Minty Alley

"I think there’s a moment in every publisher’s life when you find a book that you wish you’d published. For me this is definitely Minty Alley , written by C.L.R. James in the late 1920s, and undiscovered by many despite various editions remaining in print ever since. I can remember a friend recommending the book to me and having no idea who the author was or what the novel was about, and then having my eyes opened in the best possible way. This novel is one of those books that reaffirms your understanding of what it is to be human, of what it means to be part of a community and to move from the fringes to the centre of the action. It would make for a wonderful film adaptation. To discover a powerful modern classic as an adult is an utter privilege. While I would have loved to include this book on the Manderley Press list, a fantastic new edition was recently published by Penguin as part of a series of titles celebrating Black Britain , introduced by Bernardine Evaristo and beautifully illustrated by Joy Yamusangie. It’s a glorious book, inside and out."