London calling : how Black and Asian writers imagined a city

Black authors of the 18th century were powerful figures: out walking near Charing Cross with one of his artist friends, Ignatius Sancho was accosted by a young fop who cried out to his friend, "Smoke Othello".

Sancho placed himself across the path and exclaimed in booming tones, "Aye, Sir, such Othellos you meet with but once in a century.

Such Iagos as you, we meet with in every dirty passage.

Proceed, Sir!" This book covers the history of black English writing and tells the story of the black and Asian people who have told the story of black and Asian London over the last 30 years of the 20th century.

Crammed with stories, anecdotes, biographies and literary references, this work is populated by lotharios, future statesmen, terrorists, Imams, lascars, ex-slaves and colonial revolutionaries.