Not Quite White

Simon and Schuster (2022)

A time-travelling magical realism memoir about being mixed race.

BLURB: This is a story of belonging and not belonging, of not knowing if you exist and making sure that you do - a story for ancestors and descendants, for people without roles or representation who find themselves placed in a random mixed-up race. This is a story about time travel and tigers, of mountains and moons, and what happens when you sew a thread that was split in two.

Reliving defining memories from early childhood in the 1990s to the present day, Laila Woozeer engages with the divisive patterns of racism and prejudice and their cumulative effect on a single life. Using the healing stream of connection – with personal and family history, friends, nature and imagination – and the act of creation, Laila illustrates the way a self was forged. Between past lives and personhood, and from colonialism to creativity, this is a vivid, lyrical account of identity, endurance, courage, growth and artistry. In Not Quite White you are invited to follow the journey of somebody trying desperately to understand who they are, how to survive, and what it might mean to thrive.

Featured 2022 Book Pick in: Stylist, Waterstones, The Tab

Featured in: The Guardian, Dazed, Mashable, Metro, Stylist, Wales Art Review, Mixed Messages Newsletter, Book Reccos, Brown Girl Bookshelf, My London, Aurelia

“a memoir that many mixed-race people will easily relate to”

— Dazed

Accompaniments

Official Read-Along Playlist which I would recommend listening to whilst you read, and the

Official “All The Music Of The Book” Playlist in case you’re curious about what this book sounds like.

Quotes

“charts the pain and confusion of growing up while grappling with a complicated, mixed ethnic identity.. a memoir that many mixed-race people will easily relate to” - Dazed

“delves into what it’s like growing up mixed race in the UK” - Mashable

“a moving piece of literature.. an eloquent portrayal of self-discovery and building your identity in a society that is eager to dismantle your existence at every turn” - Wales Art Review

“an insight into what it's like growing up mixed race” - My London

“one of the most relatable I’ve read on the mixed experience” - Mixed Messages

“heartbreaking, vivid, lyrical, and very smart… I was so grateful to Laila giving us the understanding of this quite complex topic” - Book Reccos

“Woozeer creates an environment in the reader’s mind that allows us to learn more about ourselves… the is the real gift to readers” - Brown Girl Bookshelf

“intimate, powerful and nuanced reflection of exploring one's identity, understanding and embracing mixedness” - The Diverse Bookshelf

“a pulsing exploration of the self, this book hands you the privilege to observe Laila find meaning, and it oozes with vulnerability, hope, beauty and story. When I’m older I want to write like Laila” – Gina Martin

“A lyrical odyssey of self-discovery, told with folkloric flair. In charting her journey across Welsh mountains and Mauritian seas, Laila Woozeer offers a map that can guide us all, regardless of our origins, to unearth the treasure that lies within. A must-read for anyone in search of themselves.” - Jassa Ahluwalia

“Anyone who wants to learn how our racial identity impacts not only our experience of the world but also how we understand ourselves should pick up this book. Gorgeously written, too.” – Natasha Devon

“the most nuanced and moving account of mixed race identity I’ve read” – htmljones

“This book is a gem. I genuinely couldn’t stop turning the pages. Laila is an essential voice in todays important issues of race, identity and belonging.” – Kai Samra

“This book is a treat, asking timely questions about race, who we are and how we define ourselves, but through such exquisite prose you get utterly pulled in” - Rosie Holt

Read an excerpt:

Excerpt from ‘Not Quite White’ on the fetishisation of mixed people in Mashable

Excerpt from ‘Not Quite White’ on understanding family heritage in Wales Art Review