Between Starshine and Clay
Conversations from the African Diaspora
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Footnote Press Ltd
Published:6th Oct '22
Currently unavailable, our supplier has not provided us a restock date
This book features intimate discussions with prominent Black thinkers, including Toni Morrison and Michelle Obama, on crucial social issues.
In Between Starshine and Clay, Sarah Ladipo Manyika engages with some of the most distinguished Black thinkers of our era, exploring profound themes such as race, decolonisation, systemic inequalities, and the climate crisis. Through a series of intimate conversations, she speaks with luminaries like Nobel Laureates Toni Morrison and Wole Soyinka, as well as influential figures such as Michelle Obama and Senator Cory Booker. Each dialogue is crafted with literary finesse, revealing the richness of their insights and experiences.
The book also features thought-provoking exchanges with poet Claudia Rankine and historian Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Manyika delves into discussions on race and gender with South African filmmaker Xoliswa Sithole and American actor Anna Deavere Smith. The narratives are interwoven with reflections on the broader societal context, as she converses with pioneering publisher Margaret Busby and civil rights activist Pastor Evan Mawarire, who bravely challenged oppressive regimes.
Additionally, the collection is framed by Manyika's personal stories, highlighting her unique perspective as she navigates her identity across different cultures and countries. This exploration culminates in a touching profile of her 102-year-old friend, Mrs. Willard Harris, who embodies the diverse threads of history and thought presented throughout the book. Between Starshine and Clay is not only a collection of conversations but also a journey through the complexities of identity and belonging.
A must read...!!! -- will.i.am
Extraordinary conversations with many of the greatest minds and most inspiring figures of our age. Each encounter framed and presented with enormous literary skill and grace. Together they form a snap-shot of the where the peoples of the Black diaspora stand, today in the early 21st Century, and how much has been overcome to get here. -- David Olusoga * author of Black and British *
Sarah Ladipo Manyika brings an intimate, eclectic, and delightfully startling freshness in this remarkably curated celebration of the African Diaspora. Her curiosity and ranging insights sharpens the genius, and the humanity, of her (already familiar) subjects, and our appreciation of them, and what an absolute joy to savor Between Starshine and Clay -- NoViolet Bulawayo * author of Glory *
What draws me to this work is what inspired it: A desire to bring Black voices from the African diaspora to the foreground. And Sarah Ladipo Manyika has assembled her subjects very carefully; each person in this book indeed conveys the power, strength and sheer diversity of the African diaspora. This is a one-of-a-kind book, a necessary and important one -- Delroy Lindo
Even though Sarah Ladipo Manyika's medium is language, to read her BetweenStarshine and Clay is like seeing an animator at work. Little by little, we see her subjects taking shape, and then, with a sudden blink, we are being invited to participate in choices made, joys, regrets, and lives fully lived. A lesson in magic from Manyika's writing -- Ato Quayson
Sarah brings us an important book full of inspiring voices and leaders engaged in the most important issues of the day. It is an amazing collection that will inspire readers young and old -- Dame Vivian Hunt
ISBN: 9781804440087
Dimensions: 222mm x 144mm x 28mm
Weight: 407g
288 pages