My Name Is Why

Norman Greenwood received his birth certificate at the age of seventeen, having spent his early years in an adopted family and the next six years in care facilities. He discovered that Norman was not his true name. Lemn Sissay was the one. He was Ethiopian and British. He also discovered that since his birth, his mother had been begging for his safe return. Sissay narrates his life story here. It's a tale of perseverance and disregard. Bad luck and optimism. Beauty and cruelty. Sissay examines race, family, the idea of home, and the institutional care system while reflecting on adoption, self-expression, and Britishness. This poignant, honest, and topical memoir, written with all the lyricism and passion you would expect from one of the country's most beloved voices, is the product of a life spent introspecting and celebrating the restorative potential of creation.