By Dean Atta
Canongate Books, Paperback, £10.99
In this memoir, celebrated children’s author and poet Dean Atta looks back at his life so far, not chronologically but thematically, using different approaches to explore his evolving relationship with his body.
The book is not so much about his career as a writer, or only incidentally, rather it examines what it is like existing in his eyes, in his hair and weight and skin, through the themes of gender and sexuality, as well as his mixed Cypriot and Jamaican origins, but also sport, food, family, mental health and more.
Dean Atta, nuanced and inquisitive, strives to work out the meanings behind the different identities and idiosyncrasies that make up who he is, but as he defines those aspects of himself, he also shows how he exists beyond them and through all of them at once.
We see him recount previous experiences with stark honesty and it is a joy to see him find grace towards his past selves. What I also found striking was how the book functions as an ode to community, both relatives, friends and mentors who throughout his life supported and uplifted or simply saw him for who he was. A lovely read.
(Review by Leti)