City Reads 2015: The Humans

Various venues, Saturday, October 10, to Sunday, November 1

“A NICE way to be welcomed” is how Matt Haig describes being picked as the author at the centre of City Reads 2015 only months after he moved to Brighton from York.

His novel The Humans is a piece of contemporary science fiction – following the experiences of an alien transported into the body of a human to avert a major mathematical breakthrough which could have far-reaching effects on the planet.

Initially Haig’s protagonist is focused on eliminating anyone who knows about the dangerous discovery.

But as he stays on the planet his prejudices about humanity change when he discovers positive attributes including poetry, music and love.

“I always had this idea of writing about human beings as if David Attenborough was talking about sea turtles or lions,” says Haig. “It was the most fun I have ever had writing a novel.”

Alongside a run of jokes dissecting the strange habits of humanity – from the alien mistaking spitting for a friendly greeting, to marvelling at obsessions with orgasms and clothes – Haig also explores the distance from humanity some of Earth’s inhabitants can experience.

“Having had experiences with depression you can feel alienated and an outsider,” he says. “It’s a comedy-drama story, but on another level it’s about the experience of having had depression and learning to live life again, learning to feel part of the world.”

The character of the alien’s stepson Gulliver is integral to this theme.

The troubled teenager – who is initially on the alien’s hitlist – plays a big part in the central character’s integration into his new world.

“For whatever reason all my books tend to be about family,” says Haig. “I never planned for that.

“The Humans is a love story between alien and wife, but it’s also a love story between father and son. Gulliver is the most autobiographical character – he isn’t me as a teenager, but he is literally suffering from a kind of depression and suicidal thoughts, which was important to bring out some of the more serious aspects.”

A key chapter of the story sees the alien giving Gulliver 97 points to live by – a list Haig admits he doesn’t follow himself, but took a week to collate.

“As a novel it’s my self-help book – advice how to belong to humanity,” he says.

Writing the novel, which he has just turned into a screenplay, helped him pen his own best-selling non-fiction description of his battle with depression Reasons To Stay Alive.

“Writing was a massively important part of my therapy,” says Haig.

“Andrea, my then girlfriend, now my wife, forced me to write about what I was feeling. The act of writing was a way of externalising my thoughts – putting it out there was a therapy in itself.”

The City Reads 2015 programme features discussion with Haig at The Old Market on Sunday, November 1, marking the end of the reading period, as well as different responses to the book, ranging from poetry readings to wine-tasting and graphic novel workshops.

Science fiction fans should head to One Church, in York Place, on Friday, October 23, and Saturday, October 24, for a series of film screenings, including Under The Skin (15, 115 mins), Starman (PG, 115 mins), Attack The Block (PG, 88mins) and the brilliant 1956 version of Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (PG, 115mins).

Brighton photographer JJ Waller hosts an exhibition of deconstructed portraits inspired by Haig’s book at Jubilee Library from Monday, October 19.

And there are explorations of family and positive mental health with the return of the Argus Angel-winning Every Brilliant Thing at The Old Market, in Upper Market Street, Hove, on Monday, October 19, and Tuesday, October 20, and the launch events this weekend at Brighton And Hove Libraries to coincide with World Mental Health Day tomorrow.

Visit collectedworks.co.uk/city-reads/2015