About Alex Wheatle
Alex Wheatle is a British novelist, born in 1963. His early books are based on his life in Brixton as a teenage and his time in social services’ care, such as East of Acre Lane characters Yardman Irie and Jah Nelson. He received the London Arts Board New Writers Award for his debut novel “Brixton Rock” in 1999, which was later adapted for the stage and performed at the Young Vic in July 2010.
He is a member of English PEN, and he now visits various institutions facilitating creative writing classes and making speeches. He has also narrated an audio guide to the streets of Brixton.
He was awarded the MBE for services to literature in 2008. His Young-adult novel “Liccle Bit” was longlisted for the Carnegie Medal in 2016.