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How to Say Babylon: A Memoir

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2023

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Book Brief

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Safiya Sinclair

How to Say Babylon

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2023
Book Details
Pages

352

Format

Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction

Setting

Jamaica • 1990s

Theme
Publication Year

2023

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair is a memoir that recounts her strict Rastafari upbringing in Jamaica and her journey to find freedom through writing. The story covers her family's dynamics, her struggles at private school, and her eventual escape from her father's oppressive control, achieving liberation through poetry and education. The book includes descriptions of child sexual abuse, child abuse, physical abuse, suicide and suicidal ideation, racism, misogyny, intimate partner violence, and grooming and predatory behavior.

Mysterious

Contemplative

Emotional

Challenging

Inspirational

Reviews & Readership

4.5

20,909 ratings

90%

Loved it

8%

Mixed feelings

1%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Safiya Sinclair's How to Say Babylon has been widely praised for its lyrical prose and profound exploration of identity and familial ties. Reviewers commend Sinclair's evocative storytelling and rich cultural insights, though some find its narrative pacing uneven. Overall, the memoir's emotional depth and poetic voice resonate strongly with readers.

Who should read this

Who Should Read How to Say Babylon?

Readers who relish the lyrical prose and cultural exploration of Jeanette Winterson's Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? or the vivid, poignant storytelling of Edwidge Danticat's Breath, Eyes, Memory will be captivated by Safiya Sinclair's How to Say Babylon, which delves into themes of identity, resilience, and self-discovery against a rich Jamaican backdrop.

4.5

20,909 ratings

90%

Loved it

8%

Mixed feelings

1%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

352

Format

Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction

Setting

Jamaica • 1990s

Theme
Publication Year

2023

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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