Rife: Twenty Stories from Britain’s Youth
By Nikesh Shukla
A book of essays by writers under 24, edited
Unbound Exclusives
About the book
The country is messed up and our future is looking gloomy. We, Britain’s young people, have to live with the repercussions of what the oldies have done --- we didn’t vote for Brexit, we didn’t vote in Theresa May, and you know what? We’re sick of being talked about instead of talked to. So here’s our book. Written for you by us. You’re welcome. If you think that’s all a bit in your face, you should know that it’s never been harder to be young, so it’s no wonder we’re angry. One in four people under 25 will be affected by mental illness. 52% of all people under 25 have looked for advice on homelessness. As university fees rise, job opportunities dry up and houses get more expensive, we are facing an ever-expanding chasm of doubt, instability and, basically, buckling down for a really, really rough time for the rest of our lives.
The voice of this generation is noticeably absent from mainstream media, online comment pieces and from news reports. Oi, editors! What are you so scared of? Why aren’t you commissioning us?
As usual, it looks like it’s up to us to commission ourselves.
Curated by author and editor of The Good Immigrant, Nikesh Shukla and journalist/Rife alumna Sammy Jones, Rife: 20 Stories From Britain's Youth collects twenty young people’s essays about money, mental health, sex, gender, equality, education, crime and the future.
The writers, all under 24 and selected from all over the UK, include Ella Marshall, Liv Little, Amber Kirk-Ford, Rosalind Jana, Ailsa Fineron and many more. Some have been chosen from Rife Magazine, Bristol’s youth magazine for 13-19 year olds, mentored by Nikesh and produced by Watershed, and some have been chosen for their outstanding contributions to a spectrum of crucial conversations.
What they all have in common are their essential insights into what it means to be young in Britain right now. Against the apocalyptic backdrop 2016 has provided us with, our stories prove we are still full of ideas and aspirations. And maybe they’ll fill you with hope too.
If you’re under 24, with an interesting story to tell, get in touch with editor@rifemagazine.co.uk - we have plenty of room for writers new to us with important stories to tell!
Do you have a date for book launch party and also a location ?
It's all TBC and dependent on getting to 100% funding. Then we'll set the release date of the book and launch accordingly.
I am in dude, but why do we wanna look in Nikesh's shed? Is that where the dosas are?
HAHAHAHAHAHA! The dosa are in the hut, the dosa hut. :o)
(1) I have long been baffled as to how any young person gets started in life in Britain today, so I'm interested in getting the story from those who eke an existence where the cost of living is eye-wateringly expensive. (2) Paperback is fine, but a hardback would be better. Why no hardback? (3) Why does your video need English sub-titles? Even a geriatric old-fart like me could understand you, so it seems a bit patronising.
1) Us too. So excited for these guys to tell their stories. 2) We wanted to ensure we get a good amount of young readers and paperback is just more accessible and cost effective as we want to offer a discount to under 24s. 3) It's for accessibility, for people who are hearing impaired. :o)
Is there a chance to pledge as a gift? So that not my own name is in the book, but the one of the receiver? How would I do that? Thanks, Martin.
Hi Martin, You can change the name that will appear in the back of the book once you've pledged for the book. Just go to 'My Account' and choose to update the name in the back of the book. Best, Unbounders
Is there a chance to pledge as a gift? So that not my own name is in the book, but the one of the receiver? How would I do that? Thanks, Martin.
Hi Martin, you can indeed as someone else's name to the book. Just read out help article here for details on how to change the name: http://help.unbound.com/unbound-for-readers/managing-your-subscriptions/changing-the-supporter-name-thats-printed-in-a-book. Best wishes, Caitlin - Community Manager