In this tale of two Muslim sisters, Monica Ali explores their different lives and how they shape their fates. Nazneen, married off in her teens to an older man, lives in a tower block in London’s East End, keeping house and rearing children. Nazneen does what is expected of her, but into that fragile peace walks Karim, raising questions of longing and belonging that open her eyes. Her sister Hasina finds heartbreak with a “love marriage” back home in Bangladesh. (496 pages)
Level: Students writing papers/Linjefag

Based on Monica Ali's novel:
A young Bangladeshi woman arrives in 1980s Britain to an arranged marriage and a new life. Trapped in a loveless marriage to a middle-aged man, Nanzeen finds it hard to accept her circumstances but tries to survive all that life throws at her. She is soon forced to face reality when fate takes a hand in the shape of young, hotheaded Karim.

This BAFTA nominated historical documentary (timed to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery) is a contribution to the understanding of the legacy of Britain's black population and  the changing notion of Britishness — from the earliest days of slavery in colonial plantations to today's mulicultural Britain. In particular this DVD explores the hidden history of The British West India Regiment which was formed to defend the empire during the Napoleonic Wars and established by a special act of Parliament as a new class of citizen — ‘Black British’. They became imperial heroes — only to be summarily disbanded in 1927.

(Replaces Population Growth)

Migration is highly controversial, with some believing the UK is too open to migrants, and others defending migrants as beneficial to the economy:

Chapter One: Migration and Security
Migration guide; British least supportive of immigration; Migration in the UK; Migration from Bulgaria and Romania; Migration facts and figures; Has migration led to unemployment?; Frequently asked questions; Police chief warns of migrant crime impact; What about a welcome amid the warnings?; Human rights of female migrants; Outline of the immigration problem; Irrationality grips the British concerning migrants; Does migration hurt migrants?; HIV, immigrants and immigration; Improving population statistics; Mass migration damaging the planet; Brits abroad.

Key Facts;  Glossary;  Index;  Additional Resources;  Index.

Now in a cheaper edition! The Oxford Companion to Black British History is an essential resource for understanding the long history of black people in the British Isles, from African auxiliaries stationed on Hadrian's Wall in the 2nd century AD to Mary Seacole, the “Black Florence Nightingale”, Walter Tull, footballer and First World War officer ... and our own day. 400+ articles consider key concepts such as Racism, Emancipation, and Reparations; historical events; literature; music; organizations; leading figures; publications; politics; religion; slavery and much more. This book provides a fine overview of the black presence in Britain and its contribution to British society. (562 pages)
Contents: Introduction; Editors, Advisory Editors, and Contributors; Note to the Reader; Thematic Contents List; A-Z entries; Timeline; Select Bibliography
Level: Library/Depot (partnership with: Historie)

Benjamin Zephaniah is a poet who won't stay silent, who doesn't pull any punches, who writes out a sense of urgency and a commitment to social justice. He opens this collection of poems with an outspoken comment on where he's coming from, setting his poetry against the political landscape of Britain. The poetry here addresses the struggles of black Britain more forcefuly than his previous books. Too Black, Too Strong includes poems written while working with Michael Mansfield QC on the Stephen Lawrence case and other high profile political trials.
“'These poems are about how I feel now ... The more I travel, the more I love Britain, and it is because I love the place that I fight for my rights here ... It is probably one of the only places that could take an angry, illiterate, uneducated, ex-hustler, rebellious Rastafarian and give him the opportunity to represent his country ... ”
“I live in two places, Britain and the world, and it is my duty to explore and express the state of justice in both of them...I want the "project" to work. The day will come when we move from the margins and come to the centre; I just want it to be today.”
A highly recommended collection for young people. (87 pages)
Level: C-A

This is a very contemporary, humorous novel about the cross-cultural conflicts felt by many young people today. Set partly in the UK and partly in the Punjab region of India, (Un)arranged Marriage is a perceptive look at a young man's fight to free himself from family expectations and an arranged marriage he doesn't want:

(Un)arranged Marriage follows teenager Manny as he struggles to maintain his links to his family and live his own life. On the morning of his marriage, which also happens to be the morning of his 17th birthday, Manny looks back on his rebellious teenage years. From the age of 13 he has found that the values of the Leicester Punjabi community from which he comes have little relevance to him. He has nothing in common with his brothers or parents. Manny's older brothers appear to him to glory in their ignorance while his father is a hypocritical, violent drunk. His mother is a remote figure who appears only to ask what he wants to eat or to cry hysterically at his disobedience. Knowing that he is expected to follow the same path as his brothers into an arranged marriage at the age of seventeen and a blue collar job, Manny makes the decision to try to make himself the most unsuitable suitor possible, the bridegroom that no-one will choose for their daughter. Finally though, it is a family trip to India which sets Manny's mind on the course he had always suspected that he would have to take. The characters inhabit an unsentimental, realistic world, a world where kids often don't try quite hard enough at school and families cannot bridge the huge generation gaps between them. Manny's complete alienation from the Punjabi culture which his family are trying so hard to preserve is skillfully pictured here. The culture that Manny inherited is completely eclipsed as he embraces the Western culture he finds everywhere outside his home and which offers him the choices he desperately wants. Author: Bali Rai (272 pages)
Level: 9. kl.+/C/Linjefag