My Name Is Why (Paperback)

‘The most amazing thing about this book is that it’s not made up. This actually happened’ - Benjamin Zephaniah

'Sissay has given us a blistering condemnation of the 'care' system- and his powerful voice asking 'why?' on behalf of all children who have been it's victims.' - The Mail

'It is a searing and unforgettable re-creation of the most brutal of beginnings.' - The Guardian

'A quietly devastating memoir' - The Sunday Times

‘Utterly devastating and beautiful’ - Dolly Alderton

‘I have never read a memoir like it. A blistering account of a young life in the hands of neglectful authorities. It’s a quest for understanding, for home, for answers. Grips like a thriller. Astounding’ - Matt Haig

'No Government Inquiry could ever expose the inhumanity of our nation's care system more effectively than this memoir. The evidence is all here. I wept at the sheer monumental cruelty of it. The racism. The crushing, degrading absence of respect and encouragement. The simple yearning for love and a sense of self. Lemn Sissay is triumph of human survival. Shame on all of us that this happens in our midst' - Helena Kennedy QC

‘A gorgeous and beautifully written triumph of hope, intelligence and resilience over multiple and varied cruelties’ - Cathy Rentzenbrink

‘Lemn Sissay the person shines through it all, his unflinching honesty, his attention to detail, his humour and bravery’ - Kit de Waal

‘The heartbreaking story of one clever little boy’s battle to grow up in care system that just didn’t care. This story will stay with me for a very long time’ - Sally Lindsay

‘I read My Name Is Why in one sitting, crying and crying and smiling and shaking, gobsmacked at how Lemn Sissay was treated and what he went through. I am in awe of him and his strength and kindness, and the true gentleness that shines through him. What a book. Heartbreaking and raw and stark and beautiful’ - Lisa Faulkner

'Utterly extraordinary' - Misha Glenny

'Every line of this astonishing memoir oozes with pain and power, vulnerability and victory, humour and honesty. Lemn Sissay makes us all understand that human beings can triumph over the impossible' - Deborah Frances-White

'Lemn Sissay is a man for whom emotions become embroidered onto the page. The largely loveless formative years that he endured in the care system has produced a man so adept at conveying love and truth through stanzas, that you could be mistaken for thinking he experienced an altogether different childhood' - Nihal Arthanayake

'If the question is 'why'? The answer is 'to love'. The engaging transfiguring truth of My Name Is Why is like a baptism of truth - leaving you washed clean of lies and reborn in love. Profound in its kindness, intelligence and unselfish heart, this book is important and unputdownable' - Jessica Hynes

'Inspirational... My Name Is Why shows how resilience, determination and courage can be used to drive yourself forward to make a difference' - Floella Benjamin

'Just finished weeping my way through ...Read it!' - Alix Nathan

'Fans of his writing will have been waiting for this memoir. He has an extraordinary story to tell' - The Sunday Times

Praise for Lemn Sissay:

'One of the most original, challenging poets writing in Britain today, and his extraordinary, heart-breaking, courageous life story is the stuff of legend... Full of light and hope... A prodigious talent.' - The Daily Mail

'Hugely enjoyable, inventive, funny and touching' - The Guardian

'Lemn Sissay is a passionate and powerful voice whose performances are humbling and exhilarating' - Kate Tempest

'His gift as a writer - of plays, poetry, documentaries - is for turning life's base metal into gold.' - The Observer

'A literary institution' - The Big Issue

'A lyrical genius' - The Voice

'His name is magic, his poems are songs on the street' - Independent