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Letters to Gil
- Narrated by: Malik Al Nasir, Gil Scott-Heron, Benjamin Zephania
- Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins
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Letters to Gil
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Summary
Exclusive content in this audio edition includes interviews between Malik and Benjamin Zephaniah, Jalal Munsur Nuriddin and Rod Youngs as well as musical and lyrical performances from Gil and Malik.
Letters to Gil is Malik Al Nasir’s profound coming-of-age memoir - the story of surviving physical and racial abuse and discovering a new sense of self-worth under the wing of the great artist, poet and civil rights activist Gil Scott-Heron.
Born in Liverpool, Malik was taken into care at the age of nine after his seafaring father became paralysed. He would spend his adolescence in a system that proved violent, neglectful, exploitative, traumatising and mired in abuse. Aged 18, he emerged semi-literate, penniless with no connections or sense of where he was going - until a chance meeting with Gil Scott-Heron.
Letters to Gil will tell the story of Malik’s empowerment and awakening while mentored by Gil, from his introduction to the legacy of Black history to the development of his voice through poetry and music. Written with lyricism and power, it is a frank and moving memoir, highlighting how institutional racism can debilitate and disadvantage a child, as well as how mentoring, creativity, self-expression and solidarity helped him to uncover his potential.
Critic reviews
"A searing, triumphant story. A testament to the tenacity of the human spirit as well as a beautiful ode to an iconic figure." (Irenosen Okojie)
What listeners say about Letters to Gil
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Aqasa Nu
- 25-07-22
Incredibly life affirming
This story is a thriller. Compelling and rewarding. Revealing the triumph of love over evil.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mad Jeff
- 16-09-21
A Story of Triumph Over Adversity Beautifully Told
I had been looking forward to listening to this and wasn’t in the least disappointed. Gil Scott-Heron was a brilliant and unique man, a long time hero of mine; a musical and literary genius and civil rights activist. I admire him all the more now having heard Malik’s telling of how Gil befriended him, took him under his wing, guided and mentored this troubled young man and showed him the way to find his own voice as a poet, musician and academic. Hearing it read by Malik in his native Liverpool dialect really made it for me and, unlike most audio books, there’s the added bonus of musical interludes and spoken word contributions that you won’t find in the pages of the printed book. Highly recommended.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Mummy of 4
- 07-03-23
Life changing read
This book has changed my life and changed my outlook on black history. Worth the read , I highly recommend
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 06-03-24
Excellent read!
Malik perfectly intertwines his childhood in care, time with Gil Scott-Heron and his own artistic endeavours, into a compelling read. As a music fan with a strong moral compass, this really hit the spot!
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