Born in Stevenage in 1969, the journalist, author and academic Gary Younge 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. In 2019 he joined Manchester University as professor of sociology and in 2021 was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. His books include No Place Like Home (2002) and Another Day in the Death of America (2016); his latest, Dispatches from the Diaspora: From Nelson Mandela to Black Lives Matter, is out in paperback on 16 March.
1. Documentary
Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World (BBC Two)
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. It is executive produced by Public Enemy’s Chuck D, and combines an intimate knowledge of the genre with an expansive understanding of the forces that made it possible. Tales of DJ Kool Herc and his dad’s sound system, and Queen Latifah’s crucial feminising intervention, were illuminating for me. 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.
2. Novel
The Man Who Lived Underground by Richard Wright
In between Native Son and Black Boy, the African American author Richard Wright wrote this novel. But while Native Son became a classic and Black Boy is still in print, this was never published… until now. 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. Spoiler alert: it does not end well. His publisher rejected it, partly, it is thought, because he doubted the US could handle it.
3. Place
Brighton Pier is like Las Vegas for kids. The jangling sounds, flashing lights, the constant rotation of Wurlitzers, merry-go-rounds and various gravity-defying devices lend themselves to excitement and poor choices. The same is true for my parenting. I used to take my son there, feed him doughnuts and race him on bikes and cars around random Floridian tracks on screen. My daughter prefers churros and accumulating the tickets that will earn her tacky nonsense. During half term we won a huge banana after three days of gaming. It costs us at least £100 to get it. It was worth every penny.
4. Film
I had come to fear that black female warriors giving all-comers an arse-kicking on screen had been limited to the Black Panther franchises. So on that score The Woman King, set in 19th-century Dahomey (now Benin) and starring the indomitable Viola Davis, was a real treat. 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.
5. Nonfiction
This is a really engaging memoir about identity, race, family, secrets, lies and ultimately betrayal, by a very gifted storyteller. Georgina Lawton is a mixed-race woman born to two white people, raised with the lie that they are both her biological parents and that her dark skin and afro hair are the product of a “genetic throwback” courtesy of a long lost forebear. Her dying father allows her to take DNA tests which ultimately reveal the truth after he has died. Then the rage, exploration and healing can begin. Lawton is able to remain honest, clear and incisive throughout.
6. Restaurant
Mangal 1, London E8
There is no shortage of Turkish restaurants in Dalston, where I live. But this one is special, with a 10-15 minute wait on a regular Wednesday night. You walk in to fragrant steam rising over a meaty grill as men (I’ve only ever seen men working there) skewer, turn and scrape to plates. Most evenings the artist duo Gilbert and George – possibly the last two out Tories in Hackney – are there, sweating away in their suits. The bread is thick, the lamb is luscious, it’s reasonably priced, the service is friendly and you can bring your own booze. What’s not to like?
7. Liqueur
While on holiday in the US last year a friend introduced me to Ancho Reyes: a Mexican chilli liqueur that packs a peppery punch. It was like nothing I’d ever tasted before: bold, strong and hot. It’s not so much an acquired taste – I took to it straight away, as have most of the people I’ve served it to – but it still takes some getting used to. It mixes well with mezcal, tequila, lime, lemon, agave and syrup – though not all at the same time.
• This article was amended on 12 March 2023. In an earlier version the photo of The Woman King was incorrectly captioned as being of Viola Davis, when it shows Lashana Lynch.
