The Sussex Big Read is about creating shared moments through a shared reading experience. This year’s Sussex Big Read invites students and staff to explore Brighton Bound: Stories of Moving To, Around and Out of the City, 1920s – 2020s.

Our city is made up of many stories, and Brighton Bound brings some of the most urgent, moving, and overlooked to light. It conveys a city in constant flux, from people moving out of the centre to new suburban estates in the mid-20th century, through the arrival of down-from-Londoners and people from across the world, to residents having to leave because of rocketing rents and house prices.

Written by Cath Senker and Ben Rogaly (University of Sussex) and Amy Clarke (University of Brighton) and published by QueenSpark Books, Brighton Bound combines lived experience, photography and critical commentary. The book highlights not only the personal but also the political, examining systemic inequality, housing pressures, racism, and the ongoing legacies of colonialism that continue to shape life in our city today.

Reading together, reflecting together

Whether you are a new undergraduate, a postgraduate researcher, or a member of staff, Brighton Bound is an opportunity to engage with questions that matter, about place, identity, memory and justice.

The book is also a valuable resource for teaching and discussion across disciplines such as literature, history, sociology, migration studies, education and human geography.

How you can get involved

• Read the book

Free copies will be available for all new undergraduate and postgraduate students during Welcome Week. Library copies will be available for staff and returning students.

• Use it in your teaching

If you are teaching this autumn, consider integrating Brighton Bound into your module. The Library will provide supporting materials and discussion guides.

• Attend an event

A programme of events, including panel discussions, author talks and creative responses, will run throughout the autumn term. More details coming soon.

Join the conversation

Share your reflections using #SussexBigRead or take part in the online discussion space. We welcome responses in all forms, written, visual, or spoken.

Find out more on the Sussex Big Read page, or explore the book via QueenSpark Books.