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My Name Is Why
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Check link for latest rating. ( 13,089 ratings, 1,239 reviews)
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My Name Is Why
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See moreA memoir with a message - about growing up in care and finding hope, determination and creativity - from British poet and national treasure Lemn Sissay.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
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Description
How does a government steal a child and then imprison him? How does it keep it a secret? This story is how.
At the age of seventeen, after a childhood in a fostered family followed by six years in care homes, Norman Greenwood was given his birth certificate. He learned that his real name was not Norman. It was Lemn Sissay. He was British and Ethiopian. And he learned that his mother had been pleading for his safe return to her since his birth.
Here Sissay recounts his life story. It is a story of neglect and determination. Misfortune and hope. Cruelty and triumph.
Sissay reflects on a childhood in care, self-expression and Britishness, and in doing so explores the institutional care system, race, family and the meaning of home. Written with all the lyricism and power you would expect from one of the nation's best-loved poets, this moving, frank and timely memoir is the result of a life spent asking questions, and a celebration of the redemptive power of creativity.
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?
My Name Is Why by Lemn Sissay receives praise for its lyrical and heartbreaking narrative, detailing his experiences in the care system. Reviewers highlight its authentic and beautiful storytelling, which exposes bureaucratic cruelty and the absence of love. The memoir is described as gripping, transformative, and a powerful re-creation of a difficult upbringing, aiming to change public perceptions of children raised in care.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781786892362
Publisher: Canongate Books
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 02 July 2020
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Canongate Books
Edition: Main
Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 14.0mm
Width: 130.0mm
Height: 197.0mm
Weight: 180g
Pages: 224
About the Author
Lemn Sissay is an award-winning writer and popular broadcaster as well as being the author of five poetry books. He was made an Honorary Doctor of Letters by the University of Huddersfield and the University of Manchester. He was awarded an MBE by the Queen for services to literature. He was the official poet for the London 2012 Olympics. He has worked throughout the world and is patron of the Letterbox Club, supporting children in care. His Landmark poems can be found in London, Manchester, Huddersfield and Addis Ababa. In 2015 he was appointed Chancellor of the University of Manchester. He is British and Ethiopian.
@lemnsissay | lemnsissay.com
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Don't Ask the Dragon
This is the story of a little boy called Alem who goes on an adventure. It's his birthday, but who knows where he can go to celebrate it? Maybe the bear, the fox, the treefrog or the bulldog know? But don't ask the dragon... or he will EAT you! Don't Ask the Dragon by Lemn Sissay is an enchanting tale...Hardback$2799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Don't Ask the Dragon
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Let the Light Pour In
THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER For the past decade, Lemn Sissay has composed a short poem as dawn breaks each morning. Life-affirming, witty, and full of wonder, these poems chronicle his own battle with the dark and are fuelled by resilience and defiant joy. Let the Light Pour In is a collection of the best of these poems, and a...Paperback$2499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
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Morning Breaks In The Elevator
Lemn Sissay brings together a stunning new collection, Morning Breaks in the Elevator. In Sissay's work, we witness declamation being honed and brought to fine art, establishing his reputation as one of the UK's foremost poets as he ably moves from loud protest through to quiet reflection.Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Rebel Without Applause
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Listener
Breaking the silence, Lemn Sissay is back with a sensational new book. Listener overflows with love poems, inner-city soap operas, reflections on history, mystery and felicity, and much more. Every page sings with Sissay’s unique voice.Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks
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