Radar

The author and academic on Richard Wright's great unpublished novel, the joy of Brighton pier and dining alongside Gilbert and George.

The bread is thick, the lamb is luscious, it’s reasonably priced, the service is friendly and you can bring your own booze. In 2019 he joined Manchester University as professor of sociology and in 2021 was elected a fellow of the [Royal Society of Literature](https://rsliterature.org/fellow/gary-younge/). This tale of the Agojie, an elite team of female fighters charged with defending the embattled kingdom and its unimpressive king (played by John Boyega), is packed with machete-wielding, spear-hurling action, underpinned by a raw tenderness. [Native Son](https://guardianbookshop.com/native-son-9781784876128) and [Black Boy](https://guardianbookshop.com/black-boy-9781784876135), the African American author Richard Wright wrote this novel. It tells the story of Fred Daniels, picked up by Chicago police as he leaves work, framed for murder and tortured before he manages to escape and live in the sewer for a few days. It was like nothing I’d ever tasted before: bold, strong and hot. [Gary Younge](https://www.garyyounge.com/) studied French and Russian at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh before joining the Guardian in 1993, where he was a columnist and editor-at-large. This is a really engaging memoir about identity, race, family, secrets, lies and ultimately betrayal, by a very gifted storyteller. Lawton is able to remain honest, clear and incisive throughout. A fantastic four-part series, charting hip-hop’s rise in the US and locating its relevance in the political and economic period in which it emerged. The same is true for my parenting. When you see a documentary done properly, showcasing working-class people’s social history, and their culture discussed intelligently by artists, activists and intellectuals, you are grateful for it.