Audiobooks narrated by Bernardine Evaristo

Brought to you by Penguin. Dillibe was the second black boy to study at Eton - joining in 1965 - and the first to complete his education there. Written at just 21, this is a deeply personal, revelatory account of the racism he endured during his time as a student at the prestigious institution. He tells in vivid detail of his own background as the son of a Nigerian judge at the International Court of Justice at The Hague, of his arrival at the school, of the curriculum, of his reception by other boys (and masters), and of his punishments. He tells, too, of the cruel racial prejudice and his reactions to it, and of the alienation and stereotyping he faced at such a young age. A Black Boy at Eton is a searing, ground-breaking book displaying the deep psychological effects of colonialism and racism. A title in the Black Britain: Writing Back series - selected by Booker Prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo, this series rediscovers and celebrates pioneering books depicting black Britain that remap the nation. 'The story [Onyeama] had to tell was so gripping and shocking, it wouldn't let me go . . . A remarkably well-written memoir.' Bernardine Evaristo, from the Introduction © Dillibe Onyeama 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

Dillibe Onyeama (Author), Bernardine Evaristo, Michael Obiora (Narrator)

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Bernard and the Cloth Monkey: Black Britain: Writing Back

Brought to you by Penguin. WINNER OF THE SAGA PRIZE 1997: a literary award for trailblazing new Black British novelists A shattering portrayal of family, guilt and unshakable bonds as a family's deepest secrets explosively unravel When Anita finally returns home to London after a long absence, everything has changed. Her father is dead, her mother is away, and she and her sister Beth are alone together for the first time in years. They share a house. They share a family. They share a past. Tentatively, they reach out to one another for connection, but the house echoes with words unspoken. Dazzling and heart-breaking, Bernard and the Cloth Monkey is a searing portrait of family, a rebellion against silence and a testament to the human capacity for survival. 'A quietly outstanding work of fiction . . . an exemplary novel' Bernardine Evaristo © Judith Bryan 1998 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

Judith Bryan (Author), Bernardine Evaristo, Sara Powell (Narrator)

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Britons Through Negro Spectacles

Brought to you by Penguin. 'We shall therefore confine our walk to Central London where people meet on business during the day, and to West London where they meet for pleasure at night. If you will walk about the first City in the British Empire arm in arm with Merriman-Labor, you are sure to see Britons in merriment and at labour, by night and by day, in West and Central London.' In Britons Through Negro Spectacles Merriman-Labor takes us on a joyous, intoxicating tour of London at the turn of the 20th century. Slyly subverting the colonial gaze usually placed on Africa, he introduces us to the citizens, culture and customs of Britain with a mischievous glint in his eye. This incredible work of social commentary feels a century ahead of its time, and provides unique insights into the intersection between empire, race and community at this important moment in history. Selected by Booker Prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo, this series rediscovers and celebrates pioneering books depicting black Britain that remap the nation. © ABC Merriman-Labor 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

Abc Merriman-Labor (Author), Bernardine Evaristo, Mohammed Mansary (Narrator)

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Growing Out: Black Hair and Black Pride in the Swinging 60s

Brought to you by Penguin. Travelling over from Jamaica as a teenager, Barbara's journey is remarkable. She finds her footing in TV, and blossoms. Covering incredible celebrity stories, travelling around the world and rubbing shoulders with the likes of Germaine Greer and Michael Caine - her life sparkles. But with the responsibility of being the first black woman reporting on TV comes an enormous amount of pressure, and a flood of hateful letters and complaints from viewers that eventually costs her the job. In the aftermath of this fallout, she goes through a period of self-discovery that allows her to carve out a new space for herself first in the UK and then back home in Jamaica - one that allows her to embrace and celebrate her black identity, rather than feeling suffocated in her attempts to emulate whiteness and conform to the culture around her. Growing Out provides a dazzling, revelatory depiction of race and womanhood in the 1960s from an entirely unique perspective. A title in the Black Britain: Writing Back series - selected by Booker Prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo, this series rediscovers and celebrates pioneering books depicting black Britain that remap the nation. 'A gorgeously exuberant account. . . writing that is natural and vivacious . . . a fascinating and hugely enjoyable read.' Bernardine Evaristo, from the Introduction © Barbara Blake Hannah 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

Barbara Blake Hannah (Author), Barbara Blake Hannah, Bernardine Evaristo (Narrator)

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Incomparable World: Black Britain: Writing Back

