East of Acre Lane

By Alex Wheatle,

Book cover of East of Acre Lane

Book description

'Alex Wheatle writes from a place of honesty and passion' Steve McQueen, director of Small Axe

East of Acre Lane is the fast-paced and razor sharp story of a young man trying to do the right thing from celebrated author Alex Wheatle, one of the figures who inspired Steve McQueen's…

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Why read it?

1 author picked East of Acre Lane as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This is a modern classic – one that provides a slice of a very pivotal time in Black British history.

The 1980s saw a lot of civil unrest in Britain, from workers’ strikes to uprisings fuelled by racial tensions and police brutality. East of Acre Lane is set in Brixton – a neighbourhood in London that saw its fair share of uprisings – amongst the young Black Caribbean community.

It is such an authentic portrait, down to the musicality of the slang and dialects used. It’s immersive, it’s got action, it’s moving, it’s everything!

From Jendella's list on introducing you to Black London.

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