Pick Six

Nottingham’s most opinionated grocers on...

Fiction

We don’t read story books, that’s for clever people and not for us. We can’t actually read or write particularly well. We’ve never read any of those seedy books by D. H. Lawrence, or any of that angry young man kitchen sink drama nonsense by Alan Sillitoe, although we did like the films. We think the arts are fantastic and we believe everyone should have access to books, galleries, music and theatre. But fiction isn’t for us; we’re more likely to go to the theatre or see a live band.

Non-Fiction

A few years back, we went to Waterstones at Christmas and decided to get our family books as presents. We sat there and thought, ‘My goodness, all these letters make words and look at all these words in all these books.’ It was absolutely fascinating! We came out with a book about the making of Spectre (the James Bond film), a Bradshaw’s railway guide, a guide to great cities of the world for our sister, and a book on the Lancaster Bomber aircraft.

New Central Library in Town

We’re not interested. We think they should have kept the old one. Not the one that closed a few years back on Angel Row, but the one before that, in Arkwright Building on the corner of Burton Street and Shakespeare Street, about fifty years ago. There was no need for the old poly to nick that building. It was a beautiful grand library with floors and floors of books and seemed to us as kids like they had every book in the world there. Our libraries have been downsizing ever since.

Since it’s our literature edition, we thought there was no better person for our Pick Six section than Cara Thompson - previous Slamovision winner…

Book

Zami by Audre Lorde is a harrowing but beautiful exploration of black history, womanhood and queer love. Funnily enough, when I first read this book, I didn’t get it. Audre Lorde invented a whole new genre (biomythography) for this story, so you’re constantly moving between the realms of history, biography, and myth as you read, which felt really strange!

Song Freedom by Jay Sandhu, Jayahadadream and Omari Marsalis is a collaboration between some amazing artists and creatives who are killing it here in Nottingham and beyond. The track gives an intersectional look at how injustice impacts our communities, as the artists share their individual commitments to resistance and freedom.

Film

I wouldn’t call myself a huge film buff, but I went to see the documentary Summer of Soul at Broadway in 2022 and it’s stuck with me ever since. The film provides a glimpse into the forgotten Harlem Cultural Festival, which saw legends like Nina Simone and Sly and the Family Stone descend on Harlem for a six-day-long music celebration. A great watch for music lovers!

Holiday Destination

I was lucky enough to study in Montreal for a semester in 2018, and couldn’t recommend it enough. It really has something for everyone. My top recommendation would be to grab a French vanilla latte at Tim Hortons, a yummy beaver tail (not a real one, I promise! It’s pastry) and take the climb up Mont Royale for stunning 360-degree views of the city.

Meal

Growing up in a Jamaican household, curry goat’s always been my favourite Jamaican dish. The best curry goats are seasoned and marinated overnight, pressure-cooked in the morning until super tender, and served with all the classic Jamaican sides (rice and peas, fried dumplings, homemade coleslaw, plus yam and green banana, if you’re feeling greedy).

Notts Spot

I almost don’t want to share this one since it's such a favourite of mine, but Yolk (right next to 31K in Hockley) is an underrated gem. Aside from being cosy and friendly, they serve the best breakfasts and usually have a great playlist going all day. In the evening, you can even hire out the space and come up with your own custom cocktail menu for super affordable prices.