Shame on Me: An Anatomy of Race and Belonging is a collection of autobiographical essays by Guyana-born Canadian writer Tessa McWatt,[1] published on March 24, 2020, by Random House Canada.

Shame On Me
AuthorTessa McWatt
LanguageEnglish
GenreMemoir
PublisherRandom House of Canada
Publication date
March 24, 2020
Publication placeCanada
Media typePrint

Reception

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Shame on Me received a starred review from Quill & Quire, which said: "Tessa McWatt’s original and moving memoir, interrogates ideas of race, belonging, shame, purpose, destiny, desire, and identity. Through an examination of her physical body, she holds up a mirror to the ways culture and society read race and the bodies of others – their skin, hair, bones, and more. She does this with remarkable research and precision – an anatomical and literary close-reading of her own history and heritage."[2] Among other positive reviews were those appearing in Caribbean Collective Magazine ("a vivid picture of how oppressive regimes from colonial times follow us to the modern day"),[3] Medium ("McWatt seamlessly connects the past and present...a beautifully woven account"),[4] CBC Books ("a personal and powerful exploration of history and identity"),[5] and in The Guardian, where Barbara Taylor described Shame on Me as an "eloquent and moving book".[6] CBC named it one of the top nonfiction books of 2020.[7] The book also received the following accolades:

References

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  1. ^ "Tessa McWatt, Bionic Woman". Wordfest. Calgary, Canada. Retrieved 2022-10-09.
  2. ^ Mason Pierre, Terese (2020-05-25). "Shame on Me: An Anatomy of Race and Belonging". Quill and Quire. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
  3. ^ Alya (October 2020). "For Multiracial Girls: My Review of Tessa McWatt's 'Shame on Me: An Anatomy of Race and Belonging'". Caribbean Collective Magazine. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
  4. ^ Fitzhugh, Becky (2021-02-10). "Review of Shame on Me- An Anatomy of Race and Belonging, Tessa McWatt". Medium. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
  5. ^ "Shame on Me". CBC Books. July 30, 2020. Retrieved 2020-10-15.
  6. ^ Taylor, Barbara (2019-12-23). "Shame on Me by Tessa McWatt review – on race and belonging". The Guardian. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
  7. ^ "The best Canadian nonfiction of 2020". CBC Books. 2020-12-18. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
  8. ^ "Francesca Ekwuyasi, Billy-Ray Belcourt & Anne Carson among 2020 Governor General's Literary Awards finalists". CBC Books. 2021-05-04. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
  9. ^ "Announcing the 2020 OCM Bocas Prize Shortlist • Bocas Lit Fest". Bocas Lit Fest. 2020-04-02. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
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