63 pages 2 hours read

Safiya Sinclair

How to Say Babylon: A Memoir

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2023

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Before You Read

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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.

Reviews & Readership

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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.

RecommendedReading Age

18+years

Book Details

Themes

Relationships: Family

Topics

Religion / Spirituality

Women's Studies (Nonfiction)

Genre

Afro-Caribbean Literature