East of Acre Lane

By Alex Wheatle

'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 Small Axe

It is 1981, and Brixton is on the verge of exploding. Biscuit lives with his mother, brother and sister, trapped hustling on the frontline for the South London badman Nunchucks. As the patience of the community breaks and the riots erupt, Biscuit must make a choice that could change his life forever.

'His prose is as sharp as a barber's cutthroat and the hard edged dialogue perfectly captures that London vibe. Thrilling, very funny, and most of all a page turner' Courttia Newland

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0007225628
• ISBN13: 9780007225620
• Release Date: January 2021
• Publisher: Fourth Estate
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.0" x 7.7"

Customer Reviews

Big Up Alex!

Great book set in early 80's Brixton, London, (Acre Lane is a street in Brixton)when there was great unrest amongst the youths, which resulted in the Brixton Riots. It is so familiar in the sense that Wheatle refers to every detail of that time, including what song was playing in the background, to what clubs the characters frequented, dropping actual street names, to the latest fashion of the time. I highly recommend this book, especially to Black Londoners who are between 35 - 45, as they would relate to it so well, but to everyone else, please don't pass this one over! A good mix of humour and issues of the day.