(#gifted @amazonpublishing) I wasn't familiar with Jason Diakité when Amazon Crossing very kindly gifted me a box of their latest translated offerings, but I was instantly interested in his memoir when I read the synopsis. Born in Sweden to a white mother and a Black father, he grew up Swedish, American, Black, white, with Cherokee, Slavic and German roots too. Even after his career as a rapper took off, 'Timbuktu' still didn't feel like he'd got to grips with his sense of self. Diakité decided to go to America to find out more about his father's side of the family, travelling to South Carolina and New York to talk to relatives and learn more about his Black roots.

.

Translated from the Swedish by Rachel Willson-Broyles, I found this memoir slow to start but extremely compelling once Diakité gets further into his story. It's interesting to read a little bit about Blackness in a country that is not the US or the UK. I think a lot of white people see countries like Sweden and Norway as benign, happy places to live, but of course they have their own issues with racism, as Diakité learned growing up and always being one of the only Black or brown bodies in a room.

.

But the majority of the book is actually centred around the US and Diakité's family there. I learned a lot, for instance I wasn't aware of 'food deserts'. These are towns in the US where residents don't have easy access to fresh food (and often lots of fast food restaurants instead), leading to high obesity and diabetes rates among communities, very often Black communities.

.

Diakité does a really good job relaying the complexity of his family life, including frustrations over differences in political opinion. There were some places where I was confused about what time period we were in, but overall it's a great read (even though I always find it weird to call someone's memoir an enjoyable read - you know what I mean).

.

I think anyone who enjoyed Morgan Jerkins' Wandering in Strange Lands might enjoy this one too!