What's in a Name?
Friendship, Identity and History in Modern Multicultural Britain: A New Statesman Book of the Year
Author: Sheela Banerjee
A sharp and timely examination of Britain's history, through the prism of something intimate and everyday - everyone's name tells a story, no matter how ordinary
Paperback
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Summary
A sharp and timely examination of Britain's history, through the prism of something intimate and everyday - everyone's name tells a story, no matter how ordinary
Description
WINNER OF THE EASTERN EYE AWARD FOR NON-FICTION
'A brilliantly enlightening book'Michael Rosen'A kaleidoscopic portrait of the UK'Irish Times'I cannot recommend it highly enough'Priscilla Morris, author of Black ButterfliesOUR NAMES OUR SO MUNDANE WE HARDLY NOTICE THEM. Yet behind each one lie countless stories: of belonging and persecution, colonialism and resistance, cultural inheritance and conflicted identity. In this intimate exploration of British multiculturalism, Sheela Banerjee traces the personal histories of friends and family through their names. Spanning centuries and continents - from west London to India, 1960s Jamaica to pre-Revolutionary Russia - What's in a Name? is a remarkable ode to friendship and a vital celebration of Britain's diverse history.Critic Reviews
This is a brilliantly enlightening book that uses the keyhole of people's names to let us see into the lives and histories of people in multicultural Britain. It ranges across continents and epochs, at times moving, at others ironic, full of insights and detail. -- Michael Rosen
A kaleidoscopic portrait of the UK . . . Banerjee describes her friends' backgrounds and experiences with insight and compassion -- Ian Duhig Irish Times
Explores the complex stories of colonialism, persecution, faith, assimilation and hope . . . It will resonate with anyone who feels their name marks them out . . . Banerjee paints a heartbreakingly tender portrait of her father's journey -- Helen Brown i
A brilliant book where she examines how her name can tell us so much about her family and their story. And she looks at some of her friends' names too . . . fascinating stories weaving in and around the subject of names -- Fi Glover and Jane Garvey Times Radio
An absolutely fascinating deep dive into Sheela's own Bengali name and the names of several of her close friends, uncovering migration stories from Tsarist Russia, India, Cyprus, Sri Lanka, the Middle East and Jamaica and the shocking racism of growing up in '70s and '80s Britain. It's compelling reading, painting a picture of multicultural Britain today that is both familiar and eye-opening. It makes you think of your own name and its impact, and reflect on those of your friends. Excellent, highly readable and absorbing, the stories woven into this superb book will stay with me for a long time. I cannot recommend What's In a Name? highly enough.' -- Priscilla Morris, author of Black Butterflies
Sheela Banerjee mixes indignation with curiosity. She goes through the "keyhole" of her friends' names to unpeel complex stories of identity. The book defies monochrome pictures of how we define ourselves, how we live, how we mix. -- Michael Rosen, Books of the Year New Statesman
Banerjee deftly weaves intricate tapestries out of the seemingly simple threads of our names. What's In A Name? is a compelling combination of personal stories and social histories, told with great heart, wit and detail. It's simultaneously heartbreaking, life-affirming and delightfully surprising. And for anyone who has ever been bullied because of their name, had their name mispronounced, or asked where their name comes from, Banerjee shows that there is a world of belonging and love in our names, if we just know where to look. -- Preeti Dhillon, author of The Shoulders We Stand On
About the Author
Sheela Banerjee is a writer and academic. She grew up mainly in Hayes, west London, and in India. She was a programme-maker for the BBC and Channel 4 for many years before leaving TV to do a PhD on ghosts in modernist literature. What's in a Name? is her first book.
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