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Choice of Straws
In London, racial hatred leads to a mugging, a murder, and a mystery in a powerful novel of intolerance, loss, and self-discovery by the bestselling author of To Sir, With LoveIdentical twins Jack and Dave Bennett enjoy nothing better than a rowdy night out in London—listening to hot jazz, hoisting a few pints, flirting with girls . . . and then finishing off the evening by roughing up a stranger. But one night they ambush the wrong victim, a young black man who fights back. Suddenly bottles break and a knife is drawn, and when it’s over, Jack stumbles home alone—only to awaken the next morning to discover his brother’s bed empty and policemen at the door.The police are investigating a fatal car accident that left two people dead, their bodies burned beyond recognition. One of the dead was apparently the car’s owner, a young black doctor, but the only clue to the second corpse’s identity is a knife engraved with Dave Bennett’s name and address. And no words are spoken of a man found slain in an alley on the other side of town. With his life brutally upended, Jack finds that his search for answers is drawing him closer to the dead doctor’s beautiful sister, Michelle, and causing him to question everything he’s ever believed about race, justice, family, and the violent urban world around him.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1968
3 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
E.R. Braithwaite
21 books101 followersE.R. (Edward Ricardo) Braithwaite was a novelist, writer, teacher, and diplomat, best known for his stories of social conditions and racial discrimination against black people.
An alumnus of Queens College, Braithwaite excelled at City University of New York, after which he served in the RAF during WWII as a fighter pilot (1941-45) and then went on to receive an advanced degree in Physics from Cambridge University (1949). Braithwaite also attended the University of London.
Unable to establish a career in physics, his chosen field, which he attributed to his status as an ethnic minority, Braithwaite turned to teaching.
Braithwaite was perhaps best known as an author for his autobiographical novel To Sir With Love set in an east London secondary school, later directed, produced and adapted for the screen by james clavell starring Sidney Poitier as a schoolteacher from British Guiana.
Braithwaite gave up teaching and continued writing, during this time he became a social worker with the London County Council working to provide foster care for black children.
He would later describe these challenging experiences in Paid Servant.
Braithwaite's long and exemplary career took him to UNESCO in Paris as an educational consultant and lecturer (1963-1966). Then he served as a Guyanese ambassador in the late sixties. First as Guyanese Ambassador to the United Nations (1967-68), then as Guyanese Ambassador to Venezuela (1968-69). He was World Veterans' Foundation Human Rights Officer, Paris (1960-63).
Braithwaite returned to teaching as a professor of English, at New York University and later in 2002 held the position of Writer in Residence at Howard University in Washington DC.
Braithwaite was a visiting professor at Manchester Community College, Connecticut, during the 2005-2006 school year, also serving as commencement speaker and receiving an honorary degree.
In August 2007 Braithwaite received the Guyana Cultural Association of New York's Exemplary Award for his work as an educator, a diplomat and an author.
An alumnus of Queens College, Braithwaite excelled at City University of New York, after which he served in the RAF during WWII as a fighter pilot (1941-45) and then went on to receive an advanced degree in Physics from Cambridge University (1949). Braithwaite also attended the University of London.
Unable to establish a career in physics, his chosen field, which he attributed to his status as an ethnic minority, Braithwaite turned to teaching.
Braithwaite was perhaps best known as an author for his autobiographical novel To Sir With Love set in an east London secondary school, later directed, produced and adapted for the screen by james clavell starring Sidney Poitier as a schoolteacher from British Guiana.
Braithwaite gave up teaching and continued writing, during this time he became a social worker with the London County Council working to provide foster care for black children.
He would later describe these challenging experiences in Paid Servant.
Braithwaite's long and exemplary career took him to UNESCO in Paris as an educational consultant and lecturer (1963-1966). Then he served as a Guyanese ambassador in the late sixties. First as Guyanese Ambassador to the United Nations (1967-68), then as Guyanese Ambassador to Venezuela (1968-69). He was World Veterans' Foundation Human Rights Officer, Paris (1960-63).
Braithwaite returned to teaching as a professor of English, at New York University and later in 2002 held the position of Writer in Residence at Howard University in Washington DC.
Braithwaite was a visiting professor at Manchester Community College, Connecticut, during the 2005-2006 school year, also serving as commencement speaker and receiving an honorary degree.
In August 2007 Braithwaite received the Guyana Cultural Association of New York's Exemplary Award for his work as an educator, a diplomat and an author.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
varying-degrees-of-interest
December 13, 2014
March 6, 2014
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 30, 2024
I think this book is relevant today and it ought to be on the school syllabus. Beautifully written and very realistically touching.
November 28, 2019
I read this years ago...in fact I don't remember the plot and I can't remember if it affected me as "Kes" or "The lonliness of the long distance runner". I should read it again. I probably read it in or about 1970
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews