explores the tricky relationship between Oxford’s town and gown.
As a child, he lived at Slade Camp. This was a wooden hut used by the Army during World War II. Later, his family moved to Rose Hill. He became the first student from Littlemore Grammar School to attend Oxford University.
He studied geography at St Edmund Hall. At Littlemore, he met rugby legend Lynn Evans. Lynn helped him become a scrum-half. He played for Oxford RFC and scored three tries on his debut at just 18.
He played many games for Oxford University. Unfortunately, he missed out on winning his Blue. The arrival of All Blacks’ scrum half Chris Laidlaw changed that.
After 18 years of teaching in Leicestershire and Lincolnshire, he became a journalist. He specialized in horse racing and wrote 31 books. His work, The Legend of Mick the Miller, was a top contender for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year.
His book, The Suffragette Derby, won Racing Post’s Racing Book of the Year in 2013. He kept his Oxford connections alive with two books. The Black Bridge tells the story of young men facing World War I horrors. The Oxford Murder is about a true crime from 1931.
In Crossing Magdalen Bridge, the main character is Mick Bernard. He struggles between the two worlds of Oxford. Crossing the bridge symbolizes the challenges he faces in life.
Mick knows that attending Oxford will change everything. It will affect his family, work, and relationships. Once he commits, there’s no turning back.
Mr. Tanner, who now lives in Lincolnshire, uses his experiences to create a vivid story. He captures the joys and struggles of balancing Oxford’s two worlds. The book is available on Amazon for £9.95.
