Holding on — Mervyn Jones

This is the story of a street in London's docklands and of a family who lived in it. The street was built in the 1880s, and the Wheelright family (originally dockers) lived there until its tragic demolition in the 1960s, when it was replaced by tower blocks. As a social document, the book rings with truth, but it is much more than that: it's compelling narrative brings the reader face to face with life in London before, during and after the Second World War: the momentous changes, the growth of opportunity and the loss of community.