I am one of the few who came into this books having read nothing by Evaristo before, but I was intrigued to see her writing from this perspective.

Bernardine Evaristo speaks on her life, relationships, writing and how all have been effected by her ambition, determination, and choices.

Overall, I actually really loved this. I felt Bernardine was candid in her reflection on her own life, spoke greatly to her mind set and how that has benefited or harmed the choices she's made and more. It was truly just an overall joy to read.

Thank you for the ARC!

I am not a fan of memoirs. It feels intrusive despite it is written for reading. When I got my hands on this one, I delayed a lot before reading it mainly because of the above said fear. But Evaristo made this a very enriching experience. I really loved reading this as I got a peek inside the mind of the writer. May be I will read memoirs of writers alone?

I'm always a sucker for memoirs. I love learning about people and their experiences. I always struggle to give a star rating to someone's lived experiences, so 5 stars it is. I enjoyed learning about Evaristo's life from childhood all the way up until she won the Booker Prize in 2019. It really dives into how she writes, her determined nature, and her activism. Definitely worth a read if you're into memoirs and have enjoyed Evaristo's novels.

I am a big fan of Bernardine Evaristo's fiction, having loved Girl, Woman, Other, The Emperor's Babe, and recently Mr. Loverman. I find her writing accessible, playful, witty, tongue-in-cheek, daring, and exciting.

Unfortunately, I didn't find those elements in this work. It's probably because it's a work of non-fiction where she shares insights into her life and process as a writer. It was probably unfair of me to expect a more experimental approach, but there you have it.

I did love reading about how she developed the novels that I have loved. And her persistent nature shines through, as well. I admire her greatly, but I think this book just wasn't as bold as I had hoped for given what I had read of hers in the past. If I was a writer myself, I may have gleaned more from the experience.

Bernardine Evaristo has shaken the literary world with her phenomenal writing and work in the theatre. In this memoir, she looks at all the barriers that stood in her way and how she persisted to bring her creative vision to life. From examining her past relationships and queerness to an intimate look at Evaristo's creative process, each essay adds a fascinating new layer to her story. I loved listening to this on audiobook, narrated perfectly by Evaristo. I highly recommend this especially to writers and creatives!

I absolutely adored and took a lot away from Girl, Woman, Other so I couldn't resist picking up Evaristo's memoir asap. I loved learning about her family and ancestry, love life, education, writing processes, opinions, strengths, weaknesses and everything in between. Evaristo uses her own life and experiences to show that there is more to creativity than some inspiration. She explores a number of elements that set the foundation for her own creativity, and dives into her past to show her readers what kept her going throughout it all.

I highly recommend getting your hands on both the physical and audio editions of this memoir. I loved physical reading it but having Bernardine Evaristo speaking her story alongside was an incredible and empowering experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for an eARC of this memoir!!

Evaristo's Girl, Woman, Other was one of the best books I read last year. It opened up a whole new spectrum of lived experiences and gave me a whole new view of the lives of Black women in England. Naturally I couldn't help but be curious about Evaristo herself, especially as this book had been my first introduction to her writing. And Manifesto definitely gave me more of an insight into her work and life. THanks to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Autobiographies are a tricky genre for me, either because it turns out I'm not actually as interested in the life of the person writing, or because the writing itself is too dry. Technically neither of these were an issue with Manifesto, but I did find myself wondering how much I actually wanted to know about Evaristo as a person while reading. I couldn't help but try to link her life to her fiction, draw links between lived experiences and written lives. Then, for me, there was the subtitle of the book, On Never Giving Up, which felt off to me initially. I have become highly skeptical of optimism over the past few years, which is one of Evaristo's driving forces. I think some of this skepticism comes from an inbuilt desire in our culture for people, specifically creative artists, to be demonstrative in their suffering, to show us their scars and to admit they haven't entirely recovered from their traumas. So to have someone like Evaristo show us her life and her difficulties and yet maintain her optimism and joy and drive initially struck me in an odd way. But as she continued and as I "got to know" Evaristo I began to see the strength that is behind this optimism. When everything goes your way it is easy to be optimistic and let things slide off you. But when you have witnessed and experienced struggle from the very beginning, this optimism is radical.

