Keith Miles’ novel was based on the scripts of the British TV series of the same name, which was written by Alan Bleasdale. It follows the lives of five unemployed men in Liverpool and gives an insight into how losing their jobs in recession ridden England of the late 1970s and early 1980s has a devastating impact on every aspect of their lives.

The book opens by introducing the main characters as they attend the dole office to sign-on for their unemployment benefit. They are being watched by the inspectors who suspect them of working while claiming unemployment benefit and humour is introduced using the vehicle of some inept attempts by the dole offer to trap them.

Of course, the authorities do catch up with them and they lose their benefit, putting additional pressure on themselves to find money to feed their families, and even keep their families together.

While presented with a lot of black humour, the book has a very serious social message, and having lived in the UK through the period concerned I knew several people in the position described. The book, and at the time the TV programme, gave an accurate depiction of the time and the predicaments portrayed.

The “Blackstuff” of the title relates to tar macadam, and the men concerned had all worked laying tar on the roads before losing their jobs.

“Boys from the Blackstuff” gave Britain a cultural icon; “Yosser Hughes”. Yosser was one of the unemployed men in the story and he became well known for his slightly demented nature and his catch phrase, “Go on, gizza job” (Go on, give us a job), which he would use just before giving his interlocutor a vicious head butt to the nose.

This book is a worthwhile read, with a serious message, humour, and a lot of social history. It will make you laugh, cry, and ponder. It may even urge you to make this world a better place. ( )

Novelisaion of Alan Bleasdale's celebrated TV series. Not as good as the programme, but brings back memories of Yosser and co. ( )