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bookishevy 's review for:
Zami: A New Spelling of My Name
by Audre Lorde
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Friends, I was gifted this book for Christmas and am so glad I finally got around to reading it. I'd never heard of a biomythography before seeing this cover. Lorde coined this genre that combines biography, myth, and history.
This is more biography than anything. Lorde writes about being raised by strict Caribbean parents in Harlem in the 30s and 40s, the tumultuous relationship she had with her mother, the racism she experienced at a young age from landlords and nuns at the Catholic school she attended, how difficult it was for her to find work as a Black woman and the role the significant relationships she had with women played in shaping her and influencing her poetry.
In the backdrop of her life is the historical nature of the book. Lorde mentions how World War II affected her family and her feelings on McCarthyism and the execution of the Rosenbergs.
The mythological factor comes in when Lorde discusses Carriacou, where her mother is from. Lorde mentions that she'd never seen the island on the map as a child, so she thought her mother was crazy when she spoke of home. Fantasizing about the island was a source of comfort for Lorde.
I enjoyed this read more than I thought I would. Lorde describes what it was like to be a lesbian in New York City, Connecticut and Mexico in the 50s and especially what it was like being a Black lesbian during those times and the racism she had to endure from society at large as well as within the lesbian community, which made her feel like an outsider.
Lorde grew up in a household in which she received little affection. I felt like she was in search of a family where she would feel needed/wanted. She met these incredible women throughout her journey who helped her love and grow, and in some instances, she was the mother to them that she never had.
Lorde writes that Zami is a Carriacou name for "women who work together as friends and lovers." This didn't come without its complications, but she took it all with a strength she accredits to her mother.
This is more biography than anything. Lorde writes about being raised by strict Caribbean parents in Harlem in the 30s and 40s, the tumultuous relationship she had with her mother, the racism she experienced at a young age from landlords and nuns at the Catholic school she attended, how difficult it was for her to find work as a Black woman and the role the significant relationships she had with women played in shaping her and influencing her poetry.
In the backdrop of her life is the historical nature of the book. Lorde mentions how World War II affected her family and her feelings on McCarthyism and the execution of the Rosenbergs.
The mythological factor comes in when Lorde discusses Carriacou, where her mother is from. Lorde mentions that she'd never seen the island on the map as a child, so she thought her mother was crazy when she spoke of home. Fantasizing about the island was a source of comfort for Lorde.
I enjoyed this read more than I thought I would. Lorde describes what it was like to be a lesbian in New York City, Connecticut and Mexico in the 50s and especially what it was like being a Black lesbian during those times and the racism she had to endure from society at large as well as within the lesbian community, which made her feel like an outsider.
Lorde grew up in a household in which she received little affection. I felt like she was in search of a family where she would feel needed/wanted. She met these incredible women throughout her journey who helped her love and grow, and in some instances, she was the mother to them that she never had.
Lorde writes that Zami is a Carriacou name for "women who work together as friends and lovers." This didn't come without its complications, but she took it all with a strength she accredits to her mother.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Racism, Suicide, Suicide attempt
Minor: Classism