A Coastline Is an Immeasurable Thing
by Mary-Alice Daniel
A Coastline Is an Immeasurable Thing:
A Memoir Across Three Continents
by Mary-Alice Daniel
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Book Description:
A poetic coming-of-age memoir that probes the legacies and myths of family, race, and religion–from Nigeria to England to America. Mary-Alice Daniel’s family moved from West Africa to England when she was a very young girl, leaving behind the vivid culture of her native land in the Nigerian savanna. They arrived to a blanched, cold world of prim suburbs and unfamiliar customs. So began her family’s series of travels across three continents in search of places of belonging.
Daniel’s approach is deeply personal: in order to reclaim her legacies, she revisits her unsettled childhood and navigates the traditions of her ancestors. Her layered narratives invoke the contrasting spiritualities of her tribes: Islam, Christianity, and magic. A Coastline Is an Immeasurable Thing is a powerful cultural distillation of mythos and ethos, mapping the far-flung corners of the Black diaspora that Daniel inherits and inhabits. Through lyrical observation and deep introspection, she probes the bonds and boundaries of Blackness, from bygone colonial empires to her present home in America.
My Take:
I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley and Ecco.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
#NetGalley
Fascinating journey of self-discovery and identity.
I have come to the realization that absolutely love reading memoirs. I really appreciate the permission granted by the writer to come into their lives and their memories and join them on their journey. This book is just another that I really loved and, both, couldn’t wait to keep reading and didn’t want to finish. The journey and storytelling are wonderful throughout.
A remarkable, heart-filled sharing of a very personal journey.
While reading this book, I felt like I was catching up with an old friend on all the things that had happened since the last time we met. Over coffee or dinner or whatever: “Start from the beginning and don’t stop.” There are times when we laugh, there are times when the words are whispered, and there are times for hugs. But throughout the story we are just there. Together.
The Final Verdict
My rating: 4 stars
Would I recommend? Yes
Like sitting down with an old friend and catching up on life.
I really enjoyed this one.
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I am Sandy Kay 