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A review by nadia
The Space Between Black and White by Esuantsiwa Jane Goldsmith
emotional
informative
slow-paced
4.0
A great memoir about one woman’s experience of growing up mixed-race in 1950s England and then navigating the world as an adult beyond that.
Goldsmith’s story spans 6 decades, a multitude of countries, and themes of identity, racism, politics, feminism, family, belonging, acceptance, and more.
Something I particularly enjoyed was how Goldsmith’s narrative voice mirrored the age she was at each point of her story. For example, at the beginning, the book didn’t read as if it was a five-year old writing it or anything, but you’re in the mind of Esuantsiwa at five, having a sense of what she was thinking and feeling at each moment recounted to us, without the benefit of hindsight.
Tip: If you don’t want to have a sense of what happens to Goldsmith later on in her life, I recommend skipping the photo segment until the end. :-D
Goldsmith’s story spans 6 decades, a multitude of countries, and themes of identity, racism, politics, feminism, family, belonging, acceptance, and more.
Something I particularly enjoyed was how Goldsmith’s narrative voice mirrored the age she was at each point of her story. For example, at the beginning, the book didn’t read as if it was a five-year old writing it or anything, but you’re in the mind of Esuantsiwa at five, having a sense of what she was thinking and feeling at each moment recounted to us, without the benefit of hindsight.
Tip: If you don’t want to have a sense of what happens to Goldsmith later on in her life, I recommend skipping the photo segment until the end. :-D
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abortion