How I Left the National Grid: A Post-Punk Novel

by Guy Mankowski

'This book is the epitome of cool. A cross between Twenty Four Hour Party people and Tom Perrotta's The Leftovers, written by Julian Barnes. It contains a narrative as spiky as a punk set, a whole symphony of ideas composed by Mankowski within a few subtle bars of text. A brilliantly written literary treat.' ~ AJ Kirby, reviewer for The New York Journal of Books

'Anyone who remembers Melody Maker, or who attended indie nights, will fall in love with this book immediately. Mankowski captures brilliantly the psychology of ‘fan obsession’. Those of us who marvelled at ‘The Secret History’ or ‘A Passage To India’ are sure to find it equally enthralling.' ~ The Huffington Post

Genres: Music, Fiction

191 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 27, 2015

About the author

Guy Mankowski's biography of Kristen Pfaff from Hole is now available for subscribers at https://iknowhowtolive.substack.com/

The biography No Treble magazined described as 'long awaited'- which Substack certified as a 'bestseller' in February 2025 (a top 30 'Rising in Music Substack) follows volume one of two about Pfaff's life (taking the reader up to her joining Hole). Subscribers to the Substack are also hearing on there unheard songs by Pfaff, excerpts from her journal recordings, unseen photos from her time at the heart of the alt-rock music scene and other media. John Robb (the first journalist to interview Nirvana) said 'This book ultimately places Kristen back in the deserved centre of the narrative.’

Jane Savidge said of it, ‘Mankowski’s brilliant retelling of the extraordinary life of Kristen Pfaff- one of the most important players in the Seattle / Sub Pop scene- is a timely reminder that sometimes the heroes don’t always win and the truth is out there if you look hard enough.’

Mankowski is a Senior Lecturer at Lincoln University, and his agent is Matthew Hamilton at The Hamilton Agency.

Reviews

[Blair · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Review written May 2017.) Ex-journalist Sam is writing a book about Robert Wardner, frontman of Manchester post-punk act The National Grid, who has been missing for 25 years. The band became famous overnight following a notorious appearance on Top of the Pops, during which Wardner acted out a fake suicide attempt; for years, rumours have persisted that he went into hiding because he murdered a fan. The tale of Sam digging into Wardner's life is juxtaposed with Wardner's story in his own words, plus occasional articles about the band that give a sense of their cultural impact.

At first, I found the plot thrilling, and Mankowski's writing about music and creativity is often excellent. But a great deal of the dialogue is stilted, there are some truly heinous descriptions of women, and overall there's just a bit of an amateurish feel that pervades the whole text. (I also just didn't understand what the purpose of Sam's relationships with Elsa and Camille was. Maybe just to provide a (weak) parallel to Wardner's with Frankie and Nataly? Even so, pretty much all of that material could have been cut to make way for the far more interesting story of Wardner, the band and the music.) A compelling but flawed novel, How I Left the National Grid has a fantastic concept but bumpy execution.

[Priya Bhakta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story. Good start. Flimsy female characters. Otherwise well written. Fails to live up its good start resulting in an unsatisfying conclusion.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kindle is prompting me to write this review as soon as I've finished reading but I think this book will take some assimilation. I expected a story about a missing pop star but got a moving, personal, account of art, commercialism, mental health and redemption. Just brilliant

[Daniel Gothard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guy Mankowski is a writer of many abilities - whether exploring friendships and rivalries in his debut 'The Intimates' or heart blown open passion in his second novel 'Letters From Yelena'. I've previously compared his writing to that of Graham Greene & F Scott Fitzgerald, but 'How I left The National Grid' reminded me of the obsessional internal monologue power of Patrick Hamilton's 'Hangover Square'. The novel moves along various tracks - then and now: the stranglehold first-person narrative of singer Robert Wardner, and the world-weary, blinkered view of investigative journalist Sam. The cast of supporting characters - such as band manager Bonny - sustain a sense of constant unease. The use of truncated text incorporating reportage is a great device to separate and propel events. It's very tricky to review the story without giving away VERY important plot points! Don't be fooled into thinking this is simply a fictional exercise in 'What if?' for rock icons such as Richey Edwards, Syd Barrett, et al. This is a multiple character study of a great era in music, the harsh truths about art and compromise, and how - to paraphrase - you can never really go home. Mankowski's depictions of onstage band interactions are brilliant - I'm fairly certain he was in a band, and it shows. If you love post-punk music, suspense thrillers and the idea of reassembling fractured dreams, this novel is definitely for you - it should be on some award shortlists soon.

[Ellie Hull · Rating 3 out of 5]

I came across this book recommended as a fictional account of a missing famous musician. The potential murder was less interesting but I was game. The likelihood of a twist or reveal ending seemed to get higher and higher with every page, and I’m not sure I entirely understand the characters’ motivations or ever really cared about anyone other than Sam. A bit of a letdown at the end.