Nathan Filer Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Nathan Filer is a lecturer and writer in creative writing at Bath Spa University. He has also worked at the University of Bristol’s academic unit of psychiatry in addition to working in in-patient wards as a mental health nurse.
The author was born in 1980 in Bristol and went to Ridings High School in South Gloucestershire. In 2002, he graduated from the University of West of England with mental health nursing degree majoring in psychiatric nursing.

He published his debut novel The Shock of the Fall in 2013. His first nonfiction work was “The Heartland” published in 2019. In this later work, he explores how one can live with Schizophrenia in an easy-to-understand format.
The Faber and Faber published work was so popular that it would be named on the list of Mental Health Books of the Decade by Rethink Mental Illness. It would also become a Book of the Year on Sunday Times.
For his accomplishments, the University of the West of England granted him a Master of Letters honorary degree.

The Abertay University also awarded him a Doctor of Liberal Arts honorary degree for his commitment to mental health care and his role in raising awareness via literature.

Outside his honorary degrees, Filer is a holder of a Creative Writing master’s degree from Bath Spa University.

Filer first went to college and studied as a mental health nurse and then went on to practice for several years. He would then get employment at the University of Bristol as a mental health researcher.

Nathan would embark on his fiction writing career by writing poetry. He would be featured in many of the leading poetry festivals and nights in the United Kingdom such as the Cheltenham, Glastonbury, Big Chill, and Latitude Literature Festivals.
His poetry has also been featured in radio broadcasts such as “Poetry Standup” on BBC Radio 7, and BBC Radio 4’s “Wondermentalist Cabaret” and “Bespoken Word.”

“The Shock of the Fall,” his debut novel tells the story of a man who is in grief following the death of his very dear brother.

The work was not only translated into more than thirty languages but also won many awards. Some of the awards include the Best First Novel by The Writers’ Guild and the Costa Book of the Year.

Nathan Filer has also written for the likes of The New York Times and The Guardian. “The Mind in the Media” his BBC Radio 4 documentary is an exploration of mental illness in journalism and fiction.
It would ultimately make the shortlist for the Mind Media Award in 2017.

As for how Nathan Filer came to write “The Shock of the Fall,” he asserted that he had been working on the work for seven years before 2009.

He believed he needed some kind of creative writing training to move forward and hence got into a master’s program.

When his work was finally ready, it was subjected to an 11-way auction before a publisher finally got it for a six-figure sum. The work has now been published in more than 10 countries across the world.
It was in 2009 while he was doing his masters that he met Emily who would become his partner as they got a child together and worked on mental health as a team.

The two would then volunteer in Palestine working with the International Solidarity Movement in Hebron. During this time the two taught university English courses and supported people that had their houses demolished.
They also went to many protests as they believed the Israeli military would be less heavy-handed if citizens of other countries participated.

Nonetheless, he remained very much involved in mental health during this time. When he went back to the US, he got back into working in mental health wards which he still does to this day.

Nathan Filer’s novel “The Shock of the Fall” is the story told by a nineteen-year-old mentally ill character named Matthew Homes.

It is more of a meta-fictional work as the lead intentionally and constantly communicates openly and exposes himself as the author.

When he cannot offer more detail to explain something he often gives excuses. He is also known to make frequent observations about his mental instability and why he decided to write the story.

Things started going wrong for Matthew when Simon his elder brother died. As a special needs kid, Simon had been the center of attention for his parents which had resulted in a lot of resentment on the part of Matthew.
But upon his death in an accident in which Matthew was partly responsible, he continued living in the latter’s head, a product of a combination of schizophrenia and his guild.

Right from the start, the lead’s odd storytelling and being placed in a mental institution indicate that he may not be a very reliable narrator.

As such, it can be difficult to distinguish what parts of the story are a result of a damaged mind and which ones may be true.

As a nineteen-year-old, he has thoughts that are all over the place and is extremely vulnerable making for a thrilling ride. Nonetheless, the narrative is held together through his unforgettable voice.

“The Heartland” by Nathan Filer follows the tragicomic genius that was “The Shock of the Fall.”

Critics believe the latter could have been inspired by the author’s own experiences. Filer shifts gears in this work as he debunks the downright lies and myths told about people who suffer from schizophrenia.
This is a much-needed and essential exploration of schizophrenia which it represents in an eminently readable, accessible, and authentic style.

Schizophrenia will always be a nuanced and complex topic but the author explores it in an honest and very open manner. He explores it over the course of more than 100 years of conflict and controversy.
He correlates poverty with mental conditions which makes for some fascinating reading. Nathan writes a work that will provide value to both people who know nothing about schizophrenia and professionals alike.
It makes for an enlightening and powerful read that will teach almost everyone that reads it about the condition.