In 1985, Dervla Murphy immersed herself in two of Britian's most turbulent multiracial communities—the Asian community of Manningham in Bradford and the Caribbean community of Handsworth in Birmingham—with the intention of seeing firsthand the harsh realities of social deprivation. While living in these parts, she experienced hostility but also made many dear friends, several of whom opened up to her about the racism they experienced and their difficulties finding employment in 1980s Britain. She witnessed both the Drummond Middle School battle and the Handsworth riot, and in this moving account she explores in lucid detail the nature of prejudice. Drawing unsentimental comparisons to her experiences living among communities in Pakistan and elsewhere, Murphy displays a rich understanding of her subject, and offers genuine explanations for the urban decay that she sees. A passionate study of racial politics, “Tales from Two Cities” is a searing cautionary tale told by a master of travel writing.
