Book description
The Lonely Londoners, an unforgettable account of immigrant experience and one of the great twentieth-century London novels, now in in a stunning Clothbound Classics edition.
At Waterloo Station, hopeful new arrivals from the West Indies step off the boat train, ready to start afresh in 1950s London. There, homesick Moses…
Why read it?
2 authors picked The Lonely Londoners as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
What a great evocation of 1950s London, written with real warmth and immediacy. It's a story we should all know about, one that puts real people into the two-dimensional image we normally get about post-war immigration, race, and coloniality.
Another classic, but this time set a generation before East of Acre Lane.
This follows members of the Windrush generation as they try and make their way in a city that is hostile in weather and temperament. There is a lot of humour here amongst the occasional bleakness, but either way it’s a revelatory read. Again, language is really important here to really hear the voices of the characters.
Admittedly, I read this quite late in the game, but could instantly see why it’s one of the classics.
From Jendella's list on introducing you to Black London.
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