The Street

by Biyi Bandele-Thomas

Biyi Bandele's striking novel, "The Street", is inhabited by eccentric, mesmerizing characters, who, according to the unnamed narrator, are 'people reaching out to one another, searching for love'. This multiracial neighbourhood witnesses Mide the bookseller, moonlighting as a stand-up comedian; Haifa Kampana, infatuated with the cashier at the 7-eleven; and the Heckler, deriding the sandwich-board preachers outside Brixton tube station. Through these characters, Biyi Bandele creates a surreal social milieu in which he positions the restored relationship between the painter, Nehushta, and her father, Ossie Jones, who has awakened from a fifteen-year coma. Bandele's blend of humour, sentimentality and the fantastic is an invigorating literary exploration of diasporic reality in contemporary Britain.

Genres: Africa

292 pages, Paperback

First published July 9, 1999

About the author

Biyi Bandele (born Biyi Bandele-Thomas; 1967) is a Nigerian novelist, playwright and filmmaker. Bandele is regarded as one of the most versatile and prolific of the UK-based Nigerian writers, having turned his hands to theatre, journalism, television, film, and radio, as well as the fiction with which he made his name. He lives in London.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Mena · Rating 3 out of 5]

A strange but good book. The first few chapters came across as derivative Rushdie and I almost stopped reading it, but it ended up being a pretty enjoyable read. The characters were charming - the Heckler and Ossie Jones being my particular favourites - and I liked Bandele's magical realist (at least, that's what I'd call it) approach to 90s London in all of its messy multicultural glory. Like Burma Boy, I felt the ending sort of trailed off (which was a bit disappointing as the chapters leading up to it were the most engaging in the book - Haifa Kampana was incredible!) but the book's looping structure was really well executed.

[Dora Okeyo · Rating 3 out of 5]

The only character that stood out in this book was 'The Heckler' for a man who is known as causing such disruptions on the street it turned out that he was understanding, full of love and his dreams had to be lived- it was a good read.
I loved the pace because it was fast-and what you think is happening might be a dream or not or maybe an illusion and all the characters are connected in a way-so it was nothing but humor and sarcasm and wit!

[Kristijan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story about young people in London that come from different backgrounds told in a very fun and urban style, intervened with surreal moments.

[Bellamy · Rating 5 out of 5]

an interesting and strange urban tale. one of the first books gifted to me by a very dear friend at 17.

[Lester · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found a lot of great imagery and poetry in this book, and assume that the author has a similar style in other books. Unfortunately, it was ruined a bit by my feeling that there was a little too much effort put into placing unconventional adjectives into the text, which spoiled the flow. Although I guess the point of 'The Street' is to show a kaleidoscope of stories, I found that some great stories were given a lot of time, whilst others were told in a few brutal sentences - this was irritating and completely irrelevant (and partly an irritation) to the main stories. I wouldn't read this author again, but I am not sad that I spent the time to discover him. The book was worth it just for the small chapter on Mr. Bill, the wordsmith who sells words on the street corner.

[Sonja · Rating 5 out of 5]

" .....ќе си поплачеш, ќе му погледнеш на животот в лице, ќе ги собереш срчите, на монатото ќе мѕ речеш 'благодарам за довербата', ќе го облечеш најдобриот костум што можеш да го купиш, позајмиш или украдеш, ќе излезеш надвор и правец кон иднината. И крај.

[Hlomla Makwetu · Rating 4 out of 5]

the diasporic phantasmagoric afro surrealist reality of contemporary Britain.