You may also like
MANDEM
Regular price $29.95 Save $-29.95"So to the person that broke my heart in 2021 by way of a casual voice-note. Thank you."
Told from the perspective of some of the finest contemporary Black writers and thinkers, MANDEM is an ode to the moments in our pasts that shape us, and gratitude at being able to appreciate these lessons in the present.
In a beautiful blend of prose and lyricism, each essay sees its author tap into their most vulnerable place - engaging honestly in conversations often silently grappled with by Black British men because of socially enforced beliefs around Black masculinity.
The themes in this essay collection range from the importance of male role-models, and the unique relationship between mother and son to the sexual pressure placed on young heterosexual men, while also asking the question: "what does contemporary Black queerness actually look like?"
Edited by award-winning artist Iggy London and featuring essays from Yomi Sode, Jeffrey Boakye, Christian Adofo, Ashley Hickson-Lovence, Athian Akec, Dipo Faloyin, Okechukwu Nzelu, Phil Samba, Sope Soetan, and Jordan Stephens, MANDEM is an unmissable, thoughtful anthology of Black male expression.
Ugly Dogs Don't Cry
Regular price $16.95 Save $-16.95A modern retelling of Steinbeck's classic Of Mice and Men, this landmark work from DD Armstrong is a poignant look at intimacy, friendship, and masculinity.
Best friends Kyle and Sideeq are beginning their first year of college in West London. Sideeq, a talented aspiring artist, spends his time perfecting his artwork and hanging out with his friends while having to learn how to process the harrowing events of his past. Kyle's ambitions are to become a rapper and a successful businessman. Though the deep bond of friendship formed between Kyle and Sideeq puts them on a path to achieve their dreams, college soon brings with it serious teenage social politics and a bully that terrorizes their friend group.
As they navigate new friendships and love interests, will the two boys continue to fortify each other and help each other succeed? Or will the newfound stressors in their lives pull them apart forever?
"The premise of this novel alone caught my attention, the author behind it even more so. With exceptional skill and sharp insight, DD Armstrong creates the most authentic representation of West London youth culture I've seen yet; his voice is fluid and natural, a joy to read, ranging from the humorous, to the emotionally gut wrenching within a few immersive pages. Here is a writer with infinite promise at his fingertips. Something tells me, with this reworked classic, he's only just getting started." - Courttia Newland, author of A River Called Time
The Street Hawker's Apprentice
Regular price $16.95 Save $-16.95A Dickensian tale of two young boys from opposite sides of the track who form a bond of brotherhood and friendship as they survive the streets of Lagos.
Temilola is a kind-hearted boy from the upper echelons of Nigerian society who wakes up alone in the middle of Lagos and discovers that he has lost his memory. He soon finds that this is the least of his problems, as he must now attempt to survive the dangerous streets of Lagos. Vipaar, who has been making a living as a hawker of random necessities on the streets of Lagos, finds Temilola and, after a violent first encounter, reluctantly takes him under his wing. They form a strong bond as they strive to make a meagre living selling mobile phone chargers to passing motorists on the dangerous highways of Lagos. The boys navigate the ruthless underbelly of Lagos and learn just how far they will go to protect themselves and each other. When tragedy strikes, their bond is broken and they are forced to separate from each other.
Will the two friends find each other again after they both face increasing brutality, pain and sorrow? Or will their destinies have diverged enough to tear them apart forever?
Stick To My Roots
Regular price $29.95 Save $-29.95The autobiography of Tippa Irie, Stick To My Roots tells the reggae musician's incredible story - from his trailblazing beginnings in Saxon Sound International to the Grammy Award-nominated "Hey Mama" with the Black Eyed Peas.
Titled after his 2010 hit single, the book will cover 40 years of Tippa's prestigious career: from the first sign of talent as a child in South London and family members encouraging him to enter local talent competitions, to making his first record and becoming the powerhouse and Reggae-scene legend he is now.
It's a story full of dreams, music and hope, but also the deep traumas and tribulations that Tippa experienced throughout his life.
Satans and Shaitans
Regular price $19.95 Save $-19.95From the winner of the 2021 Chinua Achebe Prize for Literature...
Determined to overrule the Nigerian President, members of the powerful secret society, The Sacred Order of the Universal Forces, led by Chief Donald Amechi and Christian Evangelist Chris Chuba, employ a terrorist cell to carry out attacks in Northern Nigeria under the guise of forming an Islamic state.
Adeline, Chuba's daughter, and young Donaldo Amechi, the only son of the Chief, are desperate to hide their love affair from their parents. When the Chief discovers the relationship, Evangelist Chuba is ordered to sacrifice his daughter. Adeline goes missing, but when it is revealed that the men sent to kill her never reached their target, Chuba and Amechi are haunted by what really happened to the young girl.
Set against the backdrop of Nigeria's ongoing terrorism tensions and upcoming elections, Satans and Shaitans is a powerful story about love, politics, power, religion, terrorism, and corruption.