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Unearthed

On race and roots, and how the soil taught me I belong
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( 168 ratings, 24 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Unearthed by Claire Ratinon is a captivating memoir that explores the author's journey from city life to connecting with nature through gardening. It delves into themes of identity, ancestral roots, and the healing power of growing one's food. The story highlights the profound impact of cultivating the earth on personal growth and self-discovery.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you are intrigued by personal stories of reconnecting with nature and finding peace through gardening. Claire Ratinon offers an inspiring narrative about her journey of self-discovery and the transformative power of cultivating plants. If you appreciate memoirs that explore themes of ancestry, identity, and the healing qualities of the natural world, you might find this captivating.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A beautiful work of nature-writing, memoir and storytelling that will change the way we think about the natural world, from food grower Claire Ratinon.

A powerful work of memoir and storytelling that will change the way we think about the natural world.

Like many diasporic people of colour, Claire Ratinon grew up feeling cut off from the natural world. She lived in cities, reluctant to be outdoors and stuck with the belief that success and status could fill the space where belonging was absent.

But a chance encounter with a rooftop farm was the start of a journey that caused her to rethink the life she'd been creating and her beliefs about who she ought to be. Enlivened, she turned her hand to growing food in London before finding herself yearning for a small parcel of land to call her own.

Unearthed tells the story of her leaving the city for the English countrysideβ€”and her first gardenβ€”in the hope of forging a pathway towards the embrace of the natural world and a sense of belonging cultivated on her own terms.

'Ratinon's story will change hearts and minds' Alice Vincent

'A beautiful book about nature...I recommend it' Afua Hirsch, author of Brit(ish)

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Unearthed by Claire Ratinon is praised for its beautiful nature writing and storytelling, providing an inspiring exploration of growing and cultivating crops as a source of healing. Reviewers regard it as a groundbreaking and educational memoir that offers profound insights and a unique narrative on finding belonging in a post-colonial world. It is noted for its deep generosity and emotional depth, effectively changing hearts and minds while offering reflections on the truth found in our gardens.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781529114867

Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 June 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Vintage

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 30.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 260g

Pages: 320

About the Author

Claire Ratinon is an organic food grower and writer of Mauritian heritage. After a chance encounter with a rooftop farm while living in New York City, Claire discovered her love for growing vegetables. She returned to London, where she left her career in documentary production, and has been pursuing her passion for plants ever since. Claire has grown organic vegetables for the Ottolenghi restaurant, Rovi; delivered workshops to audiences from East London primary schools to community gardens; given talks for organisations including Whitechapel Gallery, The Garden Museum, Charleston House and the Royal Botanical Garden Edinburgh as well as presenting features on Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time. Her writing has been featured in Waitrose Food Magazine, Bloom and the New Statesman and her first book, How to Grow Your Dinner Without Leaving The House, was published in 2020. She lives in East Sussex.

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