A GUARDIAN, SUNDAY TIMES, EVENING STANDARD AND COSMOPOLITAN BOOK OF THE YEAR

'A jaw-dropping story, told deftly . . . a gripping, thought-provoking book' Sunday Times

'A really engaging memoir about identity, race, family, secrets, lies and ultimately betrayal, by a very gifted storyteller' Guardian

Georgina Lawton was born to two white parents. Despite her brown skin, her racial identity was never spoken of in her childhood home.

The truth only began to emerge when her beloved father died. Fleeing the shattered pieces of her family life, Georgina went in search of answers - a search that took her around the world, to the DNA testing industry and to talk to others whose identities had been questioned or erased.

How do you come to terms with a family history tangled in deceit? And how do you define yourself after a childhood that denied a crucial part of your identity?

A beautifully-written true account of a young woman seeking her own story amid devastating family secrets. For readers of moving, powerful books about family and identity such as My Name is Why by Lemn Sissay and Educated by Tara Westover.

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'Freshly fascinating . . . She writes beautifully about questions of identity and belonging, so central to each of us in finding our particular place in the world' New York Times Book Review

'Extraordinary' Daily Mirror

'A poignant and eye-opening memoir' Yomi Adegoke, co-author of Slay in Your Lane

'A beautiful heart-expanding memoir, truly unforgettable' Emma Gannon, author of Sabotage

'At turns revelatory and profound, this memoir sings' Publishers Weekly

'A beautifully written account of an extraordinary story, as eye-opening as it is profound' Otegha Uwagba, author of Little Black Book

'Heart-rending and poignant . . . painfully illuminating but a triumphant journey' Florence Olajide, author of Coconut

About the Author
Georgina Lawton is a twenty-something journalist, travel writer and host of Audible's DNA podcast, The Secrets In Us. Georgina has been a weekly Guardian columnist, with her work also appearing in the Independent, ipaper, Stylist, gal-dem, Travel + Leisure, VICE, Time Out London and many more. Follow Georgina on Twitter @GeorginaLawton and on Instagram @georginalawtonwriter_

Reviews
A jaw-dropping story, told deftly . . . a gripping, thought-provoking book * The Times *
A really engaging memoir about identity, race, family, secrets, lies and ultimately betrayal, by a very gifted storyteller -- Gary Younge * Guardian *
An extraordinary debut * Daily Mirror *
Freshly fascinating. [Lawton] is a particularly astute observer of the psychological dislocation caused by growing up mixed race . . . and she writes beautifully about questions of identity and belonging, so central to each of us in finding our particular place in the world * New York Times *
Georgina Lawton's Raceless is an absolutely riveting read, not just as a poignant and eye opening memoir but as a nuanced and crucial dissection of race as a construct. She writes so movingly and powerfully about her experiences - I have no doubt this will be one of the books of this year -- Yomi Adegoke * co-author of Slay in Your Lane *
A beautifully written account of an extraordinary story, Raceless is as eye-opening as it is profound -- Otegha Uwagba * author of Little Black Book *
Lawton builds a strong story around her attainment of emotional balance and her quest for identity and belonging. At turns revelatory and profound, this memoir sings * Publishers Weekly *
Compelling * Cosmopolitan *
This is a compelling, incisive and important memoir; both intimate and political -- Caroline Sanderson * The Bookseller *
Fascinating * i *
Heart-rending and poignant . . . Georgina's story is painfully illuminating but a triumphant journey of self-discovery -- Florence Olajide * author of Coconut *
This book is a masterpiece; functioning both as a beautifully-written memoir and sensitive, highly-researched text unpacking the realities of race as a social construct and as a powerful influence on the lives of black people. It is an invaluable read for any person with an interest in race issues in the UK, but especially black and black mixed race people, who so often haven't been given the space to tell their stories. Georgina Lawton is a true talent and while some parts of her story are mired in pain, upon finishing Raceless you'll only be left with optimism for her future as a writer, thinker and commentator -- Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff, Editor-in-Chief * gal-dem magazine *
A beautiful heart-expanding memoir, a truly unforgettable reading experience that will stay with me for a long time -- Emma Gannon * author of Olive *
An incredibly moving and honest account of self discovery. I found myself weeping at the ways Georgina described grieving for a parent on top of navigating the realisation that her origin story was vastly different from the story she had been told. It isn't often that you come across a story like hers and with every page it felt as though she was letting us in a little bit deeper. What a stunning debut! -- Liv Little * gal-dem founder *
Georgina is such a passionate, engaging writer, and I think Raceless is going to be absolutely huge -- Jenny Colgan * author of Sunrise by the Sea *



Book Information
ISBN 9780751579376
Author Georgina Lawton
Format Paperback
Page Count 272
Imprint Sphere
Publisher Little, Brown Book Group
Weight(grams) 220g
Dimensions(mm) 196mm * 126mm * 26mm