Manifesto is split into various chapters that are dictated by theme, rather than chronology per se. First is 'heritage, childhood, family, origins', which was probably my favourite chapter. There is something almost fairy tale like to how she describes her childhood now, at a far remove, in which beauty and cruelty go hand in hand. There are some stunning moments in this first chapter where she delves into the racism faced by her Nigerian father, as well as the racism faced by her Irish ancestors. The love for her family shines through, the pride Evaristo has in her broad ancestry. While she doesn't linger on the cruelty of micro- and macro-aggressions, she never denies their presence. 'houses, flats, rooms, homes' brought me, someone who also has no desire to tie themselves to a mortgage, both hope and despair. Landlords can be the worst, but there is an independence to renting, to being able to move, to knowing you can set down roots wherever. Evaristo ends it on the note that:
Writing became a room of my own; writing became my permanent home.


I had some issues with the chapter that followed, 'the women and men who came and went', specifically with how Evaristo described her own "lesbian phase". I have no right to disagree with how someone views or describes their own sexuality, but I found myself wondering whether tying her female relationships to her growing awareness of feminism, describing them as a filler rather than a part of herself, does her service. 'poetry, fiction, verse fiction, fusion fiction' will be the chapter most exciting to those hoping to glean insight into Evaristo's writing process. I loved how much her works changed, how inspiration came from so many different places, and how it took time and (critical) feedback every time. The final section, 'drama, community, performance, politics' was truly inspirational, however, seeing how Evaristo consistently works for her community without taking away from her own work. Seeing how much has been accomplished by women like her lights something of a fire within myself.

Bernardine Evaristo is a great writer, which deserves to be consistently pointed out. She writes with a wink, revealing more of herself than one might expect while managing to keep a certain mystery about her. You'll get to read her primary school reports and you'll find out about who she slept with, but she isn't entirely knowable. I prefer it that way. For some Manifesto will read like a bohemian, 'it was better before' kind of book, admiring the days without internet in which rent was cheap and love came easy. For others, like myself, Manifesto reads like a reminder to indeed not give up on life, that optimism is fuel and not a reward. Life won't come easy, it will be hard, but perhaps positive manifestations do indeed help. With all that there is still to do when it comes to eradicating racism, making the world safe for women, and highlighting Black voices, a ray of hope, a tale of growing into one self and finding confidence and power with every step, is exactly what we need.

Manifesto is a very interesting read which will be fascinating to anyone who has engaged with Evaristo's works before. Evaristo has lived a fascinating life so far and she will prove an inspiration to many.

More of a memoir, less an essay collection, Evaristo's "Manifesto" reads quickly, yet feels quite dry and analytical in the way it explores certain aspects of the author's life and experience.

So I don't have a lot in common with the author but I could relate to her as a person experiencing risk in love and career. I enjoyed the early chapter best as it covered her parents and being biracial. Her writing process was also a favorite section of mine as she researches history and culture to supplement her ideas. Not what I expected from the title but an interesting memoir.

A fascinating memoir that gives an honest telling of who Bernardino Everisto is and how her life influenced the creative writer she has become. Born to a White Mother who grew up in England and an Immigrant Father from Nigeria, life was unconventional. Many people were cruel to her and her family. Her mother’s family could not accept that she loved and married a black man. People threw bricks at her house. So she knows that she is always an outsider. She was raised to be independent and was not pressured to confirm to traditional ideals. This gave her the freedom to find out who she really was. She lives as a queer woman, while starting a Community Theater. Yet, she starts to write poetry, just for herself, as a way of expressing her deepest feelings. Her life changes over the course of 60 years and she learns and changes to adapt as she sees fit.

