Name: Suyin

Reading: Familiar Stranger, Stuart Hall

Why did you want to read this? I first read this book in 2023 and so much of it has stayed with me and shaped my work and thinking since then. As I was re-reading it for this project, I realised how many common threads and themes there are that have appeared in my own life experiences -- it seemed almost serendipitous. Familiar Stranger was published posthumously in 2018, and I keep thinking about how enduring his writing about migrant and diasporic experiences continues to be -- particularly at a time where Britain is characterised as becoming 'an island of strangers' by our political leadership. 

How did you record yourself? I recorded myself sitting in my armchair in my study on a sunny Sunday afternoon. I had returned from a friend's wedding the day before, where I was honoured that she invited me to read a short poem as part of her ceremony. I thought this would be a nice activity to do the following day, given my vocal chords have warmed up a bit (hopefully!).