Brought to you by Penguin. A visceral reimagining of 1780s London, showcasing the untold stories of African-American soldiers grappling with their post-war freedom In the years just after the American revolution, London was the unlikely refuge for thousands of black Americans who fought for liberty on the side of the British. Buckram, Georgie and William have earned their freedom and escaped their American oppressors, but on the streets of London, poverty awaits with equal cruelty. Ruthless, chaotic and endlessly evolving, London forces them into a life of crime, and a life on the margins. Their only hope for a better future is to concoct a scheme so daring, it will be a miracle if it pays off. Bursting with energy and vivid detail, Incomparable World boldly uncovers a long-buried narrative of black Britain. 'Adventurous and exuberant . . . a rollicking thriller [that] pulsates with vivacity' Bernardine Evaristo 'Remarkable' David Dabydeen © S. I. Martin 1996 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

S. I. Martin (Author), Bernardine Evaristo, Gary Carr (Narrator)

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Manifesto: A radically honest and inspirational memoir from the Booker Prize winning author of Girl,

Brought to you by Penguin. The powerful, urgent manifesto on never giving up from Booker prize-winning trailblazer, Bernardine Evaristo Bernardine Evaristo's 2019 Booker win - the first by a Black woman - was a revolutionary moment both for British culture and for her. After three decades as a trailblazing writer, teacher and activist, she moved from the margins to centre stage, taking her place in the spotlight at last. Her journey was a long one, but she made it, and she made history. MANIFESTO is Bernardine Evaristo's intimate and inspirational, no-holds-barred account of how she did it, refusing to let any barriers stand in her way. She charts her creative rebellion against the mainstream and her life-long commitment to the imaginative exploration of 'untold' stories. And drawing deeply on her own experiences, she offers a vital contribution to current conversations around social issues such as race, class, feminism, sexuality and aging. This is a unique book about staying true to yourself and to your vision. It's about how to be unstoppable - in your craft, your work, your life. It is Bernardine Evaristo's manifesto for never giving up. 'Bernardine Evaristo is one of those writers who should be read by everyone, everywhere.' Elif Shafak 'Bernardine Evaristo is one of Britain's best writers, an iconic and unique voice, filled with warmth, subtlety and humanity. Exceptional' Nikesh Shukla 'Bernardine Evaristo is the most daring, imaginative and innovative of writers' Inua Ellams © Bernadine Evaristo 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

Bernardine Evaristo (Author), Bernardine Evaristo (Narrator)

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Minty Alley: Black Britain: Writing Back

Brought to you by Penguin. The only novel from the world-renowned writer C.L.R. James - this extraordinary, big-hearted exploration of class was the first novel by a black West Indian to be published in the UK 'As he walked home he looked up at the myriads of stars, shining in the moonlight. Did people live there? And if they did, what sort of life did they live?' It is the 1920s in the Trinidadian capital, and Haynes' world has been upended. His mother has passed away, and his carefully mapped-out future of gleaming opportunity has disappeared with her. Unable to afford his former life, he finds himself moving into Minty Alley - a bustling barrack yard teeming with energy and a spectacular cast of characters. In this sliver of West Indian working-class society, outrageous love affairs and passionate arguments are a daily fixture, and Haynes begins to slip from curious observer to the heart of the action. Minty Alley is a gloriously observed portrayal of class, community and the ways in which we are all inherently connected. An undisputed modern classic, this is an exceptional story told by one of the twentieth century's greatest Caribbean thinkers. © C.L.R. James 1936 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

C.L.R. James (Author), Ben Onwukwe, Bernardine Evaristo (Narrator)

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My Fathers' Daughter

Brought to you by Penguin. A powerful, intimate memoir of Eritrean-British journalist, Hannah Azieb-Pool, who returns to Eritrea at the age of 30 to meet her family for the first time 'When I stepped off the plane in Asmara, I had no idea what lay ahead, or how those events would change me . . .' In her twenties, Hannah-Azieb Pool is given a letter that unravels everything she knows about her life. She knew she was adopted from an orphanage in Eritrea, and as her adoptive family brought her to the UK, they believed she did not have any surviving relatives. When she discovers the truth in a letter from her brother - that her birth father is alive and her Eritrean family are desperate to meet her - she is faced with a critical choice. Should she go? In this intimate memoir, she takes us with her on an extraordinary journey of self-discovery, as she travels to Eritrea to uncover her own story. With radiant warmth, courage and wisdom, Hannah-Azieb disentangles the charged concepts of identity, family and home. Featuring a new introduction from Bernardine Evaristo and an updated afterword from the author, this is a timeless, essential read. 'Remarkable' Observer 'What a story. So vivid, honest and moving' Andrea Levy, author of Small Island Selected by Booker Prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo, this series rediscovers and celebrates pioneering books from black Britain and the diaspora, which remap the nation and reframe our history. © Hannah Azieb 2005 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