So, she does live an unorthodox life, but is glad for it. She moved around frequently for 30 years. She mentioned how this really helped when she is creating the space for characters for her novels because she is able to really envision it. I liked hearing about the her writing process and all that went into creating each book she wrote. One quality that sets her apart is her determination. Hearing no or being rejected only made her more determined to keep going. It takes a lot of hard work to reach her goals, but she in inspirational in her ability to persevere.

She sees being an activist as part of her life, but her essence is being a writer. That is her true passion. Yet, she does not feel these are exclusive and try’s to advocate for all people to be heard and be able to share their stories and communities. She has a keen understanding of life and I learned much from reading about her incredible life. “Struggle, positivity, activism, and self-belief have all contributed towards my unstoppability”. Those are her words and I think it sums her life up well. Definitely recommend reading, especially if you enjoy her writing.

Thanks you NetGalley, Bernadine Evaristo and Grove Atlantic for an ARC of this book. It’s much appreciated.

I enjoyed reading Manifesto by Bernardine Evaristo. I had already read Girl, Woman, Other and when I saw that the author wrote a memoir, I knew I wanted to read it. I really love Evaristo's writing style, which flows beautifully. Evaristo grew up in a large mixed-race family. She recounts her many relationships and moves as an adult as well as the work that went into writing and publishing her books. She writes thoughtfully and honestly about her experiences both as a child and as an adult. I think that anyone who enjoys memoir or who is interested in the writing process would enjoy this book. Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Readers who love Girl, Woman, Other will love this memoir written by the author Bernardine Evaristo.

Evaristo describes her experiences growing up in the UK during the 70s as a Black, queer woman. She includes themes about home, relationships, sexuality, friendships, theater, writing, and so much more. Raised by her Nigerian father and British mother, Evaristo also touches on identity and culture and what it was like to have parents born and raised from different parts of the world.

What I loved about this memoir is Evaristo's authenticity and her ability to inspire her reader. There are so many great life lessons woven into this book, and I also appreciated the touches of humor she uses throughout. I'm glad I had the opportunity to read this book, and I have a newfound appreciation for her works, including Girl Woman, Other.

Thank you Grove Atlantic for this Netgalley ARC!

Many thanks for the digital ARC and for giving me an opportunity to read this.
unfortunately, this book lacked so much and did not work for me. I am sad and in no way being critical - but we all have struggles. all great things come out of strrugle. The writing was flat and felt a simple easy - probably written in a way to make it relatable but did not have any affect on me. I'm sure a lot of of people will find it moving but in this weird world there is so much happening - i pray we all come out as a winner. I struggled to even finish it.

I fell in love with Evaristo’s writing two years ago after reading GIRL, WOMAN, OTHER. So when I saw the announcement for this book, I knew I needed to read it! But even better, I learned she narrates the audiobook so big ups to Libro FM for the ALC!

Evaristo’s journey is nothing short of fascinating. From the beginning of her writing career, to acting, even revisiting childhood memories, along with her personal life, it’s very clear how she took control to shape her life. Which, she credits a lot to her positive thinking and manifesting positive outcomes.

This is a heartwarming memoir balancing on the line of self help and believing in what you know you can do. It’s so much more in-depth than I expected.

Thank you Grove Press and Netgalley for the e-arc!

Content warnings: racism, toxic relationships, homophobia, infidelity, abuse

<blockquote><i>The person I am today no longer throws stones at the fortress. I sit inside its chambers having polite, persuasive and persistent conversations about how best to transform outmoded infrastructures to accommodate those who have been unfairly excluded.</i></blockquote>

<i>Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this book</i>

Let me start this off by saying that I had not read anything by Bernardine Evaristo. Her book, <i>Girl, Woman, Other</i> has been on my to-read list for a while (and has now surely been pushed to the top) but <i>Manifesto</i> is my first encounter with her writing. The writing is (at times) truly beautiful, her life and her activism is inspirational, and the book has most definitely made me even more interested in her other work, fulfilled its role as her promo material expertly; however, as far as memoirs go, I'm not sure I loved this one to be honest.

