Some books transport you to a time. Others transport you to a feeling. Trip ’89, the debut novel by Chris Foster Tolley, does both and it does so with the windows down, the music up, and a campervan named Ken leading the way.
The premise is delightfully simple. It is 1989, and twenty-two-year-old Cea is stuck: stuck in a sleepy village, feeling like life is happening everywhere else, and burdened by a heavy case of what Foster Tolley brilliantly coins ‘SOMO’ , a Sense of Missing Out. Long before FOMO became a hashtag, SOMO was a deep, quiet ache. And Cea feels it in his bones.
So he does what any self-respecting adventurous twenty-something in the late eighties might do: he buys a campervan, christens it Ken (after “Red Ken” Livingstone, a political nod that sets the tone), and sets off on a picaresque odyssey through the shifting landscape of late-eighties Britain. What follows is part road trip, part history lesson, and part love letter to the era’s music and culture / counterculture.
What sets Trip ’89 apart is its refusal to view the decade solely through rose-tinted spectacles. There is nostalgia in spades – from the festivals and raves of the time to the thrill of listening to music on tape – but there’s also unemployment, loneliness, and the quiet desperation of young people trying to find their place in a world that didn’t offer much in the way of a roadmap. Foster Tolley balances the two with a wry, self-deprecating wit that feels less like reading a novel and more like listening to a very entertaining friend recounting their wildest summer and their inner thoughts.
And what a summer it is. Cea’s journey takes him from his Suffolk home to the West Country, eventually landing in the small and sedate town of Sidmouth during its annual Folk Festival – the kind of place he’d ordinarily never have chosen. But this is precisely why it works. Alongside fellow travellers and festivalgoers, there are unattainable beauties, an array of slightly wacky locals, philosophical hobos and a cast of characters so richly drawn you’ll swear you’ve met them before. There’s also love, longing and mischief and more than its fair share of eyebrow-raising escapades.
Then there’s the music. Trip ’89 comes with its own soundtrack: a curated 89-track playlist and an essential 20-track mixtape from 1989 itself, both available on Spotify (see link below). It’s a multimedia experience that makes the story feel vibrantly alive. From De La Soul, The Blue Nile, and Prince to The Golden Palominos and Joe Smooth, the music isn’t just decoration; it’s the heartbeat of the whole adventure.
Foster Tolley, the pen name of historian and educator Chris Walklett, has a sharp eye for detail and an even sharper ear for dialogue. Early readers have compared him to everyone from Jack Kerouac to Nick Hornby and David Nicholls, but the voice here is entirely his own: warm, funny, candid, sometimes chaotic, but always authentic.
Drawing on his background as a historian, Walklett enriches the narrative with an extensive collection of intriguing explanatory notes covering people, places, songs, language, political events, you name it, with the highbrow and lowbrow receiving equal billing.
For Gen Xers, this book will feel like coming home. For everyone else, it’s a vibrant, immersive time machine – proof that the best part of a trip isn’t the destination, but the journey itself. To spark further discussion around both its timely and universal themes, the novel also comes with detailed book club questions for each chapter.
Trip ’89 is available now in paperback and eBook. Pack your bags, turn up the music, and let Cea (and Ken!) take you for a ride.
Where to Buy
- Paperback: Author’s website, eBay, and Waterstones (online & in-store ordering).
- eBook/ Kindle: Amazon (print on demand edition to follow shortly)
- Independent Bookshops & Record Stores: Available in select stockists and orderable nationwide via Gardners wholesale.
Praise for Trip ’89
Readers
- “Compelling and oh so visual – a cinematic feel that would translate so well to the screen.”
- “Trip ’89 really takes you on a trip! A trip down memory lane, a trip back into the 80s, a trip into British history, and it is literally soaked in the music of the time!”
- “One long love letter to the joys of travelling, campervans, freedom… and the town of Sidmouth, East Devon.”
- “The ideal book to read while soaking up the sun on holiday.”
Authors
- “Captures a bygone era for culture and partying… very authentic and very readable.”
- “Equal parts travelogue and history lesson – complete with innovative, helpful explanatory notes – Trip ‘89 is a gripping and emotional journey that will appeal to Gen Xers (and their Gen Z kids), ‘van lifers’, festival goers, and indeed anyone with an alternative take on life.”
- “Full of hope, Trip ’89 hits the zeitgeist – and the music – right on the nail!”
- “If you are a child of the 80s then I recommend that you read this book. If you aren’t a child of the 80s but want to be transported back to that time, then you should also read this book!”
Reviewers
- “Trip ’89 is the ultimate Gen X Road trip.” Table Read Magazine
- “More than a traditional travel story, Trip ’89 explores themes of identity, freedom, belonging and hope, examining how the people we meet – and the places we discover – can unexpectedly alter the course of our lives.” ATV Today
- “A casual road trip deepens into a profound exploration of identity… forcing him to navigate the delicate balance between personal freedom and the human need to belong. The story beautifully demonstrates how an unplanned journey can lead someone exactly where they need to be, finding hope in the most unexpected destinations.” Table Read Magazine
- “Blending humour, nostalgia and social commentary, the novel explores freedom, friendship and finding your place in the world. Enhanced with playlists and cultural notes from the era, this immersive debut captures the spirit of the late 1980s while offering themes that remain just as relevant today.” Northern Life Magazine
Trip ’89 – An Essential Musical Companion (20 tracks)
Trip ’89 – A Definitive Musical Companion (89 tracks)
Monica Costa founded London Mums in September 2006 after her son Diego’s birth together with a group of mothers who felt the need of meeting up regularly to share the challenges and joys of motherhood in metropolitan and multicultural London. London Mums is the FREE and independent peer support group for mums and mumpreneurs based in London https://www.londonmumsmagazine.com and you can connect on Twitter @londonmums
