The Bookworm's Feast

The true failure of our nation is not the things that have happened in the past, but out failure to acknowledge this past, the prejudices, problems and hypocrisy that have – as a result – become woven into the fabric of everyday British life, everywhere.

This book was a bit eye-opening for me. I’ve never been one to deny that racism exists in the UK, but I but didn’t realise the true extent of how prevalent it is. I’ve grown up in a small town in rural England, living a pretty sheltered life – I didn’t even visit a city until I was in my teens, nor know much of the history beyond my town. Liverpool is only up the road and I hadn’t even heard of the Toxteth riots. I’ll definitely be doing some further reading and research beyond this book, especially in my local area – a nearby town is currently petitioning to remove a statue of an imperialist that I didn’t even realise was there (the statue, let alone who is the subject of the statue). I feel ashamed of my ignorance.

I found it really interesting exploring Afua’s life with her, as this book is also part memoir – the reasoning behind some of the choices she made and her journey of discovery, and learning a little about Ghanaian culture and history.

My only gripe with this book is how repetitive it felt at times. Often even just on the next page, the same topic would be re-delved into, or the same point made. It made for difficult reading at times as it would cause my mind to wander.

★★★★☆