The book is split into different sections detailing Evaristo's childhood, relationships, various homes, books, writing process, inspiration, etc. etc. and at times, it feels too detailed to be interesting. Rather than focusing on anecdotes and specific memories as most memoirs do, <i>Manifesto</i> gives the much larger picture, detailing in step by step mode, the life the author has lived. While, at times, this is fascinating and enlightening to read (especially in the chapter about writing and her books), sometimes it can be a bit too much. I found the chapter on romantic relationships especially over-detailed to be honest. There are key relationships that are focused on that do provide an insight into her life and the formative events in it but then in between those, there's paragraphs that are basically "and then this happened and then this happened and then this happened" and don't seem to serve much of a purpose. The same can be said about the pages focused on the houses/areas she's lived in. Certain segments of that portion read a bit like a Wikipedia entry "and I moved here and I moved there" and while this may be very interesting for someone who has also lived in those areas, it's not "important" information and I would have much rather focused more on the writing and her process and certain key elements of her life rather than to be overwhelmed with information.

Overall, I did enjoy the text, it did pull me in, it's easy to read and has some very illuminating insights into writing and "on never giving up". I just wish that it was a bit less broad and also that stylistically it told more of the author writing it and was more in line with the books described within this one. Mainly, I'd recommend this to fans of Evaristo's writing who wish for more of an insight into the person behind the books but if you're simply looking for memoirs or even a collection of essays on life to read, this isn't really the book for you.

Thanks to Netgalley and Grove Press for the ebook. When, at age 60, you are the first Black woman to win the Booker Prize, you would imagine that the author’s life story would be fascinating and, in this case, that is certainly true. Born to a Nigerian father and white Catholic mother, the author was on of eight kids. Through dreams of a theatrical life, the author goes to drama school, starts a Black touring company and finally settles into a life of poetry and writing novels. This is an open hearted book that shows the author’s exploring sexuality, activism for unheard writers and a persistence to become a successful writer.

This memoir from Bernardine Evaristo has an interesting structure, with each chapter focussing on a theme - places she lived, people she dated, what she was doing creatively - and following that theme throughout her lifetime. This structure facilitates the thematic drawing-together of events in different generations of her family history, highlighting similarities and symmetries. Evaristo is articulate, determined and impressive, and often manages to address some fairly heavy subject matter in a clear and vibrant way.

However I did occasionally find that her opinions were slightly didactic/dismissive of other people's choices in their own lives.

My favourite parts of the book were those in which she discussed her family background, but I also enjoyed reading about her life and her path to discover and develop her own creativity.

I picked up this memoir because I adored the author’s novel Girl, Woman, Other. This is a memoir sort of in essays. The writing here is more stream of conscience and less considered than her fiction. There were some interesting bits here, but, overall, a bit patchy and underwhelming.

Evaristo's 'Manifesto' is part memoir, part mission statement. Her book examines how, in particular, her early life experiences have shaped her as a creative and as a political voice. Indeed, she explains how - and why - she has never separated these two identities. Evaristo's prose in 'Manifesto' is light touch and warm. Here she has no need to 'prove' her literary prowess - her life's work speaks for itself!

Such a wonderful insight into the author's life, and what fuels her creativity, her writing, her relationships, and more. It's an educational look at identity and upbringing, family and responsibility, and how the drive to tell stories is formed in complex, nomadic environments. The author's discussions on race and class are especially gripping, as are her explorations of queerness, of shifting queer identities, of queer love and violence. The author is commanding and conversational, unafraid to confront herself and her choices, and the connections she makes between those choices and the eventual finding of her feet are extraordinary. Inspired.