Shame on Me (memoir)

Shame On Me

Author	Tessa McWatt
Language	English
Genre	Memoir
Publisher	Random House of Canada
Publication date	March 24, 2020
Publication place	Canada
Media type	Print

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.

Reception

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:

• Governor General's Literary Award for Nonfiction finalist (2020) ^[8]
• OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature shortlist (2021) ^[9]

References

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.

External links

• "40 works of Canadian nonfiction to watch for in spring 2020", CBC Books, March 5, 2020.
• "The CBC Books 2020 summer reading list", CBC Books, June 30, 2020.
• "Tessa McWatt explores race through the lens of her own multi-ethnic identity in her latest book", CBC Radio, May 8, 2020.
• Ryan B. Patrick, "How life in a Trumpian, post-Brexit world prompted Tessa McWatt to explore race and identity in her new memoir", CBC Books, June 3, 2020.
• "25 books by Black Canadian authors to read in 2021", CBC Books, February 18, 2021.
• "20 books by Black Canadian authors to read in honour of Emancipation Day 2021", CBC Books, July 30, 2021.