The Go-Between by Osman Yousefzada: A Vivid Memoir of Identity, Culture, and Coming of Age in 1980s Birmingham

Stories, Streets, and Sewing: Exploring Multicultural Birmingham Through a Child’s Eyes

The Go-Between by Osman Yousefzada is a memoir that takes the reader on a journey through a childhood straddling two conflicting worlds: the insulated, orthodox community of his Pathan upbringing and the pulsating, multi-ethnic streets of 1980s Birmingham. Yousefzada’s life story is not so much a tale of grand adventures or outlandish exploits, but rather a delicate exploration of identity, belonging, and the complicated web of familial, cultural, and societal expectations.

As a boy, Yousefzada had a front-row seat to the often-mesmerising spectacle of his mother’s sewing skills. Her mastery over fabric and thread, a form of artistry that transcended mere clothing, became his lens for understanding the world. She wove not just clothes, but a kind of invisible tapestry that held her community together. And yet, she was confined to the home, her artistry a form of self-expression that also carried with it a quiet, unspoken rebellion. Many women came to her for her craftsmanship, and in these intimate moments, they would speak of the world outside—the world Yousefzada was yet to understand fully.

It is, however, in his observations of the world around him that Yousefzada’s perceptiveness truly shines. The sprawling, diverse neighbourhood of Balsall Heath, home to an eclectic mix of immigrants, is a vibrant stage where cultures collide and coexist, often in the most awkward of embraces. From Ali Campbell of UB40 at the end of the street to the graffiti-ridden, racially charged clashes of the era, Yousefzada’s memoir is a vivid recounting of the friction between his insular upbringing and the vibrant, sometimes threatening forces outside.

Yousefzada’s telling is refreshingly unsentimental, yet it’s the subtle, almost ironic way he relays tragic events—whether it’s the bruising presence of Thatcher’s anti-immigration rhetoric or the authoritarian violence of his father—that makes this memoir a complex, multi-layered piece of storytelling. His mother’s silent defiance is one thing; his quiet rebellion is another.

Ultimately, The Go-Between is a book about stories—the stories his family told, the stories of his community, and the stories he longed to read. And in a hilarious, yet heartbreaking twist, Yousefzada goes to great lengths to build his library—stealing books, trading favours, all to escape into the words of others when his world could not provide the answers he sought. If there’s one thing that stands out, Yousefzada can look at his past with a kind of gentle irony, as though he’s learned to laugh at the absurdity of it all while still holding onto the profound truths it reveals.