Picking itself back up in the wake of the Second World War, much of British media began looking inward, casting a light on working-class life and the people within it. Social-realist novels were at the forefront of this.
And, while not a genre known for being light-hearted, it still contained many moments of humor. For one, we wouldn’t have sitcoms like The Office (UK) if it weren’t for social realism and the Free Cinema movement.
So here we’ll give a quick rundown of five novels and their place in the genre.
A Kestrel for a Knave (1968) – Barry Hines
View on Amazon.comStarting with an obvious choice, this has been the go-to for British social-realism from ‘up North’ since forever. Any Brits who studied it for GCSE can testify to that, as it’s a standard text (along with the excitement of wheeling out the TV to watch Ken Loach’s 1969 film). None of this, however, has lessened the impact of the novel itself.
In it, fifteen-year-old Billy Caspar is seen struggling through school in sixties South Yorkshire. Living in a troubled home with his mother and sharing a bed with his bullying brother, Jud, there’s little he can hope for. That is, until a glimmer of hope arrives in the form of a kestrel, leading Billy to become interested in falconry and finally find an outlet.
It’s a must for anyone looking to better understand the British class and education systems. Not hugely uplifting (and boy, is that an understatement), it remains compelling in its direct and honest portrayal of the lives lived. Seeing our English teacher ready themselves when it gets to ‘those’ PE scenes is a rite of passage for many state-educated Brits (‘yes yes, I know,’ as everyone sniggers with recognition, ‘hey, isn’t that Mr…?’).
All in all, it remains an important and powerful work.
Up the Junction (1963) – Nell Dunn
View on Amazon.comAnother classic (and also adapted by Loach in 1965 for BBC’s ‘The Wednesday Play’), this shone a light on life in London’s Clapham Junction and Battersea industrial slums. A fairly grim portrait of the time, it also has plenty of strong comic moments, with an aesthetic that wouldn’t feel out of place on a Smiths cover.
The book itself is essentially a collection of vignettes, broken up into short-stories, in and around early-sixties London. A snapshot in time, it highlights the people living in the slums of Battersea. Featuring a whole cast of characters, it moves from sketches of petty criminals and thieving to seedy sexual encounters beneath the rattling railway arches.
Brief and to the point, it’s an easy read, highlighting a distinct period in British history. Not only that, but it also gets into the minds of the characters, bringing them all to life for the short, whistle-stop tour around the junction.
View on Amazon.comWhen Stuart’s Shuggie Bain came out back in 2020, ready for some quality pandemic reading, many sat up and took notice. By bringing Glasgow working-class queer lives to the forefront, Douglas Stuart has proven to be a sensitive and insightful writer, and this second novel is no different.
The story focuses on James and Mungo growing up on a Glasgow housing estate in the early nineties. Expected to be enemies due to their religion (one is Catholic, the other Protestant), they form a strong bond. Looking to escape the trappings of masculinity and their oppressive surroundings, they find their own space within the dovecote built by James for his racing birds.
Over the course of the novel, they both intend to break away, coming into contact with a variety of characters who could potentially threaten their safety. But at no point does Stuart judge anyone, with each person dealing with their own hardships. It also has its fair share of violence, so be warned.
View on Amazon.comThe history of the Windrush generation is a fascinating one, with the HMT Empire Windrush becoming a symbol of post-war migration to the UK. Here we get to look at the people involved, seeing their part in shaping modern Britain, and what they went through.
Beginning in 1948, the story introduces Hortense Joseph who, having made the journey from Jamaica, discovers Britain to not be quite as she expected it. Gilbert Joseph, her husband, finds himself a second-class citizen, despite his active service in the war. Drawing everyone together is Queenie, the Josephs’ white landlady, who befriends them before dealing with her own husband returning from combat.
With a cast of characters all drawn together in London, it’s a look at both race and class, providing not only history but insight into them as people. Adapted by the BBC in 2009, it’s an extensive, compassionate account of the era. By carefully developing each of the four main characters, it’s definitely a must for anyone hoping to better understand Britain today.
View on Amazon.comInstrumental in shaping Nineties iconography, Trainspotting was a turning point for many. Many will remember the classic film poster and banging soundtrack, but the novel where it all started was essential in shaping the voice of Scottish working-class literature for years to come.
Set in Leith, Scotland, the book follows a group of heroin users with an uncompromising depiction of drug addiction. Moving between the characters, it sees them scraping by in their daily lives, moving from one fix to the next. The title itself is in reference to the now abandoned Leith Central railway station, a notorious drug den during the Eighties, thus lending the book its gritty vibe.
Similar to A Clockwork Orange, many often comment on the dialect of this novel. Using Scottish slang throughout, readers (outside of Scotland) find it takes a little getting used to. But once it clicks it’s very much worth their while, taking them on a journey that is not only tragic but also often very funny.
Did we miss any classics? Make sure to let us know some of your gritty favorites below.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A lifelong lover of quality storytelling, Sam grew up in rural England with little else but reading (okay, and some gaming). Starting with Charlotte's Web, he developed a passion for ghost stories and comedy. With his background in narrative and scriptwriting, he writes for Book Notification, providing recommendations both good and not so terrible.