An “arresting . . . bracing and affecting volume”
(Booklist) that “brims with curiosity and cosmopolitanism” (
Publishers Weekly),
Color Me English was hailed in the
Guardian
as one of the best books of 2011 by Blake Morrison. This compilation of
essays from award-winning author Caryl Phillps is “a polymorphous
delight that always retains at its core the notion of identity: how it
is constructed, how it is thrust upon us, how we can change it” (
The Independent).
A bold reflection on race and culture across national boundaries,
Color Me English
includes touching stories from Phillips’s childhood in England; his
years living and teaching in the United States during the turbulent
times of 9/11; and his travels across Europe and Africa, where he
engages with legendary writers James Baldwin, Richard Wright, Chinua
Achebe, and Ha Jin. Featured on radio programs including
The Leonard Lopate Show and
The Diane Rehm Show and covered in
Salon, the
Huffington Post, and
Essence,
Color Me English
is a stunning collection from Phillips, who “writes wonderfully
crafted, deeply meditative treatises . . . [that are] always interesting
and informative” (
Quarterly Black Review).
