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Uprooting

From the Caribbean to the Countryside – Finding Home in an English Garden

Marchelle Farrell author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Canongate Books

Published:1st Aug '24

Should be back in stock very soon

Uprooting cover

This poignant narrative explores themes of identity and belonging through Marchelle's journey, ultimately revealing that home can be found in unexpected places, as depicted in Uprooting.

Winner of the Nan Shepherd Prize, Uprooting is a lyrical exploration of identity and belonging that transitions between the vibrant landscapes of Trinidad and the serene beauty of an English country garden. The protagonist, Marchelle Farrell, grapples with profound questions about home, having left her native Trinidad and now finding herself as the only Black woman in her new English village. This unique perspective allows readers to engage with themes of displacement and belonging in a nuanced way.

As Marchelle immerses herself in the garden, she begins to confront the complexities of her identity shaped by colonialism. The garden serves as a metaphorical and literal space for reflection, where she unearths the interconnectedness of her contrasting identities. Through her journey, Uprooting invites readers to consider how our environments shape our sense of self and belonging, often in unexpected ways.

Ultimately, this book is a testament to hope and healing. It encourages readers to reconnect with the land and explore the idea of home beyond physical locations. With rich imagery and emotional depth, Uprooting not only addresses the challenges of finding one's place in the world but also celebrates the resilience of the human spirit in the face of change.

A beautiful memoir that shows how gardens can be a place to plant our most troubled feelings, to put down roots and to find peace -- KATHERINE MAY
A tender book, raw in some parts . . . Farrell generously shows the reader the value of openness, considering what we have to learn from other people and species -- AMANDA THOMSON * * Times Literary Supplement * *
Glistening . . . This book will change how we speak of gardens, land and identity in myriad ways. An exquisite love letter [and] a rallying call * * Irish Times * *
Uprooting is a potent hymn to the importance of home and a deeply thoughtful offering on what our gardens can be -- ALICE VINCENT
A wonderful book * * Financial Times * *
Stunning . . . The power of [Farrell's] prose, her skilful observation and her uncanny ability to weave together science and spirituality comes alive in this memoir * * NB Magazine * *
Emotive . . . [Farrell] uses her plot to as a lens from which to consider place, people and planet. At times universal, at other times, strikingly personal * * Gardens Illustrated * *
Can the shifting sands upon which a diasporic life is built ever begin to settle? In her search for belonging, Farrell co-creates a garden and considers the wider cultural and political landscapes that have shaped her. A beautiful entanglement of soil and soul -- JINI REDDY
Uprooting is at once tender and direct - as lyrical in its descriptions of home landscapes as it is scathing on the still-living legacies of colonisation. Farrell has given us a profoundly honest portrait of plants, place and the shifting of spirit wrought by migration -- JESSICA J LEE
In this beautiful book, Marchelle Farrell excavates the troubled legacies of colonialism and her own uprooting as she brings her Somerset garden back to life. Over the course of a year she pours love into the depleted soil and is rewarded with an abundance - of plants, insights and friendships - and, most importantly, a sense of finding home -- LULAH ELLENDER

  • Winner of Nan Shepherd Prize 2021 (UK)
  • Short-listed for Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing 2024 (UK)

ISBN: 9781838858704

Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 17mm

Weight: 201g

288 pages

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