Product Description

A coming of age story about Dele, a young student, and his sister Dapo whp glide through love, politics and violence; Diran Adebayo's debut is funny, street-smart fiction which puts language through hoops to create an exhilarating odyssey through the London scene.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #438153 in Books
• Published on: 1997-08-21
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Review
'A gloriously capable and confident writer...Some Kind of Black is thoughtful, witty and moving...it is refreshing to read something so extrovert and alert...I urge you to read it' THE TIMES 'Strikingly innovative...Adebayo's novel wryly captures the essence of a tribalised society, and, in doing so, has a powerful resonance for us all, black or white, as his complex web of storylines and characters culminates in a surprising denouncement.' INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY 'Sharply written and exceptional' DAILY TELEGRAPH 'Magnificent and seductively Nineties' - Julie Myerson 'A classic coming of age tale...marks the debut of a serious talent' - GQ 'Dissects British race relations with a scalpel wit that leaves every stereotype begging for mercy' - THE FACE 'It records experience unlike any previously seen in British Fiction.' THE BOOKSELLER 'An individual and thought-provoking debut... challenges his readers... to think about the issues it raises.' INDEPENDENT 'This is a good read.' GUARDIAN 'Undeniably a writer to look out for... Adebayo's writing is of a new breed and is a valuable insight not just into the mind of today's black London youth but also into the concers of youth in general.' EVENING STANDARD 'Reinvention of the London novel as filtered through the lens of racial identities and cultural dispossession. Adebayo makes us reassess our cosy liberalism and forces us into the recognition that difference always makes a difference.' ARENA 'An engaging debut that stands above many similar efforts... well written... charts new territory with skill and imagination.' LITERARY REVIEW 'Compelling, emotive and painfully truthful.' PRIDE 'Written in a combination of stylish prose and street vernacular.' THE BIG ISSUE 'It deploys both merciless laughter and humane understanding to dissect the prejudices and politics of colour. This is done with a rare sublety and intellectual integrity.' SCOTSMAN 'Engaging and graphically described.' CANBERRA SUNDAY TIMES 'A marvellous read, deserving the widest possible audience.' BOOKSELLER

INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY
'Strikingly innovative...has a powerful resonance for us all, black or white'

DAILY TELEGRAPH
'Sharply written and exceptional'

Customer Reviews

Tell me when my light turns green
A book that will appeal to anyone who can relate in any way to the urban experience, and that of the black man trying to strike out a path for himself. The author uses language, slang, idiom and inference in a highly effective way to reflect the shifting values and certainties that exist in both the book's world and wider society. The story is compelling and idiosyncratic. This author has a strong and engaging voice, and I would not be surprised if there was a lot more to come from him. A great read!

I liked the story
A beautifully written book that is set in London is a compelling account of black life in cosmopolitan London. The author saw London from the angle of an underprivileged African. The descriptive style of writing made it easy for the reader to relate to the story. This is the right book for those who have the desire to know about African life in the Diaspora. You can also read The Usurper and Other Stories, Things Fall Apart, Disciples of Fortune, Triple Agent, A Distant Shore.

A truly awful and incorrect view of Black London life
The author is clearly not a Londoner and, it would appear, is an individual who has a severe lack of knowledge of Black London life (and of Black Londoners). A shallow book with little research or personal experience behind it. There are glaring mistakes (Caribs are in fact the original Asian inhabitants of the Dominican Republic - NOT Afro-Caribbeans living in London!! - to name just one of the books many inapproriate usage of terms) and there is a distinct lack of any journey or framework to the book. A shame that such a much needed prize was awarded to a book of this poor standard.

You have been warned...