A review by internationalreads
How to Live Free in a Dangerous World: A Decolonial Memoir by Shayla Lawson

adventurous challenging inspiring slow-paced

4.5

This is a memoir as much about life in general as it is about the author’s life. I love that the title is “how to” - like a user’s guide I want to follow. Part memoir, part travelogue, part manifesto, each chapter of this book pairs a theme with a city. My favorites:

On Sex (LA)

On Privilege (Roosteren, Netherlands)

On Love (New York)

On Time (Mexico City)

Online (Montélimar, France)

On Trafficking (Shanghai)

This is not a book to speed through. I had to read this slowly to truly savor each word and reflect on the themes in my own life. It’s not surprising that the prose was so captivating since Lawson is a poet. Even if you don’t share any of Lawson’s identities - Black, nonbinary, disabled, queer, traveler - you’ll find this relatable in so many ways.