A Home from Home: From Immigrant Boy to English Man

A Home from Home: From Immigrant Boy to English Man

by George Alagiah (Author)

Synopsis

When George Alagiah was dropped off at a Hampshire boarding school as a child back in 1967 he was confronted with an extreme version of the very private struggle faced by all immigrants - the battle to leave the past behind and fit into a new culture. His arrival in Britain coincided with the unhappy intrusion of race into politics. A key part of the ensuing fight against racism was the concept of multiculturalism. But in a closely argued and forthright chapter, Alagiah suggests that, far from improving the prospects for some immigrants, multiculturalism may be an impediment to integration. All too often these are the poor and isolated communities who most need the help of the state to break out of what is fast becoming a version of ghetto life. Above all, this book is a tender and evocative portrayal of the immigrant experience. Alagiah brings colour and life to a subject that is too often reduced to screaming tabloid headlines, and sheds light on the controversial question of British identity.

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More Information

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 288
Edition: First Edition
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Published: 31 Aug 2006

ISBN 10: 0316730165
ISBN 13: 9780316730167

Media Reviews
'Courageous, controversial, compassionate' DAILY MAIL 'Part memoir, part political treatise . . . As a migrant twice over, Alagiah is better placed than most to discuss important arguments about what being British means' GUARDIAN 'Alagiah's experiences give him a unique overview of the entire argument. He urges wider tolerance, on both sides of the cultural divide. His argument is solidly supported by facts and interviews, and is very persuasive' Kate Saunders, SUNDAY TIMES 'As a migrant twice over, Alagiah is better placed than most to discuss important arguments about what being British means' GUARDIAN 'In a brave, perceptive and sometimes humorous book, Alagiah raises important questions and adds his experienced voice to a complex debate' DAILY EXPRESS 'A HOME FROM HOME does not simply rehearse... familiar issues. Alagiah laces his statistics with interviews, anecdotes and observations. It is a memoir - a confession even... After the often unsettling encounters with his Sri Lankan background, Alagiah reassuringly looks forward... he is guardedly optimistic about the future of Britain and its struggle to identify itself' INDEPENDENT
Author Bio
George Alagiah is a widely praised journalist who works for the BBC. He lives in Stoke Newington in North London.