Sufferah: The Memoir of a Brixton Reggae-Head by Alex Wheatle is a great read.
Wheatle shared how his traumatic childhood followed him into adulthood and courageously bared great emotional anguish. He effectively expressed his love for reggae and how it was his unwavering companion. Along with weed.
Throughout the book, Wheatle mentioned specific moments that were inspiration for events or characters in his other novels. At first, I was annoyed with it, feeling like they were shameless plugs. But, once I got out of my own head, I realized how smart it was. Not only did it introduce me to more of his writing, but I would have felt deceived if when reading one of those novels I thought “wait. This all seems a little too familiar.”.
Wheatle had friends that cared deeply for him, and helped him recognize his skill with words. He is an impressive man and deserving of reverance. He has achieved great things on his own merit, without a support system to speak of.
My appreciation to Alex Wheatle and Akashic Books for the LibraryThing Giveaways printed copy. ( )

I won this book in exchange for my review. So it was different, not gonna lie don't really care for this is my life stories. But that's ok. ( )

Very good read!!!

Sufferah, by Alex Wheatle, is a very interesting memoir by a British/Jamaican author who deserves to be better known by American readers. Alex was born in 1963 in London of Jamaican parents, but as a very young child was placed in the care of British social services. He grew up in a variety of orphanages and group homes, and as a child never learned much about his parents or other relatives. He came to love Reggae music, a form of music native to Jamaica, and as he aged Alex went from being a lifelong fan to becoming a well-known producer and performer of Reggae in Great Britain. He also eventually became a successful, best-selling , award winning author of both adult and children's books, many of which focus on stories which take place in both England and/or the Caribbean. The book focuses on his life in London, particularly in the Brixton area, his experiences with poverty, racism, and eventual success, as well as his life-long search for his parents and other relatives. This book requires a little work on the part of readers unfamiliar with British/Jamaican culture and the importance of Reggae music to that culture. Also, although are several references to friends and other acquaintances who eventually became characters in his many works of fiction, there is very little information on Alex's higher education and development as an author. This is an excellent memoir about a man and a culture which should be better known to a wide audience. Recommended!

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Not many can escape the clutches of pain and depression but despite his early childhood trauma, Alex Wheatle found his love for reggae music helped him escape that world. Wonderfully written and inspiring. ( )