Click on the link below to join our monthly live discussion thread: your chance to share anything cultural you’ve been enjoying over the past month, and also recommendations on a specific theme. It’s a great resource if you’re after some tips for things to read, watch or listen to.
This month, we’re joined by talented author Ashley Hickson-Lovence. He’s going to tell us a little about his own books: The 392 (set on a London bus) Your Show (a fictionalisation of the life of the Premier League’s first black referee, Uriah Rennie, alongside his work for children and his forthcoming novel. He’s also going to be recommending some great books that explore race relations in different contexts.
Alongside my questions for Ashley, I’d love to know:
What have you loved reading / watching / seeing / listening to this October?
On the theme of RACE RELATIONS: What books / films / music / art have provided you with insight into the complex relationships within a diverse group of people?
The live typing event takes place TODAY at 1.30-2pm, but if that time doesn’t work for you, please feel free to add your contribution whenever you like.
My first tip for a great book that engages with race relations in contemporary Britain is this one:
I was lucky enough to review it for the FT before it even made the Booker longlist … Have you read it? Please share your thoughts and any questions for Ashley on the thread.
There is an interesting exhibition at the National Portrait gallery- the Windrush generation. Ten portraits of the Windrush generation commissioned by King Charles. It is in one room on 3rd floor so a quick visit if in the area and it is free.
Finally, is there any advice you’d share to book clubbers who would like to read more by black writers? Although much is being done to correct the bias, it can still be a challenge to find culturally diverse recommendations in the mainstream media, so where should we look to find good tips and reviews? Are there any podcasts, magazines, critics or influencers we should keep track of? Are there any particular bookshops or venues that could provide inspiration?
How about even further afield? Could you share your Top 5 books that engage with diversity outside the UK? I know it’s not easy to cut the list down to five … Feel free to sneak in a good film or two as well!
How does Sheffield as a setting compare to London? Are there some great novels that explore diversity in the North of England that you could recommend?
Looking beyond London, there’s a wealth of other settings that have inspired great books exploring diversity, including Sheffield (see my comment to Julia below), which is also the setting for your more recent novel about the life of Uriah Rennie – the Premier League’s first black referee.
Please can you tell us a bit more about Your Show? Who do you think would enjoy reading it?
I'm so glad Ashley could make this and look forward to reading his comments. For race relations, there are two plays I've recently seen in London that fit the bill and are excellent: 1) Elephant at Bush Theatre written, composed and performed by Anoushka Lucas based on her own life as a biracial woman trying to break into the music industry and 2) Dear England at the Prince Edward Theatre (a National Theatre transfer) about Gareth Southgate and the England football team (including Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling) which is so, so good and has the sweep of a musical. You definitely don't have to be a football fan to enjoy it.
Ashley, do you think a bus is particularly good as a setting? Did you think about setting it on the overground which goes along a similar route? Sorry if this is a silly question!
Please feel free everyone to share your recommendations as we go, or indeed to ask Ashley or me a question. I've got a few that I'll be asking as well.
Our October book is To Sir with Love by ER Braithwaite. It’s set in London immediately after the Second World War, and shows it to be a city full of diversity, with accompanying tensions. Our book club also discussed Sam Selvon’s The Lonely Londoners a few years’ ago, which was incredibly atmospheric, with a focus on West London rather than the East End...
Are there any other books by black writers (or indeed films) that you’d recommend about post-war London?
Here are some thoughts from Maggie, who can't make it to the thread but wanted to share these with the group:
All of us have, at one time or another, tried to 'pass' as something we are not - i.e. of legal drinking age or to get into the cinema or a club; qualified for a job we really want or need; more knowledgable about something, or more skilled at something than we really are - and probably with some degree of success.
But imagine trying to pass for white if you are Black - whether out of necessity, expediency, desire, or even curiosity.
The following excellent, thought-provoking novels explore this concept - which I admit I had not known about - through different eras and in different ways. In chronological order:
-Passing by Nella Larsen (1929)
-The Human Stain
-The Human Stain by Philip Roth (2000) - the only Philip Roth book I actually have liked
he Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (2020)
I also loved The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris, a funny and pitch-perfect send-up of political correctness in the publishing industry.
Anyone who is joining this thread a little late, please feel free to post your comments whenever - recommendations are always appreciated.
Just wanted to share this for those who are looking ahead to our December book:
https://www.bl.uk/events/the-dark-is-rising-and-other-stories-susan-cooper-and-natalie-haynes-in-conversation
I think it's available on catch up for the next couple of days only, so don't miss it!
I recommend Assembly by Natasha Brown and Love Marriage by Monica Ali.
Thank you so much for joining me: Sarah, Mari, Claire, Julia, Julie and Ashley (again!).
A feast of recommendations here.
All the Lonely People by Mike Gayle and Sankofa https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56994001-sankofa
Thanks Ashley and Emily
Ashley - thank you so much for sharing your expertise with us. I have certainly come away with a great reading list!
Ok Time's officially up!
A few walking book clubbers have pointed out that this play about Cable Street is coming out soon:
https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/cable-street/
Empire of Light with Micheal Ward was great
Some previous Black History Month picks for Emily’s Walking Book Club:
Their Eyes were Watching God by Zora Neale-Hurston
My Name is Why by Lemn Sissay
By the Sea by Abdulrazak Gurnah
I highly recommend the Small Axe series on BBC, for Steve McQueen’s take on London’s West Indian community in the 1960s. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08vxt33/episodes/player
A recommendation from Christine:
There is an interesting exhibition at the National Portrait gallery- the Windrush generation. Ten portraits of the Windrush generation commissioned by King Charles. It is in one room on 3rd floor so a quick visit if in the area and it is free.
For Ashley, my last question:
Finally, is there any advice you’d share to book clubbers who would like to read more by black writers? Although much is being done to correct the bias, it can still be a challenge to find culturally diverse recommendations in the mainstream media, so where should we look to find good tips and reviews? Are there any podcasts, magazines, critics or influencers we should keep track of? Are there any particular bookshops or venues that could provide inspiration?
Two more questions for Ashley before we go:
1. You’ve got a new book coming in 2024 … Exciting! Could you share a little about it with the group?
Unfortunate Truth About Racism was very thorough
Please share HERE in reply to this anything else you've enjoyed this past month:
Time is ticking on .. 5 mins or so left. I'm going to start a thread for other recommendations that aren't to do with race relations or diversity.
Ashley:
How about even further afield? Could you share your Top 5 books that engage with diversity outside the UK? I know it’s not easy to cut the list down to five … Feel free to sneak in a good film or two as well!
Also Ashley:
How does Sheffield as a setting compare to London? Are there some great novels that explore diversity in the North of England that you could recommend?
Ashley:
Looking beyond London, there’s a wealth of other settings that have inspired great books exploring diversity, including Sheffield (see my comment to Julia below), which is also the setting for your more recent novel about the life of Uriah Rennie – the Premier League’s first black referee.
Please can you tell us a bit more about Your Show? Who do you think would enjoy reading it?
I'm so glad Ashley could make this and look forward to reading his comments. For race relations, there are two plays I've recently seen in London that fit the bill and are excellent: 1) Elephant at Bush Theatre written, composed and performed by Anoushka Lucas based on her own life as a biracial woman trying to break into the music industry and 2) Dear England at the Prince Edward Theatre (a National Theatre transfer) about Gareth Southgate and the England football team (including Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling) which is so, so good and has the sweep of a musical. You definitely don't have to be a football fan to enjoy it.
Ashley, do you think a bus is particularly good as a setting? Did you think about setting it on the overground which goes along a similar route? Sorry if this is a silly question!
Ashley - I'm glad you mentioned White Teeth. Are there some other more recent examples of diverse London?
And please will you tell our book club a little more about your excellent novel The 392? What inspired you to write a novel set on a bus route?
Please feel free everyone to share your recommendations as we go, or indeed to ask Ashley or me a question. I've got a few that I'll be asking as well.
Hello everyone, sarah here! So excited to have you on here too, Ashley.
Hi Emily and everyone
So, first question for Ashley:
Our October book is To Sir with Love by ER Braithwaite. It’s set in London immediately after the Second World War, and shows it to be a city full of diversity, with accompanying tensions. Our book club also discussed Sam Selvon’s The Lonely Londoners a few years’ ago, which was incredibly atmospheric, with a focus on West London rather than the East End...
Are there any other books by black writers (or indeed films) that you’d recommend about post-war London?
Hi Emily!
Here are some thoughts from Maggie, who can't make it to the thread but wanted to share these with the group:
All of us have, at one time or another, tried to 'pass' as something we are not - i.e. of legal drinking age or to get into the cinema or a club; qualified for a job we really want or need; more knowledgable about something, or more skilled at something than we really are - and probably with some degree of success.
But imagine trying to pass for white if you are Black - whether out of necessity, expediency, desire, or even curiosity.
The following excellent, thought-provoking novels explore this concept - which I admit I had not known about - through different eras and in different ways. In chronological order:
-Passing by Nella Larsen (1929)
-The Human Stain
-The Human Stain by Philip Roth (2000) - the only Philip Roth book I actually have liked
he Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (2020)
I also loved The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris, a funny and pitch-perfect send-up of political correctness in the publishing industry.
I'm so excited to have Ashley Hickson-Lovence joining us today. He's going to be telling us a bit about his books and also the books that inspire him.
Here are links to: The 392 https://ownit.london/shop/the-392-by-ashley-hickson-lovence/
and to Your Show https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571366804-your-show/
Hello everyone, I'm a little early - please say hi when you get here, so I know who's with us!