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How to Say Babylon: A Jamaican Memoir

Safiya Sinclair

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How to Say Babylon: A Jamaican Memoir

by Safiya Sinclair
How to Say Babylon: A Jamaican Memoir
How to Say Babylon: A Jamaican Memoir

Captivating journey through Jamaican identity, culture, and diaspora.

If the vibrant pulse of Jamaica calls to you, Safiya Sinclair's memoir is like a siren song. It takes you deep into the heart of Jamaican life, exploring identity and the rich tapestry of cultural heritage, all while navigating the complex waters of living in diaspora. The book promises not just a story, but an experience—a sensory dive into a world that's at once profoundly personal and universally resonant.

  • OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature for Non-fiction (2024)
  • National Book Critics Circle Award for Autobiography (2023)
  • Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Memoir or Autobiography (2023)
  • Brooklyn Public Library Literary Prize Nominee for Nonfiction (2024)
  • Women's Prize for Non-Fiction Nominee for Shortlist (2024)
  • Libby Award Nominee for Best Memoir & Autobiography (2024)
Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.

How to Say Babylon: A Jamaican Memoir

by Safiya Sinclair
Condition guide

Book Condition Guide

Books in Like New Condition

This book may contain very minor cosmetic defects, but it is in pristine condition. There should be no yellowing, no foxing, no water damage, and no annotations of any kind on the cover and the pages. For paperbacks, there should not be any crease marks on the spine. This book is good as new — lucky you!

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Very Good Condition

This book has been used, but it is still in a clean condition. There should be no foxing or annotations of any kind on the inner pages, but a sparse amount may be present on the cover, title pages, or outside edges of the book. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be light crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Good Condition

We do our best to ensure the quality of our books, but there is no escaping the wear and tear that comes with time. Slight foxing and some annotations may be present on the pages and the cover. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be several crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Well Read Condition

This is a well-read book, which means that the previous owner probably really enjoyed it! The cover and pages may include moderate foxing and annotations, but the text is not obscured and still readable. Moderate cosmetic defects and minor water damage may be present on the edges of the book. For paperbacks, there may be multiple crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

 

Find out more about our process here.

ISBN: 9780008491321
Author: Safiya Sinclair
Publisher: 4th Estate
Date of Publication: 2024-05-23
Format: Paperback
Related Collections: Biographies & Memoirs, Creative Nonfiction, Religion
Related Topics: Autobiography, Biography Memoir, Memoir, Biography
Goodreads rating: 4.43
(rated by 30362 readers)

Description

An award-winning, inspiring memoir of family, education and resilience. Born in Montego Bay, Jamaica, where luxury hotels line pristine white sand beaches, Safiya Sinclair grew up guarding herself against an ever-present threat. Her father, a volatile reggae musician and strict believer in a militant sect of Rastafari, railed against Babylon, the corrupting influence of the immoral Western world just beyond their gate. To protect the purity of the women in their family he forbade almost everything. Her mother did what she could to bring joy to her children with books and poetry. But as Safiya’s imagination reached beyond its restrictive borders, her burgeoning independence brought with it ever greater clashes with her father. Soon she realised that if she was to live at all, she had to find some way to leave home. But how? How to Say Babylon is an unforgettable story of a young woman’s determination to live life on her own terms.
 

Captivating journey through Jamaican identity, culture, and diaspora.

If the vibrant pulse of Jamaica calls to you, Safiya Sinclair's memoir is like a siren song. It takes you deep into the heart of Jamaican life, exploring identity and the rich tapestry of cultural heritage, all while navigating the complex waters of living in diaspora. The book promises not just a story, but an experience—a sensory dive into a world that's at once profoundly personal and universally resonant.

  • OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature for Non-fiction (2024)
  • National Book Critics Circle Award for Autobiography (2023)
  • Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Memoir or Autobiography (2023)
  • Brooklyn Public Library Literary Prize Nominee for Nonfiction (2024)
  • Women's Prize for Non-Fiction Nominee for Shortlist (2024)
  • Libby Award Nominee for Best Memoir & Autobiography (2024)
Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.

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