Film producer and writer Berlin’s evocative memoir conjures up the West London of 1979, when Michael, a mindful teenager testing out his rebellious tendencies while holding close his relationships with friends and family, receives the first meaningful opportunity of his life to work at Chiswick’s Skateboard Kingdom, a skate shop where, despite a “raggedy” appearance, “the decks, wheels and trucks are all top of the line.” The job is not simply a summer gig for Michael, but the chance to work at a place he loves while earning money to buy real freedom: a motorcycle from a friend. Between shifts, Michael navigates the complexities of friendships in a group of rough companions, a serious relationship with girlfriend Jane, and the challenges of keeping the peace at home with his oppressively loving mother.

With an unstinting eye, Berlin reveals the shifting political and socio-economic climate in Britain at the tail-end of the punk era, with violence between teenagers and unlucky teachers breaking out in classes. The merciless fight scenes may have readers cringing at the brutality. Michael himself asks, “Were we in some sort of prison school for feral kids?” Throughout this absorbing memoir, whether describing chipping a tooth in a rugby match, a horrifying motorcycle crash in a roundabout, or the potential kidnapping of a friend, Michael persuasively links his and his cohort’s raw emotions to the country’s general unease, with soaring unemployment and crime forming a backdrop as pervasive as the sound of the friends’ Bowie and Blondie LPs.

Audiences with a renegade spirit will relish following young Michael through his trials, triumphs, and disappointments. At the book’s surprisingly tender heart is Berlin’s need for strong connections, plus his yearning to make his mother proud and take control of a life that, like his board and bike, seems like it could spin out of control. The prose is sharp, the dialogue memorable, and his love for troublemaking dog infectious.

Takeaway: This vivid memoir brings vivid life to a teen skater’s life in West London in 1979.

Great for fans of: Michael Bracewell’s Souvenir, Hanif Kureishi.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A