Hannah Azieb Pool (Author), Bernardine Evaristo, Yusra Warsama (Narrator)

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Sequins for a Ragged Hem

Brought to you by Penguin. A beautifully atmospheric memoir and travelogue from poet Amryl Johnson depicting her journey from the UK to Trinidad in the 1980s 'Memories demanded that I complete this book. If what I experienced was, in fact, a haunting, I believe I have now laid these ghosts to rest in a style which I hope will satisfy even the most determined ones.' Amryl Johnson came to England from Trinidad when she was eleven. As an adult in 1983, ready for a homecoming, she embarks on a journey through the Caribbean searching for home, searching for herself. Landing in Trinidad as carnival begins, she instantly surrenders to the collective, pulsating rhythm of the crowd, euphoric in her total freedom. This elation is shattered when she finds the house where she was born has been destroyed. She cannot escape - nor wants to - from the inheritance of colonialism. Her bittersweet welcome sets the tone for her intoxicating exploration of these distinct islands. In evocative, lyrical prose Sequins for a Ragged Hem is an astonishingly unique memoir, interrogating the way our past and present selves live alongside one another. Selected by Booker Prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo, this series rediscovers and celebrates pioneering books from Black Britain and the diaspora, which remap the nation and reframe our history. © Amryl Johnson 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

Amryl Johnson, Estate Of Amryl Johnson (Author), Bernardine Evaristo, Martina Laird (Narrator)

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Soul Tourists: From the Booker prize-winning author of Girl, Woman, Other

Brought to you by Penguin. Stanley Williams, angst-ridden banker and boffin, wonders whether there's more to life than his daily nine-to-five grind. One night he's dragged to a disco at Piccadilly Circus and there he meets Jessie: artiste, motormouth, ducker and diver. She swoops Stanley out of his soulless life and off on a rollercoaster road trip across Europe, bringing him face to face with a host of forgotten luminaries from the rich mix of black European history and literature. © Bernardine Evaristo 2006 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Bernardine Evaristo (Author), Bernardine Evaristo, Kayi Ushe, Vivienne Acheampong (Narrator)

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The Dancing Face: Black Britain: Writing Back

Brought to you by Penguin. A sensational, original thriller that examines the powerful link between identity, sacrifice and possession, and questions our compulsive need to chase after ambitions that leave devastation in their wake University lecturer Gus knows that stealing the priceless Benin mask, The Dancing Face, from a museum at the heart of the British establishment will gain an avalanche of attention. Which is exactly what he wants. But such a risky theft will also inevitably capture the attention of characters with more money, more power, and fewer morals. Naively entangling his loved ones in his increasingly dangerous pursuit of righteous reparation, is Gus prepared for what it will cost him? 'This book is brutal, deep, cunning and unbearably beautiful' Independent Selected by Booker Prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo, this series rediscovers and celebrates pioneering books depicting black Britain that remap the nation. © Mike Phillips 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

Mike Phillips (Author), Ben Arogundade, Bernardine Evaristo (Narrator)

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The Fat Lady Sings: Black Britain: Writing Back

Brought to you by Penguin. A groundbreaking novel exploring the intersection between race, class and mental health in the UK 'That is the glory of being a mental patient. Nothing is impossible.' It is the 1990s, and Gloria is living in a London psychiatric ward. She is unapologetically loud, audacious and eternally on the brink of bursting into song. After several months of uninterrupted routine, she is joined by another young black woman - Merle - who is full of silences and fear. Unable to confide in their doctors, they agree to journal their pasts. Whispered into tape recorders and scrawled ferociously at night, the remarkable stories of their lives are revealed. In this tender, deeply-moving depiction of mental health, Roy creates a striking portrait of two women finding strength in their shared vulnerability, as they navigate a system that fails to protect them. Life-affirming and fearlessly hopeful, this is an unforgettable story. 'This is a novel of daring - enjoyable, surprising and original.' Bernardine Evaristo 'A strong and humane work of fiction' Jackie Kay 'A striking commentary' Scotsman 'A strong, humorous and moving piece of fiction . . . such is the life injected into the characters that by the end of the novel there remains that reluctance to part with people you have come to love' calabash 'A joy' Pride 'Unflinchingly told . . . harrowing but also shockingly funny' Big Issue © Jacqueline Roy 2000 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

Jacqueline Roy (Author), Bernardine Evaristo, Nneka Okoye (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Bernardine Evaristo