{"title":"Siddy Shivdasani","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"melting-pothead-stories-of-an-anglo-indian-raised-on-brixtons-frontline-paperback","title":"Melting Pothead: Stories of an Anglo-Indian raised on Brixton's Frontline - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSiddy is an Anglo-Indian raised in a white family a stone's throw from 'The Frontline' in the black capital of Europe, Brixton. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat part of south London was the Eighties battleground for two major riots, which shaped race relations in Britain for a generation. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe atmosphere created by an abusive police force and an alienated, poverty-stricken population drew comparisons to occupied west Belfast. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSiddy tells tales of growing up in that tough environment, which was normality for him. He is a one-man class and race melting pot and became a serious dope smoker aged 15, hence this book's title.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe started out as a journalist in the ethnic minority media aged 22 and somehow found himself at the heart of the Murdoch Empire within five years.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe first half of the book provides snapshots of his life, from Brixton to Bombay to Beirut, via Armageddon, to Fortress Wapping...and beyond.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is in the context of having an undiagnosed, severe mental illness until he cracked up in 2008, leading him to violently resist arrest and be sectioned.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe second half has more of Siddy's life and also expands on how he views the world through the prism of his often troubled existence.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut he is a keen student of English gallows humour and is capable of seeing the funny side of things even in the darkest of moments.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67950527774943,"sku":"9789389932508","price":16.18,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/NxJAeGOnVN9789389932508.webp?v=1791589909"}],"url":"https:\/\/blackandbarhe.com\/collections\/siddy-shivdasani.oembed","provider":"Black \u0026 Barhe Bookstore","version":"1.0","type":"link"}